By:Marcia Abramson
When the Renaissance Cruise Ship R8 docked in the colorful port city of Amsterdam in Holland, my daughter and I decided that a visit to the Hague or (Den Hag), the capital of the Netherlands, was on our "must-see" list. On previous trips abroad we made it a point to visit the Old Court in London and the courts in Bermuda for a most enlightening experience. Where else could we see and hear distinguished barristers in their white whigs address the court in all the formality of British justice and in the Bermuda Courts just off the main drag in Hamilton see a continuation of the formality, but with barristers clad in Bermuda shorts. The Hague is the locale of the International Court of Justice which is getting world-wide attention as the site of the forthcoming trial of Serbian leader Slobodan Milosovic, for crimes against humanity in the Balkans.
I sought guidance from Renaissance Cruise's Brad Ball as to how to get to the Hague. In the past, we had found him to be very knowledgeable about the ship's many destinations. His advice to sign up for the all-day shore excursion to the Hague with stops in Delft and Scheveningen proved to be right on target. For security as well as a way to keep track of the passengers, we were required to have our "Good Time" ship's I.D. card swiped when we left the Renaissance and upon our return to the ship. This done, we bordered the comfortable air-conditioned bus waiting for us at the gangplank and set off for a day filled with history, beauty and facts. In addition to the Hague, our tour was to include the city of Delft, Madurodam, a remarkable miniature model of a Dutch city with working windmills, airplanes, a nudist beach, and other landmarks donated by the Maduro family in memory of their son who died at Dachau Concentration Camp during World War II, and the seaside town of Scheveningen just to the west of the Hague. I will deal with Delft and Scheveningen in my next column with more of what to expect to see in Amsterdam.
The Hague is the political capital of the Netherlands and the home of the Dutch Parliament as well as the International Court of Justice which started out in 1899 as the host to the first international peace conference. Later, the Permanent Court of Arbitration was established with the goal to maintain world peace. The Scottish-born American Andrew Carnegie gave about $2 million to establish the significantly August peace palace of 18th century French mock-Gothic architecture. I found this huge building (the Vredespaleis) very impressive. It was completed in 1913 with additional contributions for the interior furnishings from member nations. Unfortunately, this impressive building was not able to forestall World Wars I and II or accomplish its noteworthy goals. In 1946, it became the United Nations' International Court of Justice with 15 judges appointed for nine-year terms. Sadly for my daughter and me court was not in session when we arrived but even the exterior with its sign at the entrance "May Peace Prevail on Earth" gave us a feeling of hope for peaceful resolutions of disputes.
Seeing the Rembrandt painting of The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp was another special treat at the Mauritshuis in the city of the Hague. This painting of surgeons examining a corpse is an example of the interest in anatomy and science by the Dutch. As a matter of fact the microscope was invented by a Dutch national in the 15th century. This regal city also has royal palaces galore. A gold balcony is the stand-out feature of one Queen's palace. Actually the Netherlands have been ruled by Queens of the House of Orange for the last 100 years. However, when Queen Beatrice steps down, Crown Prince William Alexander will be the first male ruler to ascend to the throne. The orange flag I spotted over one of the castles was the signal that the Queen was at work in her palace in the Hague. I must say that it was exciting to be so close to royalty even though the House of Ralph Lauren, the American designer, was very prominent in the royal square. Next week's column will take us to Delft, Anne Frank's House, the Portugese Israelitsche Synagogue and other places of interest.
Copyright by Marcia Abramson
E-mail:mascribe@aol.com
