Official figures show a dramatic reduction in the number of bikes stolen in the Netherlands last year. The Dutch are well-known as a nation of cyclists and bike theft causes much irritation. Just over half a million bicycles were taken in 2009 compared to about three-quarters of a million in 2006. This is down to [...]
I did wonder, as I am sure many people do. Why do the Dutch wear Orange when their flag is Red, White and Blue? Why do the Dutch people have such a strong relationship with the colour Orange. Orange is the colour of the Dutch Royal Family, the lineage of the current dynasty, the House [...]
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Queens Day / Koninginnedag : or is it Orange Crazy Day – for the House of Orange. The shops are full of Orange merchandise right from 1st April – not just for the week prior to the big day. My memory from last year is obviously a bit out of tune. Is that short term [...]
In the Netherlands one buys Chips / Frites at a Chip Shop or is it a Frites Shop. It comes in a paper cone and it is slathered with mayonnaise and/or ketchup or some other saucy offerings and is often served with a serviette (necessary with all that sauce), and a little plastic or wooden [...]
Only a Netherlander would drive in an open convertible MGB and leave it open all day when there is snow all around and it could even rain – and then get into in the evening and drive away with it still open. That is a positive view on life
Continuing the story of our doctor / patient relationship (business partnership). The drugs that I use are for Asthma and I need a new prescription every 3 months. So I wandered back to the doctors to arrange an appointment to organise a new prescription. I did not phone for an appointment because I do not [...]
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Here we are in the Netherlands alone, together for New Years Eve 2008. Our first ever here, but our second in Europe as we spent New Years Eve in Switzerland in 2005 with our son. We haven’t even partaken of schnapps or herrings – all the normal things that we would be doing in New [...]
Sent in response to a wooden toothbrush holder with a timer sent to her preschool son Viggo for Christmas. It was beautifully made and painted in bright bright colours. I have no idea where it was made but I did buy it in the Netherlands. **I used that Dutch teethbrushing timer thingy today – who [...]
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This is the News from the Netherlands Grandad and I have been on a bus tour which included a stop at a wooden shoe factory. The tour group included people from many countries so the tour guide told us about the sights we passed along the way in a number of lanuguages. He spoke in [...]
