My Top 5 Places in Tilburg
Since my relocation to Tilburg in March 2015, I haven’t really had the need to explore the city in great depth, I hadn’t built any knowledge up of the place at all in all honesty. I got to someone’s house by car, I go home by car. I go to the stores by car, I come home by car. It became crystal clear to me a couple of weeks ago actually, when out having coffee with my girlfriend and her sister. Conversation turned to, where would we each live in Tilburg, if given the choice. Well I had no idea, I couldn’t even name two places in Tilburg let alone pick the best spot. In contrast, if you take Bristol for example, I know every suburb, every district every good and bad street within a 10mile radius of my old house, but here, not a clue. I know north, west, near where so and so lives, or, y’know it,“my cousin lived there” (I swear her cousin has lived on every street!)
And so I thought about the places I do know. Well not so much places but more like things. I should rename the title to My Top 5 Things in Tilburg. I’m not though. The following places are places I love to go, places that mean or signify something to me. And so, without further ado
5. Doner Corner Wandelboslaan 32, 5042 PD Tilburg
Why a kebab takeaway?
Kapsalon. It has made me fall in love with cooking again. Let me explain, please. I had spent so much of my life cooking, in one form, or another, and I grew tired of it, I’d go as far to say I hated it. I’d become disillusioned with it. Then I tried a kapsalon (For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, click here. It inspired me to recreate the flavours and that spread over to other dishes and before you know it, I love cooking again. That’s why it is in my Top 5.
4. Basic Fit Artemisstraat 6, 5042 XA Tilburg
Ok; this signifies working out in general.
There is nothing more satisfying than relieving all that pent up stress and frustration on the treadmill or on the bike. I always train on an empty stomach and it feels great. I haven’t always been fond of physical activity it’s true, but since moving here, it’s become part of my lifestyle.
3. Pathé Cinema Pieter Vreedeplein 174, 5038 BW Tilburg
who doesn’t love the cinema, right?
This had to be on my Top 5. Firstly it’s the best cinema in Tilburg (except Mondays, because in Euroscoop it’s only 5Euros per ticket) and secondly, it has a great coffee machine in the movie lobby. I love movies, and to come here, and watch my favourite movies in all it’s IMAX glory, well that’s just gravy. I have a tattoo on my arm based on a tattoo from a movie, it’s my personal homage to the world of film, so having a cinema, on my Top 5 was a no brainer.
2. The Central Library Koningsplein 10, 5038 WG Tilburg
A library, over the internet? What?
This is a fantastic place, first and foremost. Over multiple stories (see what I did there?? Did you?) it is a treasure trove of information, just waiting to be discovered. It has a café, which employs staff who are challenged or disabled, and I love the whole feel of the café, not to mention exceedingly good cakes (sorry, I will stop). All in All the library is one of my favourite places in the world, not just Tilburg. It is a central hub to a lot of communities who regularly meet there for classes or discussions. I have spent countless hours in there trying to learn Dutch and read my favourite comics, albeit in Dutch.
1. Efteling Europalaan 1, 5171 KW Kaatsheuvel
Technically it’s not Tilburg, But it is 13km from my apartment.
I used to hate theme parks. Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, even Efteling, and the reason I disliked them so much was because I was afraid to go on the rides. I think it was my weight, I thought the safety bar or straps wouldn’t close properly because I was too big, and I would end up flung into oblivion. Efteling is, by far, my girlfriends favourite place, on the planet. She had a season pass every year without fail and would spend many, many days in there. She asked me to give the park one more chance to make an impression on me, which I reluctantly agreed to. It was a family day out after all, her sisters were going, her mum was going, and even her sister’s husband was going. How could I refuse? Nowadays, I don’t weigh nearly as much as I did the last time I went to Alton Towers, and of course a lot slimmer, so when asked if I would actually do any ride this time, I nodded meekly, and we made our way to a ride called the Baron…It is a beast of a ride, almost vertical drops, loops, spins, the works. Queuing up was ok, a little excited, a little nervous, anxious to get it over and done with. Once I was in the seat, all that filtered away. I was by now petrified. I had suddenly remembered why I hated theme parks, I was clamped in, no way to get out. Whoosh, we were off. Up. Down.Left.Right, then up,up,up,up and we stopped,for what felt like an eternity. Then down down down DOWN, twisting, turning swaying, OMG why have I not done this before? This is the best thing in the world!!! Then it’s over, no sooner than it began. I went on every ride everyone else did that day. I have a horrible fear of heights but nothing stopped me going on the pirate ship, the tallest in Europe. For that day I felt like a kid again, being shown a whole new exhilarating world. Now my girlfriend wishes I’d stop asking when are we going back.
Originally published at www.thedailygrindnl.com on October 31, 2017.