Came across an old journal entry today from a hot summer July 2006 evening at the Luxury Collection Des Indes in The Hague, Netherlands. I don’t recall the wine incident of the evening, although it is probably better to leave it forgotten. I have been thinking about writing a series of Hotel embarrassing moments. There are a few funny stories to tell from past hotel stays.
What I do remember is the terrible heat during our stay in The Hague. This was the heat wave where dozens of people in the Netherlands died.
July 2006 With a monthly average of 22.3 °C (72.1 °F), KNMI statistics show July 2006 was the warmest-ever month on record for the Netherlands.[2] Around 500 or 1,000 more people than usual died in July 2006.
Wikipedia – 2006 European Heat Wave
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Den Haag July 15, 2006
Des Indes is a colonialist revival hotel. The image depicted is one of exclusive opulence and the hotel does offer a wonderful opportunity for private relaxation in the suites and junior suites of the fourth floor with private patios. Lots of fabrics for upholstery on the furniture and walls, even in the elevators. Heavy drapes in rooms and over bed. Elegant opulence. The hotel has character.
The overall feature of this room at the Des Indes is that our fourth floor double patio doors open wide and the music festival on the canal about 400 meters away is carried by the wind and has been a constant backdrop of music for all Friday evening until midnight, and then today started again around noon.
There is a great band playing now. The whole festival sound is rock style middle eastern music. The music comes in waves on the wind. Sometimes it will be loud and clear for 15 to 20 consecutive minutes and then it fades for several minutes. It is currently at a low point and getting louder. The music comes in waves and we trip on the instruments. A solidly professional sounding band is playing now. One of the headliners since it is 22:00 on Saturday night and the evening sky is still in the last 30 minutes of light before the total dark on this warm, windy summer July evening in Den Haag.
The Mrs. suffered a bit of heat stroke and embarrassed herself. In the taste off between South Africa merlot and SE Australia cabernet merlot, the carpet was the loser.
Deck life in the Hague on our fourth floor patio lounge. It has been a trip.
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We spent a bit of time getting tossed around the indoor pool when we turned on the wave machine.
Small pool in Des Indes has swim resistance mode. Don’t resist and the pool waves spin you around the pool. We kept cool despite the hottest July on record for the Netherlands in July 2006.
