Tag Archives: culture
The Dutch and Houseboats Posted by noortje on May 20, 2010
Holland wouldn’t be Holland if it didn’t had such a close relationship with water. See the dikes, the canals, the rain… It’s not a surprise the Dutch decided to build their homes on water as well, with Amsterdam as the main spot. So what’s the deal exactly with those house boats, or as we call…
Dutch Music: Jan Smit Posted by sarah on May 14, 2010
Oh, Jan Smit, I’m not even sure of where to begin writing this particular post, but I’ll give it my best shot! Jan Smit is a Dutch pop singer who your grandmother and teenage younger sister would both thoroughly approve of. He sings (mostly) syrupy sweet pop music with catchy get-stuck-in-your-head melodies and simple rhyming…
Fokke and Sukke: who, what, when? Posted by noortje on May 12, 2010
Fokke and Sukke, the two slightly chicken-like figures, entertain the readers of one of our most famous news papers, the NRC Handelsblad, loyal with their dry humor, day in, day out. They are two big icons in the Dutch culture, and often use political jokes as their theme. The two figures are created by John…
De Canon van Nederland Posted by sarah on May 10, 2010
De Canon van Nederland is a list of 50 important points in Dutch history chosen by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Learning. This list covers such important topics as the beginning of Dutch civilization, famous artists and writers, and cultural themes. If you have an interest in broadening your knowledge of Dutch culture, this…
Who was Van Gogh? Posted by noortje on May 3, 2010
One of the Dutch worldwide famous painters is Vincent van Gogh. Everyone has heard of him and the most people will recognize at least some if his paintings. In 1973, even his own museum was opened. But what exactly is the history behind this great man? Vincent Willem van Gogh was born in Zundert, on…
Koninginnedag (Queen’s Day) in Amsterdam Posted by sarah on May 1, 2010
This year for Koninginnedag I spent the day wandering around Amsterdam. Actually, I did this last year as well, since I live here, but I think the pictures from this year came out better. So for those of you who might have missed it, here’s a little bit of Koninginnedag to brighten your day. Our…
The Fun Side of the Dutch Monarchy Posted by sarah on Apr 29, 2010
With Koninginnedag right around the corner, I figured it would be appropriate to give my (albeit foreign) perspective on the Dutch monarchy. We already have a great post from last year written about Koninginnedag traditions, so if you’re interested, check it out here. One of the more unique aspects of the Dutch monarchy, as opposed…