We stand squished between strangers. Cheers, screams and pounding music rise up all around us. Confetti rockets out of cannons and rains down on sweaty faces. Rainbow colors soar from windows and adorn painted cheeks. This is Pride Amsterdam 2018. The theme this year was “Heroes”. The website has the following statement: “Everyone knows someone who deserves the ‘hero status’. Think of people who take the lead, stand for something and also propagate it in public. It concerns people,…
Summer is finally here! We have those hot days and mild nights that had been promised to us. Now what exactly do I love about a Dutch summer? There are a number of things but a few really stick out for me. Long days During the Dutch summer, the sun rises early and sets around 11pm. This makes the days super long! You wake up and the sun is up. You go to bed and the sun is just setting……
Saturdays are usually a time for us to be lazy but we made an exception for Moshi Moshi Fair 2018. Inspired by the traditional Japanese matsuri, Moshi Moshi Fair came with the promise to allow visitors to experience Japanese Culture at its best. This year it was located in Amstel Park. Japanese Festivities There were a few traditional Japanese games like fishing for prizes or using a small gun to hit a target. However, food was probably the main stage here. Delicious…
Don’t get me wrong, the Dutch are very personable people. That becomes a whole different story when it comes to the weather though. The weather is a topic often spoken about on a casual basis. Most of the time I’m asked about my thoughts on the weather. I also get “Why are you wearing so many warm things?” It’s because I came from very warm place! If I’m too cold then I leap into my cozy sweatshirts and warm socks.…
Rambunctious Koningsdag celebrating beings the night before and continues on into the next morning. Sprawling dance parties are held in each major city across the nation. Markets with stalls overflowing with goods line up in front of closed store fronts. Flags with the Dutch colors fly over most houses. Everyone is wearing tall hats and neon orange shirts. What exactly causes the Dutch to celebrate so extensively for one day a year? King’s Day is the birthday of the current…
When you think of traditional noble families and the sprawling castles they called home, you can’t forget the massive plots of land they kept for entertainment. Most nobility had the coin to keep large gardens and Erenstein Castle (this page is in Dutch!) is no exception. Dating back to the 14th century, this castle is kept so well that it looks and feels relevant today. It probably doesn’t help that it doubles as a hotel but still. A part of Dutch…
Finally. I know you’re taking to show yourself in The Netherlands but at least I know you’re here. I haven’t been more excited for you to arrive. There are a number of reasons I’m so thankful for your arrival. First and foremost because of the warm weather. While I enjoy wearing hoodies, it can get old after 6 months. I want to wear shorts and sneakers again. I want to feel light and free when I leave the house. I…
I’m always excited to get out and about, especially when we head out to Amsterdam. A big city, as always, is filled with the hustle and bustle of both native and tourists alike. Since the crowd can be overwhelming for us, we tend to space our visits out when choosing something busy. These are the events we’re planning on attending in The Netherlands this year. Several Music events at AFAS I’ve always wanted to attend live shows of my favorite artists…
First of all, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and of course we still have New Year’s to look forward to (here it’s called Oud en Nieuw, or Old and New) but I want to share how we spent our Christmas. We had, what the Dutch call, a gezellig Christmas. Wait, hold on a moment, what does gezellig mean? Sander defines gezellig as “being in a small and enjoyable setting with friends and family.” The term can be used…