Utrecht

6, 10-16 August 2003

I was in Utrecht to attend the Congress at De Uithof Universitat. The oppressive heat wave continued into this week, but broke around 14 August. I stayed at the NH Centre Utrecht Hotel near Janskerk in the old town part of Utrecht. My room did not have air conditioning, but it did have an oscillating fan. Breakfasts were good and there were two good restaurants attached to the hotel. I had excellent Zeeland mussels at the restaurant facing the Janskerk bus stop.

• Janskerk on the left, my hotel, NH Centre Utrecht, is in the center in the background.
• Monk Willibrord (Saint), from England, who brought Christianity to the Franks. This statue is next to my hotel.
• remnant of old city wall next to the eastern canal (Maliesingel?), the canal may have been a moat at one time.
• Maliesingel(?) canal next to wall remnant
• same canal, view from bridge
• Oudegracht (Old canal), southern part of old town, walking north
• church(?), southern old town, anybody know this one?
• walking north along the canal
• same canal
• approaching the restaurant area of the canal (Oudegracht)
• more cafes, Oudegracht
• plaza near Oudegracht, Domtoren on left
• Domkerk and Domtoren, the main landmark of Utrecht, I attended Sunday service at the church
• Information about Domkerk and the tower, they were once connected (www.domkerk.nl)
• ancient rune stone next to Domkerk wall, is it Frankish or Celtic? Thanks for the following information by John Norgaard, "I can tell that it is Danish (I'm from Denmark). The text on it says that "King Harald ordered the making of this monument in honour of his father Gorm and his mother Thyra. Harald ruled Denmark and Norway and christianized the Danes.". The stone is a reproduction and was given to the city of Utrecht by the Danish government some years ago. The real stone is placed in Jelling, Denmark. The Danish Vikings ruled Utrecht about the year 1000. This King Harald is btw Harald Bluetooth after whom the Bluetooth technology is named."
• plaque about rune stone (but I can't read it)[See above.]
• Domkerk and the enclosed church garden
• the same, another view
• Domtoren (Dom Tower), 465 steps
1. view from the top of Domtoren
2. view from Domtoren, Domkerk and garden are visible
3. yours truly, at top of Domtoren
4. view of Oudegracht from Domtoren
5. view of Oudegracht with gargoyle
6. view of Oudegracht, looking south
• Storm restaurant, I had an excellent meal here and the added bonus was that it was away from the heavy tourist area. The cuisine was contemporary fusion of a variety of styles. [www.destorm.nl]

• Centraal Museum (www.centraalmuseum.nl/) in the southern part of the old town

After I learned that my post-Congress fieldtrip had been cancelled, I had to make new plans. After the Congress was over, I decided to go to Amsterdam and make a series of daytrips from there. I traveled by train from Utrecht to Amsterdam.

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