When I visited The Netherlands back in May, I made it a point to visit James Turrell's Celestial…read moreVault as I've already visited several of his SkySpaces. I'm a fan of his architecture work. The Celestial Vault differs from his SkySpaces in that it's not in an enclosed area or has a structure built-in. It still has that minimalist feel to it and always makes use of natural / ambient lighting. I think the most of the structure being outdoors gives it an organic feeling to it. I just loved lying back on the inclined hill and staring off into the sky. It was so relaxing and mind clearing. It's not easy to get to this location, but like what I mentioned earlier, this was on my to-see list. You can get here by public transportation but it takes awhile to get here so plan accordingly. I did use Uber to get here but even the driver didn't know where to drop me off (it was close by so I didn't have to walk too far).

Blaak Toren is a unique residential building designed by architect Piet Blom. Due to the pointed…read morerooftop, it is also known at Het Potlood or the Pencil. Located near the bright yellow Cube Houses, it is nice to see the differences between these unique architectural masterpieces.

The Kijk-Kubus is an architectural marvel right outside the Blaak train station. It's a unique…read moreconcept where you can pay to enter one of the actual lived-in units to see how the space works. No need for advance tickets; you can buy them at the door for €3.50 (cash or card). It's a very quick and easy entry. Be prepared for narrow spaces and several flights of steep stairs. You'll see a kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom tucked into the angles. While the interior is a clever use of space, it feels a bit dated and shows significant wear and tear up close. Personally, I found the exterior design much more impressive than the inside, but for the low price, it's worth a quick look if you're already at the station!

Kubuswoningen. The Cube Houses…read more This is a must in Rotterdam! The Cube Houses were designed by architect Piet Blom. They were designed to live in as an urban space by tilting a cube on a corner and then resting it on a hexagon-shaped pylon. Each of the houses has a ground floor entrance. As you climb the stairs, you reach the first floor living room and kitchen, the second floor bedrooms and bathroom and the third floor bonus room. We took a tour of one of the homes that is opened as a museum for public viewing. They are really so interesting. Beautiful yellow and while modern cubes against a skyline filled with unique architecture. A definite highlight in Rotterdam. Tip: Take a Free Walking Tour Rotterdam to learn more about the interesting architecture in Rotterdam.

Interesting to stumble upon the Binnenhof Viewing Tower while exploring The Hague…read more Enjoy a unique view from the bright yellow tower which is open daily from 9-5. Enter through the free turnstile and then climb up the flights of stairs to get a view 28 meters above street level. There are protective cable net barriers to prevent injuries at each landing. The panoramic view is really beautiful. Along the climb, there are information signs to tell the history of Binnenhof. Binnenhof is among the oldest Parliament buildings still in use in the world.

Great place to spend a warm sunny day. The shops inside the pier are nothing special. We did ride…read morethe Ferris wheel, it's cheap to ride and they serve beer woot! There are a plethora of places to eat on the beach, pick anyone of them you can't go wrong. My only complaint is the bugs flying everywhere. I know the business owners don't have control over those, but what they heck are they?? They were annoying but didn't ruin our visit.

My journey to Europe by myself was one of the best things I've ever done. (Second only to again…read moregoing to Europe with my bff a year later). One of the most fun days I had while visiting the Netherlands was taking a bike ride with the friend I was staying with to the North Sea in the Scheveningen District of the Hague. It was a windy day, and while the Dutch seem to know how to ride a bike with the wind literally pelting you from every direction, I myself had a hard time staying upright and keeping up. This became even more difficult as we approached the Pier! We eventually made it to the beach and the Pier, with its lively restaurants and shops. I tried a raw fish meal (herring maybe?) and Johanne showed me how to hold the entire fish by it's tail, and then eat it - I fell even more in love with the Netherlands at this point; food was already outstanding, but fish is my thing and this was delicious! We walked through the pier, then up and down the beautiful coast before riding our bikes back to her apartment. I saw a lot of beautiful places in the Netherlands, but since the Hague is the only City here that lies directly on the sea, I felt really fortunate to get a chance to see this surfer's paradise in person.

Nice to walk along the row of Rotterdam sculpture terrace and enjoy the outdoor art…read more La grande musicienne is a very fluid lyrical sculpture. Sculptor Henri Laurens depicts a woman playing a lyre. Interesting curves in this cubist masterpiece. From the hips to the arm to the elbow to the lyre, it is a very musical piece.

Is it a happy Santa Claus holding a bell and a Christmas tree or is it a naughty Santa holding…read moresomething unmentionable?? Interesting to visit this Santa Claus by Paul McCarthy with our tour guide Nidas from Free Walking Tour Rotterdam. Had I just walked by this oversized Santa, might not have known how controversial this giant statue has been. Once the inspiration was revealed, the statue was rejected by many local businesses and it was moved from location to location. Read the other reviews to learn more about what Santa holds in his right hand. Maybe that's why he is smiling??

The Low Countries seems to house their fair share of interesting statues…read more.. The city of Rotterdam commissioned sculptor Paul McCarthy (not the Beatles member) to create a piece of public art for a square near the orchestra building. Created in 2001, the sculpture is supposed to depict Santa Claus holding a bell in one hand and a Christmas tree in the other. The locals, or rather, anyone with an imagination, thought otherwise. Reception was obviously mixed, with some finding it offensive while other people thought it symbolized Western consumerism around Christmastime gone wrong. It was eventually rejected from its original site due to the controversy and for several years moved about the city until it found a permanent place in the Eendrachtsplein. The statue was only a 15 minute walk from Rotterdam Centraal station so I visited the statue on my way back to the station. If the city can design a food hall with a mural of fruits in the ceiling and cube houses as residential spaces, surely it has room for one more unusual object?

Estate agents are many, but how to find a good one? Here you…read moreare: BW Housing is an extremely good and dedicated estate agent with good contacts for really nice flats and houses. We had very positive experiences both in the first phase of our search for a flat, during the tenancy and when finishing the contract. Very client oriented and fair and professional + very friendly. Highly recommendable!

The staff is very friendly, but due to the fact they choose to do business with an unreliable and…read morerude owner who lets several apartments in the Hague area, I would not recommend BW housing to any tenant. I have been hiring apartments for more than 20 years with different owners, but I have never experienced an owner as per the latest tenancy agreement through BW housing. This owner has been aggressive several times and even threatened us, he hardly wants to follow-up on severe maintenance issues such as mold and leakage, and despite timely payments of the monthly rent during almost 5 years, and returning the apartment in good condition, it took us almost 4 months to get part of the deposit back. It is very sad that BW housing, despite its employee's friendliness and willingness to remediate, chooses to continue doing business with this customer which will possibly deliver a horrible experience to future tenants as well.