Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
“You know, sweetie, it's time for me to confess that I'm starting to like the Dutch movies,”
Mark said. Hannah was done folding her clothes now and was coming back to join Mark
in the living room. “No!” she said, feigning surprise. They both laughed, because for all
Mark's complaining, it was obvious that he looked forward to their movie nights. He was
always the first one on the couch, and he had been making a point to get the dishes done
as quickly as possible whenever there was a movie waiting for them. “You know, baby, I
suspected as much,” Hannah continued. “The fact that you were talking about the Dutch
version of
The Vanishing
for days afterward was a bit of a clue.”
Mark laughed and said, “But the Dutch version was just so much better than the American
one! Which reminds me, why are we going back to English now?”
“Well, even though tonight's movie is in English, it's about the Dutch painter Vermeer.
He's not that well known, at least not like Monet and Rembrandt, and he didn't paint that
many paintings during his life, but the few he painted are supposed to be true masterpieces.
The movie tonight is about his most famous painting
, The Girl with the Pearl Earring,
which
is the Dutch equivalent of the
Mona Lisa.
It's in a museum in The Hague, and since I'm
hoping to talk you into going to see it, I thought this movie would be a good idea.” Almost
by way of apology, she added, “It stars Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth!”
Mark pulled Hannah down to join him on the couch. “Baby, we can go see whatever you
want. Scarlett Johansson is pretty, but she's no Hannah MacDaniel. And she probably
can't even speak Dutch!” Hannah laughed alongside Mark, and the two of them got com-
fortable as Mark started the movie with the remote
.
Food and language are two major entry points to your destination's culture, but there are
many other entry points available to you as well. These include history; musical, artistic,
literary, and dance traditions; watching or participating in local sports or festivals; and the
various cultural quirks that await you upon arrival.
Learning some history is an excellent next step in your cultural exploration. Most
guidebooks provide an overview of the history of your destination, but you may wish to
seek out additional resources, such as specialized books or documentaries. The exciting
thing about learning history is that it puts everything else you'll learn about your destina-
