Stuff Dutch people like

There is this book called ‘Stuff Dutch People Like’ by Colleen Geske and I have to say, it is very funny. And true. I recognized a lot of stuff that I did not even think as unusual or even ‘typical Dutch’.
The author is from Canada, but she is living in Amsterdam. The book discusses many topics like ‘gezelligheid’, stroopwafels, red pants, Dutch directness, the colour orange and more oh-so-Dutch things.

There are so many things that I find funny/normal yet are weird to tourists. For example, explaining what ‘hagelslag’ is, is always funny. ‘Chocolate sprinkles on your bread?’ Sure parents do not want their children to eat a lot of candy, but there is nothing wrong with eating it on your bread! Adding a thick layer of butter on the bread makes it even better!

The book also describes that when it is someone’s birthday, we congratulate everyone present at the birthday party. I had no idea that was weird. My experience with the ‘congratulations phenomenon’ was when it was my mother’s birthday; my cousin posted something on my Facebook page, congratulating my mother. And like the true Nederlander I am, I congratulated her with her aunt’s birthday. Unnecessary? Maybe. Nice gesture? Yes!

For those who have not seen ‘Pulp Fiction’, there is this scene where John Travolta talks about how here in the Netherlands we eat our fries with mayonnaise instead of ketchup, followed by Samuel L. Jackson’s priceless reply: ‘Yuck!’ I like ketchup, but when I buy fries somewhere (Febo, Smullers etc.) I have to eat it with mayonnaise. Whatever the menu tells me, there is no other option. And if I find mayonnaise on my sandwich, my day will be ruined. Yuck!

Sitting behind the reception I get a lot of questions, and translating the word ‘gezellig’ is almost inevitable. My explanation is this: It is all about the context you use it in. A house can be ‘gezellig’ and it would mean it looks cosy. Going out for dinner can be ‘gezellig’ which means you are having a good time. A person can be ‘gezellig’ and it will mean that the person is fun to be around. It always has a positive meaning. Except when you use it in a sarcastic manner, like I do very often (‘Dit restaurant ziet er ook gezellig uit (!)’ would mean something like ‘this restaurant sure looks great (!)’).

The only thing I, as a true Nederlander, cannot understand, do not want to understand and will never understand, are bicycles. I hate them, which apparently is very rare here in the Netherlands. I hate riding them and I hate avoiding people on bikes even more.

That being said, every country and culture has its quirks. Of course this will be normal for me, simply because I was brought up with it. The book (which was based on a blog by the author) is written in a way that you cannot help but laugh. In no way is this offensive and I really enjoyed reading it. If you are staying at Hostelle, check out our bookshelves because we have it.

Edam, Volendam & Marken

Hi there our beloved readers!

I know most of the posts in this blog are about Amsterdam, but couldn´t help to share with you three little treasures that I recently discovered in the surroundings of the city.

Last week, three friends of mine were visiting me for a few days. I showed them the city and they loved it, of course! I took them to an excursion one day as well; we visited Edam, Volendam and Marken which are pretty close among them. I had never visited this places before, so what a better excuse to go if some friends are visiting you and they are willing to see new places!

We departed from Centraal Station by bus and we could enjoy a scenic drive through the beautiful countryside of the Netherlands, and it is only a bit more than thirty minutes away from Amsterdam!

Our first destination was Edam. Does this name ring a bell? Yes, it is a kind of cheese and it was named this way because of this little town. We walked this cozy place through its charming streets and along its bridges and canals, it was lovely! It is a shame we missed the cheese market, it takes place every Wednesday morning during summer and I´ve heard it is fantastic to see!

Our second stop was Volendam; the most touristy of the three towns. It is a fishing village located along the Ijseel lake and its tiny and colourful houses next to the little harbour make it enchanting. There are a lot of souvenir shops and restaurants where you can enjoy a very nice meal with some fish and seafood specialties. The views from the port are breath-taking.

Last but not least, we visited Marken. It is a peninsula which is only accessible by sea or by the only one road that leads you to the town. This place is beyond beautiful; personally, the prettiest place of the three towns. Its wooden dark-green houses in combination with the little harbour filled with sailboats make it authentic and unique. There is a wooden shoemaker where, a part from finding all kind of different souvenirs, you can watch how a craftsman works.

All these places and more can be visited only in one day if you like. I highly recommend taking a trip to this part of the province. Amsterdam itself is full of things to visit and do, but it is worth it to spend a day outside the city if you want to discover the real Dutch countryside.

We got this ticket (Amsterdam & Region day card) for 13.50€ that includes all EBS and Connexxion buses and all trams, buses and metro within the city center for 24 hours. Such a nice deal! You can also go to places like Haarlem, Zandvoort or visit the windmills at Zaanse Schans. You can get this ticket in a few stations, including Centraal.

Trust me, if you go and visit these towns, you will have the need to show them to every person that comes to the Netherlands!

Amsterdam airport: Schiphol

If you’ve travelled to The Netherlands, you’ve probably travelled through Schiphol, Amsterdam airport. When I was little, I often went on holiday with my parents. We almost always travelled by airplane, and because we are Amsterdammers, our journey started at the Schiphol Airport. Even though I’ve been to the airport at least twenty times before I was 13, I don’t remember a lot of Schiphol. I do remember being impressed by the huge airplanes; I still am. Next to this, I recall listening to the music that could be controlled from the arm rests (magic?), great views from the tiny window, and my favourite part of flying: the airplane meals and complementary peanuts.

Last year was the first time in quite a few years I stepped into an airplane. Of course, my journey started at Schiphol. I was impressed by the massive airport, and couldn’t recall it being so big. Shops, restaurants and cafes were expected, but the library and museums caught my attention! I got curious about the airport, and did some reading. I found out some interesting things.

Old picture taken from the departure hall. Source: Schiphol

Schiphol is the largest airport in the Netherlands, and one of the busiest in Europe. I was surprised to learn that the area where the airport is built on used to be a lake: Haarlemmermeer. After draining this lake, the Dutch built Fort Schiphol in 1852 to protect this polder. Its first use as an airport was many years later. It became a military airport in 1916, during the First World War. After the war, they started transport freight, mail, and later passengers. This ended when Nazi Germany bombed the airport in 1940. The Dutch rebuild the airport, and it could be used again in 1945. It took four years to build a new station hall. Schiphol has expanded quite a bit in the past seventy years.

Nowadays, Schiphol has six landing strips, and a total size of 2,787 hectare! In 2013 52,569,200 passengers arrived, departed and transferred in Schiphol. To give you something to compare this enormous number with, in 1920 this amount was only 440 passengers. Also in 2013, 440,057 planes arrived and departed from the airport. They counted ‘only’ 1,649 airplanes in 1940.

Just like in all big airports you’ll find bars, restaurants and stores in Schiphol. I love that there’s an airport library, meditation center, relaxing chairs, massage center, and even a park. Yes, a park! I wish I knew about this last time I went abroad.

Schiphol airport park. Source: Dearcustomer.nl

You have all the facilities you need in this major place. If you want, you never have to leave. It’s a nice environment, clean, and filled with kind people who are always willing to help you. Flying is not, and will probably never be my favourite way of travelling. But this has nothing to do with Schiphol of course. If anything, the airport has all the elements to prepare for a relaxed journey.

What are your experiences in Schiphol Airport? I’m curious, so please let me know.