On a two day trip to Holland, we spent one day in Amsterdam and the second day at the Hague. 

One day at the Hague

It was a wonderful sunny afternoon when we travelled to the Hague to see it the way the Dutch see it. Since our hotel was conveniently located near Central Station, the best way to get there was by train which is exactly what we did. The newly renovated old station is like everything else Dutch, easy and simple to navigate.

Close to the Hague central station, the Netherlands (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Trains to the Dutch capital leave every 15 minutes or so . Even going by second class is comfortable and we settled down to a 45 minute trip. At the head of the train we were met by our delightful hosts who decided to take us around the city by foot. Stepping out we were welcomed by a cool gust of air, making us aware of the the North sea close by.

Herrings at a kiosk

Our camera needed a memory chip so we walked down the shopping streets which were super crowded as most people were free to shop on a  Sunday .  The Hague is distinctly different from Amsterdam and like all capital cities of the world has a regal air about it. Home to different embassies and the International Court of Justice, the streets are milling with people of all nationalities. We quickly found what we wanted and walked down to the Binnenhof or the Dutch parliament. Just outside the complex of buildings we had  herring at the iconic  Haringkraam , the best introduction to this uniquely Dutch experience – slipping down a pickled herring (stuffed with raw onions) held by its tail . [ctt title=”” tweet=”This place is hard to miss and this experience is truly a MUST for an authentic Dutch experience.” coverup=”20yBC”]

We then walked down to the Escher Museum which is housed in the original palace. This museum is a delight with its interactive displays where the floor crackles as you step on it and optical illusions that make you the tallest person in the room or have you trapped in a box! The museum also has delightfully whimsical chandeliers like guitars or pipes to add to the charm of the old palace.

Our next stop was the parliament where we were given a crash course in Dutch politics. It was amazing that in this day of terrorists and paranoia we could walk through this place without any “security” checks or clearances.

Tired with all this walking , we naturally  gravitated to one of the squares popular with both locals and tourists alike for a glass of chilled Belgian Beer. Our hostess being Belgian informed us that unlike Dutch beer, Belgian beer was stronger and more robust. So we sat in the sunshine sharing a glass of beer and munching on another Dutch treat – the bitterballen. It was idyllic – a mild sun slowly slipping down, the square a buzz with people, conversation flowing , steaming hot crunchy meat balls and  chilled beer.

Haute cuisine at des Indes

This perfect day was wound down with a fine meal at the Hotel des Indes  near the Escher Museum. This historic, luxury hotel has hosted many heads of State,witnessed  treaties signed and seen many a pleasant  gatherings of  friends and family. Des Indes is famous for its high tea but since we wanted to see the Museum which closes by 5, it wouldn’t have really been possible. So we went with the next best which was a fabulous 5 course meal. With exotic food like duck and beetroot souffle, each course was washed down with a sorbet andserved with a complementing wine . The wine flowed so did the conversation so by the end of the meal we were all literally flying one foot above the ground.

So it was quite an experience – raw herring and haute cuisine all in a day!