Eyserheide, South Limburg, hamlet of a few mainly timber-framed farms. by Marjolein Zijlstra

The sloping landscape of South Limburg is home to various hamlets that often consist mainly of old half-timbered houses, most of which belong to the agricultural character of the region, thus making an important contribution to the lovely atmosphere of the hilly countryside in South Limburg. The small scale of the use of the plots, the standard orchards in the landscape, the separation by hedges of various types of hedge plants, the daily grazing of different types of cattle such as various specific types of cattle, but also a number of sheep breeds that are clearly recognisable individually. All in all, this makes for a 5-star landscape where the life of the inhabitants is somewhat quieter, more convivial and slower than in the Randstad area of the Netherlands. The South Limburg hills are the run-up to the Eifel mountains in Germany and the Ardennes in Belgium, and because of the cross-border connection with these image-defining areas, the holiday feeling starts in South Limburg for many northern Dutch people. This is also enhanced by the presence of many half-timbered houses, buildings built from marl blocks, several fast-flowing rivers and streams, ample presence of forests of diverse vegetation. Maastricht is equally French-oriented, right at the border behind Maastricht the language change from Dutch to French takes place, just as in Vaals at the border crossings partly German but more southerly French is also spoken. As a result, Limburg dialects have also been strongly influenced by German and French in the past, and the sounds and many words from those languages are embedded in the Limburg dialect, making it often difficult to understand for people from outside Limburg. In any case, this print is a clear representation of Limburg's frequently lovely and genial agricultural landscape.