My Favorite Bookstore

Those of you who know me well know me to be quite a bookworm. As such, a bookstore is always one of my largest weaknesses. I simply love the atmosphere - the smell, the quiet contemplation, and of course, I adore the written words contained within the walls of a bookstore. In Maastricht, I have found one of my all time favorite bookstores, and being the nerd I am, I had to share the discovery with you.

Sint-Servaasbasiliek

When in Maastricht, it is hard to avoid the story of Saint Servatius, or Sint Servaas (around 310-384). It is fair to say that he is a very important figure to be acquainted with in Maastricht's history.This Roman Catholic Saint was the first bishop of Maastricht and is this city's patron Saint. He is venerated on the 13th of May.

All Aboard! Cruise on the Maas

In Maastricht, a city named for Trajectum ad Mosam (passage through the Maas), the lure of the waters of the river Maas is undeniable. On a sunny day the waters glisten just so, and people seem to flock to cafes on the waters edge.

On such a sunny day in early October, Ole, Birgitte and I headed to the water's edge and booked a cruise on the river, complete with a tour of some of the connecting canals. The Maas, with its 1000km, has been a useful river for shipping and therefore many canals were created to develop even more shipping paths. With different water levels between the river, and the various canals our boat had to pause to go through the various locks, adjusting water levels, on the way.



Bonnefante Museum

At the beginning of October, I got a tremendous Birthday present in the form of Ole and Birgitte coming to visit me in Maastricht. Besides celebrating the addition of another year to my life experience, the three of us spent time together exploring Maastricht. With the intensity of the Masters program I am in, I had not had a plethora of time to spend being a tourist, so this was a great opportunity for me to get to know the city which I am currently calling home. One of the places that we visited was the Bonnefante Museum. With its distinctive building by Aldo Rossi, which can be seen from the water, the Bonnefante Museum had unspoken promise of revealing a different side to Maastricht.

In this art museum there are classic paintings and sculptures by the masters while at the same time there are a myriad of more Contemporary exhibits.

I have always had a love for art, and have been known to spend hours in museums, so I was excited to get to see this museum which is famous around Maastricht. As always, I am lucky that I was given the opportunity to explore a different area of the world with Ole and Birgitte.

The River Maas By Night

Maastricht by the riverside is, like the other areas of Maastricht, pretty. With the old style buildings, the arching bridges and the glistening waters of the river Maas, it is quite a view. The river at nighttime is simply breathtaking. With a sense of peace in the air the lights from the bridges illuminate the waters just so, and it is stunning.

 

The river is one of the defining features of Maastricht, from orienting yourself or asking for directions to the history, the city's position on the river is not easily forgotten. Even the city name signifies the importance of the river. The name Maastricht comes from Trajectum ad Mosam, meaning passage through the Maas river.

 

The bridges spanning the Maas also have stories to tell. While a Roman built bridge collapsed into the water in the year 1275, Maastricht still has the oldest bridge in the Netherlands. This bridge, St. Servaasbridge was built over 18 years from 1280-1298. It was named for the first bishop of Maastricht, St. Servaas. As I have stated before, everything you see in Maastricht is not only beautiful but it has a great deal of history behind it - the riverside is no exception!