Placeholder Content Image

“My darling wife": Newlywed's tragic death overseas

<p>Madison Noronha (née Chatham) was in Amsterdam with her husband Kyle Noronha after only a few weeks of getting married when she suddenly collapsed on the street. </p> <p>When she was rushed to hospital last week, scans revealed that she had suffered a brain aneurysm and despite getting immediate surgery to relieve the pressure, she unfortunately <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">could</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> not be saved. </span></p> <p>“Madi fought like she always does right to the very end,” her heartbroken husband wrote on social media. </p> <p>She passed away in his arms and was surrounded by loved ones. </p> <p>“My darling wife I cannot comprehend what has happened, I’m in a million pieces. Forever and always babe.”</p> <p>Now, her family have set up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/madison-noronha-chatham" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> in attempt to raise funds to “help with flights, funeral costs and to help bring our beloved Madison home to be laid to rest”.</p> <p>Since the launch of the fundraiser, people have come together and raised over $30,000 for the family. </p> <p>Taylah Wicks, the organiser of the fundraiser and a family friend, said that Madison was loved and cherished beyond measure”.</p> <p>“We are all left heart broken, but can’t imagine the pain that Kyle and her immediate family are experiencing,” she wrote on the page.</p> <p><em>Image: GoFundMe</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

"Stay away!": City forced into bizarre anti-travel campaign

<p>Amsterdam has taken desperate measures in the fight to keep the city safe from “messy” tourists determined to cause chaos and call it a night out. </p> <p>The Dutch capital’s new online campaign sets out to primarily tackle the problem of young British men, warning them against their plans to “let loose” while they’re visiting. </p> <p>Hopeful British tourists - between the ages of 18 and 35 - who google things like “stag party Amsterdam”, “pub crawl Amsterdam”, and “cheap hotel Amsterdam” will be made to view short videos that stress the consequences that come with “[causing] nuisance and excessive alcohol and drug use”, according to a statement from the city’s local authorities. </p> <p>One of said videos shows an intoxicated young man being arrested after insulting police officers, with text reading: “Coming to Amsterdam for a messy night + getting trashed = €140 fine + criminal record = fewer prospects.” </p> <p>From there comes the firm and to-the-point statement: “So coming to Amsterdam for a messy night? Stay away.”</p> <p>In another of the campaign’s videos, an unconscious individual can be seen in an ambulance as it rushes to hospital, this time with text that reads: “Coming to Amsterdam to take drugs + lose control = hospital trip + permanent health damage = worried family.” </p> <p>It concludes with the same message as the other. </p> <p>Amsterdam welcomes approximately 20 million tourists each year, and is well known for its red light district. It’s this same hotspot that has played a major role in establishing the city as the place to party in Europe. </p> <p>However, local residents have voiced their displeasure for years, fed up with the chaos that drunken tourists bring their way, and prevent them from enjoying their own city as they want to. </p> <p>“Visitors will remain welcome, but not if they misbehave and cause nuisance. In that case we as a city will say: rather not, stay away,” Amsterdam’s deputy mayor Sofyan Mbarki said.</p> <p>“Amsterdam is already taking lots of measures against excessive tourism and nuisance, and we are taking more measures than other large cities in Europe. But we have to do even more [in] the coming years if we want to give tourism a sustainable place in our city.”</p> <p>From there, he went on to note that in order to keep their city a liveable place, they had to turn their attention to “restriction instead of irresponsible growth.” </p> <p>This isn’t the only - or even first - step city officials have taken towards achieving their goal, having just passed new regulations that make it illegal for anyone to smoke cannabis while in the red light district. </p> <p>The video campaign may yet expand to include visitors from beyond the UK, authorities have suggested. They also plan to launch another campaign called “How to Amsterdam”, which aims to reign in tourists already visiting. This campaign will utilise social media and street signs, with warnings about everything from drunkenness to noise, drugs, and urinating in public. </p> <p>Providers who offer bachelor party experiences have reportedly been contacted by the council as well, in the hope that they can reduce - and prevent - trouble in the city’s centre, while they also await the results of research into a potential tourist tax. </p> <p><em>Images: YouTube</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

10 bike-friendly cities around the world

<p><strong>Amsterdam, The Netherlands</strong></p> <p>When counting down the world’s most bike-friendly cities, where else but Amsterdam could take the top spot? With more bikes than people, the city is structured with cyclists in mind. Low speed limits in the centre curb the impact of the four-wheeled menace, while bike racks on public transport make it easy to take a load off if the saddle gets to be too much.</p> <p>Rental shops are ubiquitous, the terrain is famously flat, and an online bike-specific route planner makes it especially easy for non-locals to get around. Further afield, a countryside of tulip fields and windmills lies within a 30-minute ride from the city centre. It’s no wonder almost half of Amsterdammers commute on two wheels.</p> <p><strong>Copenhagen, Denmark</strong></p> <p>Not riding a bike in Copenhagen is like not riding the trains in India – you’re missing out on a quintessential part of the experience. It’s just a nice bonus that riding a bike is the most convenient way to wander around Copenhagen’s best attractions. Bike lanes abound, as do bike lane-specific traffic signalling.</p> <p><strong>Montreal, Canada</strong></p> <p>If there’s one city in North America built for bicycles, it’s Montreal. However, it’s only been in the past decade that the city has exploited its compact size for the benefit of the cyclist, installing hundreds of kilometres of bike lanes around the city, many segregated from traffic.</p> <p>Coupled with a thriving bike culture and scenic routes around and to its most famous parks, the city makes hopping on a bike an easy decision. And if you don’t already have one, Montreal is home to Bixi, the public bike share company that has exported its modular bike share system technology around the world.</p> <p><strong>Bogota, Colombia</strong></p> <p>Bogota’s ciclorutas crisscross the city, offering cyclists the chance to explore the Colombian capital in the company of the locals. It is by far the most bike-friendly city in South America, with arguably the most extensive bike path network in the world.</p> <p>The cycling network has been integrated with the local bus system, which offers bike parking at stops and stations, and it has been specifically designed to allow bike traffic to flow over Bogota’s topography. Each Sunday several primary and secondary roads are closed to automobiles for the leisurely enjoyment of cyclists and pedestrians.</p> <p><strong>Barcelona, Spain</strong></p> <p>Cycling has been a part of Barcelona’s infrastructure for ages. Any visit to tourist districts of the city will uncover a dozen or more bike tour operators vying for your business. Of course, this enthusiasm for cycling implies that it’s just as easy to tour the sights of the city on your own.</p> <p>In a few hours of riding you can see the iconic Gaudi sculptures in Parc Guell, the Sagrada Familia, the massive Nou Camp soccer stadium and the famous cityside sand of Barcelona beach. The city’s protected cycle lanes and well-signed navigational aids will ensure that you won’t get lost.</p> <p><strong>Berlin, Germany</strong></p> <p>With more than 1,000 kilometres of bike paths, the vast majority of which are protected lanes, it’s no wonder that Berliners love to get around by bike. For the traveller, the major sights are within easy reach on a bicycle.</p> <p>For a true taste of the Berlin bike lifestyle, it’s best to take in a sunny afternoon at the vacant Tempelhof airport, where locals cycle and rollerblade up and down the abandoned runways.</p> <p><strong>Perth, Australia</strong></p> <p>Western Australia’s isolated capital is actually one of the most liveable metropolises in the world thanks to glorious weather and smart city design. A large chunk of the intelligent infrastructure work has come in the form of hundreds of kilometres of bike paths, which allow Perthites to get into and around their city with ease.</p> <p>Commuters enjoy bike lockers and change stations, which are found across the city. For the visitor, numerous scenic routes line the coastline and the local Swan River. What’s more, the best way to see Rottnest Island, a vehicle-free nature park just next to the city, is naturally by bicycle.</p> <p><strong>Paris, France</strong></p> <p>Paris’ Velib’ Métropole public bike sharing system provides everything you need to explore the almost 500 kilometres of bike paths around the French capital. And with so much to see, it’s nice to know that a healthy chunk of those bike paths is protected from manic Parisian motorists.</p> <p>The greatest feature of Paris’ bike system, however, is its ubiquity. A Velib’ station is almost always within sight, or just around the next corner. So after a moonlight cruise past the Eiffel Tower or a sunny ride down the Seine, you need not worry about being left in the lurch.</p> <p><strong>Tokyo, Japan</strong></p> <p>The mega-city of Tokyo has one of the most expansive and futuristic public transit networks on the planet, but its residents still swarm the streets (and sidewalks!) on their bicycles. Though the extent of bike lanes is still limited compared to other transit infrastructure, safe drivers help ease the tension between car and cyclist.</p> <p>Unique automated underground bike parking garages provide for a bit of a technological thrill when you need to stash your ride. Meanwhile, cycling tours of Tokyo are as popular as bike commuting is with the locals, as it’s the best way explore the world’s largest city on a more intimate level.</p> <p><strong>Portland, Oregon, USA</strong></p> <p>American cities are historically notoriously anti-bike. The road networks and suburbs were built for automobiles, long commutes and few pedestrians. But Portland, America’s favourite oddball and progressive city, is decidedly at the forefront of the American bicycle revolution.</p> <p>More than its ubiquitous bike lanes and popular bike share program, the thing that sets Portland apart is the rabid bike culture. The city boasts more cyclists per capita than anywhere else in the USA, and many restaurants and cafes maintain bicycle parking racks. However, the biggest upshot of all this for the visitor whose chain has fallen off is that seemingly every second person is also a bike mechanic.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/destinations/10-bike-friendly-cities-around-the-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

International Travel

Placeholder Content Image

Museum calls on Dutch government for a $270 million helping hand

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Dutch government is backing an expensive venture by Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum to purchase a $270 million Rembrandt self-portrait. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The painting, known as </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Standard Bearer (1636)</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, is one of the last masterpieces by the Dutch artist still in the hands of a private collector. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The artwork is going up for sale by the Rothschild family, who have had the painting in their possession since 1844, after it belonged to the King of England. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Financial pledges have come from </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Rembrandt Association, the Rijksmuseum Fund, the Dutch state and the museum’s acquisition fund in order to afford the artwork’s hefty price tag. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the Rijksmuseum director Taco Dibbits, the organisation has been trying to procure the painting for almost five years. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a statement, the museum said that the 22 works by Rembrandt in the Hague’s collection provide an “overview of the artist’s life,” and that the present work, being “one of the first paintings that Rembrandt made after he established himself as an independent artist in Amsterdam … has so far been the missing link in this overview.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the sale has yet to be closed, Dutch officials are already celebrating the new addition to the world-famous collection.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ingrid van Engelshoven, the Dutch minister of education, culture, and science, said in a statement, “After a journey of centuries, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Standard Bearer</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is now returning home for good.” </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Art

Placeholder Content Image

Never-before-seen Van Gogh drawing goes on display

<p>A newly discovered Vincent Van Gogh drawing has made its debut in in Amsterdam.</p> <p>The Van Gogh Museum revealed that the never-before-seen piece was drawn in 1882, marking the early days of the famous artist's extraordinary career.</p> <p>The artwork had been sitting in a Dutch family's private collection for over 100 years, and was loaned to the Amsterdam Museum for viewing for the first time.</p> <p>The unique piece will be visible to the public until January 2nd 2022, before returning to the private collection.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">🎉We have discovered a new work by Vincent van Gogh! Study for ‘Worn Out’ from 1882 is added to Van Gogh's oeuvre. What do you think of this study? On display in the museum from tomorrow on. Find out more: <a href="https://t.co/LyjgpLkRtv">https://t.co/LyjgpLkRtv</a> <a href="https://t.co/86fu9XRbeY">pic.twitter.com/86fu9XRbeY</a></p> — Van Gogh Museum (@vangoghmuseum) <a href="https://twitter.com/vangoghmuseum/status/1438498921169391623?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2021</a></blockquote> <p>The drawing depicts an exhausted old man and has been titled <em>Study for Worn Out</em>.</p> <p>Signed <em>“</em><em>Vincent”</em>, the drawing shows an elderly labourer dressed in boots, trousers and a waistcoat bending over with his head in his hands.</p> <p>Teio Meedendorp, a senior researcher at the Van Gogh Museum, told the BBC that it was "absolutely impossible" to predict how much the piece was worth.</p> <p>The artwork seems to be an earlier version of a more well-known Van Gogh piece titled <em>Worn Out</em>, which has been on display at the museum for many years.</p> <p>This first draft of an artwork gives researchers an exclusive insight into Van Gogh's working process as an early artist.</p> <p>As expected, the team at The Van Gogh Museum, were “delighted with this discovery” and felt like they had contributed to their specialty.</p> <p>The owner of the artwork, who wishes to remain anonymous, was conversing with the museum about the likelihood of the piece being attributed to Vincent Van Gogh.</p> <p>Teio Meedendorp stated, "In stylistic terms, it fits perfectly with the many figures we know from Van Goghs time in the Hague and the connect with <em>Worn Out</em> is obvious”.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty Images</em></p>

Art

Placeholder Content Image

Amsterdam considers banning tourists from purchasing cannabis

<p>Amsterdam is looking into banning tourists from cannabis cafes in a bid to combat over-tourism.</p> <p>A survey of visitors commissioned by Mayor Femke Halsema revealed that more than half visited the 850,000-strong city because they wanted to experience a cannabis-vending coffee shop.</p> <p>Most of the respondents (57 per cent) said the Dutch capital’s coffee shops influenced their decision to come, and 11 per cent said they <span><a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/amsterdam-cannabis-tourist-ban">would not return</a></span> if they could not access the cafes.</p> <p>About 29 per cent said they would seek out other ways to obtain their drug fix, such as getting a resident to make a purchase on their behalf or through street trading.</p> <p>In a letter released in July 2019, ahead of the survey, Halsema suggested that the coffee shops can put “the quality of life in the city center under pressure”.</p> <p>Following the publication of the survey results, Halsema said the city government should work on “<span><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/amsterdam-tourist-cannabis-usage/index.html">reducing the attraction of cannabis to tourists</a></span>” and making the Amsterdam cannabis market more transparent.</p> <p>Earlier this month, the city announced that group tours of the main Wallen red-light district and other areas containing sex workers’ windows would be <span><a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/amsterdam-red-light-district-tours-ban">formally outlawed from April 1</a></span>. Deputy mayor Victor Everhardt said the tours were “disrespectful to see sex workers as a tourist attraction”.</p>

International Travel

Placeholder Content Image

Why a waltz through Salzburg might be just what you’re needing

<p>Every time I visit Salzburg I can see my breath. There’s just something about this storybook Austrian city in the Alps that makes it so appealing in the chilly festive season. Perhaps it’s the night lights that set aglow fairytale Baroque churches and the hilltop fortress. Perhaps it’s the aroma of warm pretzels, cinnamon and rum that wafts from stalls along crooked, cobbled streets around Universitätsplatz, the city’s main square. It definitely has something to do with the music.</p> <p>The fourth-largest city in Austria, Salzburg is the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeaus Mozart and the set for many scenes from The Sound of Music. Strolling the streets, you’re guaranteed to hear notes from Requium, or Julie Andrews’ octave-leaping vocals claiming a few of her favourite things. It somehow sounds better when you’re rugged up and searching for a mug of glogg and a slice of gingerbread.</p> <p>It’s exactly this that I order at Café Tomaselli, where Mozart would also come to escape the cold with a hot chocolate between compositions. Waiters in snappy dinner jackets roam the mirrored rooms leaving steaming glasses of einspänner (strong black coffee with a dash of whipped cream) on the marble-topped tables. From time to time they pick up trays bulging under the weight of cakes: schlotfeger (chocolate-coated, cream-filled pastry rolls), sticky slices of Salzburger nockerl, a white-peaked soufflé, and slices of moist, flaky strudel.</p> <p>Across the square, horse-drawn carriages line up beside the fountain, and tourists line up to take photos of Mozart’s Geburtshaus, his childhood home and now a museum. Inside, there are some haunting portraits of the musical talent, alongside the tiny violin he played as a child. A short walk away is Mozart’s Wohnhaus, where he lived as a young man. It’s still a shrine to his genius in not only writing music, but also in penning lively letters to friends.</p> <p>I encounter another queue at Café Konditorei Furst, where tourists come to sample a Mozartkugel. While many establishments across town now sell these bite-size chocolate spheres filled with pistachio-flavoured marzipan and nougat, Konditorei is where they were invented in 1890. Gazing up from the narrow street I see domes and spires, the formidable cliff-top fortress and the mountains beyond.</p> <p>I have an equally impressive view from my hotel on the outskirts of town at Schloss Leopoldskron. This incredible estate was one of the film sets for The Sound of Music. Today, it’s a lovely lakeside hotel and museum – the heritage-listed main building, an 18th century Rococo castle, is home to a jaw-dropping collection of art and books belonging to the onetime owner, prince Leopold Firmian. Neat rooms overlook a pebbled courtyard in the newer building, but a number of suites still occupy the stately home and come with antique furniture, wooden floors and deep soaking tubs.</p> <p>Nearby is Schloss Hellbrunn, a Renaissance-inspired pleasure palace with fountains and the gazebo that witnessed so much wooing in The Sound of Music. And there’s also the Mirabellgarten, where Andrews sang Do Rei Mi with her entourage of children. The lavishly landscaped Baroque gardens – a patchwork of hedges, fountains, roses and dwarf statues – surround the Mirabell Palace, built in 1606 by prince-archbishop Wolf Dietrich for his beloved Salome Alt. Inside, a marbled hall hosts regular classical music concerts.</p> <p>After exploring the Altstadt’s grand churches, gardens and squares, I cross the river Salzach to take in the completely different atmosphere of the narrow, 16th-century Steingasse, where working people once lived and worked. Today, shops, galleries and quirky bars now beckon. Here, Salzburg’s museum of modern art has important works by Klimt and Kokoschka and exciting shows by contemporary artists. It’s also on this side of the river that you’ll find Hotel Sacher, home to that torte. The recipe has never been revealed, of course, but it is so dense and rich that it’s suitable to be packed in your suitcase and brought home to Australia as a souvenir. If it lasts that long.</p> <p><em>Written by Natasha Dragun. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/austria-a-waltz-through-salzburg/">MyDiscoveries.</a></em></p>

Travel Tips

Placeholder Content Image

6 amazingly underrated things to do in Amsterdam

<p><span>It’s always a good idea to explore a city away from tour guides and tourist hot spots. By wandering off and exploring this new world for yourself you could find some hidden gems where you would least expect it. And Amsterdam is no exception, with these underrated experiences you should add to your must-see and must-do list. </span></p> <p><strong><span>1. DapperMarkt</span></strong></p> <p><span>DapperMarkt is one of the most famous street markets in Amsterdam and it is made clear why. The market stretches along Dapperstraat in Amsterdam-Oost where hundreds of vendors align the street offering goods that change every day.</span></p> <p><strong><span>2. Thuis aan de Amstel</span></strong></p> <p><span>For those who are lovers of culinary arts and all things good food, this restaurant is a must-see. Thuis aan de Amstel designs unique menus each day and compliments the food with specially-paired coffee, beer and wine.</span></p> <p><strong><span>3. A’dam Toren</span></strong></p> <p><span>Who doesn’t want to see a 360-degree view of an insanely beautiful city? No one. The A’dam Toren provides the view, restaurants, shopping and a hotel. Everything you can ever need, all in one place.</span></p> <p><strong><span>4. IJ-Hallen Flea Market</span></strong></p> <p><span>IJ-Hallen Flea Market is the largest in all of Europe, with over 750 vendors, so it’s not to be missed. The market is located in two massive warehouses where a wide range of goods are sold, such as second-hand clothing, antiques, food and furniture.</span></p> <p><strong><span>5. Tropenmuseum</span></strong></p> <p><span>Amsterdam has over 70 museums but all of them weld together in Tropenmuseum. Known as the “museum of world cultures,” it contains cultural art and exhibitions from around the world.</span></p> <p><strong><span>6. Stroopwafels at Van Wonderen</span></strong></p> <p><span>And finally, how could you visit this city without trying its most famous treat – waffles.</span></p> <p><span>The stroopwafels consist of two thin waffle cookies with baked caramel in the centre. A pastry shop by the name of Van Wonderen is famous amongst tourists and locals for these sweet treats.</span></p> <p><span>Scroll through the gallery above to see the six most underrated things to see and do in Amsterdam.</span></p> <p><span>What activity would be first on your list when visiting Amsterdam? Let us know in the comments below.</span></p>

International Travel

Placeholder Content Image

MH17 memorial opens in Amsterdam on three-year anniversary

<p>The families of those killed in the MH17 tragedy will gather in the Netherlands today on the three-year-anniversary of the atrocity to remember the 298 people who died when their plane was shot down over Ukraine.</p> <p>The relatives of the 38 Australians who died have travelled to the Netherlands and will gather at a park near Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport to remember and honour their loved ones on the three-year anniversary.</p> <p>A new memorial to the victims – a forest of trees planted in the shape of a memorial ribbon – will be officially opened. Each tree carry the name of every person who died on the plane, and an amphitheatre in the centre of the forest brings all 298 names together.</p> <p><img width="448" height="252" src="https://cdn-hit.scadigital.io/media/21316/mh17-monument-online.png?preset=MainImage" alt=" MH17 Forest Monument Unveiled On 3 Year Anniversary" class="article__image" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>The flags of all the countries who lost citizens will be flown at half-mast. A number of nationalities lost their citizens in the atrocity, with the flight killing 196 Dutch citizens.</p> <p>Around 2000 people are expected to attend the opening. The Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and royals King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima will be attending the ceremony.</p> <p>The Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Airlines flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine on July 17, 2014. It is believed to have been carried out by pro-Russian rebels fighting against the Ukrainians near the border.</p>

International Travel

Placeholder Content Image

Stolen Van Gogh paintings return to Amsterdam after 14 years

<p>Two paintings by Vincent van Gogh that were stolen in a smash-and-grab heist more than 14 years ago have returned to the Amsterdam museum dedicated to the Dutch master.</p> <p>"They're back!'' said Van Gogh Museum director Axel Rueger, calling their return one of the "most special days in the history of our museum''.</p> <p>The paintings, the 1882 View of the Sea at Scheveningen, and 1884-85 work Congregation leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen, were discovered last year by Italian police investigating suspected Italian mobsters for cocaine trafficking.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="496" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36267/in-text-1_496x280.jpg" alt="In Text 1 (5)"/></p> <p align="center"><em>Director of Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum Axel Ruger (C) poses next to paintings by the Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh.</em></p> <p>It wasn't an easy find. The two paintings were wrapped in cotton sheets, stuffed in a box and hidden behind a wall in a toilet, said Gen. Gianluigi D'Alfonso of the Italian financial police, who was on hand at the museum for the ceremonial unveiling.</p> <p>The paintings were found in a farmhouse near Naples as Italian police seized 20 million euros ($30.7 million) worth of assets, including villas, apartments and even a small airplane. Investigators contend the assets are linked to two Camorra drug kingpins, Mario Cerrone and Raffaele Imperiale.</p> <p>"After years shrouded in darkness, they can now shine again,'' said Jet Bussemaker, the Dutch minister for education, culture and science said as an orange screen slid away to reveal the two paintings behind a glass wall.</p> <p>One of the two men convicted of stealing the paintings told the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that said he originally wanted to steal Van Gogh's world famous Sunflowers painting, but it was too well protected.</p> <p>Another well-known Van Gogh work, The Potato Eaters, was too big to get through the hole that Octave Durham and his accomplice smashed in the security glass to get into the museum after clambering over a fence and using a ladder to get onto its roof.</p> <p>Durham, who was sentenced to 3 1 /2 years in prison after being convicted in 2004, told De Telegraaf that the paintings were sold to the mafia after a Dutch criminal who had agreed to buy them was murdered.</p> <p>The paintings are now back on display at the museum before being taken to its conservation studio for repair. Experts said they suffered remarkably little damage even as the thieves in 2002 ripped them out of their frames and fled.</p> <p>"It is not only a miracle that the works have been recovered but it's even more miraculous almost that they are in relatively unharmed condition,'' Rueger said.</p> <p>The museum director was on vacation when the call came last year from Italian authorities who believed they had recovered the paintings. He didn't celebrate right away; he'd had calls like this before.</p> <p>"I was hopeful but also a little hesitant, because over the course of the years we had multiple occasions when people phoned us, contacted us, claiming that they knew something about the whereabouts of the works. And each time it was false, the trace went cold,'' he said. "The way has been peppered with disappointment.''</p> <p>But museum experts dispatched to Italy to check the authenticity of the works quickly turned Rueger's doubts into delight.</p> <p>"It was something we had secretly been hoping for, for all those years,'' he said.</p> <p>The two small works are not typical of Van Gogh's later and better-known works, but are still vital pieces for the museum's collection, Rueger said.</p> <p>The Scheveningen seascape, with a fishing boat and rough sea under a typically gray, cloudy Dutch sky, is one of Van Gogh's earliest works. It is the only painting in the museum's collection painted during his time in The Hague. It suffered a missing rectangular chip from the bottom left-hand corner.</p> <p>The painting of the church in Nuenen portrayed the village where his parents lived.</p> <p>"He had painted as a gift to his mother, so it's a very personal and emotional connection,'' Rueger said.</p> <p>Rueger said the paintings are now back for good at a museum, which is home to dozens of works by Van Gogh, whose paintings fetch millions of dollars on the rare occasions they come up for auction.</p> <p>"The security, I can assure you, is of Triple-A quality now. So I'm very confident that everything is safe in the museum,'' he said.</p> <p><em>Written by Mike Corder. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz.</span></strong></a></em></p>

Art

Placeholder Content Image

Why cycling is the only way to see Amsterdam

<p>The weekday streets and bike paths of Amsterdam's Eastern Docklands are reassuringly deserted as I lurch past my brother's apartment on his second-hand Dutch granny bike.</p> <p>The bike may be a Gazelle, one of the best Dutch bike brands, but I'm as graceful as a newborn hippo. Yet after a few shaky moments, I feel confident I won't end up in a canal and ready to tackle a slice of the Tour of Italy and, my dream ride, the Tour de France.</p> <p>My brother Stuart and his girlfriend Sue are living in Amsterdam for a year and quicker than they can say "free accommodation", I fly over for a holiday. Inspired by the local bike culture, Stuart and I plan to cycle around the Netherlands and the Flanders region of Belgium for 11 days.</p> <p>Coincidentally, both this year's Tour de France and Giro d'Italia started in the Netherlands. The 2010 edition of Le Tour hosted a time trial through the streets of Rotterdam, followed by a stage ride from Rotterdam to Brussels via the Delta Project and Antwerp. The Giro d'Italia held a time trial in Amsterdam, a stage ride from Amsterdam to Utrecht and a stage ride from Amsterdam to Middelburg.</p> <p>Our plan is to cycle from Amsterdam to Antwerp via Utrecht, before passing through Gent and Brugge (often seen in English as Ghent and Bruges) on the way to Middelburg. We will then cycle up the coast, cross the dams of the Delta Project and make our way to Rotterdam and back to the Dutch capital. While our trip may seem arduous to a Tour de France couch potato, the Netherlands and Flanders are ideal for the casual cyclist, with a flat landscape, dedicated cycling infrastructure, a network of long-distance bike routes and celebrated cycling culture. Not to mention plenty of opportunities for coffee, cake and beer along the way. The locals are fluent in English, too, no doubt due to the endless repeats of Knight Rider on Dutch television.</p> <p>We plan to use Stuart and Sue's second-hand "omafiets" and "opafiets", or grandma and grandpa bikes. These old single-speed, back-pedal brake "upright" bikes, fitted with panniers, are designed for short urban trips. The locals think we're mad to cycle around the country on them and I agree, given Sue's omafiets looks old enough to have been ridden by a grandmother in her irresponsible youth.</p> <p>My first couple of days in Amsterdam are a hectic combination of sightseeing, trip preparation and introduction to cycling, Dutch-style. Amsterdam looks like bike utopia compared with Sydney, yet there's a particular rhythm and etiquette to cycling that takes some adjustment.</p> <p>I struggle to negotiate the various cars, trams, mopeds, oblivious tourists and carefree local cyclists. My favourite is the "dog-rider" who, instead of walking the several dogs in her care, rides with them on the bike path, causing chaos. Aside from the obvious attractions such as the Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House, the greatest joy is simply cycling around the beautiful streets and canals of Amsterdam, stopping for coffee and Dutch apple cake at Cafe Winkel and a beer at the Brouwerij 't IJ, a small brewery next to a traditional Dutch windmill.</p> <p>After three days in Amsterdam, including a day ride to Edam, we set off for Utrecht in light drizzle that soon turns into brilliant sunshine and warm temperatures. My cliched expectations are indulged as we cycle through the Dutch countryside, passing picturesque villages, windmills and canals. I'm pleasantly surprised by the beautifully manicured houses and quaint gardens that often incorporate funny garden ornaments, moats and farm animals.</p> <p>We arrive in Utrecht in the afternoon, with time only for a sandwich and an excellent guided tour of the Domtoren (church bell tower), the tallest in the country. As the sun begins to set on some of the most spectacular scenery of the whole trip, we race to reach Gouda before nightfall. It's immensely satisfying overtaking the locals on our old bikes.</p> <p>The next day begins with a typical hearty Dutch breakfast, a quick tour of Gouda's town square and an obligatory visit to a cheese shop. We depart for Kinderdijk, crossing the Molenkade River by car ferry before encountering one of the toughest hill climbs of the trip: the short incline from the ferry up to the main road, a challenge on an overloaded omafiets with bulging panniers.</p> <p>Kinderdijk is a compact World Heritage-listed site where 19 picture-postcard Dutch windmills are set close together. On a clear sunny day, it is windmill heaven.</p> <p>On day four, we cross the Belgian border, disappointed by the lack of signs and fanfare. We celebrate with nougat in the woods of De Zoom-Kalmthoutse Heide, a cross-border nature reserve.</p> <p>Eventually, we reach Antwerp and, like the Tour de France riders, cycle along the Scheldt River, past Antwerp Castle and the old docks.</p> <p>Aside from the elation of riding from Amsterdam to Antwerp, the main town square holds special significance to us. Dad's black-and-white photograph of mum standing by Brabo Fountain is one of our few surviving family treasures. Now we are standing in the same spot, trying to re-create that picture and create a few new ones for future generations.</p> <p>If only our parents had warned us, however, about the International Seaman's House, with its hospital-inspired decor and the blood-smeared mosquitoes splattered on the walls of our room.</p> <p>We enjoy a rest day wandering around Antwerp's Gothic architecture, sampling such Belgian delicacies as chips with mayonnaise, waffles and Trappist beers. Overnight stays in Gent and Brugge complete the trifecta of historic Flemish towns as we ride on to Middelburg in the Netherlands, passing through a rural landscape of gorgeous fields, red-roofed farmhouses and tiny churches. After crossing the seemingly non-existent border, we follow the North Sea Cycle Route to the coast.</p> <p>Much of Middelburg's city centre was destroyed in 1940 by the same German aerial bombing that destroyed much of Rotterdam. While Middelburg survived and was rebuilt, German tourists now invade the town each summer, according to our B&amp;B host.</p> <p>Strong winds greet us the next day as we ride in slipstream formation to the Delta Project, a massive engineering system of dykes, locks and storm-surge barriers built following a flood that killed 2000 people in 1953.</p> <p>We ride over the Oosterschelde Stormvloedkering, which is three kilometres of moveable dams that took 10 years to build and formed part of this year's Tour de France. I'm sure it makes for stunning television but up close it's ... breezy. The abundant wind turbines aren't here for decoration. Forget flooding, I'm surprised the country doesn't blow away.</p> <p>Eventually we reach Neeltje Jans, an artificial island that was built towards the end of the 1960s and served as the construction site for the main elements of the storm surge barrier. Now it is the site of a theme park that's only worth visiting for the Delta Expo, where we learn more about the tragic flood and engineering project.</p> <p>We're relieved to conquer the strong winds and arrive in Rotterdam, the second-largest city in the Netherlands. While it lacks Amsterdam's well-preserved houses and canals, there is much to admire, such as the views from the Euromast, the iconic Cubic Houses and the Erasmus Bridge, the latter a striking backdrop for the Rotterdam prologue to the Tour de France.</p> <p>All too soon we reach the outskirts of Amsterdam. By now, our bikes are falling apart but I've grown to love my adopted granny. Our ride may not be worthy of a yellow jersey but we feel triumphant, if tired. A seat in an Amsterdam bar is the only winner's podium I need.</p> <p>Have you ever been to Amsterdam?</p> <p><em>Written by Ian Wilson. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p>

Travel Tips

Our Partners