This fall, we surprised our guests with falconry. No, no, none of the living creatures was hurt: the “hunting” consists in the performance of various commands and tricks by hunting birds, traditionally living in ancient castles.
For a long time, real falconry was a means of cultural communication between the kingdoms. The best falconers in all of Europe were of Dutch origin, and the town of Valkenswaard in the south of the country owes its name to the falcons: valk means “falcon” in Dutch.
To get a falconer diploma, you need to take a theoretical course and spend at least two years with a mentor who is a member of a recognized association.
Acknowledge the importance of these birds in history: the country has a Falcon Museum, a collection of 200 books on falconry in the National Library of the Netherlands, and the main museum of the country Rijksmuseum 5 years ago dedicated one of its exhibitions to these feathered predators. It is not only about cheese, friends.
The group that “hunted” in the castle, chose a combined tour to the Netherlands and Belgium. They managed to do everything: to have a shot of strong genever, and to snack on Belgian waffles, and to make chocolate with their own hands, and to learn how to lower herring fillets down their mouths no worse than locals do.
Benelux is ideal for those who want to see a lot without wasting time on long journeys - you can get tired only of the amount of entertainment.
But we know you are ready for this!