Back in the 1880s, when Van Gogh was plodding through the Brabant potato fields, Eindhoven was just a small Catholic town. Now it is the fifth largest city in the Netherlands, with an acclaimed modern art museum and a world-class design academy. I thought I knew the city. Many years ago, I got off the train to take a look around. It struck me as a rather soulless place compared to other Dutch towns. Hardly surprising when you learn that the centre was heavily bombed by the Allies during the Second World War. All I can remember is dull post-war architecture and a large blue Philips sign hovering in the sky. I caught the next train. Not thinking that I would ever go back. But then I did. And I discovered that Eindhoven has changed.