Tag Archives: Forest

Three Weekends in Holland: Amsterdam & Limburg (Part 2)

Limbourg Chic & Nature

The Hotel : Winselerhof in Landgraaf

Surrounded by vineyards, this elegant hotel set in an old farmhouse is a haven of peace. We had lunch in the lovely interior courtyard bathed in sunshine (photo above, 5). Tasty refined cuisine with Mediterranean accents (3 & 4). The breakfast is also varied and plentiful.

We are happy to get in our spacious comfortable suite (1 & 2), after a long (sporty) walk in the nearby forest (6: no, it is not the silhouette of a real wolf, but a sculpture). When we left the Winselerhof, we felt very relaxed and invigorated.

What To Do

Visiting Valkenburg & Maastricht

Direction Valkenburg aan de Geul, a picturesque medieval village (photos 2, 3 & 4 above). What a surprise when we arrived, the village was crowed by tourists! It is really touristy. To avoid the bulk of the crowd, move away from the center of the village.

Another option: driving to Maastricht, a charming little town with countless cafes whose summer and winter I never tire of (1). In the evening, we dine in Herleen at the Brasserie Mijn Streek, located on the top floors of the SCHUNCK museum (5 & 6). A nice view, really good food and friendly team. 

Arty Amsterdam

The Hotel : Conservatorium Hotel

For this new weekend in Amsterdame, we focused about contemporary art. The Conservatorium Hotel, a former music conservatory, is located in the museum district of Amsterdam. I did not know this lovely neighborhood.

As soon as we enter the imposing lobby (photos below 4 & 5), we are projected into a large space mixing cutting-edge design, massive architecture and lots of art. The hotel has a number of works of art as well as renowned restaurants. The reception and restaurant teams are  friendly and professional.

But the best is our large Rooftop Suite with a sleek minimalist design (photo above and photos below 1 & 2). Superb bathroom (3). A cocoon of luxury and good taste. I forgot, the breakfast in the Brasserie and Lounge is simply delicious. 

What To Do

Amsterdam Art Weekend

There are a thousand ways to visit Amsterdam. We decided to go there, during the Amsterdam Art Weekend  (the next session is scheduled from April 15 to 17, 2021). s 2021). We started our art walk by visiting of the artists’ studios in residence at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten  (1).

Then we spent the rest of the day in different private art galleries. And in the evening, we were at an exhibition opening in the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, the huge museum of contemporary art (2). After the event, what a treat to quickly be able to walk back to our hotel! 

The next day: long stop at the PAN Amsterdam,, the most important art and antiques fair in the Netherlands. Where among a thousand discoveries (it’s a real Alibaba cave), I really liked the sculptures of Vladimir Zbynovsky at the Etienne Gallery (3). In the afternoon: we went to the Moco Museum where I really enjoyed the works of Daniel Arsham (4). 

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés

Informations  

I Amsterdam

Related articles : Destinations & Hotel Review

Many thanks to Visit Holland and I Amsterdam, for this beautiful invitation. Also many thanks to the Winselerhof Landgraaf and Conservatorium Hotel and the restaurants mentioned in the article. As always, theses are my opinions.

Wat Suan Mokkhaphalaram: The bouddhist Meditation Centre

Arriving late in the afternoon at Wat Suan Mokkhaphalaram, a famous Buddhist meditation center located in a forest, my camera is low bat! But thanksfully I can use my modest smartphone: sorry for the quality of the pictures! Suan Mokkh literally means “The Garden of Liberation”. First Vision: Thai and foreign people, all dressed in white, wandering here and there among the monks in a natural setting. Paths, inscriptions and altars amid lush vegetation … Created in 1959 by the Thai monk Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, the monastery is dedicated to meditation. Thailand, with a population of 66,720,153 inhabitants in 2011 (Wikipedia), there are between 200,000 and 300,000 monks (Wikipedia) and 32,000 temples. Picture above: we follow the monks into a building nestled on top of a hill and filled with paintings. Pictures 2, 6 and 7: this facetious energetic monk made us ​​a quick presentation of the foundations of Buddhism. And explained principles such as finding the right balance. He also told us some excerpts from the life of Buddha. And with lots of spirit and emphasis, he commented some paintings (made ​​by the monks of the monastery), as the “Human arragement by Flowers” (picture 4) that I find it quite confusing. I listen carefully. Sometimes I loose the point: some explanations are in Thai. I also try to interpret other reliefs and draws, when the guide ask us to go back to the van. We have to hit the road to the last stop of the day: the city of Surat Thani, where we will spend the night. Sarah, big up to you ; )

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés  

Follow my whole trip in THAILAND and Twitter. You can also discover my other pictures in the Facebook of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Facebook of the Royal Thai Embassy in BelgiumENJOY!

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