DEN HAAG (The Hague)

Sunday, we got off to a slow start but the day was turning out to be lovely and so we decided to hop and train and spend the rest of the day in Den Haag.  This city is the seat of government for the Netherlands.  It is the third largest city.  It is the seat of the Dutch Government and parliament, the Supreme Court, and the Council of State, but the city is not the capital of the Netherlands which constitutionally is Amsterdam.  Most foreign embassies in the Netherlands and 150 international organizations are located in the city, which makes The Hague one of the major cities hosting the United Nations, along with New York, Brussels, Geneva, Bonn, Vienna, Tokyo and Nairobi.  

We actually got off to a rather late start so didn't arrive in The Hague until around 2:00.  After lunch, which took too long, we didn't have much time left but while at lunch we sat outdoors and watched the people and enjoyed the different atmosphere.

                                  

                                            

Around the square which was just next to the restaurant where we had lunch were many of the government buildings.

We walked over to the library which housed the tourist information bureau and got some information on what to see and how we should get there.  We were advised to go to see The Peace Palace which was just a 20 minute walk.  Beware of any one is Europe telling you it's just a twenty minute walk.  They must have wings on their shoes.

The library which has some interesting art work displayed around it.

 

Also, a few bikes!

Interesting faces over these doors.Have no idea who they are.

A pretty canal.

                                      

A few trams went by but we only had a " twenty minute walk".

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We did see a beautiful church which we would have missed if we had caught public transportation. Actually we were just lucky it happened to be open. The priest was standing there with keys in his hand when we walked in but he was nice enough to not say anything and let us just walk around.  

Sint Jacobuskerk

We continued our walk and came to a beautiful area where many embassies were located.

Our next stop on our way to the Peace Palace was Panorama Mesdag.  I had read about it on Trip Advisor and since we didn't have time to get to the beach in Den Haag this seemed like the next best thing.

Panorama Mesdag is a panorama by Hendrik Wiillem Mesdag and it is housed in a purpose-built museum.  The panorama is a cylindrical painting more than 4t feet high and about 131 feet in diameter, ( 393 feet in circumference).   From an observation gallery in the center of the room the cylinder perspective creates the illusion that the viewer is on a high sand dune overlooking the sea, beaches, and the village of Scheveningen in the late 19th century.  A foreground of fake terrain around the viewing gallery hides the base of the painting and makes the illusion more convincing.

                                                  

                                                             

The observation gallery.

While we were waiting for the tram to take us to the Peace Palace the HofTraMMM went buy - the Tram Restaurant.  This would be fun!  We were able to see into the tram and people were dining - white tableclothes, silver, lovely crystal wine glasses, and what looked to be wonderful food.  Had I only known this would have been a fun activity for dinner, lunch or heck, even breakfast!

Well, as fate would have it. The next tram stop was our stop to see the Palace of Justice.  That was probably a 5 minute walk even for us " old people".  We didn't know so we had wasted precious minutes at the stop and maybe we could have gotten in to see the Peace Palacr if we had walked.  Oh well, than I would have missed the restaurant tram!

The Peace Palace celebrated its 100 year anniversary in 2013 and has become the icon of The Hague.  

The Peace Palace in The Hague was built from funds donated by a celebrated steel magnate and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie.  It is home to a number of international judicial instiitutions, including the International  Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration , the renowned Peace Palace Library, as well as the  Hague Academy of International Law.  The Palace, the premises on which it stands and the Peace Palace Library are property of the Carneigie Foundation.

IMAGINE PEACE.Wish Tree.

WORLD PEACE FLAME.  The first ever World peace Flame monument was inaugurated on 18 April 2002 in The Hague.  Two years later the World Peace Pathway was built around the monument with contributions from every independent country of the world!

"In July 1999 seven flames from five continents were united to creat the World Peace Flame.

196 nations joined together in cooperaation and solidarity to create the World Peace Pathwway.

Please add your prayer for peace as you walk around.

                                                    

                                                

                                             

                                              

Rather than head back to Amsterdam for dinner we decided to stay and have a light dinner in the square and enjoy the lovely evening.  Heaters kept us warm as we enjoyed the ambience of candle light and friendly chatter along with our wine and dinner.

                                         

                                                  

Caught th train and home by 9:00.