- they smile often
- they are very kind, very polite and very tolerant with the others
- dutch are eco-friendly: they cycle, recycle and don't throw garbage on the streets!
- they like flowers and cats. Really big cats
- they drink beer; even when they ride a bicycle.
- they don't wear dutch clogs (wooden shoes) :)
- Most of them don't smoke marijuana. I'd say 99% of the consumers are tourists
- they don't have interesting traditional meals. That doesn't mean they don't cook great
- they think positive
- the businessmen have good marketing skills
Sunday, November 9, 2008
My impressions on Dutch people
Short post on things that I've noticed in the Netherlands at people on the street and people that I've talked to:
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Kinderdijk: the Old Traditional Mills of Holland
Day 4
We really wanted to relax and take a little break, so we didn't rush our morning and went to see the beautiful traditional dutch mills from Kinderdijk, a field with a lot of mills and a beautiful village next to Rotterdam. It's an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It's called Kinderdijk (the child's dike), because of an old legend: Long time ago, there was a nasty flooding in the area, and when it was gone, someone came to this dike to see if there is still someone or something that could be saved. And on the water there was a cradle with a baby girl and a cat, both dry and quiet :) And now they are sand sculptured.
The village is really beautiful, and wealthy, I'd say. This is a garden that could be seen from the road.
Isn't it beautiful?
There is only one windmill that can be visited from inside. There's not much activity to do, just explore the view. There are organised tours by boat, down the canal between the mills. Take your camera!
It's called Kinderdijk (the child's dike), because of an old legend: Long time ago, there was a nasty flooding in the area, and when it was gone, someone came to this dike to see if there is still someone or something that could be saved. And on the water there was a cradle with a baby girl and a cat, both dry and quiet :) And now they are sand sculptured.
The village is really beautiful, and wealthy, I'd say. This is a garden that could be seen from the road.
Isn't it beautiful?
There is only one windmill that can be visited from inside. There's not much activity to do, just explore the view. There are organised tours by boat, down the canal between the mills. Take your camera!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Rotterdam
On the third day, we went by car with Andreea and her boyfriend in Rotterdam. We got there quite quickly, but it took us about an hour of spinning through the city to find a parking place!
We walked through a big shopping district for several hours, than
we went to Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. And guess what: We got in for free! They had some kind of open doors promotion. As I have told you before, dutch people know how to s.e.l.l. These guys can sell anything better than anyone I've ever seen. The museum is fantastic, you've got a lot to see there. Not only important famous artists like Dali, Magritte, Cezanne or Rembrandt, but also a lot of modern and contemporany artists really cool. Boijmans museum is not just a museum. It's a labirint where you want to get lost in.
I actually got lost inside the museum from the rest of the group, but not by choice. It's a long story...
Later, we walked towards the Euromast tower. That was a really long walk. We saw some of the famous cube houses, the impressive Erasmus Bridge, and a lot of "modern art monuments", most of which were really stupid.
But some are cute.
And some others are quite interesting, once you get used to the sights.
The entrace fee at the Euromast Tower was quite expensive, but it was worth it. The views are fantastic from there. You get to sit on a bench around the tower inside a big "crow's nest"(situated 96 meters above-ground) that lifts the visitors about 80 meters higher in a spiral movement around the tower. It's an incredible experience. A real up high 360 view of Rotterdam!
So, if you ever visit Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans and The Euromast Tower (from inside!) are a must!
We walked through a big shopping district for several hours, than
we went to Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. And guess what: We got in for free! They had some kind of open doors promotion. As I have told you before, dutch people know how to s.e.l.l. These guys can sell anything better than anyone I've ever seen. The museum is fantastic, you've got a lot to see there. Not only important famous artists like Dali, Magritte, Cezanne or Rembrandt, but also a lot of modern and contemporany artists really cool. Boijmans museum is not just a museum. It's a labirint where you want to get lost in.I actually got lost inside the museum from the rest of the group, but not by choice. It's a long story...
Later, we walked towards the Euromast tower. That was a really long walk. We saw some of the famous cube houses, the impressive Erasmus Bridge, and a lot of "modern art monuments", most of which were really stupid.
But some are cute.
And some others are quite interesting, once you get used to the sights.
The entrace fee at the Euromast Tower was quite expensive, but it was worth it. The views are fantastic from there. You get to sit on a bench around the tower inside a big "crow's nest"(situated 96 meters above-ground) that lifts the visitors about 80 meters higher in a spiral movement around the tower. It's an incredible experience. A real up high 360 view of Rotterdam!
So, if you ever visit Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans and The Euromast Tower (from inside!) are a must!Sunday, November 2, 2008
Day 2: Delft, blue delft
We left Gent early in the morning to catch the train to Delft. We changed trains in Antwerp and Rotterdam.
I can tell you, dutch mass transit systems are more organised than the belgian ones. That doesn't mean I'm complaining about the belgian trains. In Romania, when you arrive in time at your destination by train, you are called a very lucky man.
I think we were in the train to Antwerp when I realised I've forgotten my phone at Rik's place. At the moment, I felt quite unlucky, but in the end, it turned out to be a good deal. What do I need a phone for, I'm here to relax and forget about anything connected to Bucharest.
We met Andrea at the train station in Delft. She hosted us at her boyfriend's apartment, right in the middle of the city center. The place had an interesting view. From one of the little triangle windows you could see the Clock tower from the old city center. Cool watch, huh?
Deni went in Delft before, so we went to eat at a fish market he knew in the center. I will never forget that fish. The best fish in Delft!
Later, of course, we went looking for a coffeeshop Deni went in one year ago. Somehow, on every tight street that we walked into, Deni said: Oh, wait! I have a feeling, I think this is it. But it wasn't, so after asking a lot of people about a god damn coffeeshop, we found one by mistake. Small and smelly. Sooo after we wen out of the shop... we decided that... well, we've seen the sights and all, beutiful canals, beutiful ducks, lot of bikes, yea, yea, yea, let's go home and relax :D
The Marijuana experience was cute.
Later in the evening, Andreea took us by car in Den Haag, at the seaside. There were a lot of restaurants and Cafes with terraces. Dutch people know how to sell, man, even the sunset was perfect, you felt like leaving a tip for its view, too.
I was just getting used to the sights.
I can tell you, dutch mass transit systems are more organised than the belgian ones. That doesn't mean I'm complaining about the belgian trains. In Romania, when you arrive in time at your destination by train, you are called a very lucky man.
I think we were in the train to Antwerp when I realised I've forgotten my phone at Rik's place. At the moment, I felt quite unlucky, but in the end, it turned out to be a good deal. What do I need a phone for, I'm here to relax and forget about anything connected to Bucharest.
We met Andrea at the train station in Delft. She hosted us at her boyfriend's apartment, right in the middle of the city center. The place had an interesting view. From one of the little triangle windows you could see the Clock tower from the old city center. Cool watch, huh?
Deni went in Delft before, so we went to eat at a fish market he knew in the center. I will never forget that fish. The best fish in Delft!
Later, of course, we went looking for a coffeeshop Deni went in one year ago. Somehow, on every tight street that we walked into, Deni said: Oh, wait! I have a feeling, I think this is it. But it wasn't, so after asking a lot of people about a god damn coffeeshop, we found one by mistake. Small and smelly. Sooo after we wen out of the shop... we decided that... well, we've seen the sights and all, beutiful canals, beutiful ducks, lot of bikes, yea, yea, yea, let's go home and relax :D
The Marijuana experience was cute.
Later in the evening, Andreea took us by car in Den Haag, at the seaside. There were a lot of restaurants and Cafes with terraces. Dutch people know how to sell, man, even the sunset was perfect, you felt like leaving a tip for its view, too.
I was just getting used to the sights.
September 25th: arriving in Belgium
Baneasa airport is small and undignified for starting our noble mission. But that's ok because nobody knows about our mission yet. they'll see... This day was full of deep thoughts and little facts: we flew high and fast to charleroi. met Rik, our friend and host. Arrived in Gent by car. Rik's house is lovely, about a hundred years old. Almost all houses in Flanders are made from real red brick. The sights are lovely.
Rik showed us the center of Gent, historical buildings and all kind of places that came with a story.
And, of course, we stopped from time to time to drink a beer.
In the evening we went to a special bar, where they had a special kwak beer. The glasses for this kind of beer were so expensive that you had to take out a shoe and gave it to the bartender so they could make sure u wouldn't leave the bar with their expensive special glass. The beer was special too. Especially strong. Rik really rocks as a guide. The photo is unclear, but that's also the way i was seeing it at the moment
Rik showed us the center of Gent, historical buildings and all kind of places that came with a story.
And, of course, we stopped from time to time to drink a beer.
In the evening we went to a special bar, where they had a special kwak beer. The glasses for this kind of beer were so expensive that you had to take out a shoe and gave it to the bartender so they could make sure u wouldn't leave the bar with their expensive special glass. The beer was special too. Especially strong. Rik really rocks as a guide. The photo is unclear, but that's also the way i was seeing it at the moment
The evening of september 24, 2008
My bags are halfpacked. The heavy half, it seems. I've got the romanian novel for Andreea, our friend in Delft, Deni and Sorin got the cigarettes, we're ready for tomorrow. I didn't manage to unlock my iphone; too bad, a wireless connection could have been cool.
Our trip is gonna last 17 days. Three 21-year-olds travelling on their own through Europe. No hotel. We're only going to stay at friends and "couchsurfers" (hosts found on couchsurfing.com). I'm proud of us.
We're only going to visit the Netherlands for fun. But I feel like we're going on a mission. like one of those missions from the SF books, or fairytales. to find the magic mill. or the magic tulip. or the magic mushroom.
Our trip is gonna last 17 days. Three 21-year-olds travelling on their own through Europe. No hotel. We're only going to stay at friends and "couchsurfers" (hosts found on couchsurfing.com). I'm proud of us.
We're only going to visit the Netherlands for fun. But I feel like we're going on a mission. like one of those missions from the SF books, or fairytales. to find the magic mill. or the magic tulip. or the magic mushroom.
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