From the editors
SOUTH-LIMBURG! Words and Images Robert van Overveld
Perhaps you already know this part of the country, perhaps you don't; The South of Limburg. In 2016 rewarded with the best touristic destination in the world by the World Travel & Tourism Council. Also, the region which earned about 80% of the GNP in parts of the 20th century. It happens to be the place I grew up in and where I walked, cycled and enjoyed myself many times. So with today's theme "where?", I decided to take you to this unique place.
First things first; The small bubble all the way down is the south of Limburg. The main cities are Maastricht and Heerlen. Approximately 600.000 live here in the region. Both Belgium and Germany are close at hand, which means that people can profit from three countries, which is great. The area has been used by the Romans and was Charlemagne's (Important European king) backyard in the early Middle Ages. 20
When asking my grandmother about Limburg, she explains that this southern part of the country was quite the place to be in the 60’s and 70’s. Coming from Rotterdam, she was excited to live here. About 80% of the GDP was earned by the coal mines that were located here, and the population was profiting from that—a sort of golden age of the region. Even housing and education was taken care of by the mine, and people were getting a good income as well. The brotherhood that existed because of the shared days undergrounds was very strong. This union among people echoed in other domains as well and has been the backbone of the region. Nevertheless, has been challenged in the last decades. About 47 years ago, the mines closed. Since then, many things have changed. The closing of the mines left a hole tough to fill in the region, of which struggle is shown by its shrinking population and degrading purpose since then. Nevertheless, one will still feel very welcome in the south, still known for its warm character. When entering the deep south of the Netherlands, one will quickly see another plate on the table and be offered some food. That's why it's often compared to Mediterranean cultures. That's also why the word "bourgondisch" is often mentioned when people talk about this region, referring to a more loose focus on good food and drinks. "Hollander" (Dutchmen) is, on the contrary, used for cheap-goat and we talk about "haagse kopjes", a small amount of coffee that one would get in The Hague.
