Subsidize your rent Posted by noortje on Oct 13, 2010
One of the perks of living in Holland is that our government, although slow as a snare, is almost always willing to help us (or at least people like me: everything except ‘rich and famous’) out. So here I am, writing from my little-nut-really-mine-apartment, that I can pay thanks to the people from Den Haag…
Kip, Patat en Appelmoes Posted by Elena on Oct 10, 2010
It is hard to know whether my childhood desire to sing in front of large audiences of people was born of watching Kinderen voor Kinderen, or whether I liked Kinderen voor Kinderen because of some innate musical inclination. I fantasized about being a part of the beloved Dutch children’s choir, which was started in 1980…
The Naakte American Posted by Elena on Oct 2, 2010
Anton Corbijn is a famous Dutch photographer, and before the release of “The American” this month, he was known for his portraits of rock stars and for 2007’s “Control,” a movie about Ian Curtis of Joy Division. “The American,” starring George Clooney, has introduced a wider audience to Corbijn’s work, particularly in the USA, where…
World Cup 2010: The Aftermath Posted by Elena on Sep 23, 2010
For the Dutch, this summer was an emotional roller coaster – and we are not a people accustomed to a high emotional pitch. While the world watched, the Dutch national team ascended to its first World Cup final since 1978. In the weeks leading up to the final match in South Africa, voetbal pundits made…
Dutch animals Posted by noortje on Sep 22, 2010
When you think about Holland, one of the last things that comes to mind are exotic animals. Sure, we have our cows and sheep, but they (usually) don’t make our hearts pomp with excitement and create “oooh”’s and “aah”’s. Still, once upon a time there were those kind of creatures. Hereby a list of some…
The Dutch wooden shoe Posted by noortje on Sep 3, 2010
One of the Dutch trademarks is the wooden shoe. Even though they are not a part of our daily outfit anymore (for the most of us anyway), they still play a big part in our history and culture. The eldest wooden shoe ever found dates from 1230 and was found in Nieuwendijk in Amsterdam. It…
The great 3 – Harry Mulisch Posted by noortje on Sep 3, 2010
Holland is small, but as you might have read in previous blogs, a country of great artists as well. Let me tell you about our big three writers: Harry Mulisch, Willem Frederik Hermans and Gerard Reve, who’s books all made an impact in not only Holland, but worldwide. Let’s start off with Harry Mulisch: Harry…