Imaging The Netherlands 033: Tourists at Binnenhof Square, Den Haag (ZH)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

033: Binnenhof Square

For centuries, the Dutch political power is concentrated around the Binnenhof, in the historic center of The Hague. Little is know of its origin, but the Gothic-style castle, built in the 13th century, was a residence for the counts of Holland, until 1584, when it became the political center of the Dutch Republic. It is the oldest House of Parliament still in use. The Prime Minister’s office (Torentje), the Cabinet, the Senate as well as the House of Representatives are housed within the Binnenhof complex. From 2020, the Binnenhof will be renovated completely, an operation that will last at least five years. Meanwhile, the politicians and their staff have to be housed elsewhere. Also the tourists will be barred from the complex. The tourist group in the photograph listened to the broad history of the Binnenhof, provided by a local tour guide.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

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Imaging Brazil 372: Two African Blue Lilies in Belo Horizonte, MG (2012)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

372: Blue lilies

Blue lilies are quite common in Brazilian parks and gardens, but they are not native Brazilian plants. These lilies are called Agapanthus praecox, or African lily, or Lily of the Nile. However, they are also not native along the margins of the Nile River; their origin is in the far south of the African continent, in Natal and in Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. The lily now has been naturalized in various countries across the world, like the United Kingdom, Mexico, New Zealand, Ethiopia, and Costa Rica. The lily has about ten long, leathery leaves and may reach up to one meter. They usually flower between December and February. The two blue lilies in the photograph were found in the campus of the Federal University, near the Economic Sciences Faculty. The lilies are also found along the nearby Pampulha Lake.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2012, 2017