Vrijeschool: hearts, hands, brains
January 21, 2010 1 Comment
Maastricht’s Bonnefanten College, sector Bernard Lievegoed is one of 90 schools in the Netherlands that follow the Steiner-Waldorf curriculum and the teaching principles enunciated by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. A meeting with director Janny de Vries.
Kumulus – a hill, a cloud? A painting, a dance!
November 3, 2009 1 Comment
Just as the cumulus cloud brings good weather, the name of the Kumulus art centre lightens up many faces in and around Maastricht. Not that it has anything to do with clouds though! Kumulus director Jan Tuinstra tells German expat Antje Ritter Woodburn what the art centre is all about.
Jazz Maastricht Promenade: close your eyes and feel it
October 7, 2009 Leave a Comment
Held over four days (22 – 25 October 2009) over 60 venues spread across the city, Jazz Maastricht Promenade is one of Maastricht’s internationally celebrated spectacles. Michael Wells-Greco speaks with organisers and jazz music aficionados Giel Coenen and Appie Weijers.
Confessions of a culture junkie: Pecha Kucha Maastricht makes the grade
June 30, 2009 2 Comments
Jeroen Vinken – Art upon Fabrics
For US expat Susan Schaefer, the recent Pecha Kucha Night revealed a side of Maastricht that she had never experienced before: “Maastricht and its surrounding “Euroregion” area shone as a wholly new sphere in my celestial imagination,” she writes.
Colourful and exotic shops in Maastricht
April 16, 2009 2 Comments
Strolling through Maastricht, Amandine de Rosnay often notices colourful and exotic shops that appeal to her senses and curiosity. She has now decided to find out what they’re all about! Two of them, Afrikana and La Passionara, are owned by expatriates from other European or African countries, who have settled down in Maastricht.
Welcome to the reading table
September 3, 2008 3 Comments
From the moment Janet Lindgren first noticed the large communal “leestafels”, or reading tables, in Dutch cafés, bars and restaurants, she intuitively sensed that they were a part of the way life is lived in the Netherlands. She would sit down at the tables and feel as if she belonged. Her interest for them eventually brought her to Maastricht, where she discovered “the diva of all reading tables”.
Between Two: Selexyz Dominicanen as Church and Bookstore
March 22, 2008 4 Comments
Recently rated the world’s “fairest bookshop” by the UK’s highly-regarded Guardian newspaper, the Dominicanen has quickly become one of Maastricht’s tourist attractions. “After the Guardian article, this place has been a madhouse,” William Remmers, General Department Head of the store, tells Crossroads writer Amrit Dhir. [continued...]
Maastricht Carnival: to beer or not to be here
January 26, 2008 1 Comment
“Nowhere in the world have I come across the magic that is Carnival in Maastricht. The people, the music, the atmosphere, the sheer joy of life make it a magical celebration”, says British expat Maxine Self, who is also the first international member of ProBeerDers, one of Maastricht’s many Carnival ‘drunk’ bands. [continued...]
De Tempeleers: guardians of the Maastricht carnival
January 3, 2008 15 Comments
For many Maastrichters, the Tempeleers go hand in hand with the Maastricht carnival. But how many of us know who are the Tempeleers exactly, and what does it mean to be a Tempeleer in Maastricht? Marleen Vara takes a closer look into the inner workings of the city’s most important carnival association. [continued...]
The mosasaur of Maastricht
October 31, 2007 4 Comments
Meet the mosasaur, Maastricht’s famous prehistorical lizard, whose fossil skull was first dug up around 1770 in the marl of Mount St. Pieter to the south of the city. Here is the story of this fascinating discovery. [continued...]
Spinning my way into Dutch life
August 2, 2007 Leave a Comment
“Why do you bike indoors when the South Limburg countryside is so beautiful?” a Dutch friend once asked me when I told him about my spinning addiction at the local gym. “Don’t you feel claustrophobic in a room packed with sweaty strangers and all that loud music?” [continued...]
A spring guide to Maastricht’s parks
May 16, 2007 Leave a Comment
Ahhh, spring in Maastricht! Outdoor chairs appear at every café, the sun shines, flowers bloom, and Maastrichters head outdoors with gusto. The parks of Maastricht become popular, and populated, once again. This time of year these public spaces have shed their gray winter coats to become sunny green magnets for one and all: dogwalkers, sunbathers, sports players, families, bikers, strollers, readers, writers, and all the rest. [continued...]
Culture: The Five Heads
November 29, 2006 3 Comments
Crossroads proudly presents an original short story by Anke Scheeren, a promising young writer from Maastricht. Anke’s imagination was triggered by a sinister event that took place here almost 400 years ago…
De la Court and brother Nottijn had discussed the meaning of life for a while, but now they looked puzzled. They stared into the direction of the Spanish fort in Navagne. [continued]
