This morning, after the Aalsmeer flower auction, the group took a short bus drive to The Hague.
The Hague is the seat of the Dutch government, so we got to see their parliament building where their Senate and Prime Minister do their work. A surprising thing to us Americans was the relatively relaxed security around these buildings. There were a few armed guards but not what I expected given the level of security at many places in Washington DC. Additionally, most countries have their embassies located here in The Hague.
In the middle of the government buildings located here is the Ridderzaal or the Knight’s Hall. It was built all the way back in the 13th century, and is still a prominent building for ceremonies and other events.
Another point of note about The Hague, is that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is based here. These proceedings sometimes take place at the Peace Palace which we got to see.