We left early this morning to catch a train to The Hague. A half hour on the train had us arrive in the city. What a difference in the feel of this city in comparison to Rotterdam. Somehow it felt less foreign, or should I say less reserved and distanced. This isn’t said in any way to disparage Rotterdam. Perhaps it had more to do with the rain stopping and feeling free to wander.
We made a few stops before arriving at the Binnenhof, a 13th century fortress that became a parliamentary building in 1584. It is one of the oldest parliamentary buildings still in use in the world. At one end of the courtyard is an old church that is the Knight’s Hall. It is here that the government awards its medals of honour.
Our main objective on our walk was the Palace of Peace where the International Tribunal deals with court cases that often have to do with war crimes. Watching Crossing Borders had stirred my interest in visiting this site. Standing in front of the palace that serves as courtroom for making the world a more peaceful and safer place definitely was the highlight.
Regardless, the hours spent roaming around the city, including a stop for lunch and a second stop for Mochaccino [caffè mocha] , disappeared faster than we wanted. However, 15 kilometres later, we were ready to get back on the train to return to our studio suite in Rotterdam.