Wittians visited the
beautiful city of Hague on Monday. As the Dutch students had to attend lessons
this week, the visit to Hague was for the Wittians alone. Hague was the city of
peace and justice, the city of the cosmopolitan and the beach, from new styles
to old masters. The Wittians were captivated with the city’s modern skyline
combined with beautiful historical and royal buildings in the city centre.
Wittians also visited
Madurodam and became acquainted with the stories of the Netherlands in a
surprising way. This interactive miniature park was the ultimate place to
discover what makes Holland so unique within a short period of time. Madurodam
presented the students with all the relevant Dutch stories behind the miniature
buildings through multimedia and numerous interactive installations. Wittians
saw Canal houses, tulip fields, cheese market, a wooden shoes factory,
windmills, the Peace Palace, the Delta Works: all in Madurodam! The models were
exact replicas of special buildings and objects, on a scale of 1:25.
The students visited three
themed areas at Madurodam: City Centre, Water World and Innovation Island. The
City Centre area showed how the Netherlands has grown from our old cities to
the country we see today: characteristic, free and eccentric. In Water World,
Wittians discovered how the Netherlands dealt with water as a friend and as a
foe. Students experienced for themselves the hustle and bustle of the port of
Rotterdam, viewed the workings of a watermill and operated the locks of the
Oosterschelde barrier. On Innovation Island, students saw modern expressions
with which the Netherlands inspires the world.
The amount of detail
put into each of the creations at Madurodam was incredible. Even the model of
the Rijksmuseum had a tiny reproduction of Rembrandt's "Nightwatch."
Tiny trains and cars moved on tracks, and ships in the harbor pulled in and out
of their slips, creating a surreal experience of visiting a Lilliputian world. It
was definitely a worthwhile and memorable experience for all!
The Wittians also
visited the beach and saw the sand dunes that protect the city from floods. The
beach experience was lovely as students played ball and felt the cool sea
breeze. A relaxing and perfect end to a fascinating day.
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