Places around Maastricht: Centre Ceramique Library

Type of place: Library
Location: 1992 Plein, Centre Ceramique
Website
 
The Centre Ceramique library is a modern building located in the Wijk-region of Maastricht just across the footbridge. It is large and cube-shaped with lots of glass and light that you would be hard-pressed to miss if you were to wander into the area. The library inside includes five floors of books (mostly Dutch but with some English language fiction), a cafe, and audio and video collection, and meeting and practice rooms for students or others who are musically inclined. You will also find both permanent and rotating collections of art and other cultural artifacts that keeps the library a fresh and interesting place to visit.
 
Books Books Books
The Centre Ceramique library has a large collection of nonfiction and fiction works as well as many audio books, music CDs, and movies. They even have a respectable, if all Dutch language, collection of graphic novels that I can’t wait to dig into once my vocabulary has improved.
 
A wide variety of subjects are covered in the nonfiction areas, but probably most interesting is the large collection of Limburg-area history resources. There is also a significant language learning section. However, unfortunately for me, they are mostly for learning a language when your first language is Dutch. Some English-language nonfiction books are mixed in with the Dutch language ones, but the online catalog does not allow you to search by language so it can be hard to find them.
 
The fiction collection is also substantial, if smaller. The English-language fiction novels share the basement level with the kids’ department. Most mainstream novels and genres are represented, although certain genres like science fiction have less shelf space. There are more British authors then you might find in an American library and probably several translated novels from other world authors.
 
Events and Exhibits

In addition to providing the usual library services of circulation, reference, and research, the Centre Ceramique has two separate exhibit spaces their permanent and rotating cultural collections. In the main atrium you can usually find a temporary collection on one of innumerable topics. Since we’ve been here there have been exhibits about Natzi-Era children’s organizations, comics creators, and more. Right now the World Press Photo winners are on display. A record is kept on the library’s website of new exhibitions.
 
The permanent collection includes a small ceramic collection in honor of the pottery factories that once stood on this location. Here you can see examples of the pottery and painting, as well as several “test plates” used to ensure accurate colors after firing and glazing. Some of the pottery created in Maastricht was done in the so-called “Blue Delft” style but there are also a variety of other painting styles on display.
 
Finally, the library puts on a variety of events which you can find listed on their website. Generally these events are aimed towards children and are in Dutch, but you can keep an eye on them to see if something that appeals to you comes up.
 
We’re not in Boston anymore…
If you are from the United States, you are probably accustomed to public libraries also being free libraries. Boston was the place that started this US tradition of free libraries to “educate the masses”. In the Netherlands, as in several other European countries, a nominal fee must be paid to become a member of the library. You can visit the Centre Ceramique and access their collection on site, but you cannot check books out without having a membership.
 
A yearly membership costs 26 euros and will allow you to check out up to 4 books (or other materials) at a time for about three weeks. There are other memberships that cost more and will allow you to check out more items and for longer. Members of the Maastricht University can get a discount or even a reciprocal library card. If this is your case then you should probably talk to be University’s library for more details.
 
Honestly, I have not obtained my library card yet but I have enjoyed stopping in periodically to read or write in this large modern building. Dan and I will be getting a membership with a discount through the Maastricht University so it is just a matter of time before I can start chewing through any English a literature I can find there.

Hot Jenever Toddies on a Cold Winter's Day

Recently, I was inspired by the holiday season to make my own gluhwijn here at home. While it was pretty good, Dan really isn’t a wine drinker even when the wine is spiced and sweetened. So we set out in search of an alternative adult beverage to keep us warm on rainy nights. Enter the Hot Jenever Toddy, a drink recipe of my own creation (although its probably not that original).
 
About Jenever
First created in the Netherlands, Jenever is the maltwine-based predecessor to English gin. Flavored with juniper, the spirit has a sweet, botanical flavor and malty mouth-feel. When I first tried Jenever, I found it to be similar to drinking a nice Scotch; although without the smokey peat. Since its creation in the 16th century, it has been the quintessential Dutch (and Flanders) spirit. Jenever was popular worldwide in the 17th century but eventually lost popularity in favor of English gin, which is drier, cheaper, and easier to flavor. Recently its popularity has been on the rise again. Officially only Jenever made in the Netherland, Belgium, and a couple other places can be called ‘Jenever’. Everyone else just makes gin.
 
Although there are probably as many nuances to Jenever as there are to similar spirits (for example, scotch), there are two general varieties. Oude Jenever is made more traditionally with a greater percentage of its mash coming from maltwine and the sweeter, stronger botanical flavor that comes with it. Jonge Jenever is made with more recent methods and a lower percentage of maltwine; resulting in a spirit with a less sweet, clearer taste.
 
Jenever has typically been drunk very cold and straight from a special, flared schnapps glass. The glass is filled until the liquid peaks precariously over the edge and then the drinker bends over to slurp the excess so he can lift his drink. I prefer Oude Jenever for sipping.
 
Jenever can also be used for cocktails. Pretty much any gin cocktail can be improved (Can you tell I don’t like gin?) by using Jenever instead. Bols (a major Amsterdam brand) in particular is really pushing their product for mixed drinks (they recommend using Jonge Jenever) and have also released a series of Jenever-based schnapps in some really crazy flavors (banana? green tea? seriously?).
 
My Recipe for a Hot Jenever Toddy

• 1 1/4 oz Jonge Jenever

(I used “De Schout van Maastricht” brand because it said Maastricht on it.)

• 2 oz Hot Water
• 1 tsp Sugar or Honey
• 1 Cinnamon Stick to garnish

 
Build your drink in a heat resistant glass or mug; adding the ingredients in the order above. Stir with a cinnamon stick. Enjoy! Sugar makes for a sweeter, clear toddy. Honey makes the toddy a light golden color and brings out the spice in the Jenever better.
 

I also submitted this recipe to Instructables (a DIY site) for their Cocktails & Mocktails contests. Please take the time to check out my submission and vote if you like it. Voting runs from  January 4th – 10th. Winners are selected based on the public vote.

Places Around Maastricht: Vrijthof

Type of place: Public Square
Location: At the opposite end of Grotestraat from the Dinghuis
Zicht Op Maastricht on Vrijthof
 
 
 
 
When you visit Maastricht, you will neither be able nor want to miss the Vrijthof. It is one of the best known squares in the city and plays host to a variety of events including Preuvenemint, Andre Rieu’s open-air concerts, Winterland, Carnival activities and more. Ceremonial city events are also held on the Vrijthof. We once caught a Botche ball tournaments there and in 2009 the Queen’s Day children’s market was held on the square. Overlooking the square you will also see the imposing St. Servaas Basiliek and St. Janskerk (identifiable by its bright red tower).
 
Of course you probably won’t just be visiting the Vrijthof to say that you’ve been there. You will probably also want to relax in one of the cafes that line the square. Many of the cafes here serve Dutch cuisine and have large patios where you can relax with a cup of coffee or glass of beer. During events, these patios are always packed to the gills with people enjoying the festive environment while also getting a little something to eat. Keep an eye on the prices however. Since the Vrijthof is one of the most popular places to eat in Maastricht, the prices can be quite high. I suppose there is always SnackPoint (a Dutch fast food place) or McDonalds (ew), but it is worth it to experience one of the proper restaurants at least once. Watch for daily specials and pre-fixe menus for a better deal.
 
When nothing in particular is going on at the Vrijthof, you may want to check out one of the various cultural institutions that line this area. The Theater aan het Vrijthof always has several live musical and theater events going on. If you don’t want to wait for a show, the Hoofdwacht, the stone building that sits in front of the cathedrals, contains a rotating exhibition of art and historical artifacts. Since that exhibit won’t take you long to view, you can also check out the Museum aan het Vrijthof which is located in a 16th century former chapter house and has been decorated to reflect the decor of both that century and the 18th. You may also wish to visit the two cathedrals.

In the end, one of the best things about the Vrijthof is that you never know what is going to be happening there. I try to keep up with what’s going on in Maastricht, but there are days where I walk by and discover some odd event or another going on. So despite its grandeur, there’s something a little whimsical about the Vrijthof as well.
 
Do you have a favorite memory on the Vrijthof? Share it in the comments.

Update: Thank you Sueli for keeping my facts straight.

Zicht Op Maastricht Audio Tour

Zicht Op Maastricht is a history and archaeological project aimed at creating resources about the history of Maastricht and its people, buildings, and products. Using timelines and themes to group historical buildings and events to gather, the project presents a complete yet evolving story of Maastricht. Available in several languages including English, I encourage you to check out the various interactive features on their website. But what I really want to talk about today is their audio tour of the city.
 
Zicht Op Maastricht offers several free print and audio tours of Maastricht with a historical bent. For audio, you can download a PDA/smart phone app which includes a tour that can use GPS or you can take advantage of the MP3s on your iPod (or other music player). There is a print street map that goes along with these audio tours. If you don’t want audio then you can try out one of the two print theme walks.
 
I was unable to get the Smartphone app to work on my Android phone, so instead I opted to try the MP3 tracks which I downloaded via iTunes. The tracks are organized into four themes and each varies in length from about 2-4 minutes. They are meant to be used with the printed street map which has corresponding numbers with the track numbers. The female speaker has a pleasant and clear voice and the information is interesting, if a bit dry at times. Even after wandering around Maastricht quite a bit on my own I was able to discover new things from the handful of tracks I listened to.

Unfortunately the numbering will not lead you on a guided tour and the best way to make use of the tour is to pre-select your route and decide which tracks to listen to. The four themes overlap with track locations next to each other even when they are part of different themes, so mixing them will help you get more out of the experience. Alternatively, just bring the MP3s and numbered map along with you as you wander and listen to the ones you find interesting. Maastricht is full of old buildings that may pique your interest.
 
These tours are all available for free, so there is no reason not to download and try them on your own. Happy exploring!

Expat Observations on the International Service Desk

One week ago, the International Service Desk of Maastricht was officially opened with speech and song. The unpersoned desk offers computers with access to four Web resources specific to Maastricht region and information that international members of the community may need. A cute sitting area has also been added, although I’m not sure what it will be used for. Since one of the reasons I maintain this blog is to promote better information for expats, it seemed best that I checked out and report back on what this new service has to offer. By way of disclosure, some of my articles are reprinted with the Maastricht Region website which is associated with the desk.
 
I was cautiously optimistic when I heard that the service desk was going in. The four websites you can access are accessible from any Internet connection, so ultimately you don’t ever need to go to the service desk unless you have another reason to be at the Gemeente. I think that is the sort of resource you would make the most use of early in your arrival when you do not have your own Internet connection set up and are still going through paperwork that requires your presence at the town hall. So far no additional resource is such as English-language forms etc. have been added to the desk, although there are plans to expand the service in 2010.

The desk is opened the same hours as the Gemeente, which might make it inconvenient if you need to visit on the weekend, but everything is accessible online right now so that’s not a problem yet.

Monday – Wednesday: 08.30 – 16.30 hours
Thursday : 08.30 – 19.00 hours
Friday: 08.30 – 12.30 hours

The four sites you can access from the international service desk are:

Maastricht.nl: The Gemeente’s own website which has some basic information in English (German & French too) but more available in Dutch.
 
ExpatGuideHolland.com: A well organized resource aimed at expats moving to or in this southern region. Much of the information is general enough that it would refer to most of the Netherlands. Frankly I wish I had explored this resource much earlier in our move.
 
ZichtOpMaastricht.nl: This site may not be immediately useful to an expat but it does have some information you could use to learn your way around the city and about the history of the area. They also have some audio guides which are nice to listen to. The Dutch side is more extensive of course.
 
MaastrichtRegion.com: The site covers more specific information about the Maastricht region, including links out to some real estate and job boards (although I don’t know how far you can explore from the international service desk). Many of the links on this site go back to the Expat Guide Holland, so there is some duplicated information. Has a Dutch side as well aimed at native residents.

There are no Stupid Questions…

In an effort to apply something of a scientific method to my interaction with the new desk, I prepared three questions that I currently need information about. I actually have found information previously about these questions so I had some prior knowledge of what I might expect to find. I think they are representative of questions one might have after only having been in Maastricht for under year. Here are my results:
 
 
Question one: how can I put my mail on hold while I am on vacation?
To my surprise this question was actually the only one not answered by the International Service Desk. It requests very specific information but information about something that most expats will have to do at some point. I suspected that I already knew the answer to this question, but when I was unable to locate an answer through the computers I ask the Municipal Service Desk instead. The answer? Go to your nearest TNT post office and request a hold by placed. I haven’t done so yet, but once I do I will write up a more detailed description of the process.
 
Question two: What insurance should I buy?
While this isn’t really a question that can be answered broadly since everyone has differing insurance needs, I did find my answer at Expat Guide Holland which I thought offered the best rundown of available insurances that I’ve seen online yet. The descriptions are short but clear and include the name of each insurance in Dutch as well as in English. I discovered that the only required insurances are health insurance, car insurance if you own a car, and homeowner insurance if you own a house. The site also said that most people carry personal liability insurance and household contents insurance. This fits with information I’ve found previously on the subject.
 
Question three: Are there any entrepreneur support organizations in Maastricht?
I have visited the KvK (Chamber of Commerce) before and pose this question with little success, but I thought there might be more information here. I did discover on the Maastricht.nl website that there is a Business Contact Center at the Gemeente where business owners can get more information about doing business in Maastricht. The KvK was also mentioned, but the computers at the international service desk will not allow you to surf to their website for more information. I feel that this information is incomplete as I know there is a student entrepreneurial group through Maastricht University.
 
Overall I think that the desk is a good start, but because you can get all of the information available online there needs to be additional services provided to bring you to the Gemeente. I would like to see an actual reference librarian or adviser available for expats to help them answer those situation specific questions that we all have. Non-Dutch language translation of important documents or service that will help with the translations would also be invaluable, as signing documents you cannot read yet can be nerve-racking and legally dangerous. Fortunately the city seems to have plans to make improvements so I stay optimistic.
 
I am gratified that the city of Maastricht is making these steps and I look forward to future improvements to the International Service Desk and their support of international members of the community.

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