's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands

's-Hertogenbosch is better known as Den Bosch because it isn't just Americans who want to make long names short and easy. The town's full name translates to "the Count's Woods," an appropriate name since Henry I, Duke of Brabant, built a hunting lodge there in the 1100s.

The most famous citizen of the town is the painter Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516), who is memorialized in the town market. There are several museums and galleries that focus on him, but they were not open when we visited on a Monday.

Hieronymus Bosch statue

More of the town square

Market days are Wednesdays and Saturdays, so we missed out.

We had lunch in the town square. Most of us had the local favorite, pancakes, though L was too shy to admit it.

L and her little pancakes

We explored a bit of the city, seeing all sorts of fun art and odd gizmos.

This statue is next to a shop though it probably predates the shop

Same shop, different statue

Metal sculpture of a family avoiding the rain

J and L avoid the rain

Queen of Heaven icon on Sint Joris-straat

Sint Joris is Saint George!

How people keep others from parking in their spot

The rain statues were a bad omen. We were near a little harbor by the south walls of the town when rain started. The walls have been mostly demolished, with one defensive rampart holding a 1511 cannon called De Boze Griet or The Devil's Woman. The cannon has a fun German inscription, which translated is "Brute force I am called, Den Bosch I watch over." The cannon's bastion was closed, so we could not go inside, but had a view from which we saw the remains of the walls.

A small harbor on the canals

South walls and canal seen from the gun placement

We had parked at a modern shopping mall, which had some modern art and some fun things for the kids. We didn't put any money in the machines because, well, that's a losing proposition on many fronts. J and L enjoy climbing over them and pretending they're moving, so they have just as much fun.

J with Alvin the Chipmunk

L rides Lightening McQueen

We couldn't decide if this is a bull or a dinosaur