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Valemount Council: Fire Hall agreement, appointments, bylaw amendments
Published on : January 18, 2023 January 17, 2023 Published by : The Goat
By Andrea Arnold
Prior to calling the Jan 10 Valemount council meeting to order, Mayor Owen Torgerson took a moment to thank and recognize Suzanne Bloodoff Director of Finance and Silvio Gislimberti, Economic Development Officer for their 20 years of service.
Both Councillor Hugo Mulyk and Councillor Hollie Blanchette attended via Zoom.
Mayor Torgerson called the Valemount Jan 10 council meeting to order.
Council approved the appointment of Councillor Mulyk to Tourism Valemount
Council approved the continued appointment of Mayor Torgerson to the Northern Medical Programs Trust
Accessible BC Act
Council received the report. This is different from the Rick Hansen Foundation visit that occurred a few years ago, but information gathered by one can help address issues brought forward for the other. In April of 2022 the Accessible British Columbia Regulation was passed and this regulation identified organizations that are required to meet the obligations of the Act. Local governments are a prescribed organization. Staff are working on what this means for the Village of Valemount and what will need to be done, but at this time, Council is not being asked to take action.
Prescribed organizations are required to establish a committee that will assist in identifying barriers and advising how to remove and prevent barriers while interacting with the organization. The committee will need to be made up of persons with disabilities or those who support persons with disabilities and at least one indigenous person. The organization will need to prepare an accessibility plan and provide a way for members of the public to provide feedback.
Climate Solutions Internship
Council approved staff to submit an application for the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions Internship January 2023 intake.Council also directed staff to work with the principal investigator to craft contract language for an intern should the application be successful that satisfies both parties.
Meeting schedule changes
Council moved to schedule a meeting for September 12, 2023 and to cancel the meeting on September 26 to accommodate attendance to the UBCM conference.
Fire Hall Property Use Agreement
Council approved the Village of Valemount entering into an agreement with the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George regarding the use of the Valemount and District Volunteer Fire Hall property located at 1380 5th Avenue in Valemount for a term of five years.
ReDi Grants Committee Appointments
Council appointed Sheri Gee and Eugene Jamin to the CBT ReDi Grants Adjudication Committee for a two-year term. There are two vacancies on the committee and applications are being accepted.
December 2022 – The Bylaw officer reported seven contraventions. One animal protection violation, one good neighbour bylaw, one noise bylaw, one traffic/parking bylaw, two zoning and one "other." The year-end breakdown is as follows: 11 animal protection violations, 27 business license bylaws, 11 good neighbour bylaws, one noise bylaw, one open air burning bylaw, 11 solid waste disposal, four traffic/parking bylaws, 25 zoning bylaws, 2 wood burning appliance bylaws and 3 other violations, for a total of 96.
Building Inspection Report
Estimated Construction Values for November (none for December)
Building Permits: $12,000
This total reflects 2 new sundecks for 2 new manufactured homes.
Permit Fees Collected
November (none in December) Building Permits: $260.00
Permits Issued
November (none for December) Building Permits: 2
New permit numbers are typically low at this time of year
Council approved the amendment of Village of Valemount Staff Training Policy No. 25. The amended bylaw will allow for additional funded retesting for staff at the discretion of the CAO for all staff. The Village of Valemount will cover the costs associated with travel to and from courses in line with the travel policy for Public Works Employees and hourly office employees. If travel meets qualifications, OT will be calculated. The opportunity to keep Public Works certification up to date is required, and will not be reasonably withheld.
Council approved the amendment of the Village of Valemount Animal Control Policy No. 80. The amendments change the policy definitions and language to more accurately assign animal control duties between Public Works and Bylaw Enforcement. If there is no Bylaw Enforcement Officer, the duties set out for the "Animal Control Officer" will be performed by the person designated by the Public Works Superintendent. Public Works staff will receive compensation or over‐time pay for animal control services conducted after hours. The Animal Control Officer will be required to carry the "on‐call phone", and will receive on-call pay. Public Works staff will not be paid for attending the Pound during their regular hours or during assigned weekend morning rounds.
Council gave the Village of Valemount Freedom of Information Bylaw No. 868, 2023 1st, 2nd and 3rd reading. The bylaw will: update the designations of the "Head" and "Coordinator" of the public body, with respect to FOI requests, remove sections of the bylaw that are redundant, as they are addressed in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act; and remove the fees from the FOI Bylaw, so that they may be incorporated into the Fees and Charges Bylaw.
Council gave the Village of Valemount Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 869, 2023 1st, 2nd and 3rd reading. The new bylaw would bring the original bylaw and all amendments together under one new bylaw. It would also remove the fees from the Freedom of Information bylaw, adjust them to reflect current fees and incorporate them into the Village Fees and Charges Bylaw. Councillor Pete Pearson requested information from staff as to how the information is gathered and broken down to help explain the rate structure.
Notice of Motion
Counc. Blanchette requested a motion to have council look over and review the in-camera (zoom) bylaw. The motion will come back to council at a future meeting.
Logan Lake
Mayor Togerson also reported that communication between Valemount Emergency Services and the District of Logan Lake has been initiated and is ongoing. This was in response to a request made by Councillor Blanchette in 2022.
In-Camera
Following reports from each member of Council, and an opportunity for public comment, the Council moved to an in-camera meeting for consideration of three items per Section 90 (1) of the Community Charter to discuss matters related to: (a) personal information about an identifiable individual who holds or is being considered for a position as an officer, employee or agent of the municipality or another position appointed by the municipality, and (k) negotiations and relation discussions respecting the proposed provision of a municipal service that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the council, could reasonably be expected to harm the interest of the municipality if they were held in public.
Council Training
Council approves trial run for off-leash dog park
Valemount Council - Financial audit, Sport Days requests,…
Valemount Council - Yearly reports, grant applications, SOFI…
Valemount Council Notes: Community projects, salmon tank…
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McBride Council: Splash park snag, cannabis zoning, logging opposed, MCFC director swap


Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, a prestigious automobile event that celebrates the charisma of historic cars, is once again geared up to judge and admire the virtues of celebrated four wheeled beauties of olden days.
Like every year, the grand event will witness participation from 50 historic cars dating back to the period between 1920's to 1970's.
Amid an aura of authentic aristocracy, a panel of judges with an eye for originality and elegance, judge precious automobiles with due recognition to public votes wherein only the bests are awarded with coveted prizes and trophies.
The tradition of celebrating these virtues saw its beginning in the year 1929. After being revived in 1990's, the Concorso has only improved in terms of the hospitality, organization and most importantly preservation of the participating automobiles. The delightful venue, the beautiful vehicles, the excellence of the judges and the knowledgeable audience together make this event a grand affair.


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Back to Home / Bios / Subhadra Vijaykumar
Subhadra Vijaykumar
Print Subhadra Vijaykumar's Bio
Faculty, Oscar Peterson School of Music
Specialty(s)
Strings, Violin
South Indian (Carnatic) Violin
Internationally travelled, award winning Subhadra Vijaykumar, a Toronto based violinist is the Founder and Artistic Director of Radha Carnatic Violin Creations. Its mission is to earn global recognition for the Carnatic style of playing the western violin. Radha Carnatic Violin Creations has performed across the GTA showcasing this style of playing to a very diverse audience. Subhadra has collaborated with artists from different musical genres including western classical and folk, African and the Hindustani( North Indian classical) tradition.
In March 2018, Subhadra was awarded the International Womens Day, Women Achiever Award, a Publicly Nominated Award in recognition of her outstanding achievements and tireless efforts to be successful in Performing Arts/Music.
She comes from a family with rich musical traditions and obtained a first-class diploma in violin from the prestigious Bharatiya Music and Arts Society's Music College in Mumbai, India, under the tutelage of the late Mrs.Vijayam Ramaswamy, an acclaimed disciple of Prof.Krishnan. She was awarded a grant by the Canada Council for the Arts in 2006 to train under Prof. Krishnan.
She has accompanied several artists, participated in orchestras for Bharatanatyam (classical Indian) dance performances, and given lecture-demonstrations as well as given solo recitals. These have been for notable organizations and at major venues across Canada, the Far East, and England. Her performances with her students at the World and Urban Music Showcase of the Royal Conservatory of Music, as well as for the Museums Mississauga's On the Verandah summer series and at the Kannada Sangha's Cultural Show, have evoked appreciative rapport with audiences and excellent reviews from the media.
Her performances for the Canadian Opera Company's Lunchtime Series ,the La Fontaine- Baldwin Lecture at the Koerner Hall of the Royal Conservatory of Music's Telus Centre, as well as her interview with CBC Radio International have been very well acclaimed.
She was selected by the Culture Division, City of Mississauga to be part of a delegation that visited Kariya City in Japan in February 2011 when Subhadra had an opportunity to perform at the opening of Kariya's new City Hall.
Subhadra has also performed for Culture Days at Doors Open venues in Mississauga. In June 2011, she was part of the hugely successful IIFA Buzz event as an inaugural show at the newly opened Celebration Square in Mississauga.
An active parent and volunteer, she has served on the International Committee and participated in the Cross-Cultural Understanding Group at her children's schools. She has volunteered at The Story Garden, a community literacy project in Mississauga and currently volunteers at an elementary school helping children with special needs as well as at Lifelong Learning Mississauga. She is a faculty member at the Royal Conservatory of Music.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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"Snatch"
Keep your eyes wide open in this speedy, jumbled thug movie -- otherwise you'll miss Brad Pitt, Benicio Del Toro and a whole lot of nothing.
Stephanie Zacharek
It takes a very clever schoolboy to make a movie as elaborately empty as Guy Ritchie's "Snatch." In Ritchie's world, more is supposedly more: At least a dozen characters who figure prominently in the maze of hidden doorways, curvy roads and blind alleys substitute for a plot in "Snatch." Intimidating cockney underworld thugs, none-too-bright entrepreneurial bunglers, tattooed Irish gypsy boxers and diamond thieves with comically heavy Yiddish lilts are supposed to represent a street-smart version of life's rich diversity as their paths crisscross and crash.
But writer-director Ritchie isn't interested in enjoying the labyrinthine story as it unwinds; he's fixated instead on racing to the end so he can wow us with his ability to suture up a straggly, lumpy narrative that he hasn't bothered to make us care about from the beginning. He's a showoff in the purest sense, and "Snatch" is nothing but a monkey-bar dangler of a movie.
As a stylist, Ritchie is an unusual case. He favors gritty jumbles of slow motion, foxy cutting and dialogue that whizzes by, alerting you that you should probably pay close attention if you have any interest in following the plot. But both "Snatch" and Ritchie's previous feature, 1998's "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," suffer from an odd high-octane dopiness -- they both amble by with lightning speed. Ritchie wants you to think the action is moving very quickly, when there are actually interminably long stretches where nothing much happens at all. Early on, "Snatch" injects you with a sense of urgency. But that only intensifies the feeling of being screwed by the time the ending finally putters into view.
"Snatch" is supposed to be something of a shaggy dog story. But unlike, say, Bryan Singer's 1995 "The Usual Suspects," which feels as if it has been shaped with a scalpel (and whose characters are cut just as distinctly), "Snatch" is loose and scattered even as it pretends to be taut. As with "Lock, Stock," we're introduced to the major characters at the beginning in a voice-over narrative -- a tactic that's helpful in keeping everybody straight from the start but also a tip-off that we're dealing with a filmmaker who doesn't know how to create characters so they're indelible.
Turkish (Jason Statham, who played Bacon in "Lock, Stock") and Tommy (Stephen Graham) are low-level street toughs -- too likably benign to actually be called crooks -- who set out to make a simple business deal with an Irish drifter named Mickey (Brad Pitt) and end up sponsoring him in a fight put together by Brick Top (Alan Ford), the eminently crooked leader of an underground boxing ring. Previously, Benicio Del Toro's Franky Four Fingers, dressed as a harmless-looking Hasidic Jew, has stolen a giant diamond from some brokers in Antwerp, Belgium. Diamond dealer Cousin Avi (Dennis Farina) hopes to procure it from him, but he knows that Franky is a compulsive gambler and he wants to get the stone before it's gambled away. Meanwhile, a Russian gunrunner named Boris the Blade (Rade Serbedzija) discovers that Franky has the stone and enlists his own gang of ne'er-do-wells to capture it.
Or something like that. Ritchie has piled so many characters into his movie that none of them emerges as distinct, with the exception of a scrappy fighting dog that, after swallowing a chew toy whole, barks with a joyful squeak.
A few of the actors are reasonably entertaining: Farina, as a level-headed businessman who's also prone to tempter tantrums, tosses off his performance so casually that it seems light and energetic. Graham is occasionally endearing as Tommy, who's wrapped up in his bumbling cluelessness as much as his Teddy-boy coat.
And Pitt, with his Edwardian cartoon tattoos (his shoulders feature matching cats by early-20th century illustrator Louis Wain, crazy beasts with googly eyes and electrified whiskers) and his intentionally indecipherable brogue (his character is an Irish gypsy), brings a bit of life to the picture, especially in the way he moves. He's nimble, buff and wary, swaggering through the movie like an alley cat with a grudge.
Almost every other character fades from memory shortly after the movie's last frame. (Del Toro's role is so minor it barely registers.) Ritchie does have a knack for using music to enhance certain sequences: In "Lock, Stock," a stripper gyrated to Dusty Springfield's version of "Spooky"; here, Ritchie uses the Specials' "Ghost Town" as a backdrop for a kind of freewheeling urban angst.
But "Snatch" feels so pieced together, so patchy, that the effective parts get swallowed by the meandering whole. Even Ritchie's approach to violence is a little noncommittal, as if he doesn't dare just jump in and get his hands dirty. "Snatch" is plenty violent on its surface -- lots of guns go off and punches are thrown, and one character gets his arm lopped off with the swift stroke of a machete-like knife. But while Ritchie always shows you the action, he doesn't always show its result: We see guns being fired but few bullet holes or plumes of blood; sometimes we don't even see the victims go down.
The approach is incredibly tasteful, as if Ritchie wanted to keep his story a comic book instead of commanding his audience to get jazzed by the gunplay and spurting wounds. There's nothing wrong with that impulse; at its core, it's admirable. But in Ritchie's case it also feels slightly irresponsible -- not morally, but artistically. Most moviegoers have seen plenty of violent movies, so we know what happens when a bullet leaves a gun, and Ritchie seems to be assuming that we don't need to see it again. By allowing so much of the movie's violence to happen outside the frame, he makes the specific actions seem incomplete -- more like a failure of nerve than a conscious choice.
There's something gimmicky about the approach, too. I much prefer the violence of, say, Sam Peckinpah or John Woo to that of Quentin Tarantino, but at least Tarantino makes no secret of how he wants us to get our kicks. Ritchie's violence-by-suggestion is merely coy, and it's one of the things that drain energy from "Snatch."
If we make it to the end, we're rewarded with a small prize, the right to pat ourselves on the back for having made sense of the undulating plot. But the dancers in this elaborate reel have essentially sacrificed themselves to the dips and dives of the plot. The story may be finished, but you have the sense the characters are still out there fumbling about, bedeviled by vague feelings that, dramatically speaking, they've been misused in some way. They're 12 characters in search of an author, one who might actually give them something to do, and they're willing to work cheap.
Stephanie Zacharek is a senior writer for Salon Arts & Entertainment.
MORE FROM Stephanie Zacharek
Check out this article! https://www.salon.com2001/01/23/snatch/


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Actor, Executive Producer
Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961 height 5' 10¾" (1,80 m)) is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. He has received three Golden Globe Awards for his work as an actor and two Academy Awards—one for acting and the other for producing. Clooney is also noted for his political activism and has served as one of the United Nations Messengers of Peace since January 31, 2008.
Born in Lexington, Kentucky, as son of Nick Clooney, a TV newscaster of many years, who hosted a talk show at Cincinnati and often invited George into the studios already at the age of 5. Avoiding competition with his father, he quit his job as broadcast journalist after a short time.
Studied a few years at Northern Kentucky University. Failed to join the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. He came to acting when his cousin, Miguel Ferrer, got him a small part in a feature film. After that, he moved to L.A. in 1982 and tried a whole year to get a role while he slept in a friend's closet. His first movie, together with Charlie Sheen, stayed unreleased but got him the producers' attention for later contracts.
Lexington - Kentucky - USA
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Thanks for visiting us at NAB 2016!
We have enjoyed so much the release of NexPlayer360 SDK at NAB 2016 in Las Vegas. Our visitors could try a demonstration of the multiscreen immersive experience enabled by the new 360 VR functionality of NexPlayer360 SDK on different supported platforms: Android, iOS, Android TV, Set-top boxes… With or without headset!
Also, we had the opportunity to know new partners and learn about the new trends and needs of the industry.
Thanks for your visit at TV Connect 2016!


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March 28, 2016 June 26, 2020 WordGeisha
9 Great Spring Day Trips from Amsterdam
After you've explored Amsterdam's historic canal ring, toured its world-renowned museums and absorbed its Old World charm, there's much more to see beyond city borders. From iconic windmills to day-glow tulip fields, a world far removed from the capital's raw energy emerges in these great day trips, all within two hours of Amsterdam by bike or public transit.
Open just 8 weeks a year, Keukenhof is a must-see in spring.
1. The Bulb Fields: From mid-March–May, Holland's Bollenstreek (Flower Strip) explodes in ribbons of color. For a virtual view, check out Bollenstreekgid's drone video. The star of the annual extravaganza is the tulip, a flower that spawned a billion-dollar industry that now encompasses auctions, exports, domestic sales, public gardens, and museums. All celebrate a horticultural tradition with roots stretching deeper than the 17th century, when a single tulip bulb could sell for more than its weight in gold.
Every spring, the Dutch love affair with tulips transforms fields from Haarlem to Leiden into a neon-striped floral carpet. Some of the most colorful surround Lisse, a town that boasts the showstopper of the Bollenstreek: Keukenhof. Self-described as the world's most beautiful spring garden, this bulb growers' showcase is laced with ponds, pavilions, walking paths and seven million candy-colored blooms. Even if you don't pay to enter the park, you can stroll through fields ablaze with color on your own. Pick up a map at the tourist center in Lisse or download one here.
Holland's bulb fields stretch for 40km, in dazzling ribbons of color from Leiden to Haarlem.
Insider Tip: Avoid visiting on weekends, when the fields are crammed with tour buses and organized groups. Tour the fields on foot, following walking paths on the map available at the tourist office. Or rent a bike from Kees van Dam at Keukenhof's entrance for about €10, including a cycle route.
Getting There: From Amsterdam Central, take the train to Schiphol Plaza. Alternatively, catch the Airport Express (Bus #197) from stops on Marnixstraat, Leidseplein and Museumplein and take it to Schiphol. From Platform B2 at the airport, take the Keukenhof Express (Bus #858) to Lisse.
2. Leiden: Another stop on the Bollenstreek, Leiden's bucolic setting on the Old Rhine resembles a scene from a Vermeer painting. Home to Holland's oldest university, founded in 1575 by Prince William of Orange, the town boasts a Botanic Garden with the world's oldest academic observatory. Though minuscule compared to Keukenhof, its first director was botanist Carolus Clusius, known for cultivating a dizzying array of tulip species that fanned tulip mania.
Leiden is the birthplace of Dutch Master Rembrandt van Rijn.
Insider Tip: For panoramic views, climb to the top of the De Valk Windmill Museum. Inside, a working waterwheel and 1900s-style living spaces offer a peek into earlier lifestyles. An 18th-century windmill is the only one standing of the 19 that once stood on Leiden city walls.
Getting There: From Amsterdam Central take the Intercity train to Leiden Central. The journey takes less than 40 minutes.
3. Kinderdijk: "God made the world but the Dutch created the Netherlands," goes an old saying. Proof is in this UNESCO World Heritage site where Holland's largest collection of working windmills testifies to a 1,000-year battle against the encroaching sea. As a survival bonus, the windmills also act as an emergency backup system for flooding.
Holland's 1,100 remaining windmills uphold its reputation as windmill capital of the world.
There's no entrance fee to cross the 18th century footbridge leading into a primeval landscape dotted with grazing cows, flying birds, creeping weasels and crawling amphibians. The stunning setting is part traditional Dutch, part prehistoric—an intricate water management system that reveals Dutchies' ongoing war against water.
Kinderdijk's windmills are among Holland's most photographed landmarks.
Insider Tip: From April–October, free 30-minute boat rides offer views of the windmills. On Saturdays in July and August, most mills are typically spinning.
Getting There: From April–October, it's fun to go by boat: from Amsterdam Central take the train to Rotterdam Central, then Tram 7 to Willemsplein. Exit at Willemskade and board Waterbus line 20. Transfer at Ridderkerk de Schans to the Driehoeksveer ferry. Prefer to stay landlocked? Take a train from Amsterdam Central to Rotterdam Central. In Rotterdam, take the metro to Rotterdam-Zuid, then catch Bus #154 to Kinderdijk.
4. Zaanse Schans: It's filled with tourists in high season, but this replica of a Zaanse village is worth visiting just to see how wooden clogs, pewter jewelry, artisanal cheese and Dutch gin (jenever) were made in the 17th–18th centuries. The free outdoor museum was created by relocating houses, windmills, storehouses and barns to showcase traditional crafts and lifestyles of people who lived in Holland long before sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll entered the picture.
See how artisanal Dutch cheese is made at Zaanse Schans.
Getting There: From Amsterdam Central take the Sprinter to Koog-Zaandijk, a 20-minute trip. After a 1.5km walk, you'll arrive at Zaanse Schans.
Return to a bygone era at Zaanse Schans.
Insider Tip: From late March–September, boat tours offer views of ancient houses and windmills. Bikes can be rented at Zaanse Schans Bike Rent. A cycling path leads past merchants' mansions in Zaandijk, the pretty village of Haaldersbroek and the new Zaandam city center.
5. The Hague: Amsterdammers will tell you, "Money is earned in Rotterdam, divided in Den Haag and spent in Amsterdam." To see where financial division happens, head for Holland's seat of government. The Netherlands' third largest city after Amsterdam and Rotterdam is home to 150 international courts, foreign embassies and international organizations, including the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court. It's among six major cities that hosts the United Nations, along with New York, Vienna, Geneva, Tokyo and Nairobi.
Insider Tip: Vermeer's Girl with the Pearl Earring hangs in the Mauritshuis, one of Den Haag's many museums. Also worth visiting is the Japanese Garden in Clingendael Park, open just eight weeks a year.
Getting There: From Amsterdam Central take the Intercity train to Den Haag. The trip takes just under an hour.
Trendy Scheveningen clubs are jammed in summer.
6. Scheveningen: To escape Amsterdam's bustle, hit this lively beach resort in Den Haag's wealthy northern district. In addition to a sandy beach, colorful esplanade, activity-packed pier, and the Scheveningen lighthouse, there's a Sea Life aquarium, Pathé cinema, Steigenberger Kurhaus music theater, the Scheveningen Museum, and a casino. Trendy clubs, restaurants, surf schools, and other water sports options line the wide Noorderstrand promenade. Giant sculptures add a whimsical touch, while numerous bars and eating establishments provide spots to grab a drink or meal while watching the action in the harbor.
From bungee-jumping to bike-riding, there's lots to do on Mood Beach.
Insider Tip: You can bungee jump from Scheveningen Pier in summer. For the less adventurous, a pier webcam captures the action live and let's you keep an eye on the waves in this surfing hot spot.
Getting There: From Amsterdam Central, take the Intercity train to Den Haag Central. Transfer to Bus #9 to Scheveningen Noorderstrand. The whole trip should take about 1½ hours.
Dutch history comes alive in 1/25 scale at Madurodam in Den Haag.
7. Madurodam: Windmills turn, airplanes land, trains run and boats float in interactive exhibits that tell the story behind Dutchies' battle against water at this mini-theme park in Den Haag that replicates towns, ports, canals, roads and monuments on a 1/25 scale. Like an outdoor history lesson, the miniature city re-creates details of Schiphol, Rotterdam Port, Dam Square and other landmarks of the Netherlands, including many historic venues that still exist today.
Icons of the Netherlands are displayed in miniature at Madurodam.
Insider Tip: Book online and save €2 on each ticket.
Getting There: From Amsterdam Central, take the Intercity train to Den Haag Central. Transfer to Bus #9 to Madurodam. The whole trip should take just over an hour.
The magnificent Erasmus Bridge in modern Rotterdam.
8. Rotterdam: During WWII, Nazi bombs flattened Rotterdam. The modern city built on the ashes is now Europe's busiest port, known for futuristic architecture and such inspired local initiatives as inner-city canal surfing. The swooping Erasmus Bridge, dubbed de Zwann (the swan), is a city icon, as is the new Markthal, an indoor market that made international headlines when it opened in 2014 for its striking inverted U-shape and a ceiling covered with what's been called the "largest artwork in the world."
Produce on an epic scale covers the Markthal ceiling.
Built after the EU threatened to ban the outdoor sale of fresh produce, the 40m high interior is painted with fruits and vegetables on an epic scale, reflecting the tantalizing array of edibles available in the market.
Rotterdam's Markthal opened in 2014, with a dazzling ceiling and indoor food court.
You can relive a tale of ancient mariners and navigate Rotterdam's glory days in the era of Dutch sea trade at the city's Maritime Museum. Those lured to America by the promise of a better life may have worshipped at the Pilgrim Fathers Church before shipping off to unknown shores. For city views, whizz up to Euromast's observation deck in an elevator that makes the trip in 30 seconds. On a clear day, see all of Rotterdam spread out before you.
Euromast offers panoramic views over Rotterdam.
Insider Tip: Gain insight into the city's architecture and visual art scene with UrbanGuides, a union between Rotterdam Archiguides and Rotterdam ByCycle. Walking and cycling tours cover the city's development, culture and history.
Getting There: From Amsterdam Central take the Intercity train to Rotterdam Central, a 70-minute trip.
Delft offers many of Amsterdam's charms, with none of its raw energy.
9. Delft: There's more to this small town than blue and white pottery. With many of Amsterdam's charms—cobblestone streets, pretty canals and historic buildings—but none its heady buzz, it's a serene escape from urban bustle. Renowned painter Vermeer is buried in the Oude Kerk, while the Nieuwe Kerk flanks the Main Square. Even if you're not into hand-painted ceramics, a stop at De Porceleyne Fles (Royal Delft), a 15-minute walk from town center, is worthwhile to see the process involved in creating Delftware.
Delft's famous blue-and-white earthenware is modeled on Chinese porcelain.
For more local history, visit Museum Het Prinsenhof, an urban palace that was once a 15th-century convent. Dig into 17th-century Delft at The Vermeer Center, focused on the life, work and city of native son Johannes Vermeer. View 36 paintings of the artist's work and learn about his mastery of light, composition and color in this info center set in a rebuilt version of the old local Guild of Saint Luke.
Insider Tip: The Vermeer Combi Ticket offers access to the Vermeer Centrum Delft (including coffee and cake), Museum Het Prinsenhof, the New Church and Old Church. As an added bonus, you get the Vermeer Walk that leads past Vermeer sites in the city. At €21, it's cheaper than single tickets.
Getting There: Trains leave about every half hour from Amsterdam Central and take an hour to reach Delft.
Amsterdam flower fields
Previous The Tantalizing Tulip and Keukenhof
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teenstravels says:
Hey, I just uploaded my first official blog post and it's about Amsterdam. Mind checking it out and giving me some feedback? Thanks!
alyabroad says:
Definitely going to check out the UrbanGuides in Rotterdam, and can't wait to head to Scheveningen when it gets warm! Great suggestions, dank je wel! 🙂
Ricko Leung (@RickoLeung) says:
A very interesting and informative article! Biking in the bulb fields is definitely my dream activity to do during my trip in Amsterdam!!!!
gijscoulier says:
Nice tip! We'll definately check visit the flowerstrip on the road from Belgium to Amsterdam next weekend!
Ahmed Gamal says:
Very interesting tips… I came to Amsterdam yesterday in a very sunny days and this post was a great one in giving me the details of every single trip. Also it was very informative and it gave me information from an insider since it mentions the beautiful tulip flower and I am interested in this issue from a cultural point of view since is an Egyptian one that they use as a sign for sun and happiness which I found it also at this sunny and beautiful city with beautiful flowers. I will follow the other tips starting from tomorrow.
Thanks for these valuable tips :))


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Every year October arrives and we are reminded by the government that it is the month to celebrate transport achievement, with the assurance that the government is working to improve SA's public transport system.
Unfortunately for the majority, this jingle is tired. Let's unpack the past decade: R36bn invested in developing a train that serves the wealthy few of Johannesburg (with a plan to expand to deliberately service poorer areas some time in future); and the single largest procurement deal in SA history to improve the Passenger Rail Agency SA's Metrorail service, but with little to show for it other than more stories of unacceptable service levels, violent commuter protests and devastating train accidents.
Addressing these things takes time, decades in fact. Meanwhile, taxpayers will have to carry the R90bn repayment for the loan used to upgrade Gauteng's freeways in a botched attempt to get vehicle users to pay for use of the upgraded freeways. Make no mistake, the freeways were improved relatively efficiently; it's just we can't agree on how to pay for it.
Cities have likewise spent billions initiating and developing bus rapid transit (BRT) systems, but almost 10 years later Johannesburg — the first to operate — has yet to complete the first full phase of the project. In fact, the national transport strategy that galvanised BRT investment across 13 cities envisioned that all 13 networks would be fully operational by 2019. Only a few months away from this milestone we are celebrating 13 years of Transport Month, yet no-one is able to account for our inability to meet these targets.
The complete lack of a proactive enabling environment to facilitate the rise of technology in the sector has resulted in violence and death surrounding the use and experience of e-hailing services, which for the first time have provided a customer-centric transport experience.
No surprise then that despite all this investment the passenger data is illustrating a steady decline in people using public transport modes in cities. They are opting to use minibus taxis (which says a lot about the current state of state-run public transport) or, if they can afford it, buying cars — still the undisputed champion for getting around.
What is really going on? Public officials driving the shift towards public transport are car captive. When it comes down to it they care more about whether there is a parking spot available, whether the traffic lights are working and whether there are potholes in the roads that might damage their tyres. If trains are four hours late or never arrive it really doesn't affect them. This means the people responsible for fixing the system have little incentive to make things better. Rather, there is a default to lengthy and delayed planning and procurement processes that take many years and never resolve the softer cultural issues.
We would have more impactful transport investment if the president and his cabinet, the premiers and their excos and the mayors and their mayoral committees committed to use public transport exclusively for one year. And I mean all forms — trains, buses and minibus taxis, not just the Gautrain. Imagine the urgency with which things would get sorted out.
But let's face it, these systems, provided by the same governments, are too unsafe, too inefficient and don't really connect to the places people need to get to. Our cities are built for cars and those using public transport must get in line. Quite literally.
For all the efficiency of the Gautrain, it is unaffordable and its operating model is unjust. The government subsidises Gautrain passengers R60 a trip, while minibus taxi riders get zero. Imagine if every minibus taxi user was provided with R60 a trip — for most that would mean free transport.
Our property development models are not making it any easier. With more developments of low density popping up on the outskirts of cities, the hope of enabling a public transport future is fading into the distance. For most housing projects, transport is an afterthought; at the higher end of the market it is based entirely on ensuring infrastructure for cars.
The good news is that it's never too late to turn this around. Cities have shown this throughout the world. What it requires is a shock to the system, a fundamentally different way of operating. And then the resilience and perseverance to sustain efforts to doggedly work to ensure the highest performance of the public transport network.
But who is going to stand up to powerful vested interests and take themselves out of the comfort zone of middle-class car-orientated lifestyles and chase public transport performance improvements as if we had to meet a Fifa World Cup deadline? These are the tough questions that are not being asked. But it's Transport Month, so let's pretend that everything is on track and wait another year while passengers continue to abandon public transport.
• Bickford is a researcher and programme manager at the SA Cities Network.


Hollywood lost some of its best and brightest stars this year. The arts, music, political and business worlds likewise lost shining lights. Take a look through to remember the talents who passed away in 2018.