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When outsiders think of The Netherlands many things and places are probably conjured up in their heads. Amsterdam, Bicycles, Tall People, Windmills, Coffee Shops, Edam & maybe Ruud Gullit. Of course, there are hundreds if not thousands of other things the great Nation that is The Netherlands can be associated with. And yet, I do wonder how many people have simply overlooked "The Hague" and not considered it as a worthy option in terms of visiting as they would rather see Amsterdam or maybe see the quirky architecture of Rotterdam. Maybe I'm completely wrong and The Hague (or Den Haag) rolls off everyone's tongue in a fraction of a second as soon as they think of the Netherlands. Alas, this was not the case for me - for years I simply avoided The Hague - associating it with a place warlords were judged by those who have worked in Law for far too long. A place that didn't seem worthy of a long visit. Thankfully I came to my senses this year and paid it a visit, all thanks to a friend who now works in Den Haag. So what's it like? Well as per usual (you guessed it) I captured a lot of what I witnessed on video and then made a video about it - posting it on my YouTube Channel. Feel free to watch the video if you can stomach watching me explore The Hague for over an hour. I hope if you do it persuades you to later visit The Hague. It really is a very complete city - great restaurants, historical buildings, government buildings, coffee shops, great bars, amazing museums, galleries and even a beach that is worthy of a visit. A city I will never overlook again. I'll be back! #TheNetherlands #TheHague #DenHaag #Vlogger #Travel #Europe #Holland To Book a Flight to the Netherlands Click Here and Search for the cheapest route via Skyscanner If you like the thought of staying with locals or seeing how locals live you can't really beat an Airbnb stay. There are some amazing apartments and houses dotted around the city that will cater to all types of traveller in the city of The Hague. Have a look in the window below and let me know if you do end up visiting the wonderful city of The Hague. Happy Travelling! The Wondering Englishman - Alex van Terheyden #Netherlands

When you are flying high or racing along the highway you feel like you are going places. However, there are those moments in life where you are grounded waiting to take off again or stuck at a Red Light for what feels like an eternity. However, its crucial in life to be patient, the Red Light will eventually turn to Green and you will be able to start racing along the highway once more. One day (hopefully soon) air traffic control will give the signal for the plane to begin its taxi along the runway and take off one more time. Big life goals and small life goals each require patience. This old Guinness Advert "The Surfer" - reminded me of the waiting game, possibly the best Advert in advertising history. Despite being made in 1998 it still causes Goosebumps when I see it with the sound jacked up. If you can't wait for the next random blog post - Alex van Terheyden can be found on YouTube.

I'm sat outside in a beautifully lush English garden. The temperature isn't stifling uncomfortable like it is in Southern France right now but it is warm. I stare up to the sky and reflect on past summers. I go back a year, then a few years and then decades. I'm suddenly transported to my youth. I have my bike and Skateboard near me and the garden is just as lush - the trees are a little smaller and a few things look different but not much has changed. I'm in the same garden I grew up in. I then notice there are thunder-flies, butterflies, bees, wasps and all sorts of creatures buzzing around the flowers, my head and in the sky. In a way all of these creatures were a little annoying to me during my youth - some of them I found fascinating while others simply got in my eyes and mouth from time to time. Flypaper would hang up in the kitchen and there would be a need for an electric UV device that would crackle when a fly would meet its demise (inspired by a trip to Greece in the 80s I seem to recall). And yet fast forward to 2019 - there is no Electrocuting UV device and there is no need for flypaper. Where have all the insects gone? We have all heard of the demise of the common bee. And you would have to be living under a rock to not know the theory that if all Bees are gone then life as we know it will likely come to a drastic end. And yet the considerations aren't there for all the other insects. Have these beings that used to splat all over the windscreen on every drive back in the day really vanished? Of course, there are still insects out there - I'm sure you have seen 1 or 2 already today, but I'm 100% convinced there are far fewer insects by a worrying amount. If insects vanish entire ecosystems will vanish. Already I've noticed the Swallows who used to nest ritually every year have gone. Where they have gone - I would love to know - but they are no longer here! I'm not a twitcher (someone who likes to go bird watching) so maybe there are other bird populations who are struggling because of the lack of insects. Maybe, but I'm not a scientist so I can't back this up - it's simply an observation of paying attention to the fragile world I live in. This planet is clearly more and more polluted with each year it rotates around our sun. With each year there are more and more humans taking and taking while they go about their living. And yet if the insects vanish - how quickly will each eco-system come crashing down with us likely being knocked down very soon after. Will anything be done about this? Probably not - when is anything going to get done to save the Bio-Diversity of this planet! However, while contemplating this subject today - I did stumble across this National Geographic Article on the subject (they agree with my thoughts). If you would like to read it - click on this Link. We need to stop the destruction of this planet today - stop building on green land and curb human population growth - this planet is finite and clearly space is running out. But who am I kidding.... No one is listening! Written by Alex van Terheyden AKA "The Wondering Englishman"

Techno - The first recorded use of the word techno in reference to a specific genre of music was in 1988. However, this isn't a post about the History of Techno - there have been way too many articles on this subject. I'm a big fan of Techno and no this doesn't mean I like EDM. Over the years I've played Techno in a lot of Underground clubs and super clubs. Although as I now play a lot less than I used to - simply down to life commitments I now have to get my Techno fix by seeking it out. London, despite being my stomping ground has a very weak Night Scene. If Techno isn't playing at a selection of venues then you won't always be finding it. The current Mayor of London hasn't been kind to the night economy. And due to the rareness of finding Techno when a Techno festival with Techno legends comes to the Big Smoke, I always try my best to be there. The Junction 2 Festival has now completed its fourth year. I've managed to be at 3 out 4 of those years - why did I miss one of them - well I was in Ibiza on the previous year (so I had a good excuse!). Not a Techno fan - well its not for everyone! I'm glad it's not for everyone in a way - the average Techno crowd is usually very high-spirited and welcoming - it's a rare occasion you will witness aggression or hostility at a Techno event - if you do it because the wrong people have strayed into the event and they are venting themselves because they couldn't find an RnB or Hip-Hop night that day or night. On my last outing to the Junction 2 Festival - just the other day - I made a video about that day - here is that video! Enjoy as it might just be the UK's best Techno Festival! #Techno #RichieHawtin #MaceoPlex #AdamBeyer

Needing a change from your typical Restaurant where you sit at your table, order, have an interesting conversation with whoever you are with and then pay the bill? Well, I recently had the pleasure of attending The London Cabaret Club in Central London. The London Cabaret Club offers a sophisticated entertainment environment combining high-end dining experiences with an exciting live cabaret production. Set around distinctly British themes, the shows celebrate the rich heritage of British culture, past and present. Featuring stars from London’s West End, dazzling choreography, and premium production values, we present a unique approach to the entertainment and nightlife scene. I honestly didn't expect to like this place as much as I did and I can honestly recommend this form of evening entertainment to everyone I know. I kid you not - usually I would think - this person won't like this place and this person will like this place. However, when it comes to The London Cabaret Club (and no I haven't been paid to say this) I think all walks of life and ages would have a fabulous evening if you have a three-course meal + Cabaret show. I made a video on my recent excursion to the Club - watch it above and on my YouTube Channel

I recently had the pleasure of going back to Prague the capital of Czechia. When I was last there the wonderful country was known as the Czech Republic. Well, only that was only 5+ years ago, but a lot has changed. I have to say Prague has always been a wonderful city and has always been popular among tourists from around the world - I must say it has greatly improved. Maybe I just got lucky or maybe the Leaders of Prague are doing a great job but I didn't notice criminality which used to be so prolific. From crooked Taxi Drivers to common street hustlers Prague used to really be a challenge even to the most discerning of tourists. However, maybe I got lucky, but I really don't think I did, as I was very aware of my surroundings everywhere I went on my last trip to Prague - the city has been cleaned up! I salute the Prague Mayor and Police the Czech Government as they have really flushed all the parasites out of the city. Well at least enough where a man who was looking for them didn't find them! On my last trip, I spent 2 full days there (3 nights in total) if you are curious about what this Englishman saw while in Prague - feel free to watch my Video posted below. Maybe it will inspire you to give Prague another chance if it's been a while or maybe still it will inspire you to go for the first time - you won't be disappointed. To book your flight to Prague search for the cheapest deal via Skyscanner.

Last week I had the pleasure of being invited to the new "White Hart Lane" in the heart of Tottenham London - the home of Tottenham Hotspur. That's a London Football Club to those who don't know! They play in the Premier League. Now why am I stating the obvious you may ask? Well, you have to realise not everyone follows football or even cares about football. I have to be honest - unless I'm meeting friends in a pub or a bar and a game is on - I'll never spend my free time watching a game. Yes - I'll get involved in the World Cup and the European Championships - but other than that I don't feel there are enough hours in my life to waste watching or following a team. However, once in a while, I do make an exception to the rule especially if it's a generous invite. Thanks to SpreadEx (One of my Spread betting Providers) I found myself at the first game Tottenham Hotspur was playing at their new Stadium. I have friends who support Tottenham so I knew this game would be a big deal, at least historically. The Old Stadium closed in May 2017 and the new one was 2.5 years in the making - I had seen the footage of emotional fans saying goodbye to the old White Hart Lane - so in a way I wanted to see Live the reactions to their New Home. I and my good friend "Eddy Longhead" were being entertained in one of the executive boxes. This meant a very filling dinner and all the drinks and snacks you could possibly consume. Topped off with a fantastic game of football surrounded by some of the most passionate football fans you could witness. 5 stars in terms of hospitality and experience. If you are curious to see what happened that evening - the video is above for your enjoyment!

This is a REPOST - it was originally posted here - I am posting it for prosperity purposes. It was originally written by a Belorussian Journalist for BelarusFeed. DESPITE VISA-FREE ENTRY IN PLACE SINCE FEBRUARY, WESTERN TOURISTS ARE STILL A RARE SIGHT IN MINSK. HENCE, IMPRESSIONS OF THOSE WHO COME REMAIN VERY VALUABLE TO OTHERS. Alexander van Terheyden, a traveler from the UK, applied for the longest Belarusian visa he could get and spent almost one month exploring Belarus and its capital. BelarusFeed has watched an hour-and-a-half long vlog the Englishman documented in Minsk to select the most curious observations he made. 1. Strikingly different architecture… Alexander keeps noticing how he likes the city’s architecture during the whole video. He says it is “strikingly different from what you see in the West” and “seriously impressive”. The traveler notices that there are few Catholic churches in Minsk and that he “appreciates the difference” of the Belarusian capital from typical European cities. 2. … and Soviet fingerprints everywhere Another interesting remark is that some places in the city remind of “1984” and Soviet spirit is felt very strongly. Still, the Englishman does not object to it. “Lenin’s monuments are OK. It is important to remember the history and not destroy everything you disagree with,” he said while observing the statue at Niezaliežnasci square. 3. Minsk is charming at night Even if you prefer sleeping at night (which is generally good) spare a few hours to take a slow walk around the centre after the sun’s down and illumination’s on. “Minsk is beautiful at night!” the British traveler stated and recommended seeing it with your own eyes. 4. It reminds Singapore in terms of safety While we, as locals, would say that Singapore comparison is a bit of an overstatement, we would not disagree with Alexander completely. Travelers typically notice there’s much police in the streets of Minsk. It is for them to judge, but one thing is true: you can walk outside even when it is rather late without any fear. Unless you are in Shabany district, though. 5. Nightclubs are not great musically Alexander liked rock bars in Minsk, but wasn’t so enthusiastic about night clubs. “Night clubs in Minsk are not great musically,” he stated. However, “people are very nice so it makes any night out”, the traveler adds, and one can see that he is being frank judging by the many episodes from night clubs in the video. Plus, clubs are 90% women! 6. There is a permanent circus This is even cute how impressed the Englishman was to see a permanent circus in Minsk. He described the building as grand and said there are no circuses like this in Western Europe. By the way, if you decide to visit a performance in Minsk circus, make sure you buy the tickets well in advance. It is almost as popular the the Opera and Ballet theatre! 7. WWII museum might move you to tears Alex did not miss a chance to visit the WWII museum. After a tour that lasted several hours (an organized excursion would take even longer), the traveler said the exposition gives a perspective on how the things are and teaches that Belarus actually lost millions of people not just because of the Holocaust. The guy found the museum to be very emotional and rated it with 5 stars. P.s. If you are interested in that period of history, consider visiting the National Arts Museum as well. Alexander found some “great WWII art” there, too. 8. There are no Brits but there are many Chinese tourists “I never met a Brit in 28 days in Belarus. Which is cool!” the traveler remarks. Meanwhile, the UK guest saw many Chinese tourists in Minsk. And many military personnel (Alexander was visiting in May, a month of the Victory Day), whom he kept admiring for their tall hats! 9. The National Library is like a villain secret base Alexander explored one of the most famous building of Minsk very thoroughly: he went inside to see the reading halls and rose up to the observation desk. “23 floors up – that’s where the top villain drinks his champagne”, the traveler joked. The part with the visit to the library in the beginning of the video is actually one of the most fun episodes of the vlog, which we strongly recommend! 10. Belarusians are awesome and like karaoke The opinion of the UK guy about the locals is conclusive: people in Belarus are “super awesome” and kind. “I never met a hostile Belarusian,” Alexander said. Mind that his visit was not devoid of bureaucratic hardship. For example, he had to register several times as he moved from one accommodating to the other. The traveler was also fined $150 for the missed registration deadline. Another interesting thing Alexander noticed is that karaoke is very popular in Belarus. “Locals take it seriously,” he concluded after his Belarusian friends took him to a karaoke club. So, should you risk repeating the UK’s guest experience (at least for a short visit) or not? Alex said a definite ‘yes’. “If it’s a country or city you’ve never considered, you should question that,” he said in the end. “Lots of parks, big open spaces, impressive buildings and huge thumbs up for the people!” So hurry up, while Belarus is STILL the least visited country by tourists in Europe.

Back in February, I ventured to YouTube's flagship London event - VidCon. Not in any way to be confused with ComicCon or conference that promotes VHS or anything random to do with Videos - this was purely YouTube Related. I have a YouTube Channel - it's gaining Subscribers every day - Thank you each and every one of you. So with this newfound following, I figured let's go and learn how to YouTube in more detail. I bought my ticket on Groupon - yes really Groupon! I'm too small to be offered Free Tickets - maybe one day! Although even YouTubers with Millions of followers I think have to pay for their tickets I believe. If you have not used Groupon before - use this link - to get £6 off your first order if used within 72 hours. If you are curious what VidCon was Like. Here is a video I made of that day. The Wondering Englishman is Alex van Terheyden - if you wish to contact him please reach out via this blog or website.

As you may or may not have noticed. I just uploaded to my YouTube Channel my adventure in Odessa Ukraine. This time I split the adventure into 2 parts. I hope that if you have any inclination to discover The Pearl of the Black Sea then maybe you will take the time to sit down and watch these two videos. It's a big ask given how long they are but then why should I cater for the MTV Generation? Enjoy! And here is the Second Part >>

Karma means action, work or deed; it also refers to the spiritual principle of cause and effect where intent and actions of an individual (cause) influence the future of that individual (effect). Good intent and good deeds contribute to good karma and future happiness, while bad intent and bad deeds contribute to bad karma and future suffering. The philosophy of karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in many schools of Indian religions (particularly Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Taoism). In these schools, karma in the present affects one's future in the current life, as well as the nature and quality of future lives. The mainstream Media (The MSM) have for far too long decided to ditch real journalism and instead focus on Click Bait journalism. Gone are the days where truth mattered (Yes there are few left but the majority do not care for Truth). In recent years as the Media moved away from the printing press - every story published online needed to command clicks - if a story didn't command clicks then it wouldn't make the Media Publication any money. For a story to make money for the Owner of the Publication that story needed to be seen by many - known as a Click & a View. Every time you the reader clicked on a page that had adverts the paper would be paid for that impression. If you the reader/viewer went one step further and clicked on the advert the publication would earn even more money sometimes via an affiliate sale (a % of the transaction value is paid to the Publication) or simply a fee for bringing someone to another businesses website. As the MSM is controlled by big business and special interests it's not in their interest to remain neutral and impartial on news it would put out. They would push their interest because why not, they owned the publication they could push what ever agenda they wanted. Now sometimes the agenda may seem harmless - talking up big business that was in some way connected to the Publication. However, as The MSM over the decades has become owned by the few rather than the many, the agenda has become more and more focused on Globalism and promoting the agendas that enabled them to make Super Normal Profits. The MSM due to it's Special controlling interests have clearly decided it won't remain neutral when it prints its so called news it will instead push its agenda with its news stories. The failing MSM in recent years decided it would hire biased Activists rather than Journalists who value the truth and integrity. However, with each story the MSM pushed upon the masses the trust in the MSM vanished. People no longer trust organisations like CNN, The BBC, The New York Times, The Guardian and the list could go on for pages and pages. Only 6% of the American public Trusts the Mainstream Media. As the trust vanished as people saw through their biased Neo-Liberal Globalist agendas the MSM had to push more and more click bait. Click bait examples like the ones above or provocative headlines used to trigger the opposition to react or the brainwashed to share. Truth no longer mattered in modern journalism and it didn't matter whose name they smeared in the drive for clicks. But what's all this got to do with Karma I hear you asking? When the MSM has been pushing its biased agenda for decades and ignoring the facts and more than willing to smear names through the gutter to further their Globalist agenda, Karma finally starts to catch up to these corrupt unethical journalists. In recent days the gutter press has announced that it has started laying off large numbers of its terrible journalists because the lies and click bait format clearly isn't working. Independent media is getting more clicks and views than large chunks of the gutter press can command. PewdiePie (the Largest Independent YouTuber) has a lighthearted news Programme on YouTube called PewNews - this News programme gets more than CNN, The BBC News & Channel 4 News on Youtube combined on a weekly basis. And you wonder why they keep smearing Pewdiepie by inferring he is a Nazi (he isn't just in case you were wondering). The public see's through their lies and Karma is paying these institutions back. As Huffington Post & Buzzfeed journalists begin the search for new work many of the public have fist pumped the air and offered a suggestion to these lying activists who have been happy to push the Globalists agenda since their careers began at these unethical/un-trusted institutions. The response has been simple "LEARN TO CODE!" Fitting when so many news articles have been written in recent years by these same Activists telling those in the 'Rust Belt' and those in low income jobs who had recently been laid off to "learn to code". So partonising and insulting - but the articles didn't stop. On the Left a Member of Twitter telling the world he doesn't care if the Journalists are upset about being told to Learn to Code. And below a blue Tick Twitter User who is very upset about being told to learn to code! All human beings deserve a second & even third chance. I actually hope these so called journalists do find work again. It's not nice being out of work but maybe in their next occupation they won't push the Globalists Neo-Liberal agenda's for clicks. As the MSM sinks in its own mess only time will tell if they will change their ways before they all go bust. My guess there will always be big pockets willing to fund Fake News to push their Globalist agenda but because of this they will never regain the public's trust and Independent media will emerge and thrive. One wonder's how long it will take for the masses to wake up that the Media lies to us everyday.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the capital of Turkey - Ankara. While in Ankara I found myself in the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations. It was here that I witnessed evidence of possibily one of our planets oldest civilsations (at least recorded). Many Scientists believe the Ancient Sumerians to be the oldest in recorded history but the recent findings at Gobekli Tepe could actually prove the cradle of civilisation began in mordern day Turkey rather than Iraq. Findings that of course many Scientists dispute and are now currently arguing about. Until my recent trip to the capital of Turkey I was slightly in the dark about Gobekli Tepe. I had heard about it but I have to admit I hadn't taken the trouble to study in detail about this amazing place. Göbekli Tepe, Turkish for "Potbelly Hill", is an archaeological site in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, approximately 7 miles northeast of the city of Şanlıurfa. The tell has a height of 15 m (49 ft) and is about 300 m (980 ft) in diameter. It is approximately 760 m (2,490 ft) above sea level. The tell includes two phases of use believed to be of a social or ritual nature dating back to the 11th–8th millennium BCE. During the first phase, belonging to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A, circles of massive T-shaped stone pillars were erected – the world's oldest known megaliths. More than 200 pillars in about 20 circles are currently known through geophysical surveys. Each pillar has a height of up to 6 m (20 ft) and weighs up to 10 tons. They are fitted into sockets that were hewn out of the bedrock. In the second phase, belonging to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB), the erected pillars are smaller and stood in rectangular rooms with floors of polished lime. The site was abandoned after the PPNB. Younger structures date to classical times. The details of the structure's function remain a mystery. It was excavated by a German archaeological team under the direction of Klaus Schmidt from 1996 until his death in 2014. Schmidt believed that the site was a sanctuary where people from a wide region periodically congregated, not a settlement. In 2018, the site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Now I didn't actually visit Göbekli Tepe due to the fact its in a volitile part of Turkey very close to the Syrian border - I didn't want to be in the next ISIS YouTube Video. I'm happy being in my own YouTube videos that I direct and keep my head. Although once the region becomes safer I plan to visit Göbekli Tepe. I'm of the belief the sight appeared either before or after the Meterorite hit Greenland some 12-14,000 years ago. This Meterorite impact was again only recently discovered and potentially Reset human civilisation, wiped out many large mammals and possibly caused the last age. In my next video which I will release on YouTube very soon I discover a little bit about Göbekli Tepe. I hope you can join me when that's released to discover something about possibly the world's oldest known civilisation. Click Subscribe on my YouTube Channel to be alerted when that video appears. https://youtu.be/z6a0KvSHYN4