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Scheveningen is a seaside resort and it is a district of Den Haag, in the province Zuid Holland, Netherlands. Scheveningen is best known for his wide sandy beach and the refreshing sea air. But it has also unique attractions, beautiful museums and numerous events. Scheveningen has a lot to offer, you can, for example sailing, surfing, fishing or diving. Along the beach there are up against seventy-five beach pavilions, each with their own atmosphere and character, like:

Strandclub Wij, described the past four years as “The best spot of Scheveningen” and “the best beach club in the Netherlands. Steakhouse Peukie a stylish beach club, with good food, fine wines, cocktails, and lively festivals. The Beach Restaurant Waterreus whit his beautiful view of the North Sea and the Pier of Scheveningen.

The Pier is around 1900 in conjunction with the Kurhaus designed, a bridge from the Kurhaus terrace across the boulevard, to the main entrance of the octagonal platform. It was 380 meter long walk. In 1991 the Pier was taken over by the Van der Valk group, for the symbolic sum of 1 guilder. The Pier became the attraction of seaside resort of Scheveningen. Now the Pier also has a covered area and diverse range of restaurants, casino, cafe, leisure shopping, children entertainment and events. Visiting the Pier is free and dogs are allowed.

The historic Steigenberger Kurhaus Hotel in Scheveningen is an impressive building. The history of the Kurhaus Hotel begins in 1818, when Jacob Pronk founds a wooden bathhouse, which by his success soon develops into a real hotel. already in 1885 it became the Kurhaus Hotel. Holland Casino allows you to combine relaxing and tension. There are Roulette, Punto Banco, Poker and Black Jack Tables. There is also a bar and a restaurant.

In the Fortis Circus Theater are concerts, cabaret and family shows. In the past 15 years attracted legendary musicals as The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Elizabeth, Aida and The Lion King millions of visitors. In one of the busiest tourist centers of the Netherlands lies the Museum Beelden Aan Zee. It is built around the old Pavilion ‘de Witte’, a quiet place with images of man, large, small, bronze, stone, sad and happy images.

Sealife-Center on the Boulevard displays in more than forty-five aquariums the amazing underwater world. From the North you can see the mackerel and herring, but also various types of rays and sharks. You can walk through the underwater tunnel and just above your head you see the sharks, turtles and schools of fish swim. In Amazonia you see a real tropical forest with a spectacular waterfall.

On the boulevard there is a fun train, that makes a tour Scheveningen from Monday to Sunday. The starting point is the Pier. The route goes along the port and the village and takes about 35 minutes. There are also music festivals, cultural activities and sporting events in Scheveningen. Like the International Fireworks Festival with breathtaking fireworks.

Valkenburg is town in the municipality Valkenburg aan de Geul, in the province Limburg. It includes the hamlets Emmaberg and Heek. Valkenburg has a high tourist character. The construction of the railway Valkenburg / Aachen in 1853 with a station in Valkenburg provided a good accessibility of the town. The old station is still in use. In 1885 was established in Valkenburg the first VVV of the Netherlands, to provide tourists of better information. There is something for everyone in Valkenburg, there is beautiful nature, caves and mines, amusement parks and cycling events and of course there are bars, hotels and restaurants.

Valkenburg is both nationally and internationally known as great location for cycling events. The World Cup was held four times, in 1938, 1948, 1979 and 1998., and in 1992 and 2006 an stage of the Tour de France arrived in Valkenburg. There are several country championships and arrivals in overnight rates and since 2003 the finish of the Amstel Gold race is on the top of the Cauberg.

The subterranean marl pits, as the Gemeentegrot and the Fluweelengrot, which are mined in Roman times, are beautiful to visit. In the Gemeentegrot you can see the natural conditions long before our era, by fossils and shell layers. There is also a fascinating overview of various art forms and lives of countless generations of people. You will find murals and plaques showing you the past

The Fluweelengrot is the oldest cave in South Limburg, it is a marlstone quarry excavation. The cave is a permanent naturally 12 degrees Celsius year-round. It has many secrets, like impressive wall murals, inscriptions, strange sculptures in the soft marlstone walls and a romantic chapel dating from the French period under Napoleon (18th century).

In the Second World War, during the German occupation, the cave served as a hideout for the people of Valkenburg and for the American troops. All these events have left their mark on this place, which we can still see today.

In the coal mine there is a atmospheric cinema underground. There you can see a unique film from the State Mines (DSM) from the mid sixties. This movie gives you a good picture of all facets of mining. After the film you can go along whit a former miner in the world of coal mining. Experience the hard, but impressive world of the miners, a journey past the machines, which were used for coal winning.

At Valkenburg there is fun for everyone. Amusements park De Valkenier is a family park, with a Dino World, the Lunar rocket, indoor Dwarves Play Land, a Little horses circuit and a Old-timer circuit. There are Bumper cars and Minicars a Roller-coaster and Fun-Sidings and a lot more.

Het Sprookjesbos is a theme park that is intended primarily for children, but walking around in the wonderful Fairy Tale Forest, even adult will have also fun, while watching one of the many beautifully depicted stories. They are all there, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Little Red Riding Hood.

At the head of the Cauberg there is a spa, the Thermae 2000 , where you can relax in the tropical heat of the thermal baths or even doze during an massage. In the Holland Casino you can play Roulette, Black Jack or slot machines. It is also an evening entertainment with fun, excitement and unique atmosphere, good food and entertainment. There is also a cable car in Valkenburg which takes you to the watchtower for a beautiful view. In winter there are several Christmas markets, even in the caves.

The Beekse Bergen is located in Hilvarenbeek in the province Noord Brabant. It has been built from three components: a safari park, a fun park and a campsite. It is the biggest wildlife park in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. The park is open all year.

In Safari park the Beekse Bergen you can enjoy the African wilderness. Go on an adventure with roaring lions, running zebras and curious giraffes. There are 1.500 animals, all in their natural environment. There are rhinos, cheetahs and chimpanzees and Calimero, the biggest elephant of Europe also lives here.

Experience a safari in the summer with the sunset or experience the safari in the winter when the animals behave quite differently. Beekse Bergen Safari Park you can explore four different ways: walking , with the safari bus, the safari boat or by your own car. The safari options are to combine. The bus, boat and walking come together in the back from the park near Congo restaurant , where you can change. On the tour by bus and boat rangers tell interesting facts. And there are useful maps indicate which animals you encounter during the various safari tours. The animals are all a strict diet. Therefore it is not permitted to feed the animals. This is to prevent animals falling ill.

Beekse Bergen Safari Park also organizes special ranger camps. When the last visitors have left the park, guests are treated to an African braai meal with exciting African stories. Then follows a walk through the twilight. So the guests discover how the lions, giraffes and zebras behave at night. After a good night sleep in the tent camp, the guests will be awakened by the roaring lions and the sounds of the elephants, then there is a farm-fresh breakfast. Even before the park opens the doors, takes an experienced ranger his guests along for a ride past the awakening animals.

Speelland Beekse Bergen is a fun park for children with a lot of attractions, safe swimming water and white sandy beaches. Next to the large playground in Speelland Beekse Bergen you can enjoy playing on and around the swings, trampolines, mini-golf and balls mountain. You can enjoy activities such as go-karts, water bikes and bouncy castle or roller–skating and tennis, and you can also hire boats and bikes. There are water slides and the Aqua shuttle, which launches you from a great height. It is a fantastic experience trying a ride with the Wave rider, it is a carousel in the water and you can determine your own speed.

This part of the park will be closed during the winter.

The Campsite is a most unusual park connected with the fun park and the safari park. The park also offers delightful nature trails and a lakeside beach that’s ideal for swimming or sunbathing. At the end of the day, you can always relax and talk about the day’s adventures in the terrace bar, or over a quiet dinner in the park’s own restaurant. It is a unique holiday experience, you will be awakened by the roar of lions and have free access to the amusement and safari park.

MBK Center (มาบุญครอง) also known as Mahboonkrong is an large shopping mall situated in the capital city of Thailand, Bangkok, located on Phayathai Road in the Patum Wan district nearby the more luxurious shopping malls Siam Center, Siam Discovery Center, CentralWorld, Gaysorn and of course Siam Paragon. You can easily access the MBK center by the BTS skytrain junction and terminal nearby.

The MBK Center is different from the other shopping malls in the Patum Wan district, most of them are luxurious, with high-end brands only while the shops at MBK offer copies of high-end brands for low-end prices. And because of this very reason, it can get quite crowded in MBK, with an average of 100 thousand shoppers a day 7 days per week.

The shopping mall MBK has an total of 8 floors, with about 2000 stores, restaurants and entertainment including a 4 floors Tokyu department store. As every other large mall in South East Asia, the MBK center also has an food court, supermarket, fast-food joints, an entertainment plaza and cinema to watch movies. Shops include just about anything imaginable from clothes, bags to accessories for computers till hair, electronics, barber shops, ice cream vendors to high end restaurants. There’s several floors dedicated to electronic devices as cellphones, PDA’s and computers.

One of the unique factors about this mall is that you can actually discount your products on the higher levels/floors. It seems that the prices get cheaper as you go up. This is because most of the vendors sell similar goods as on the street markets where the price is also negotiable, but most important because regular Thai people shop here mainly.

Opening Hours Mon- Sun 10 am - 9 pm

MBK Center
444 Phayathai Road
Patum Wan 10330
Bangkok, Thailand
+66 0 2620 9000
www.mbk-center.co.th

The Efteling is the largest theme park in The Netherlands and has received over 100 million visitors. In 1992 Efteling received the IAAPA Applause Award for Best Amusement Park in the World. Efteling is located in the town of Kaatsheuvel, in the municipality of Loon op Zand. The Efteling opened in 1952 and it is one of the oldest theme parks in the world.

The Fairy Tale Forest, designed by the famous Dutch illustrator Anton Pieck, was home to some ten different fairy tales, all of them brought to life using ingenious movements and lighting and sound effects designed by the Dutch film maker Peter Reijnders. In over fifty years the park has evolved from a nature park with playground and a Fairy Tale Forest, into a full-size theme park. It is twice as large as the original. Nowadays, Efteling appeals to both young and old with its cultural, romantic and nostalgic themes and its variety of amusement rides.

There are many attractions in the Efteling, only a few I will describe.

The House of the Five Senses is the impressive main entrance. The 52- meter high wooden construction has the largest reed roof (48437 square feet/ 4500 square meters) in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records. The five peaks of the roof symbolize the Five senses, which stand for experiencing the Efteling. Besides the entrance, customer service, a souvenir shop and a toilet group are located in the building.

The Pagode has been taking off from the Efteling since 1987. This flying temple of Thai design, slowly revolves while it is up in the air. The temple extends up to 45 meters above the ground and has a diameter of 16 meters. You can see it rise above the trees when you are on your way to the Efteling and when you are approaching the park. Even if you are afraid of heights, you shouldn’t miss this spectacular view . As you sit down on one of the long benches, the Pagode calmly and very gradually takes you up and the temple twists full circle. The Efteling looks incredible from up there!

PandaDroom was officially opened by Prince Bernhard in 2002. This attraction was created in close cooperation with the World Wildlife Fund. PandaDroom was a gift to the visitors to the park to mark the Efteling’s 50th anniversary. The 3D film Panda is an unforgettable experience, it shows you just how beautiful nature really is. You can feel the wind and the spray from the ocean, so real.

The VogelRok landed in the Efteling in 1998. This indoor roller-coaster rides in the dark and moves at a speed of 65 km/h. The ride takes 1.41 minutes from start to finish. In Carnival Festival figures from all over the world will take you on an exciting journey to explore their countries, their national dress and to find out how they make music. You’ll get a taste of China, France, England, Alaska, Mexico and so on. You pas 15 different countries and 270 different dolls at a speed of 1.8 km/h. The ride is 240 meters long and takes 8 minutes.

Besides the amusement park is also the theater, the four-star Efteling Hotel, build in 1992, with fairy tale rooms, the 18-hole golf course and the new holiday park with bungalows.

Siam Paragon (สยามพารากอน) sometimes also spelled as Syam Paragon is one of the biggest luxurious shopping malls in Asia situated in the capital city of Thailand, Bangkok, located on Rama I Road in the Pathum Wan district, next door to Siam Center, Siam Discovery Center and opposite Siam Square nearby MBK Center. The elevated walkway beneath the BTS Skytrain SIAM Station links Siam Paragon to the Ratchaprasong intersection where the malls, CentralWorld, Gaysorn are located.

Despite the fact Siam Paragon can be crowded at times the mall remains fantastic high-end shopping mall located in the heart of Bangkok surrounded by many sightseeing attractions. The spacious stores and walkways make it comfortable walking around even during peak times. Siam Paragon offers anything imaginable for sale spread over 6 floors, besides regular department stores, shopping facilities, a grocery store and restaurants it also offers entertainment at many levels, such as the multiplex movie theater (average price per ticket 140 baht, about $4,25us) consisting of 15 large size theaters, which of the main theater has largest screen and biggest seating capacity in Asia. As well the Siam Ocean World (underwater world) located beneath the Siam Paragon shopping mall which holds the largest aquarium in South East Asia, the mall even has its own exhibition hall and a Thai Art Gallery, as well an opera concert hall. On the top floors, there’s several entertainment centers where you can play games and win toys, a large bowling alley and karaoke center named Blu-O Rhythm & Bow.

When going to Siam Paragon for grocery shopping, or a quite bite enter upon street level for the food court and the huge gourmet supermarket. There’s not many supermarkets in Bangkok that compete in size. For a more convenient way of entering the mall, walk the spacious elevated walkways of the BTS Skytrain, for easy access to the Siam Paragon elevators. Be prepared to walk through metal detectors prior to entering the mall with security checking bags.

A few of the exclusive products sold in the Siam Paragon mall are expensive jewelry, watches, clothing and even cars from high end international brands such as Gucci, Hugo Boss, Burberry and Ferrari just to name several. As earlier mentioned the mall has a total of 6 floors, here’s a complete breakdown (in the back of the building there’s the Siam Paragon Department Store, covering all floors).

Basement floor: Siam Ocean World
Ground floor: Food Court, Gourmet Supermarket.
M floor: Beauty Hall, The Luxary
First floor: Fashion Venue, The Lingerie Salon.
Second floor: Paragon Men, Sports Mall Global (as well public showrooms Maserati, Lamborghini and Ferrari cars).
Third floor: Read and Write, Paragon Kids.
Fourth floor: Paragon Mall Ultra, Paragon Living, A passage to Asian Arts and Crafts, IT City.
Fifth floor: Multiplex Movie Theater, Paragon CinePlex, KrungSri IMAX, Blu-O Rhythm & Bow, Edutainment Center.
Sixth floor: Siam Opera, Edutainment Center.

Spread out over the five actual floors (the Siam Opera isn’t part of the actual mall) with Siam Paragon, in-between and next to luxury shops you will find literally hundreds of restaurants, from fast-food joints, ice cream vendors to high-end restaurants with about any international cuisine you can think of.

Opening Hours Mon- Sun 10 am - 10 pm

Siam Paragon
991/1 Rama 1 Rd, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Tel: (+66) 0 2690 1000
www.siamparagon.co.th

Bergeijk is the main village in the municipality Bergeijk. The other connected villages are Luyksgestel, Riethoven and Westerhoven. Bergeijk is located in the province Noord Brabant, the area is also known as the Kempen. The village of Bergeijk has 18 thousand citizens. It has an total area of 39 square miles of which over a quarter forest and nature. Originally it was an agricultural town, but today tourism and recreation has taken a significant place. Bergeijk characterized by the beautiful surroundings and sociability.

At the edge of Bergeijk is a campsite known as: Camping de Paal. Camping de Paal was crowned in 2009 as best European children camp and was named best Eurotopcamping of Europe for 2010. It has a subtropical indoor water playground and there is also a heated outdoor pool. There is a playground called the: Biebelebontse Paalbergen, a wide dune landscape of 323 thousand square foot sand dunes and water. Around the camp are playgrounds and areas for sports and games. There are also a petting zoo, a theater and much more.

There are also a number of interesting buildings and artworks in Bergeijk. One of the most famous is the factory building of Weverij de Ploeg, built in 1957 designed by Gerrit Rietveld. It is a building with lots of glass, what was important to assess the color of weaving Ploeg Fabrics, but whatever the employee gave a sense of working outside in a park. To the west you will see the beautiful backdrop effect of the diagonally placed walls with shed roofs. The factory closed in 2007, but the building is a national monument. The building is surrounded by the Ploegpark, that was designed by the garden architect Mien Ruys, there are very special trees. This park features a clock on a pillar and in the village there is a bus shelter, also designed by Gerrit Rietveld.

In Bergeijk is also a windmill, which since the 15th century stands on a burial mound. It is a mill with a 3 meter high wheel, which moves the grindstone. The mill is newly restored and runs almost every Saturday. In front of the mill you’ll see a statue, De Kempense Haan, made by Toon Slegers.

In the center you can see an old church, named Hofkerk or Sint-Petrus’Bandenkerk which is over an thousand years old. A gothic cruciform church with no tower, but with a small cross tower. The big tower collapsed in 1650 and was never rebuilt, instead was made a bell tower in 1669, called Luihuis. In the Luihuis hangs a bell from 1367, which was cast by Jacobus van Helmond About 35 years ago the church became a national monument, and it was restored. The bronze artwork in front of the church, image with the three musicians , named ‘t Hermenieke van Bergeijk, symbolizes the harmony between the parts Bergeijk village ‘t Hof / ‘t Loo and Weebosch.

Then there are the Old Town Hall, from 1923 and the Doctor House, with brick motifs, from 1893. The oldest house of Bergeijk, Het Teutenhuis, of 1722 that belonged to the Teuten, was once a farm. Previously it was also an inn, but now you find there the VVV office.

In Bergeijk is also a cultural center, named De Kattendans, a bronze artwork in front of it, also called Kattendans, is based on folktales, the cats were at night, to dance the burial mounds. There is still much more to see in Bergeijk, as Eicha the museum, the fish ponds, the flow fields, beautiful nature like De Maai, Cartierheide, De keersop etc. Of course Bergeijk also has restaurants, cafes, snack bars, hotels and shops to enjoy local Dutch cuisine.