Tops & Flops

Vianne Sleijpen (57) is a hairdresser. She grew up on Capucijnenstraat, spent 9 years living in the Australian city of Perth, but grew homesick for Maastricht. She now lives in Wyck.

Tops

Sjiek en sjiet vianne
  • Cycling across the Sint Servaasbrug and feeling the buzz of the city
     
  • The city’s compactness 

    Theatre, music, art – everything’s close by. And I keep running into old friends.
     

  • Cörversplein 

    On sunny days, the terraces here catch the sun longer than anywhere else.
     

  • Carnival

    I go all out. My costume, all the stuff I bring – it just gets more and more as the days go on.
     

  • FASHIONCLASH Festival

    Amazing that it’s still going strong.
     

  • Bonnefanten Free Fridays (#BFF)

    Brilliant to see so many different people and so much art in 1 evening.
     

  • Zero For Three Festival at Muziekgieterij

    Great that it’s free again, just like Bruis Festival used to be.

Flops

  • Cinema Palace turning into a luxury hotel

    Do we really need another one? Maastricht is losing its rough edges – and that’s a shame.
     

  • Cars tearing through the city centre at full speed

     

  • The decline of typical Maastricht specialty shops

    It’s starting to feel a bit samey.
     

  • The disappearance of proper pubs

    And the rise of café-restaurants.
     

  • All the complaining

    People in Maastricht can be pretty critical. But I’m no different, of course.

Bonnefanten Free Fridays offer free entry to the Bonnefantenmuseum, with workshops and live performances. For dates and details, call 043 329 01 90, visit www.bonnefanten.nl or check their social media.
 

Photography

Kiboeki