The park opposite

This afternoon I wandered across the road into the Clingendael Park, a beautiful refuge established in the 15thC.  It is dominated by Huys Clingendael, begun in 1643 and completed in 1660.  Today it is the home of The Netherlands Institute of International Relations.  During the Second World War it was the residence of the Nazi Reich’s Commissioner for the Occupied Netherlands, Arthur Seyss-Inquart, and his family.

There was once a race course here, but that has been moved.  The local government took possession in 1954 and the Institute has used the building since 1983.

There is a small but exquisite Japanese garden in the park established in the early 1900's and is open for six weeks from April 30 and two further weeks in October.  I look forward to visiting them in six weeks time.

Our 1931 apartment building this afternoon.

One half of a modern twin apartment block opposite our building.

Beside it the Cuban Embassy - Austria is across the road on our side.

Huys Clingendael

Wild flowers in the lawns

In the background a new bridge, a very solid looking structure made entirely of timber,

Lovely vistas, vicious bloody geese.

I took this off the track because two geese hissed and refused to move - so I took the safe route via the grass.  Beautiful park, will look marvellous in the spring.