Regina Coeli Where…read moredo I start? This is the language school of language schools! This is an intense course designed for usable language and is assessed on the CEF language scale. This place is locally known as "de nonnen van Vught" but there is only one left and at 87, she wasn't teaching (me at least). The teachers give you a Skype interview to check your level and understand your needs before enrolling you and everything is structured and well done including homework/prework if needed. All my colleagues and recruiters told me "you must go to the nuns to learn Dutch, it's the best!" My small company doesn't have access to these group lessons either but this place isn't cheap and I feel privileged to have been sent from work. It was necessary though as most of my work and meetings are in Dutch. I was learning Dutch and stayed for 1 week. They recommend 2 weeks to get you to A2 level. I was staying at de Ruwenburg (1 of 2 recommended hotels) where a taxi bus picked us up at 7:55am and picked us up most days at 9pm to return to the hotel. It's a long day! Lessons start at 8:20 and finish mostly at 6:30pm but you have dinner at the school which is a chance to practise your language also with at least two checked language "taaltafel" sessions where you are encouraged and checked on conversation. The day includes private tuition (3 multimedia, 3 lessons) and the mentor setting the theme for the day, grammar, communication then a group themed/structured conversation. For example I asked to be spoken to only in Dutch unless really struggling and for extra work. I made good friends with people as exhausted as me but my results were also good. People were mostly learning Dutch, English for business and a few French, Spanish or Italian. We were all exhausted by the Wednesday (most also not sleeping so well) and joking about the fact they have a restkamer and massage chairs on site and that the restaurant staff said all students find Wednesday a hard day that's why it's shorter! Some feedback from students that were there more than one week said they felt the first week was the biggest improvement week but that is to be expected. Saying that, first day back at work, I am speaking a little Dutch and my colleagues seem impressed. I find Dutch not an easy language to speak (no rolled r's here and please don't ask me to say "Beterschap") but this school and the consistent teaching; rather than dialect from colleagues telling me to say the same way 4 different ways, has given me the confidence and tools to speak Dutch quickly and correctly to ABN standard. As a manager of a completely Dutch team, this was very important for me and I was shy to speak Dutch in a "vergadering" before this. My result is in the post... Veel succes met de TaalCursus!

Well. We traveled to the lovely town of Tilburg to catch a concert at this venue. It's a proper…read moreconcert hall and I really liked it. I also appreciated how well-designed it is. The bathrooms are in the right places. There are bars within convenient reach for most of the arena. It's just smart. Acoustics and lights were good, show was really good. So the 013 is mostly GA standing only, but the back of the room does have a series of raised "step" type platforms ... that offer an option for sitting down or at least having a place to sit down if you'd like to alternate sitting and standing. Being in the back of the room, it's also a little more chill than the rail. The venue also has a balcony upstairs but you pretty much need to get up there and hold your spot for the whole show if you're doing that. The venue also has those cool locker systems that we've only encountered in Europe. For my American friends: You scan the QR code posted around the lockers or use the pin pad terminal to rent a locker. Then you get to set a code and the machine tells you which locker will now be yours and then you go off and use your code to lock and unlock the locker for the night. Very slick. I chose to hang in the back on the riser area. It was great because there is a bar right back there and toilets right near the bar. So you never have to go too far for anything. The view is pretty good, especially for us shorties. I don't know why all men in Europe are like 7' tall but they are all giraffes. I also discovered a secret spot that I don't mind sharing since I probably won't be back to this venue any time soon... on each side of the riser area, there's a big beam that comes down vertically along the wall. If you position yourself right in front of that beam, there's a little ledge formed where you can either stand and put your back up against the beam for support or sit and basically have a backrest. Best seat in the house. Staff was really friendly and the crowd was also really friendly. We'd definitely come back.

Fantastic concert/club venue. Possibly the best I've ever been to. The other reviewer has pretty…read moremuch covered it all, particularly in respect to the fantasticly designed layout of the venue.

One of the best bars in Tilburg. It is a bit small, but it's got class. It's a rock bar with a…read morepool table and a good selection of beers. What else do you need?