What’s Dutch About The Dutch Oven? Posted by Sten on Oct 2, 2020
While many of the “Dutch” terms that I’ve discussed here on the blog are entirely unrelated to the Dutch, today we have one that actually is! The braadpan (frying pan) made of gietijzer (cast iron) was a Dutch invention that made its way into the early North American colonies. Especially on the trails westwards, it was a popular cooking…
The National Anthem of the Netherlands Posted by Karoly Molina on Sep 23, 2020
Last weekend, I went to the Liberation Concert in Margraten, Limburg. This concert takes place each year in the fall at the Netherlands American Cemetery to remember all those whose fought during World War II. You can read more about this concert in a previous post I wrote. At the beginning of the concert, philharmonie…
What do the Belgians Speak? Posted by Sten on Sep 8, 2020
We’ve talked about the differences between Dutch and Flemish before. Words and pronunciation are quite different between Dutch dialects and Flemish ones – but where does that leave us? Flemish is not a language; the official language is Nederlands (Dutch). So what gives? A tussentaal? Vlaams as an official language does not exist; It is Nederlands. In 1980, Belgium and…
Dutch Commercials: Amstel and Coolblue Posted by Karoly Molina on Aug 26, 2020
Recently, there have been a few commercials that have caught my attention because they are a quick way to learn a few new words. In this post, I want to focus on Amstel’s beer commercial titled Proostnamen and the series of commercials from the online electronic store Coolblue. Amstel Amstel has been around since 1870 when…
Binnenhof: Tweede Kamer Posted by Sten on Aug 3, 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, we look at easily the biggest complex of the Binnenhof: the Tweede…
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…