Archive for July, 2020
Reinforcing the Houtribdijk in the Netherlands Posted by Karoly Molina on Jul 29, 2020
One of the many wonders of the Netherlands is the intricate system of dikes that protect the country from flooding. The dikes or dijken have also worked as a way to to create more space in this relatively small country. In this post, I want to talk about one particular dike, the Houtribdijk, and the…
How to Get a Bike in the Netherlands Posted by Sten on Jul 27, 2020
So you’re moving to the Netherlands and you need to get around. Unlike the United States, the essential mode of transport is not a car, but a fiets (bike)! Their love for fietsen (to bike) is one of the most famous cultural distinctions of the Dutch. But how do you get one? Do you buy a nieuwe fiets (new bike)? Tweedehands (second-hand)? Or…
Binnenhof: Eerste Kamer Posted by Sten on Jul 21, 2020
The Binnenhof (Inner Court) is the center of the Dutch overheid (government). Located in the heart of Den Haag (The Hague), it oozes Dutch geschiedenis (history) and verhalen (stories). In this series, we’ll go building by building and explore what each is all about. Today, let’s check out the Eerste Kamer! For more posts in the Binnenhof series, click…
Knalplanga! Posted by Sten on Jul 13, 2020
July 4th was a little more than a week ago. Happy late 4th of July, dear Americans! It’s a day with parties, events and fireworks – and during the pandemic mostly the latter. But fireworks lead to injuries each year, even deaths. In the Netherlands, we have such issues too. Not in July, but in…
The (New) Canon of the Netherlands Posted by Karoly Molina on Jul 1, 2020
Earlier this year, I wrote about the Dutch canon. The new version of the canon has been made public and in this post, I will review some of the changes and controversy. De Canon van Nederland As I mentioned in an earlier post, the canon of the Netherlands is the accepted rules or standards for…