River cruise on the Rhine

Trip along the Rhine
‘Ja, een reisje langs de Rijn, Rijn, Rijn’ ( ‘Yes, a trip along the Rhine, Rhine, Rhine…),  my father immediately started singing, when I told him I would be accompanying a river cruise on the Rhine.

A classic, both the Dutch song and the trip!

With all classics, they capture the imagination, excite and are timeless.

In this blog you’ll read about my experiences aboard the ship HS Advance. There are a lot of companies which offer a Rhine river cruise. At the bottom of my personal story you will find the information about the tour operator Friendship Cruises for which I have guided this specific trip. The trip lasted a total of two weeks. I accompanied the one week track from Basel Switzerland  back to the Netherlands.

Kampen and…Beyond
The philosophy of Kampen and Beyond: connection and boundless discovery. Exactly what this trip is all about! The Rhine river is the great binding force connecting Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands. A journey with beautiful excursions along the waterways and over land, through mountains and valleys: the beautiful nature of Lake Lucerne, Monastery Maria Laach, cities like Mainz and regions like Alsace and the Eifel, to mention just a few of the highlights.

Jantje (John) of Leiden
I literally start in my hometown Kampen, where I get on the train to Basel to embark there the next day. What a mighty fine feeling to see the IJssel River still flowing in front of my doorstep in the morning and to get off at its source, the Rhine, in the evening (see photo 1). Talking about connection!
The train trip was very comfortable. By the time my kids start their first sandwiches at school, I am already in Germany! In Hanseatic city Münster, I have quite some time to visit the city and see the cages in the top of the Lambert Church. In one of these cages, the lifeless body of John of Leiden was once displayed. I made up my mind to put in a 100 percent effort on this trip and not to get away with any nonsense and misbehave like John of Leiden. Around the Münster Cathedral there is a lively market and I saw plenty of beautiful historic buildings. I will definitely come back one day!

From Münster directly to Basel in six hours where I arrive by early evening.

Just a hundred paces to the hotel and there we are: what a relaxing first day of traveling, with already many impressions of cities and landscapes along the way.

With my nose in the butter
The Netherlands is all about, windmills, tulips, cheese and butter. That’s why we have a lot of expressions connecting to them. For instance when we say: ‘met de neus in de boter’ (literally: ‘with your nose in the butter’) we mean that we arrived at just the right time. So I felt as if I dropped ‘with my nose in the butter’ when the next day a full-day excursion is immediately scheduled. And what an excursion it was! The photo gallery below gives an impression of Lucerne and the famous Kapellbrücke (2), the cruise on Lake Lucerne (3 and 4) and the steepest cogwheel railway in the world which, with a maximum gradient of 48%, takes us to the top of Mount Pilatus. In the photo (5) you can see that I may look a bit pale and am clutching rather convulsively at a little bag one of the participants gave me for safekeeping. What an experience! With my nose in the butter!

Involvement
The excursion in Switzerland is figuratively and literally one of the highlights of the trip. Most of the guests have also signed up for this day, which gives me a good opportunity to get to know them better.
During the week I was able to get a good picture of the way of traveling and the guests. Also a lot of thanks to my colleagues Ben and Jacqueline who accompanied the entire trip. Their involvement with the guests and thinking in terms of possibilities were very inspiring and educational!

Relaxation
This way of traveling gives you all the space you need to retreat alone on the sun deck (6) and enjoy the scenery that slowly passes by, as well as to find conviviality and connection in the cozy restaurant (7). You only have to unpack your suitcase once and your sailing hotel offers you a new panorama behind every bend. The most famous bend of our Rhine trip is, of course, that of the Loreley (8), the most romantic part of the river. In the morning I get up early to (usually) stand alone on the deck to awaken my romantic soul at sunrise (9)…and moving on….:)

Experience
This mode of travel allows guests to experience a great deal. What to think of, while you are having breakfast, your ship descending in a lock. You sink down as well and the room slowly becomes completely dark!
The excursions are a bonus. In the gallery I have included photos of a guided city walk in Basel along beautiful viewpoints and quaint stores (10), Bonn (11), drinking Rüdesheimer Kaffee together and walking through the Drossel alley (12 and 13), Mainz (14 and 15), Monastery Maria Laach (16 and 17) and a trip on the cable car in Koblenz with a beautiful view of the point where the Rhine and Moselle rivers meet (18). In the photo you can see very nicely that the water of the Moselle is darker colored.

Setting the sailes!
The voyage is almost over. For the first time in my life I will be sailing into Holland (19). As a tour leader I hope to be able to set my sails soon! (20).

Text and photos: Reinier de Wit, founder of Kampen and Beyond. Photos of me were made by my colleagues.

I did this river cruise for Friendship Cruises. The full description of this trip can be found HERE (in Dutch)

Photo Gallery

Share Button

The American Dream

The American Dream

‘A Warm Welcome’
Saturday, April 21th, 2018 is a day I will remember for a long time: the first day that I, as one of the founders of Kampen and Beyond, arranged a program for more than 100 American guests in Kampen and Giethoorn.

For the third time in a row, I gathered a team of local guides for a guided walking tour in Kampen for an American travel company, exploring the waterways and cities of Europe. Later on I was asked to accompany the guest to Giethoorn as well.

In this way I fully experienced a day in the lives of our American friends. And as I can already tell you: it was very special! A milestone in the three-year anniversary of Kampen and Beyond: an American dream come true, so to speak.

The day started pretty early for the group. At 07.00 the cruise ship arrived from Hoorn in Kampen and an hour later we were on our way to Giethoorn by coach. About fifteen years ago I worked as a tour guide in Italy. It felt so good to get back in the coach after all this time and greet the people with a ‘warm welcome’. The usual tricks and jokes of the bus drivers also felt like a warm bath!

Unique worlds
Preparation is half the work, so I explored both routes from Kampen to Giethoorn in advance and made notes. I try to involve groups as much as possible in my stories. Years and specific figures can be important, if dosed. I told the group that Kampen and Giethoorn are different worlds only 40 minutes seperated from each other: city – village, river landscape – marsh area, rich merchants – poor peat diggers. This storyline enabled me to swich to the current situation in the Netherlands: for example the centuries-long struggle of the Dutch against the water and the search for new energy sources: from peat from Giethoorn, to gas from Groningen to a ‘sustainable economy’ and windmill farms in the sea.

Speaking of the sea: that story came up on our return to Kampen, driving along the polders, with it’s beautiful tulipfields, the story of Schokland and the passing of the unique Balgstuw: an inflatable dyke. People asked many questions and were genuinely curious! One sign along the road said: ‘You are now driving on the bottom of the sea’: astonishing!

American national anthem in Kampen
Back in Kampen, the group in the Bovenkerk was welcomed by city organist Ab Weegenaar. What followed was a concert with various classical pieces such as Bach and Mozart. In my opinion, Ab gave a great show: what a profound sound rises from that immense organ! Ab blew the wind through the 3200 organ pipes and also fueled the American spirit. At the end Ab started the American national anthem. Everyone stood up, sang along and some were moved to tears. Then you really realize how someone like Ab, with his unique skill sets can make the difference. After the concert, I was able to accompany a couple to the chemist: probably for some extra tissues for the tears 

Quantity and Quality
After lunch on board – it’s a kind of floating city, equipped with all the comforts – it was time for me and my team of city guides to perform. At the appointed time and place Cor Adema, Tiny Visser, Bert Hazenbosch and Nelleke Hoekstra were ready for their city walk. With these experienced and skilled guides you already know that the day is ‘in the pocket’. And fair is fair, the weather helped us, with about 70 degrees Fahrenheit!

Despite the critical sounds you sometimes hear about tourism and large groups, I believe that quantity does not have to be at the expense of quality. A lot depends on organization and – there you have it again – preparation.

Thus the guests were neatly divided into groups. And thanks to the ingenious ‘quiet vox’ system we were able to tell our story, while walking: we spoke through the microphones around our necks and the guests had ears. So with the help of this organization, among other things, I was able to show the group both the typical highlights but also got the opportunity to go ‘off the beaten track’.

And afterwards: enthusiastic people, a man of 93, who played angry, saying he had to walk firmly but ‘it was worth it!’

‘So now, ladies and gentleman we are at the end of the tour. It was my pleasure guiding you and I wish you a very pleasant day and journey!

And for us: luckily we still have the photos, see gallery below!
Reinier de Wit

 

Share Button

Dutch Monochromes : Kamper history in a different light

Dutch Design

Dutch Monochromes rebuilds disposed household materials, such as dishes, pots, and pans, as well as old-fashioned items such as lamps, tables, and other home accessories. The creative process is guided by both the functional and visual character of each piece. The design philosophy is loosely inspired by the visual language of Studio Job, and combines a feeling-at-home mentality with what is known as Dutch Design: experimental, innovative, and unconventional design with a sense of humor.

Monochrome light

Monochrome light is light of a single wavelength; something that is monochromatic has a single color. If all color has been removed, only form remains. Composition, structure, and rhythm are more than enough for an interesting image. Put in a little light, and it all comes to life.

Kamper history

For example, Model 019, the “Counselors cup,” visualizes objects from Kamper history. We see the skates of Avercamp, the cow, the royal portraits, and, inside the cup, the connection with God. When it’s dark, you see a light beam at the ceiling, making a connection with heaven. On top is a kind of observatory from which heaven is studied, another Kamper tradition.

So, the decorations that once stood at the heart of the rebuild have gradually shifted in emphasis. The decorative details invites the viewer to explore their deeper meaning. By playing with scale and context, the space between two skates for instance makes you wonder whether it is a barn door or a city gate. The lid of a cup is also an immense observatory.

Handmade

All pieces are handmade and unique. The components are separately sprayed, screwed, and can be disassembled if needed for repair. Dutch quality!

More information 

A number of models are still for sale. For more information mail : kampenandbeyond@gmail.com or call +31(0)618160410

Model 019 especially refers to various sections and aspects of The City Museum collection. Kampen and Beyond offer guided visits to The City Museum 

You can explore Kamper history and visit Nico’s studio during the Daytrip Kampen  as well

Nico van Maastricht is one of The Favorites of Kampen and Beyond

 

 

Share Button

The Ideal Trip for Tourists : Amsterdam, Kampen, Bruges and Paris

The Ideal Trip for Tourists: Amsterdam, Kampen, Bruges and Paris.

Kampen: A lot of potential

Recently I had the pleasure to show Peter Laanen, his wife and their two American friends around in Kampen. Peter is a fan of Kampen and sees a lot of potential in this ancient old Hanseatic city. He persuaded his former neighbors from San Francisco to join him to this lovely city at the river IJssel.

Quality Time

Peter’s friends were on a journey in Europe – they visited Amsterdam and were going to Paris and Bruges (for the third time!). Part of this trip would now also be Kampen.

The sun was shining that day but also the first view of the cobble stone market and the characteristic bell tower immediately appealed to our visitors. From that point on everything went very smoothly.

What I like about American guests is that they, way more than us ‘objective’ Dutchman, value quality time so much. They don’t hesitate to tell whenever something is wonderful or amazing or when they have the feeling of genuine welcome.

Personally I feel attracted by this kind of enthusiasm and sense of awe. Therefore I try to do my utmost best to show my guests the most beautiful things, to tell them special stories and to be a good host.

Testimonial

During our day trip Peter and his wife were contemplating to stay longer the next time they would be in Kampen. The next day I received the following testimonial:

At 09.15 we were heading for Kampen. Kampen ?! Well sure, we wanted to prove our American friends that in Holland there is more than Amsterdam. After one hour and fifteen minutes we arrived in Kampen where our host, Mr. Kampen Reinier de Wit, was waiting for us with a wheelchair for Ann who had difficulties with walking. What a guy! Thanks to Kampen and Beyond – www.kampenandbeyond.com – and a personal visit I already learned quite a lot about Kampen’s history. 

First we visited ‘De Olifant’. De Olifant (literally means The Elephant) is one of two remaining cigar makers in The Netherlands. Production: 4.5 million a year, from cigarillo to ‘bolknak’. Very interesting tour, from tobacco leaves to quality assurance. Top-notch ! Reinier’s city tour was amazing and I can recommended it to everyone, but another highlight was the museum. The only museum in The Netherlands which holds a life size gallery of The Royal Family and a Courtroom with all the wisdom one can imagine. My wife cleverly pointed out that the bar at which the lawyers stood, was taken over by the Americans when they have to ‘pass the bar’ to be qualified as a lawyer.

Tomorrow we are saying goodbye to our former neighbors and remember: Visit Kampen and ask impassioned Reinier for a tour !

Our American friends also really enjoyed Kampen. They loved it!

I was wondering though if there would be any cigars left in De Olifant after they left Kampen 🙂

Sincerely yours,

Reinier de Wit

 

Share Button

An Artist Impression of Kampen

Kampen, an Artist Impression

People have been walking the narrow streets and alleys of the historic city centre of Kampen for centuries. The street pattern has hardly changed. The city has always been a backdrop for soap manufacturers, bag carriers and for the shoppers.

Awakening City

For some time, Kampen photographer Bouke Peterson’s main focus has lain with the numerous enchanting intimacy of the narrow streets and alleys within the historic centre of Kampen. Peterson gets up at the crack of dawn to record the slowly awakening city, from the very moment the first sunbeams kiss the age-old walls. The early lone cyclist. The first rambler. It results in beautiful timeless, serene black and white images. Still-lives of the street. A single bike, casually cast aside against a rough wall build from medieval bricks, casts its elongated shadow over the cobblestone pavement. The glimpse through the Vispoort is reminiscent of melancholic paintings by Giorgio de Chirico. It exudes some of the atmosphere from Chirico’s “Pittura Metafysica”; a feeling of abandonment, the elongated shadows and arcades.

Light

Peterson, who is trained as a teacher and painter at the only art academy ever to be established in Kampen, provides a picturesque image of the city. A magnificent composition, an eye for detail, but above all: a painterly light that characterises his pictures. These features are the foundations of a lengthy and intense process, which starts with observation. Endless observation… Discovering the world around him. When most people are still tucked up in their beds, he explores, continuously observing and photographing, the city centre. Constantly searching for places estranged from every-day reality by an extraordinary light that forms an enchanting colourless world in their own right. This pictorial quest requires patience and perseverance. It is not until that magnificent sunlight warms the earth and Peterson has captured a unique image in no more than a fraction of a second, that his determination is rewarded.

This authentic connection between Peterson, Kampen, and the world surrounding him touches me and many others !

Reinier de Wit

 

Would you like to join Bouke Peterson on one of his quests? You can! Please email kampenandbeyond@gmail.com or call +31-(0)6-181 60 410 for a street photography workshop by Bouke Peterson.

The pictures are available in a limited autographed edition for €350 a piece, including a black wooden frame (42 x 43 cm) with a passe-partout. Shipping not included. The serie can be purchased as a whole with 10 % discount.

The narrow streets and alleys can also be discovered during the Daytrip Kampen under guidance of M.A. Reinier de Wit.

Bouke Peterson is one of The Favorites of Kampen and Beyond

 

 

About Bouke Peterson:

Bouke Peterson is a professional photographer and has worked on numerous different projects in and around Kampen city centre. For instance, the 2012 Reflection series, with images of beautiful reflections in the city’s canal the Burgel. This resulted in an exposition in the municipal exposition hall in Kampen during the summer of 2014, which attracted a record-breaking number of visitor. In 2013 and 2015 his work was nominated for the Art Award Kampen.

Peterson is also a portrait specialist since 2015. In this capacity, he has been able to help many entrepreneurs by creating a powerful profile picture for the growing LinkedIn community. A beautiful presentation photo on a company website. Musicians for a band photo. He considers it to be an inspiring challenge to achieve the best result together!

Are you about to launch your company? Do not hesitate to contact us today! You can contact us by email   kampenandbeyond@gmail.com or call +31-(0)6-181 60 410

 

Share Button

The Essential Facts and Figures about Kampen: One of the most authentic places of The Netherlands

Before the rise of Amsterdam, Kampen ruled the waves. Kampen was the most powerful and prosperous town of the Netherlands and one of the leading cities of Northwest Europe. Kampen was part of an international trading alliance called De Hanze (The Group) which included cities such as Hamburg, Cologne, Bruges and Copenhagen.

The historic center is one of the country’s best preserved, boasting no fewer than 500 medieval monuments, including houses, gates, and towers.  Kampen won the Dutch Heritage Award in 2013, and in June 2017 Kampen has hosted The International Hanseatic Days.

In Kampen you have the chance to make an authentic connection with the Dutch people and their beautiful culture. Main themes and attractions include:

Water 

  • The waterfront of the city is the most precious one of Holland
  • The Kogge Shipyard. A Kogge was a kind of ship you could compare with the big containerships of our days. The Kogge’s made Kampen tremendously rich. Just recently a Kogge was discovered in the IJssel River. BBC, CNN and National Geographic were among the media who covered this event.

Music 

  • The 17th century Bell Tower designed by the renowned architect Vingboons carries bells by Geert van Wou and the brothers Hemony. Carillon players from all over the world like the U.S.A. give special concerts in summertime.
  • The church was built in 1369 by Rutger van Keulen, whose father was the master builder of the famous Cologne Cathedral. The church towers above the other churches also in a figurative sense, mainly because of the Hinsz organ. With its 3200 pipes and incredible sound, it is a major eye-catcher. Its tones do not simply descend downwards, but they rise up into the 27-metre-high vaults! This also explains why this church attracts people from all corners of the world.

Arts, Artisans and Crafts

  • The Magistrates Court, the original 16th century hall where trials were held and from which Kampen was governed is now an integral part of The  City museum. The museum houses an exceptional collection and a number of treasures of national and international importance. For instance, the 17th century painting by Hendrick Avercamp, renowned for this winter landscapes with merry ice skaters and the elaborately decorated guild cup from the Rijnschippers Guild dating back to 1367, the oldest known silver guild piece in the Netherlands. And if that wasn’t enough, the museum boasts a unique Orange portrait gallery comprising 17 life-size portraits of the Dutch royal family, including the most recent addition: a portrait of king Willem-Alexander.
  • The Olifant Cigar Factory: Kampen has a reputation as a city were once 3 out of 4 people worked in the cigar industry. The Olifant, in the historic center, is now the only surviving family business were high quality cigars, some made by hand, are manufactured. The Olifant cigars have a reputation matching the Cuban counterparts. The Olifant is connected with a shop and coffee bar, The Eenhoorn, were you can buy and drink superb tea and coffees.
  • And there is The Guild-quarter: local specialist like for instance a chocolatier who makes their own bonbon,  a small brewery and cafe were you can drink authentic Kampen beer, and a gelatoria were artisan ice is made.

Polders, traditional (dairy) farmers and farmshops

The polders around Kampen, The Kampeiland (The Kamperisle), are one of the greenest and oldest polders of the Netherlands. A polder is land reclaimed from the sea. Especially the polders surrounding Kampen are very prosperous thanks to the sedimentation of fertile clay, being located in a unique and one of kind national landscape of the IJssel Delta.

Quality products like butter and hay are renowned in Kampen and beyond. For instance the hay was bought by the Royal Family for their horses. Of course only the best was good enough for them!

Share Button

Full Color Festival : Celebrating the Unity & Diversity of Kampen

Full Color Festival Kampen 2016

Celebrating Diversity & Unity of Kampen !

For the second time in a row Full Color Festival Kampen took place in the City Park at the petting zoo and in the natural playground.

This festival celebrates both the diversity and the unity of Kampen and beyond, with music theatre and artisan trades with a renewed and fresh zeal!

Watch this very nice video from Julius Media :

Share Button

A Lovely Day in Kampen

A LOVELY DAY IN KAMPEN

#Hospitable #Beautiful

 “We had a lovely day in Kampen. The walking tour with Reinier de Wit was very pleasant and interesting. We will certainly visit this beautiful city again.” – Ladies Day MG Club, May 2016

How rewarding it is to show people around and have a genuinely good time together. Let the pictures speak for themselves!

 It would be more than my pleasure to guide you through my city!
– Reinier
Share Button

Five Tips from Kampen

FIVE TIPS FROM KAMPEN

Posted on 27 August 2015

Let me start by introducing myself: I am Reinier de Wit, born and bred in western Brabant, a province in the south of the Netherlands. After having studied and worked in Utrecht for ten years, my wife and I decided to move to Kampen, where our daughter was born.

Six months ago I founded the company Kampen and Beyond with the objective to bring the beauty of the city of Kampen and its surrounding area to the attention of tourists.

I would love to take you on a trip around the world in Kampen!

1.Daan Gunnink and Water

Kampen is beautifully situated on the river IJssel, in the IJssel Delta and surrounded by age-old polders such as the Kampereiland. This is where Daan Gunnink is in his element. Despite the fact that Daan has reached the respectable age of eighty, he can still hold his own when he steps into a rowing boat from the Kamper rowing and sailing club on the Ganzediep, a branch of the IJssel. It is a joy to row with him and to listen to his stories about the people and the history of Kampen. He himself is proof of this. Recently he took us on a wonderful boating trip over the Ganzediep, the Zwarte Water, the IJssel Delta, the river IJssel, and back again to the club house.

Whilst rowing past barges, conquering the waves and with a view of the magnificent waterfront of Kampen, I felt happy as a lark.

Of course there are many other ways to discover Kampen and its surroundings by water: we at Kampen and Beyond, of instance, offer a bike and boat package along the IJssel.

2. Stan Petrusa and the Municipal Museum

Stan Petrusa is the passionate museum director of the Municipal Museum, a museum which houses an exceptional collection and a number of treasures of national and international importance. For instance, the 17th century painting by Hendrick Avercamp, renowned for this winter landscapes with merry ice skaters and the elaborately decorated guild cup from the Rijnschippers Guild dating back to 1367, the oldest known silver guild piece in the Netherlands. And if that wasn’t enough, the museum boasts a unique Orange portrait gallery comprising 17 life-size portraits of the Dutch royal family, including the most recent addition: a portrait of king Willem-Alexander. My personal favourite is the Renaissance mantelpiece in the Magistrate’s Court, a paragon of harmony and ornately decorated with symbolic depictions in honour of Roman emperor Charles V. His personal motto was ‘Plus Oultre’, which translates as ‘And Beyond’.

3. Ab Weegenaar and the Bovenkerk

Kampen is known for its many churches. And for good reason! Kampen has a tightly knit community and from a cultural-historical perspective it is home to a number of extraordinary churches. The Bovenkerk literally towers above all the other churches and it has dominated the city skyline for many centuries. The church was built in 1369 by Rutger van Keulen, whose father was the master builder of the famous Cologne Cathedral. In my humble opinion, the church also towers above the other churches in a figurative sense, mainly because of the Hinsz organ, of which Ab Weegenaar is proud to be the organist. With its 3200 pipes and incredible sound, it is a major eye-catcher. Its tones do not simply descend downwards, but they rise up into the 27-metre-high vaults! This also explains why this church attracts people from all four corner of the world.

4.Auntie’ Bets Bottenberg and the market

She retired some time ago, but she appears to be indispensable to the Bottenberg family’s fish stall. Every Monday morning, the road along the city’s canal the Burgel is transformed into a street market, where you can enjoy a salted herring (a traditional Dutch delicacy), snack on fresh old cheese or traditional Dutch ‘stroopwafels’, or buy a posy of flowers, all under the musical accompaniment from the carillon in the Nieuwe Toren, played by carillonneur Frans Haagen. On Saturdays, the street market is held on De Plantage, a square with many lively terraces.

5. Hanjo IJkhout and the City Park

Designed in English landscape style by father and son Zocher, the City Park is the green heart of the historic town centre. These same landscape architects were responsible for the lay-out of many parks in the Netherlands, including the Vondelpark in Amsterdam. Part of the City Park is the petting zoo and a large natural playground passionately managed by Hanjo IJkhout. Hanjo invests in sustainability and responsible entrepreneurship. In this area, he is an inspirer and a connector. Thanks to his efforts the natural play ground has recently been realised; a place where children can romp around in true old-school style. They can climb trees, tumble over and roll around in the mud. This year the Full Colour Festival took place in the City Park at the petting zoo and in the natural playground. This festival celebrates both the diversity and the unity of Kampen and beyond, with music theatre and artisan trades with a renewed and fresh zeal!

 

 

 

Share Button