The city of Maastricht had been on our list of places to see in the Netherlands for a long time. We had originally wanted to see it in winter during their annual Christmas market but we were unable to the last few years because of covid.
We won't be around next christmas and we didn't want to miss seeing the city so we made it our last stop on our trip to the Netherlands. We stopping in after our brief visit to the small town of Thorn.
Maastricht is a large city located in the Southeastern part of the country very close to the borders of Germany and Belgium.
It's one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands and the largest in the province of Limburg.
This is only mildly related to the city but it's a bit of a fun fact about the country; one that is both hilarious and confusing all at the same time and worth mentioning in my opinion for discussion purposes.
So anyway, I have a few family members that originate from the Netherlands and they always refer to the country as Holland. Many sources inline do the same, even when they aren't referring to the actual province of North or South Holland. The Netherlands and Holland are sort of used interchangeably it seems, by many people.
Even the official tourism site for the country is called Holland.com. More confusing still is the fact that they sometimes give out the wrong information about a particular cities location on their website.
For instance the website states that Maastricht is located "in the of south Holland."
This is confusing because South Holland is its own province and its located in the western part of the country.
In actuality Maastricht is located in Limburg, which is a completely different province that is located in the Southwestern part of the Netherlands.
Confused? I sure am.
If you want a brief history and geography lesson on the subject there is a super funny three minute video that I will share in the comment section that clarifies these things.
See comments for video.
It will probably make you more confused but its worth watching for a laugh and because its also quite interesting.
But for now let's get back to the city.
Maastricht has a large intact and well preserved old town at its center with a large square surrounded by shops, restaurants and charming little terraced cafes.
In the center of the square is the old town hall building and around that is a market that sells food and antiques.
The market was running on the Saturday that we were there, and though I assume that it is a weekly event I don't actually know it's schedule, so please keep in mind that it may not be there if you go on any random day.
There are several nice churches in the city as well that are worth popping into.
I went into at least three of them myself.
The one seen above and below was the Basilica of Our Lady.
The most impressive though was located at the Vrijthof plaza, the largest and most well know square in the city.
Saint John's and the Basilica of Saint Servatius sit side by side across from a tree lined street of bars and restaurants.
I thought that the vibrant red tower and the eclectic look of both buildings were particularly unique comlared to other churches that I've seen.
It's worth walking around both buildings to get a glimpse of their varied architecture styles.
A quick peak inside never hurts either.
For €2.00 you can climb the extremely narrow staircase of the tower to get a birds eye view of the city below.
It was pretty busy at the top and a tight squeeze but worth the small fee.
Different views from the tower balcony.
Something else that we stumbled upon while walking through town was this working water wheel, referred to as Bishops Mill.
The mill is the oldest working watermill in the country and is attached to a bakery nextdoor that uses it to grind grain. The bakery specializes in making an assortment of delicious looking pies. I should have taken a photo of the window display.
We didn't end up buying any pie that day but we did buy a stroop waffle to share.
A stroop waffles is two very thin waffles that are sandwiched together with a sugary syrup that is similar to caramel.
We also got kibbeling later on, which are chunks of battered fish served with garlic sauce that is similar to tartar. This kibbeling was from a vendor at the market and wasn't nearly as good as what you get from fish stores and permanent fixtures.
We stopped at a bar for a drink in the afternoon at a good spot along a busy street that was excellent for people watching.
My wife had a cider and I had a local beer that is brewed in the city.
We've been to a lot of places in the Netherlands and have liked quite a few of them. Overall would put Maastricht high on my list of our favorite destinations in the country. It's a large city with a big old town with lots of things to do and see. It's an excellent location for a day trip or to spend a weekend at so I would probably go back again if I could.
Funny Youtube video explaining the difference between Holland and the Netherlands as referenced in the post above.
lol, I shouldn't watch this video hahaha
it was all clear until all those little islands 😂
Ahahaha I know right!
Well, makes sense now. If I want to go to the more touristy area, I rightly refer to it as Holland. Anything else I will call the Netherlands, rightly so! And if I ever would like to explore the Caribbean, I will go there as a European to the European territory 🤣 What's not to like!
Haha glad it all makes sense. It does seem like all of the best spots are in Holland, with a few exceptions.
Hahaha,I know that there is that thing that Holland and The Netherlands are not the same, as Holland is just a province. But I think it is just a recent thing, a few years ago that the separation of the official names happened.
Anyway, excellent photos as always and so cool tour you have provided us once again. Thanks, @leaky20
P.S. I am sorry you will not be around Christmas anymore, we will miss all your journeys from your blog, but you will find something interesting to show us from the place you will be back. :))
Yeah, apparently the Maastricht Christmas market is very good too. But oh well I suppose.
I not looking forward to leaving but such is life. All things come to an end at some point. Thanks though, I'm glad to hear that you have enjoyed some of my posts. 😄
Well, the first time I saw a post from you happened here and from then, if I skipped any of your posts it was by accident or lack of time :D
Well I definitely appreciate it.
I enjoy your posts too by the way haha.
😇
Hello @leaky20,
Yes, I do find it a little strange that the names are interchangeable. When I first noticed your posts featuring the Netherlands, I always thought you were Dutch, and I always made sure (and still do) to edit my comments before publishing, since I always think of the country as "Holland" and I tend to write it that way.
I recall my Dutch friends booking that time off, especially for the Christmas market and they always looked forward to visiting that part of the country.
Great photos and I'm sorry you won't be there at that time of year, but at least you got to experience the city anyway:-)))
PS. I enjoyed the video very much. I've heard the explanation several times, but I like how they clarified it further with humour.
You wanna know what's confusing too? It's the Papiamento language that they speak in the Dutch Caribbean islands. I have been only to Curacao, and listening to them speak was weird. It was like Spanish, French, English, and Dutch all mixed. I felt like I should have understood them, but I certainly did not 🤣
One of my Grandfather's was from the Netherlands and I have an uncle from there as well, so I'm part Dutch I guess, along with everything else lol - English, Irish and German hahaha.
The Papiamento language does sound confusing. It's weird when languages have many similarities that you recognize and you think you understand but then realize that you don't. I have that feeling every time I'm around people speaking Dutch. For brief moments I think I understand and then I quickly realize that I have no clue what's being said. It's probably because my grandparents spoke Dutch around me when I was younger so some of it is still stuck in my brain. Maybe its like that for you because you know so many different languages?
Ah, that explains your height.
Yes, there are so many mixes and it's hard to find "pure blood" that's one of the reasons why I can never understand war and segregation.
You are spot on there!
I totally get what you mean about feeling like you should understand Dutch, but don't. The Jamaican patois is still different from the Papiamento; It's more broken English with the use of some African words and maybe a little Spanish:)
How do you know how tall I am haha? Can you tell from photos in my posts? 😂
That's really interesting. I find language fascinating, how it develops in the brain and some of the processes involved. It was one of my favorite subjects in a developmental psychology class I took in university. I could go on and on about language really.
You do take great photos, but something tells me that there are no camera tricks where your height is concerned, so yes! 😆
Yeah, I think languages are fascinating and I think it changes the thought processes of persons who speak dual languages.
I regret not being multi-lingual actually... I always wanted to study linguistics (they say native English speakers find it more challenging to learn other languages though).
Psychology was one of my strong areas in uni. I still like it and have always enjoyed studying and observing the behavioral patterns of people.
Speaking from my own experiences, its probably because we don't put any effort to learn new languages we just expect everyone to speak English to us around the world - and generally they do...lol
I think that is the general behavior of North Americans (again myself included here). In Europe everyone I meet speaks 2 to 7 languages. Back home I know maybe 3 people who are bilingual. Lol
Yes, there is some fact in what you've said about our difficulty to grasp another language.
Absolutely!
I think dual-language people have different problem solving techniques too:)
@millycf1976 Curacao is wild with their language! Papiamento is something I never learned except for a few general words so I don't look like an ugly American. Maybe I did, but, I hope not! Aruba and Bonaire speak it also, but, not nearly as much as they do in Curacao. Spanish Creole with a tad of Portuguese and Dutch mixed in.
@dswigle, ah, yes! I forgot the Portuguese.
You were good to understand a few words.
For me, it was puzzling...sounded so familiar yet so strange.
I like the culture, but I thought that apart from the beautiful structures and brightly coloured buildings in the town, there's not much natural beauty in the geography and layout of the islands like Jamaica, or St. lucia.
I felt a much higher standard of living though:)
@millycf1976 You are absolutely right! I am in the minority as I am not in love with Aruba! Everyone loves it, but it lacks to me. Too much volcanic rock to sway me. However, Bonaire is made up of limestone and sedentary rock formations - right on top of volcanic rock. The saving grace is it has amazing diving!! The diving places have great prices on their billeting and give you a pick up to use. Pull up to a beach and walk off!!
Like everything and everywhere else, the best properties are being bought up and renovated, but not by locals. :(
I had many friends from Aruba, when I lived in the Netherlands. They thought it was the nicest of the three ABC islands, but I would have opted to go to Bonaire if I had the chance.
This is an interesting point that I never paid close attention to before I lived in the Philippines. I guess those islands are like Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean, when any foreigner can buy and own property once they have the funds. In the Philippines, the laws are there to protect their citizens so that only a Filipino can have the majority of ownership if there's a foreigner involved. It's like catch 22:(
Truth. Bermuda has one of the most difficult processes to be allowed to buy unless you are a contributing billionaire. Also, after your demise, the property must be sold, keeping it true to their ideals of being only Bermudian.
I'm with you! I love Curacao, but, I have never gotten over Aruba being amazing. The beaches are beautiful, but, if you live there, you are working more than likely, so the beaches are not a #1 priority.
Are you leaving France? You haven't come over to UK yet!!!!!
Yeah in September 😔.
I know! Every time we make plans to go they get kiboshed for one reason or another. We had at least 3 separate trips planned and each one fell through - covid, lack of dog sitter, work conflicts...etc
We will definitely go one day but it will likely be from Canada, not France.
Holland, or Netherlands always seems very neat and arranged, at least for me. Here in Bulgaria I know both the names Holland and Netherlands and I think here they are interchangeable too. In my opinion it’s a bit strange decision to change the name of the country, but there surely is a reason for doing that.
Anyway, Holland is one of my places to visit! This city looks very neat for sure. Thanks for sharing.
Yeah the names seem to be interchangeable for a lot of people. I think that is why the official website uses Holland - because that is what people search for when doing research on the country haha.
No onwe quite does the cool squares and outdoor cafes/pubs quite like the Nederish!
Those churches looked blooming amazing. York Cathedral in the UK does the climb up to the roof thing. It is quite harrowing going up the last bit of staircase.
This is defo a place I would like to visit
Yeah a lot of cities have a tower you can climb but we rarely ever do. This might have been the first for me?? It's nice that it's usually pretty cheap to do though, 2-3 euros max. I'll pay that for a good view of the city if I can't find one for free somewhere else and if the line isn't too long. I hate waiting in lines haha.
I ain't a fan of lines either. Just the other day the Good Lady and I were talking about theme parks and the horror of waiting on a queue that was so long it had markers for the time you have to wait. I can never imagine doing that!
Theme parks are the worst. You spend exorbitant amounts of money to stand around and wait to do something. It reminds me of the Simpsons episode when they go on the "new" ride at the theme park. The line takes 3 hours and when you get to the end you walk through a door marked "Exit." It's the "Line ride" lol.
Now at Disney you can't even buy a "fast pass" for the day anymore, you have to buy an individual fast pass for every single ride you want to take. It's insane. We have friends who go regularly. Every time my wife asks me if I want to go to Disney I look at her like she's insane. "Why would we spend 300 euro to go wait in line. Why not just drive through Paris during rush hour? We would spend less on gas then the price of admission and have just as much fun."
Okay my rant is over now 🤣🙃
Nice! I lived in Maastricht a few years. Awesome place! Your pictures are beautiful! Did you check out the bookstore that is located in an old church?
No I didn't know about the bookstore when we went otherwise I definitely would have sought it out. I learned about it afterwards.
If only I knew before hand...
Ooo Maastricht, yes I love that city 🥰
It’s beautiful… and I visited many times.
Great captures @leaky20 😎
So fun to see Dutchyland through your eyes 😉
Enjoy your weekend!
It's a cool city for sure. I would go back for a re-visit if I had the opportunity.
That’s great to hear. Hope you do get the opportunity one day again 😎
Have a great Sunday 👋🏻☀️
Thanks. Enjoy the rest of your evening
You are welcome 😁 will do Thanks 👋🏻
Yay, now I need to make a collection of posts of the Netherlands so I know what to do when I am there for Hive Fest. Are you going?
Yeah, I will eventually compile all of mine together in a collaboration as well, at some point.
I probably won't go unfortunately. We are supposed to go back to Canada in September (figures on the timing) so we will either be gone already or be in the hectic and stressful packing and organizing stage of moving.
Oh that is too bad on the timing!
Such beautiful pictures and they made me nostalgic. I grew up in Noord Brabant, not far from Limburg.
I enjoyed your article!
Nice! Have you been to Maastricht before?
well, this city looks historical to me.
More of astonishing is the fact that the city is so neat and clean and the dutch people's hospitality is unique, I heard.
You could better say about that, huh ha.
Have a nice vacation...
We have always found people in the Netherlands to be very hospitable.
😁
This was wonderful and I love Maastricht! We always went to markets there, especially on the weekends, but the Market I loved best was in Tongren and open only on Sunday morning. It was an antique flea market and somewhat touristy later in the morning, but, I would go at 3 or 4 am and help unload the trucks. This is where the vendors trade with each other and the best buys are made. I would be loaded and headed home before 6am.
The churches are gorgeous as is everything in Holland. Yes, I try really hard to call it "Koninkrijk der Nederlanden," but fail miserably. :) You have experienced a wonderful amount of travel during your time there. That is exactly what we did and I am so glad we took the time and money to do so. We came back poorer, but so much richer in so many ways!
Thanks so much for posting your travels!
I've never been to Tongren myself but it sounds like another nice location. I do really love the markets in the country.
The experiences you get from travel are worth it in my opinion haha
Mine too!! But it had to be said! Lol My kids went to the locals schools, wherever we lived. Best education ever!
Thanks for the support! I appreciate it. 😁
Maastrict, from what I remember, looked more like Germany. It is also full of students (we visited in Autumn). Looks so vibrant in the sun!
I like to call it Holland, not the Netherlands 🙂 But I have never questioned it before, so you made me think there.
Yeah it definitely has similarities to Germany, border cities often take on aspects of their neighbors and become a blend.
I think there is a university there so yeah, there would definitely be a lot of students.
If you want to get more confused and have a laugh you should watch that short video I posted in the comments. It explains things in a funny way.
The cities that still preserve their old centers are a gem in my opinion. So much history in there!
I totally agree. This one preserved theirs quite well.
I love Maastricht, it's such a beautiful city. Thank you for sharing your photos.
It's definitely a beautiful city. I agree for sure.
It's very beautiful city!!!
Thanks!
Congratulations, your post has been added to Pinmapple! 🎉🥳🍍
Did you know you have your own profile map?
And every post has their own map too!
Want to have your post on the map too?
Your content has been voted as a part of Encouragement program. Keep up the good work!
Use Ecency daily to boost your growth on platform!
Support Ecency
Vote for new Proposal
Delegate HP and earn more
Congratulations @leaky20! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s):
Your next target is to reach 85000 upvotes.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPCheck out the last post from @hivebuzz:
Support the HiveBuzz project. Vote for our proposal!
Hiya, @LivingUKTaiwan here, just swinging by to let you know that this post made it into our Top 3 in Daily Travel Digest #1584.
Your post has been manually curated by the @pinmapple team. If you like what we're doing, please drop by to check out all the rest of today's great posts and consider supporting other authors like yourself and us so we can keep the project going!
Become part of our travel community:
How can such a lovely looking city lend its name to a mind numbingly controlling treaty!
Hmmmm, I'm not familiar 🤔 what treaty is that?
the one that introduced the euro in preference to national currencies, amongst other things
I know nothing about any of that tbh. A standardized currency seems preferable to me. I can't imagine constantly having to deal with multiple currencies. But I know there are issues with standard ones as well, especially when countries tweak their financial reportings. Lol
Ah! I am old school!!! and remember days of yore, with Francs and Pesetas and Deutschmarks et al.
It sounds like a nightmare for travel 😂 but each to their own lol