The Dutch weather; ever-changing and highly unpredictable!
The Dutch weather; ever-changing and highly unpredictable! If you have been spending some time in the Netherlands, you have probably noticed how the Dutch love to talk about the Dutch weather. It’s an everyday topic of conversation that never seems to get dull. And that makes sense, because the Dutch weather tends to be ever-changing […]
It’s ‘Prinsjesdag’ today, a day full of traditions
Every year on the third Tuesday of September, all members of Dutch parliament dress their best, and gather traditionally in the Ridderzaal (Knight’s Hall) in Den Haag (The Hague) to listen to the Troonrede, (Speech of the Throne) read out loud by the head of state, the monarch. This year it is not possible to keep all traditions alive. Because […]
Op vakantie!
Op vakantie! Going on vacation – the Dutch way Mid-summer has arrived and so have the school vacations. Dutch families, friends, couples and solo travellers are preparing to take off on their vacation. Now, there’s several ways the Dutch like to spend their vacation. Or, differently put: there’s different kind of Dutch holiday […]
De Nederlandse sportzomer
The so-called ‘Nederlandse sportzomer’ (Summer of Sports) is on its way! Having launched with the European soccer Championships, the summer of 2021 really will be full of sports events: from Wimbledon and the Tour the France to the Grand Prix and the Tokyo Olympics Games – we can’t wait for it all to get started, so […]
Meet the Oranjes: The Dutch Royal family
Did you know that the Netherlands is one of the seven koninkrijken (kingdoms) in Europe? Het Koninklijk huis (The royal house), as the Dutch royal family is referred to, is very popular in the Netherlands, but also sometimes a topic of discussion. Some love the tradition of a monarchy, some think it is a bit […]
The Paashaas is coming to town! Celebrating Easter in the Netherlands
Easter is around the corner, and in the Netherlands this festivity usually marks the beginning of spring time. The first rays of sunshine have broken through, flowers start to bloom and more and more time is spent outdoors. Easter is a widely celebrated family holiday in the Netherlands and it comes with some century old […]
Giving compliments in Dutch: our DIY guide
Whoever’s lived in the Netherlands for a while, knows: the Dutch are not particularly lavish with giving compliments. That’s probably because traditionally in the Netherlands, being normal (and thus not standing out) is considered to be a virtue. This, however, doesn’t mean that the Dutch don’t love to receive compliments. After all, compliments make people […]
Oranjekoorts: Why the Dutch have orange blood running through their veins during sports events
Did you know that the Netherlands are a real sports country? Although we are such a small country, our orange-clad sportsmen and women have set many world records and have won many medals over the years. From voetbal (football) to schaatsen (ice skating) to the typical Dutch korfbal, the Dutchies are of all trades. Have […]
Goede voornemens: How the Dutch envision a happy new year
New year, new me. Or as they would say in the Netherlands: ‘Nieuwe ronde, nieuwe kansen’ (new round, new opportunities). It is 2021, and with the start of a new year come the new year’s resolutions. In Dutch, we call them goede voornemens (good intentions). Curious about some of the most popular goede voornemens in […]
Oliebollen and DIY fireworks: The Dutch way of celebrating the new year
Gelukkig Nieuwjaar everyone! Yesterday, we said goodbye to 2020 and toasted to a new year to come. In the Netherlands there are few evenings that are more widely celebrated than Oud en Nieuw (Old and New, that’s how the Dutch refer to New Year’s eve). Of course, things looked slightly different than usual this year, […]
Why the Dutch cuisine is perfect to warm you up in winter time
Sinterklaas: Why most Dutch children look forward to December 5th rather than Christmas Eve
Sinterklaas has arrived in the Netherlands! Who? If you ever visited the Netherlands around the beginning of December, you might have noticed that store decorations, tv-commercials and advertisements are not necessarily Christmas-spirited yet. Not Santa Claus, but another white-bearded, old man in red clothes, accompanied by his colorfully dressed helping hands, the Pieten, is what […]
There are some reasons to hate Dutch autumn, but more reasons to love it!
Pouring rain, a wind force of 8, grey, cloudy and dark days: this is probably what comes to mind when you’re thinking about autumn in the Netherlands. And you’re not entirely wrong: Autumn is indeed the wettest season here. But autumn days can also be beautiful, bright and mild in temperature, as proven last week. […]
