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This Dutch Treat is Racist Posted by on Jun 6, 2016

At least, so they say! Today, I have a rather controversial post for you. It is about “chocolate-coated marshmallow treats”, as Wikipedia likes to call them. I am talking about these things: Negerzoen and its origins What is controversial about them? In the Netherlands and Germany, they are known as Negerzoenen or Negerküsse, which literally translates to “Nigger Kisses”…

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The First Asparagus Picking NK Posted by on May 29, 2016

Yesterday, the first Nederlands Kampioenschap (NK) (Dutch Championship) asperges steken (picking asparagus). Deelnemers (participants) from the twelve Dutch provinces competed on the aspergekwekerij (asparagus farm) Boereblij in Blaricum, province Noord-Holland (North Holland). Last year, we covered the first NK tegenwindfietsen. The Dutch like to invent creative championships to compete against each other!  Het Kampioenschap The deelnemers…

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De Trap was opened in Rotterdam Posted by on May 16, 2016

Uitkijkpunt De Trap (Observation point The Stairs) was opened today. It is right next to the Centraal Station Rotterdam (Central Station Rotterdam). Burgemeester (mayor) Ahmed Aboutaleb opened the construction today for the public. It attracted a huge menigte (crowd), and within one and a half hours, already 2000 people had climbed De Trap! Why was it built? This year, it is exactly 75…

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Drought in the Netherlands Posted by on May 11, 2016

A few weeks ago, as I was traveling from Maastricht to Amsterdam by train, I kept looking out enjoying the view full of farms, green areas and streams. The groenheid of the Netherlands has always amazed me (perhaps because I grew up in Texas…not so much green there!). After some contemplation, I began wondering if it…

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What do you think? The Stiltecoupé Posted by on May 2, 2016

In most Intercity’s (intercity train – high speed trains) of Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) (Dutch Railways – NS, the main railway company), you will find a stiltecoupé (silence train compartment), in which you are not allowed to talk. Intended for people that want to travel in silence, because they read a book, need to focus on some work, want to do a…

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April (weather) does what it wants Posted by on Apr 27, 2016

This month there has been a Dutch saying that I have heard almost on a daily basis: April doet wat het wil. It is very true that April does what it wants, at least this April. The weather in the Netherlands has been nothing short of gek with temperatures reaching the 20 degrees Celsius and then…

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Garde Robe: An Amazing Discovery From The Golden Age Posted by on Apr 21, 2016

Last Thursday, a most verbazingwekkend (astonishing) discovery was published: a lading (cargo) of 17th century noble items, most importantly a vorstelijk gewaad (royal gown) were found! In the waters off the island Texel, many scheepswrakken (ship wrecks) from that time, the Gouden Eeuw (Golden Age – see below in the Sideline) were lying out there, waiting for cargo. Because of wind and weather, many of them zonken (sank) and…

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