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Sunday, July 31, 2011

Clingendael

Clingendael park is my favourite place in The Hague - we cycle there almost always once a week, discovering it in autumn, getting addicted in winter, coming back in the voorjaar (early year) waiting to see signs of life. Spring was especially beautiful - peach blossoms, hyacinths, tiny crocuses, snowdrops, blauwe druiven (blue grape hyacinths), daffodils and margaritas blooming, taking turns.







It's mostly a park with a little bit of 'forest', along a large canal. When you enter from the main gate along Wassenaarseweg, a Dutch-style house greets you.


Deeper in the park there's another one for purely ornamental reasons, but it sure makes one feel like a lost Hansel or Gretel.


There's even a pet cemetery here!


Swimming in the canals and domestically walking (and pooping) along the mild hills in are storks, water fowl, swans, ducks, and geese.


Further inside there is a long canal with stagnant water that holds leaves from autumn and algae, but also a stillness that reflects sunlight and the majestic beech trees lining it.


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