Holland-Corner

have a laugh

2011-11-27T08:56:00.005+01:00

time for a laugh, just to forget all the problems in the world for a moment.

travel north island, New Zealand 2010-2011

2011-02-07T15:30:00.039+01:00

on my last visit to my sister in New Zealand we traveled around for 12 days on the north island. the highlights for me where the Coromandel peninsula, Rotorua and the Waitomo caves.
here some pictures;

Coromandel peninsula

(vulcanic)Rotorua

Waitomo caves

2nd place in World Cup

2010-07-16T19:57:00.006+02:00

Dutch celebrate 2nd place in World Cup

(MIKE CORDER, Associated Press Writer)

AMSTERDAM (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of fans lined Amsterdam's web of canals to cheer the World Cup runner-up Netherlands as the team cruised the waterways, swigging beer and blowing vuvuzelas, in an open-top boat on Tuesday.

Looking to have finally shaken off the disappointment of the team's third second-place World Cup finish, the players drank beer and waved at fans as orange streamers, fired from cannons along the canal, drifted over them.

Midfielder Rafael van der Vaart sprayed fans with beer, while defender Edson Braafheid caught a bottle of beer tossed to him by a fan and started drinking from it. Players had to regularly duck as their boat cruised under low bridges.

"I expected some people to come, but this is unbelievable," coach Bert van Marwijk said. "Can you imagine what it would have been like if we'd won?"

Scores of small boats, most of them pumping out loud music and packed with dancing revelers, followed the official flotilla.

In front of about 100,000 fans at the central Museum Square, winger Arjen Robben said: "Spain may have won the World Cup, but we have the best supporters in the world."

Before the team boat arrived, several fans leaped into the murky waters of the Brouwersgracht canal cheered by hoards of orange-clad, flag-waving supporters — despite warnings from authorities that swimming in the canals could expose them to anything from E. coli bacteria to sunken bicycles and shopping carts.

"It's a bit much, considering we lost," said Loes Olden, who was sipping a glass of white wine at the water's edge at a table decked in an orange tarp, two ornate candle sticks and a bowl of oranges. "It's over the top, but we're enjoying it."

Houses along the canals were draped in flags and some had giant footballs hanging from their facades. Earlier, the team was honored by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende at the start of a hectic day of celebrations.

Under bunches of orange balloons, Van Marwijk and retiring captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst were given the honorary title of "Knight in the Order of Oranje Nassau" at a reception in front of Balkenende's official Catshuis residence.
The team then was driven by coach to meet Queen Beatrix at her Noordeinde Palace in The Hague before an Air Force helicopter whisked the team to Amsterdam for its boat tour and an open-air party at Museum Square, where fans had watched the action from South Africa on giant screens throughout the tournament.

Amsterdam police tweeted that 500,000 people had descended on the city to celebrate the Netherlands' best World Cup finish since 1978. There were no immediate reports of any problems among the fans, who quickly dispersed from the canals after the team boat had passed.
Orange-clad supporters began pouring into the grassy square, flanked on two sides by the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, hours before the party's scheduled 5 p.m. (1500 GMT) start.

Security staff were posted next to a handful of house boats along the route in an effort to prevent fans clambering onto their roofs. When the Netherlands won its only international title, the 1988 European Championship, several house boats were badly damaged and a few sank amid wild scenes of jubilation.

The Dutch lost 1-0 in extra time to Spain in Sunday's final — the third time the country has lost the final after defeats in 1974 and '78.

Dennis Nuitermans, who runs a car showroom in the southern city of Breda, traveled to Amsterdam on his 32nd birthday for the celebration.

"It doesn't happen often that we are second in the world so we're coming for a great day out in Amsterdam," he said.

While Nuitermans was pleased with the team's second place, he was critical of its style of play. Van Marwijk ditched the trademark Dutch flowing, attacking style known the world over as "total football" and replaced it with patient passing and uncompromising tackling he calls "result football."

"It was not really Dutch, but it was efficient," Nuitermans said. "The final was not exactly charming. It was pretty ugly at times."

Eight Dutchmen were booked and defender John Heitinga was sent off in an ill-tempered final in Johannesburg, where five Spain players were also booked.

Robben said his missed chance on the hour mark was still haunting him. The Bayern Munich star had only Iker Casillas to beat, but the Spain goalkeeper deflected Robben's shot wide with his outstretched foot.

"You want nothing more than to score that goal. It was a big chance," he said. "It hurts to miss a chance like that."

As he sang and danced in front of the huge orange crowd of adoring fans in Amsterdam, the pain appeared to be easing.

Land of the windmills

2010-02-23T20:59:00.009+01:00

Hystory

It is not known for certain when the first mills came into being but by 1274 water mills, driven by rivers and streams, had becomefamiliar sight.In 1414 the earliest known drainage mills were invented and by 1450 many could be found in South Holland. The mills did not originate in Holland but were said to have been introduced to Europe by the Middle East during the times of the Crusades.

The development of the mills, however, are most certainly attributable to Holland as it is unrivaled in the diversity of types of mills. The advent of technology, however, brought a quick end to the mill's usefulness. First the steam engines, the internal combustion and finally the electric motor, all gradually took over the jobs previously undertaken by the wind or the water.
The mills were no longer profitable and were either destroyed or used for storage.By 1923 only three thousand out of 10 thousand mills remained which further declined to just over the one thousand remaining today.

read more by clicking here

(source:justbeinholland.com)

Tongue Twisters

2009-10-22T22:12:00.007+02:00

Something to try, have fun !

HAVE FUN

Dutch Weather

2009-10-04T12:02:00.010+02:00

Climate in the Netherlands
Generally the Netherlands has a moderate climate, with very pleasant summers. Winters are considered mild, yet most canals and rivers do freeze, and frigid temperatures are typical, though brief. It is frequently windy here due to the extremely flat landscape, and in many ways, that wind benefits the country as weather conditions change quickly, so bad weather seldom lasts long. Rainfall is evenly split throughout the year, with the lowest amounts falling along the coast. Heavy fog is common along those coastal areas, especially in fall and early winter. As for sunshine, spring and winter months offer only brief breaks from North Sea and rainy-day cloud cover, but summers do improve, and in June and July, 7 hours per day is just about the average. K.N.M.I.
KNMI is the national Dutch institute for weather, climate research and seismology. It disseminates weather information to the public at large, the government, aviation and the shipping industry in the interest of safety, the economy and a sustainable environment. To gain insight into long-term developments, KNMI conducts research on climate change. Making the knowledge, data and information on hand at KNMI accessible is one core activity. KNMI is an agency of the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management (Ministerie van Verkeer en Waterstaat).

Dutch Weather Records (since 1900)
Highest maximum temperature (hottest day on record)
38.6C Warsveld, 23 August 1944
.
Lowest minimum temperature (coldest night on record)
-27.4C Winterswijk, 27 January 1942
.
Highest sea level pressure
1050.0mb De Bilt, 26 January 1932
.
Lowest sea level pressure
954.2mb Eelde, 27 November 1983
.
Highest 24 hour precipitation
208mm Voorthuizen, 3 August 1948
.
Highest precipitation in one month (wettest month on record)
321mm Zandvoort, October 1932
.
Highest precipitation in one year (wettest year on record)
1382mm Vaals, 1966
.
Lowest precipitation in one year (driest year on record)
353mm Stavoren, 1976
.
Highest recorded gust (in a tornado)
202km/hr Vlieland, 5 November 1948
.
Highest recorded gust (non-tornadic)
175km/hr (estimate) Vlissingen, 7 September 1944
162km/hr Hoek van Holland, 6 November 1921

Dire Straits

2009-06-14T10:01:00.019+02:00

Dire Straits were a British rock band, active between 1977 and 1995. The band was formed by Mark Knopfler (vocals and lead guitar), his younger brother David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and vocals), and Pick Withers (drums and percussion), and managed by Ed Bicknell. Although the band was formed in an era when punk rock was at the forefront, Dire Straits played a more conventional style, albeit with a stripped-down sound that appealed to audiences also weary of the overproduced stadium rock of the 1970s. In their early days, Mark and David requested that pub owners turn down their sound so that patrons could converse while the band played, an indication of their unassuming demeanor. Despite this oddly self-effacing approach to rock and roll, Dire Straits soon became hugely successful, with their first album going multi-platinum globally.
Throughout Dire Straits' career Mark Knopfler was the songwriter and also the driving force behind the group. The band's best-known songs include "Sultans of Swing", "Romeo and Juliet", "Tunnel of Love", "Telegraph Road", "Private Investigations", "Money for Nothing", "Walk of Life", "So Far Away", "Brothers in Arms" and "Calling Elvis".

The group’s debut, Dire Straits (Warner Brothers, 1978) was a guitar-driven affair that introduced listeners to Mark Knopfler’s understated vocals and poetic lyrics. It featured “Sultans of Swing,” which became one of their biggest hits, and boasts one of Knopfler’s best known guitar solos. From there, they released Communiqué (Warner Brothers. 1979), Making Movies (Warner Brothers, 1980), and Love over Gold (Warner Brothers, 1982), all of which were commercial successes. Those discs set the stage for their next full-length studio release, the seminal, Brothers in Arms (Warner Brothers, 1985). It has sold over 20 million copies in the U.S. and the U.K. combined, and it spawned their biggest hit, “Money for Nothing.” Brothers in Arms is the sound of a band hitting its stride, by perfectly combining their blues-rock roots with a polished stadium-friendly sound.

one of my favorite songs of Dire Straits: Your Latest Trick

Julian Beever's pavement drawings

2009-06-08T15:10:00.009+02:00

Found this one on the internet and I want to share it with you.

a wonderfull artist who worked all over the world. his name: Julian Beever

here are some examples of his work

to see more of his work, visit his website by clicking here

Wanaka, New Zealand

2009-05-31T09:14:00.009+02:00

In januari, when I was in New Zealand, I traveled around with my sister and her family and we also visited a place called Wanaka with a beatifull lake were we walked for ours. it's a real beatifull place and someone wrote the next poem about Lake Wanaka:

Wanaka
(South Island, N.Z.) by Anthony O’Neill
—————————————-
Summer evening at November’s End
We sit apart, still warm and close

On either side, wonderous willows
Weep their fronds to stony ground

Across the water, a hidden sun
Rose-fingered – Tinges snowy peaks

Close-by a couple eating sandwiches
Conjures a horde of ducks and gulls

Under a sky of deep deep blue
The lake murmurs, over and over

Time is flowing
Days left are few
-----------------------------------------

some pictures of Lake Wanaka

Dutch Open Air Museum

2009-05-21T10:56:00.018+02:00

My sister was for a visit in Holland and she was staying for four weeks, we had a wonderfull time together. I had to work but in the weekend we made some travels to The Dutch Open Air Museum and The Efteling (great atractionpark in the south of the Netherlands).
First I want to share some pictures of The Dutch Open Air Museum in Arnhem where you can find old dutch houses and the way of living as people did, more than 50 years ago.

click here for more pictures of The Dutch Open Air Museum.

Christchurch Tour

2009-03-16T22:20:00.002+01:00

Leave a Wink

2009-03-03T21:56:00.001+01:00

New Zealand, Mount Cook

2009-02-08T11:26:00.015+01:00

from 24 December till 17 januari I was in New Zealand to visit my sister and to see some more of this beautifull country. if you want to know some more of our trip in new zealand than visit the blog of my sister "dutchcorner".
down here you see some great views of Mount Cook that we visit the first day of our trip.

and here are some pictures that I made of Mount cook and the area

Dutch Street Organ

2008-09-28T23:48:00.015+02:00

Dutch street organs (unlike the simple streetorgan) are large organs that play book music. They may be equipped with pipes, horns and even percussion instruments. As originally built the organ was operated by the 'organ grinder' turning a large handle to operate both the blower and the card feed machanism. Almost all examples in Holland have now been converted to belt drive from a small battery powered motor, allowing the organ grinder to collect money.

Slightly smaller than the semi-trailer-sized fairground organ the Dutch street organ is nevertheless able to produce enough volume to be heard easily on a busy street corner. Modern Dutch street organs are frequently trailer mounted, and sized for towing behind a pickup or other light truck. Some have a small engine on the front of the chassis allowing them to be self propelled.
all the dutch streetorgans are handmade.

down here is a video where you can see and hear the streetorgan,

Do you know the world?

2008-09-19T19:52:00.003+02:00

Found this game on my sisters blog (thanks sis).
try it and you like it !
specialy for the travelers it is a good one to learn about city's and destinations.
wish you all succes,

This Traveler IQ challenge compares your geographical knowledge against the World's Original Travel diary's other 3,083,923 travelers who have taken this challenge as of Friday, September 19, 2008 at 05:51PM GMT. (TravelPod is part of the TripAdvisor Media Network)

New Zealand Tourism Video

2008-09-17T23:52:00.010+02:00

New Zealand, the country on the other site of the world for me. that's where my sister lives together with her family and I am going to visit New Zealand again in december 2008. (4th time)

down here a video of New Zealand

for more New Zealand videos click here

André Rieu

2008-09-15T02:03:00.021+02:00

I was never a real lover of classical music but there is one dutchman who made me listen to it and love his style of playing classical music.
His name: André Rieu .............. (for his website click here)

about André Rieu:

As the son of a conductor violinist, Andre Rieu loved music but disliked the somber atmosphere of concert halls. Andre Rieu created his own vision, an orchestra of young, enthusiastic musicians who have fun during their concerts. Andre Rieu would rather see the audience clap, sway and feel a part of the music.
Andre Rieu started taking violin lessons at the age of five. After years of training Andre Rieu recruited his own orchestra. New Year's Day 1988 saw Andre Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra give their first public concert. By 1995, when Andre Rieu played his "Second Waltz" during an international football match, he had already started making classical music more accessible to a wider audience.
His albums soared up the charts in several countries, rivaling the success of major pop stars. Andre Rieu went on to tour the world bringing the classics, popular songs, and his own compositions to the masses. His success and revival of the waltz earned Andre Rieu the title "The Waltz King of Europe." Several PBS specials have showcased Andre Rieu and broadened his audience. The Dutch violinist and conductor creates lively and colorful orchestral presentations and mixes the type of music he plays to draw audiences that normally aren't attracted to classical music.

my favourite one played by André Rieu and his orchestra: "The Last Rose Of Summer".

down here is a video.

more videos with music from André Rieu, click here

Fun facts about the Netherlands

2008-09-13T18:33:00.006+02:00

.
Did you know that……….

*"the Netherlands" and "Holland" are used to describe the same country?

*one quarter of the Netherlands is below sea level?

*the International Court of Justice is at the Peace Palace in The Hague?

*the Netherlands has approximately 480 inhabitants per square kilometre?

*with only 0.008% of the world's area, the Netherlands is the world's third largest
agricultural exporter?

*the Netherlands was one of the European Union's founding nations?

*the Netherlands has at least 15,000 km of cycle tracks?

*Dutch is also spoken in Belgium, northern France, Suriname, the Netherlands
Antilles and Aruba?

*the Netherlands still has about 1,000 traditional working windmills?

*the Dutch are the tallest people in Europe?

*Amsterdam is entirely built on piles?

*the Netherlands always has a coalition government, which makes it a country of
compromises

*the Netherlands has nearly 1,000 museums, with 42 in Amsterdam alone?

*almost every Dutch person has a bicycle and there are twice as many bikes as cars?

*the Netherlands is the world's eighth largest exporter?

*people in Holland eat raw herring with onions on top?

*about 30% of all Dutch babies are born at home?

*you can see 22 paintings by Rembrandt and 206 by Van Gogh in Amsterdam?

*the Netherlands has the highest number of part-time workers in the EU (four in ten
people)?

*the Netherlands' highest point is 323 metres high and is therefore called
a "mountain"?

*you'll find a bunch of flowers in almost every Dutch living room?

*Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, but The Hague is the seat of
government?

*most Dutch people speak at least one foreign language?

*one in every three Dutch people belongs to a sports club?

*Rotterdam is the world's biggest seaport?

*after Scandinavians, the Dutch are the world's biggest coffee drinkers?

*people of 200 nationalities live in Amsterdam?

*the Netherlands has one of the youngest populations in the EU?

*when your plane arrives at Schiphol, it lands 4.5 metres below sea level?

*the Netherlands has the highest cable density in Europe?

*Amsterdam has 1,281 bridges?

*when Dutch schoolchildren pass their exams, they hang a Dutch flag and a school
bag outside their homes?

My first footballmatch

2008-09-07T00:12:00.014+02:00

Last week my boss told me he would take me to a footballmatch.
On Saturday the 6th of september I was in the Philips-stadium in Eindhoven for the match Holland vs Australia, my first footballmatch live in a stadium.
here are some pictures that I made.

Philips footballstadium Eindhoven

Warming up

The match

More of the match

He missed

Bad evening

Holding Hands

2008-09-03T19:40:00.005+02:00

Little boy and his father were crossing a bridge.

The father was kind of scared so he asked his little son,

"My boy, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river"

The little boy said, "No dad, you hold my hand."

"What's the difference?" Asked the puzzled father.

"There's a big difference," replied the little boy.

"If I hold your hand and something happens to me,

chances are that I may let your hand go.

But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens,

you will never let my hand go."

In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond.

So hold the hand of the person who loves you rather than expecting them to hold yours....

the Netherlands videos

2008-08-31T14:22:00.002+02:00

London 2006

2008-08-26T20:38:00.022+02:00

in 2006 I visited London together with my mother. I liked the city very much and I show you some pictures that I made in London.

Bicycles

2008-08-18T12:33:00.010+02:00

Holland is the ultimate bicycling country. Nearly everyone owns a bike, and some people even have two. A Dutchman without a bike is like a fish without water! The Dutch use the bicycle as a way of transportation rather than just for recreation. It is common to use the bike for daily shopping and to commute to work and school. You will find clearly marked bicycle routes (direction pointers with red lettering on white backgrounds) throughout Holland. There are many special lanes and paths for cyclists with a total length of approximately 11,000 miles!

Before you hop on a bike in Holland, it is a good idea to buy a cycling map. The smallest country roads and lanes, cycling tracks and villages are indicated on the combined cycle- and road maps. The ANWB/VVV (Tourist Information Office) sells bicycling maps. They are available for every province in Holland. Very useful, for instance, if you want to plan your own route or want to know where you are, once you have reached an unplanned destination. With a good, detailed cycling map the possibilities are endless.

Many companies specialize in the rent and repair of bicycles. Special events for cyclists are regularly organized. In short, Holland is a 'cyclist-friendly' country with a climate characterized by mild winters and comfortable summers. Another important aspect is that Holland is generally flat with only an occasional hill. This makes the country ideal for even longer tours and also allows the youngest and the oldest member of the family to participate. While cycling through Holland you will notice wide-open spaces like the polders, beautiful forests, colorful bulb fields, attractive towns and picturesque villages. En route there are plenty of opportunities to take a rest at terraces of restaurants and cafes, specially built picnic areas or anywhere along the side of the road.

All lovers of bicycles and bicycling should visit the Velorama. It is the only bicycle museum in Holland! Located in Nijmegen, the museum is a treasure trove of information. It boasts well over 250 antique bicycles and the collection also comprises contemporary bicycles. (netherlands.info)

City's in Europe

2008-08-11T16:10:00.002+02:00

The capital city of holland is Amsterdam but if you want to look at videos from more city's in Europe than go to the upper right corner in the player and click on "more videos".

Abel Tasman National Park

2008-08-10T09:23:00.009+02:00

when I visited New Zealand in dec.2006/jan.2007 we traveled around on the north-site of the south island and we walked a one-day track in the Abel Tasman National Park.

Abel Tasman National Park (established in 1942) is renowned for its golden beaches, sculptured granite cliffs, and world-famous Abel Tasman Coast Track. It also has a mild climate and is a good place to visit at any time of the year.

The most noticeable features of this park are the golden sandy beaches, the fascinating rocky outcrops (mainly granite but with a scattering of limestone and marble) and the rich, unmodified estuaries. The landscape has been modified, perhaps more than in our other national parks. The vegetation cover varies and reflects a history of fires and land clearance, but the forests are regenerating well especially in damp gullies where a rich variety of plants can be found. Black beech dominates the drier ridges.

The more common forest birds, like tui and bellbirds, can be seen along with pukeko around the estuaries and wetlands. The park's boundary excludes the estuaries and seabed but in 1993 the Tonga Island Marine Reserve was created along one part of the Abel Tasman coast. Like a national park, all life in the reserve is protected.

(source; doc.govt.nz)

here are some pictures that I made in the park

the Eagles

2008-08-09T02:21:00.010+02:00

one of my favorite bands: the Eagles

Glen Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner were backup players for Linda Ronstadt in 1971 when they decided to form their own group. Their early sound was a combination of country music and Surf Rock. Their first album, released in 1972, was a million-seller. Guitarist-vocalist Don Felder was added in 1974. Joe Walsh replaced Leadon in 1975, and Timothy B. Schmit replaced Randy Meisner in 1977.

After recording five more albums, the band broke up in 1980, and band members pursued solo careers with varying degrees of success. The band reunited in 1994 for a tour and live album, and they have toured sporadically since.

Their 2007 release, Long Road Out Of Eden is their first new studio album since 1979.

..........................................................................................................

one of my favorite songs from the Eagles: "Love Will Keep Us Alive", lyrics

The Eagles Lyrics

click on the startbutton to listen to the song
.......................................................................... .
video from "The Hotel California Tour"

a dutch legend

2008-08-06T21:28:00.007+02:00

The lady of Stavoren

In the north of Holland, in the province Friesland there is a city called Stavoren.

Stavoren or Staveren, Frisian: Starum, is one of the 11 Frisian cities with c. 1000 inhabitants. Settled c. 900 AD, city rights 1118, member of the Hanseatic league in 1385 and a very prosperous town in those days; fell into decay at the end of the middle ages by several reasons; most popular reason is the legend of 'het vrouwtje van Stavoren' (the lady of Stavoren).

for the story about the lady of Stavoren klick here

there is also a poem about the lady of stavoren, to read it klick here (great poetry-site)

My hometown Wijchen

2008-08-04T15:50:00.013+02:00

The municipality of Wijchen
The municipality of Wijchen numbers nearly 40,000 residents. The municipality lies in a green landscape between the rivers Maas and Waal, just below the city Nijmegen. Wijchen is an ideal municipality to work ànd live in.

Excellent accessibility
Wijchen is centrally situated in the Netherlands and close to the German border. Wijchen’s accessibility is excellent. For example, Airport Weeze is located only 60 kilometres from Wijchen. The municipality is situated next to the highway E31 (Rotterdam-Germany). Furthermore, Wijchen has a favourable location in relation to cities such as Eindhoven and Antwerp. In addition it has a train station so that the municipality can also easily reached by rail. A number of international businesses are active in Wijchen. The municipality is a member of Euregio.

Industrial estates
Wijchen has a large diversity in economic activities. Important sectors are logistics, transport, light industry and machine building. The businesses are located on modern industrial estates. Industrial estate Bijsterhuizen has developed rapidly over the last few years. Also industrial estate Wijchen-Oost has become completely up-to-date after a thorough renovation. Wijchen has an excellent investment climate. There are hundreds of entrepreneurs who strenghten each other. Not just the municipality but also the business societies stimulate collaboration between businesses.

Pleasant living
In Wijchen you can work, but also live pleasantly! The municipality has beautiful residential areas, excellent schools, many sports facilities, and a rich club life. The centre of Wijchen, with at its heart its historic castle, is attractive and has a real regional function. Also the villages belonging to the municipality of Wijchen, Balgoy, Leur, Alverna, Hernen, Niftrik and Bergharen en the picturesque town Batenburg, have much to offer due to their location and character. Many Wijcheners go out each week cycling to enjoy this beautiful environment !

(coolregion.nl)

Kroketten (Croquettes)

2008-08-02T15:40:00.010+02:00

something real dutch, to eat, are Kroketten, everybody in Holland loves to eat a kroket so here is a recipe how to make them. try it and you like it !!

600 grams (1lb 5 oz) veal, beef, chicken, or turkey

salt and pepper

1 dl (1/2 cup) white wine

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove

2 bay leaves

piece of mace

2 sprigs parsley, finely chopped

lemon juice

3/4 tsp thyme

lemon peel

50 grams (2 oz) butter or margarine

40 grams (1.5 oz) flour

corn starch or gelatin

3 eggs

4 cups fine breadcrumbs or Dutch rusks (beschuit)

oil to deep-fry

When opting for chicken or turkey meat, use ‘leftovers,’ in other words cook the turkey or chicken a day ahead. When using veal or beef, start with fresh meat.

.............................................................

Season the veal or beef with salt and pepper. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan. Put in the meat, add the wine, the onion, parsley, clove, thyme, mace, bay leaves, and lemon peel and 5 decilitre (2 cups) of water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and let it simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. The meat should be tender.

Remove the meat and finely chop or cut into small pieces. Strain and keep the stock.

Melt 50 grams of butter in the frying pan, stir in the flour and keep stirring for a few minutes on low heat. Slowly and gradually add the stock and cook over moderate heat, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thick. Add more flour, or corn starch (maizena) or dissolved gelatin if necessary. Add 3 egg yolks (set the whites aside to use later).

Add the veal, beef, chicken or turkey, season more, if needed. Stir well. The mix should be thick and stiff by this time.

Set the mix aside to cool thoroughly. When ready, cut or separate the stiff, thick mix into rolls of about 5cm (2”) thick and about 8cm (3”) long.

On a chopping board spread out the crumbs or crumbed rusks. In a deep plate slightly beat the egg whites.

Roll the croquettes through the breadcrumbs, then through the egg whites and again through the crumbs. Make sure that the second crumbs coating is even and thick and no meat mix sticks out (this could make the croquettes burst when deep fried).

Deep fry the croquettes four or so at a time for about 4 minutes, until they are golden brown. Drain them on absorbent paper.

Serve hot, with French fries or multigrain bread or rice. Put them halved on bread. A good way to season is to slather on mustard.
(godutch.com)

Dutch surnames

2008-07-31T13:28:00.004+02:00

what's the story with Dutch surnames?

The defining moment came on 18 August 1811 when Napoleon Boneparte - whose French army were occupying the Netherlands - signed a decree establishing a registry of births, deaths and marriages. Families, who until that time had got on just fine without a surname, were suddenly obliged to pick a surname.

It is a common misconception that the Dutch didn't take old 'boney-parts' all that seriously and set about picking silly names like Borst (breast) and Kok anticipating they could drop them as soon as 'nappy' got what was coming to him. It is an interesting theory but why didn't the Dutch follow through on this? Perhaps, after all, the Dutch took their new names seriously.

Genealogist Rick van der Wielen says that traditionally the Dutch used a patronymic system in which the father's first name became the first son's last name, and the other kids got the left over names from the grandfather, great grandfather and so on. Gradually in the 1600, people began to turn the patronymic name into modern surnames - Jan Hendricksen (Jan the son of Hendrick) gave his son the surname Hendricksen instead of Jansen. A suffix was often added to indicate "son of" or "daughter of". (Ex. Jan, son of Hendrick would be written Jan Hendricks, Jan Hendrickse or Jan Hendricksen.).

Women took a feminine form such as "s", "se", "sd", "sdr", and even "sen" which implied the full suffix of "sdochter", meaning "daughter of". (Ex. Jannetje Dirksdr would be Jane, daughter of Dirk.

'But the Dutch, being independently minded, couldn't agree on a single system. For instance one of the sons might use the name Hendricksen, while another might call himself Jansen, with another sibling basing his name on his town of origin and another on his occupation, Brouwer (Brewer),' says van der Wielen.

Incidentally Van der Wielen's own name refers to a pool of water along the coast that remains after the tide goes out and not the Dutch word for wheel.

The Dutch Top Ten

Genealogist Miriam Klaassen says that a combination of unflattering nicknames, patronymic-based names, association with place of origin and references to occupation have become the most popular surnames.

The top 10 surnames include: De Jong (the young), Jansen or Janssen (son of Jan), Bakker (baker), Visser (fisher), Smit (smith) and Meijer/Meyer (land agent).

Van Dijk is another all time favour but boringly enough it refers to the Dutch preoccupation with keeping sea water out of their clogs rather than a reference to the mother's sexual preference.

My personal favourite is Van den/der Berg (from/of the mountain). Now that has got to be a joke.

We can have a giggle about the Dutch first name Pik which seems to relate to the Dutch word for the male organ but we should not lose the run of ourselves. Kok for instance means cook.

In the movie 'meet the parents', Ben Stiller plays a character named Gay Fokker and we are all supposed to laugh. But Fokker (breeder) is a perfectly legitimate surname in the Netherlands. And while we are on the subject, my heart goes out to the Dutch man who proudly announced 'I fok horses' when asked about his occupation during an interview on British television some years back.

So come on, Dutch names are not so weird at all. But if you do have to laugh, be sure there are no Irish teachers brandishing a large crutch in the vicinity.

(Cormac Mac Ruairi)

Typical Dutch

2008-07-29T08:05:00.003+02:00

...............Without............Words....................................

For My Sister

2008-07-28T10:18:00.009+02:00

I have onley one sister and she lives on the other site of the world, here is a poem specialy for her because she became a real good friend to me.

For My Sister

Sisters are special

from young ones to old.

God gave me a sister

more precious than gold.

We shared many secrets,

the same mom and dad,

we shared lots of good times,

don't think of the bad.
Our memories we'll cherish,

with love without end.

I'm glad you're my sister

I'm glad you're my friend.

(Author unknown)

Paris 2005

2008-07-25T07:28:00.040+02:00

In 2005 my sister came over from New Zealand to holland with her son and together with our mother we visited Paris. here are some pictures that I made in Paris.

Happiness

2008-07-25T01:06:00.006+02:00

found this on the internet and maybe it can help you to be more happy, (don't worry be happy!)
.
Here are a few tips for increasing happiness in daily life:

1) Endeavor to change the way you look at things. Always look at the bright side. The mind may drag you to think about negativity and difficulties. Don't let it. Look at the good and positive side of every situation.

2) Think of solutions, not problems.

3) Listen to relaxing, uplifting music.

4) Watch funny comedies that make you laugh.

5) Each day, devote some time to reading a few pages of an inspiring book or article.

6) Watch your thoughts. Whenever you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, start thinking of pleasant things.

7) Always look at what you have done and not at what you haven't.

Sometimes you may begin the day with the desire to accomplish several objectives. At the end of the day you might feel frustrated and unhappy, because you haven't been able to do all of those things.

Look at what you have done, not at what you have not been able to do. You may have accomplished a lot during the day, and yet you let yourself become frustrated, because of some small things that you did not accomplish. You have spent all day successfully carrying out many plans, and instead of feeling happy and satisfied, you look at what was not accomplished and feel unhappy. It is unfair toward yourself.

8) Each day do something good for yourself. It can be something small, such buying a book, eating something you love, watching you favorite program on TV, going to a movie, or just having a stroll on the beach.

9) Each day do at least one act to make others happy. This can be a kind word, helping your colleagues, stopping your car at the crossroad to let people cross, giving your seat in a bus to someone else, or giving a small present to someone you love. The possibilities are infinite. When you make someone happy, you become happy, and then people try to make you happy.

10) Always expect happiness.

11) Do not envy people who are happy. On the contrary, be happy for their happiness.

12) Associate with happy people, and try to learn from them to be happy. Remember, happiness is contagious.

13) Do your best to stay detached, when things do not proceed as intended and desired. Detachment will help you stay calm and control your moods and reactions. Detachment is not indifference. It is the acceptance of the good and the bad and staying balanced. Detachment has much to do with inner peace, and inner peace is conductive to happiness.

14) Smile more often.

(source: successconsciousness.com)

Bullshit or Life-Lessons?

2008-07-23T09:28:00.014+02:00

Two funny story's that someone send to me via email and that I want to share with you.

I don’t think you’ll regret reading them.

Story 1

A turkey was chatting with a bull “I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree,” sighed the turkey, but I haven’t got the energy.” “Well, why don’t you nibble on my droppings?” replied the bull. “They’re packed with nutrients.” The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fourth night, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree. Soon he was spotted by a farmer, who shot the turkey out of the tree.

Moral of the story: Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.

.
Story 2
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field. While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.
.

Moral of the story:

1. Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy

2. Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend

3. And when you’re in deep shit, it’s best to keep your mouth shut!

have a nice day! Bert.

Memory of Holland

2008-07-21T14:03:00.007+02:00

Denkend aan Holland

Herinnering aan Holland
zie ik breede rivieren
traag door oneindig
laagland gaan,
rijen ondenkbaar
ijle populieren
als hooge pluimen
aan den einder staan;
en in de geweldige
ruimte verzonken
de boerderijen
verspreid door het land,
boomgroepen, dorpen,
geknotte torens,
kerken en olmen
in een grootsch verband.
De lucht hangt er laag
en de zon wordt er langzaam
in grijze veelkleurige
dampen gesmoord,
en in alle gewesten
wordt de stem van het water
met zijn eeuwige rampen
gevreesd en gehoord.

Hendrik Marsman, 1936.

Memory of Holland

Thinking of Holland
I picture broad rivers
meandering through
unending lowland:
rows of incredibly
lanky poplars, huge
plumes that linger
at the edge of the world;
in the astounding
distance small-holdings
that recede into space
throughout the country;
clumps of trees, town-lands,
stumpy towers, churches
and elms that contribute
to the grand design;
a low sky, and the sun
smothering slowly in mists, pearl-gray,
mother-of-pearl;
and in every county
the water’s warning
of more catastrophes
heard and heeded

Translated by Irish poet Michael Longley (* Belfast, 1939).

Lord of the Rings

2008-07-19T20:14:00.020+02:00

my all-time favourite movie is "Lord of the Rings". I own the long-play versions of the trilogy and I still revieuw the movie sometimes. click down here on the picture to read the story of the trilogy.

down here you can see a compilation of the best movie ever "Lord Of The Rings", with music from the movie.

National Park "de Veluwe"

2008-07-16T17:53:00.005+02:00

My hometown Wijchen is in the south of the province "Gelderland".
in the middle of the province there is the National Park Hoge Veluwe.
. take a look at the pictures in the player

The Nationaal Park de Hoge Veluwe (National Park De Hoge Veluwe) is a national park in the municipality of Ede in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. Its approximately 55 square kilometres consists of heathland, driftsand and woodland. It is situated in the Veluwe, the area of the largest terminal moraine in the Netherlands, created in the last ice age. The alternating sand drifts and heathland may have been caused by human exploitation of the surrounding lands.
The park forms one of the largest continuous nature reserves in the Netherlands. Animals in the park include boar, red deer and roe deer.

About Holland

2008-07-14T11:22:00.014+02:00

What you have to know about Holland

The Kingdom of The Netherlands, is a country, situated in Western Europe by the North Sea. Population of Holland is more than 16.5 mln., mostly is the Dutch. Official language is Dutch language.
The country has become a multi- ethnic and multicultural society, and through its excellent system of education has motivated a population to communicate in at least two foreign languages of which English is the most predominant. Dutch people confess Christians religion (catholic or protestant).
The Netherlands - constitutional monarchy; the head of the state is the Queen Beatrix. The highest legislative organ of the country is bicameral parliament. Government (Minister- president and ministers) sits in The Hague. The capital is Amsterdam with 700 thousand inhabitants.
Holland is a small plain country with total area of 34 thousand square meters. The distance from the North to the South is approximately 400 km and from the West to the East - 300 km. 40% of the Dutch surface are located below sea level. The name Netherlands means - below lying earths.
The country enjoys a moderate sea climate. The average temperature in January is about 1-3 C, in July - 18-19 C.

The Western part of Holland is populated more densely and is the conglomeration of the forth sites: Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht.
Considerable know - how, gained during long years in which trade and commerce have become part of the cultural fabric, has created this top position for this small country
The Netherlands a developed industrial country of high technologies and the intensive agriculture, oriented for the export. Economically stable Holland, often named a centre of World Trade, is the place for the business activity of many international companies.
The port of Rotterdam is the largest in the world and Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is amongst the world's busiest points.
Situated in the midst of Europe Holland creates favourable possibilities for the journeys through the countries- neighbours. Paris, London, Berlin and Brussels are located in the hour of flight out of Schiphol.

for more about Holland click here

(source: eurogates.nl)

The Impossible Quiz

2008-07-14T06:57:00.005+02:00

Here a little Quiz for you all, Lets see if you can finish it, click to begin

City-Trips

2008-07-11T21:27:00.005+02:00

almost every year I make a trip with my mother to a city in europe.

I liked London the most but I still want to visit more city's so maybe London will go down to a second place.

if you want to see more pictures from one of the city's, soon i will publish more on my blog.

you see "Brandenburger Tor" in Berlin

"Big Ben" in London

"Eiffeltower" in Paris

The Hero of Haarlem, a dutch story.

2008-07-06T16:57:00.010+02:00

Many years ago, there lived in Haarlem, one of the principal cities of Holland, a sunny-haired boy of gentle disposition. His father was a sluicer, that is, a man whose business it was to open and close the sluices, or large oaken gates, that are placed at regular distances across the entrances of the canals, to regulate the amount of water that shall flow into them.
[...]
The sluicer raises the gates more or less according to the quantity of water required, and closes them carefully at night, in order to avoid all possible danger of an oversupply running into the canal, or the water would soon overflow it and inundate the surrounding country. As a great portion of Holland is lower than the level of the sea, the waters are kept from flooding the land only by means of strong dikes, or barriers, and by means of these sluices, which are often strained to the utmost by the pressure of the rising tides. Even the little children in Holland know that constant watchfulness is required to keep the rivers and ocean from flooding the country, and that a moment's neglect of the sluicer's duty may bring ruin and death to all.
[...]
One lovely autumn afternoon, when the boy was about eight years old, he obtained his parents' consent to carry some cakes to a blind man who lived out in the country, on the other side of the dike. The little fellow started on his errand with a light heart, and having spent an hour with his grateful old friend, he bade him farewell and started on his homeward walk. Trudging stoutly along the canal, he noticed how the autumn rains had swollen the waters. Even while humming his careless, childish song, he thought of his father's brave old gates and felt glad of their strength, for, thought he, 'If they gave way, where would Father and Mother be? These pretty fields would all be covered with the angry waters - Father always calls them the angry waters. I suppose he thinks they are mad at him for keeping them out so long.' And with these thoughts just flitting across his brain, the little fellow stooped to pick the pretty flowers that grew along his way. Sometimes he stopped to throw some feathery seed ball in the air and watch it as it floated away; sometimes he listened to the stealthy rustling of a rabbit, speeding through the grass, but oftener he smiled as he recalled the happy light he had seen arise on the weary, listening face of his blind old friend.
[...]
Suddenly the boy looked around him in dismay. He had not noticed that the sun was setting. Now he saw that his long shadow on the grass had vanished. It was growing dark, he was still some distance from home, and in a lonely ravine, where even the blue flowers had turned to gray. He quickened his footsteps and, with a beating heart recalled many a nursery tale of children belated in dreary forests. Just as he was bracing himself for a run, he was startled by the sound of trickling water. Whence did it come? He looked up and saw a small hole in the dike through which a tiny stream was flowing. Any child in Holland will shudder at the thought of a leak in the dike! The boy understood the danger at a glance. That little hole, if the water were allowed to trickle through, would soon be a large one, and a terrible inundation would be the result. Quick as a flash, he saw his duty. Throwing away his flowers, the boy clambered up the heights until he reached the hole. His chubby little finger was thrust in, almost before he knew it. The flowing was stopped! Ah! he thought, with a chuckle of boyish delight, the angry waters must stay back now! Haarlem shall not be drowned while I am here! This was all very well at first, but the night was falling rapidly. Chill vapors filled the air. Our little hero began to tremble with cold and dread. He shouted loudly; he screamed, 'Come here! come here!' but no one came. The cold grew more intense, a numbness, commencing in the tired little finger, crept over his hand and arm, and soon his whole body was filled with pain. He shouted again, 'Will no one come? Mother! Mother!' Alas, his mother, good, practical soul, had already locked the doors and had fully resolved to scold him on the morrow for spending the night with blind Jansen without her permission. He tried to whistle. Perhaps some straggling boy might heed the signal, but his teeth chattered so, it was impossible. Then he called on God for help. And the answer came, through a holy resolution: 'I will stay here till morning.'
[...]
The midnight moon looked down upon that small, solitary form, sitting upon a stone, halfway up the dike. His head was bent but he was not asleep, for every now and then one restless hand rubbed feebly the outstretched arm that seemed fastened to the dike - and often the pale, tearful face turned quickly at some real or fancied sounds. How can we know the sufferings of that long and fearful watch - what falterings of purpose, what childish terrors came over the boy as he thought of the warm little bed at home, of his parents, his brothers and sisters, then looked into the cold, dreary night! If he drew away that tiny finger, the angry waters, grown angrier still, would rush forth, and never stop until they had swept over the town. No, he would hold it there till daylight - if he lived! He was not very sure of living. What did this strange buzzing mean? And then the knives that seemed pricking and piercing him from head to foot? He was not certain now that he could draw his finger away, even if he wished to. At daybreak a clergyman, returning from the bedside of a sick parishioner, thought he heard groans as he walked along on the top of the dike. Bending, he saw, far down on the side, a child apparently writhing with pain.'In the name of wonder, boy,' he exclaimed, 'what are you doing there?''I am keeping the water from running out,' was the simple answer of the little hero. 'Tell them to come quick.'It is needless to add that they did come quickly.

The legend of the brave Dutch boy - by others thought to be named Hans Brinker - who supposedly put his finger in the dyke to prevent a flood, was actually a literary invention by the American writer Mary Elizabeth Mapes Dodge (1831-1905), who was born in New York

(source: the Holland Ring)

International Four Days Marches Nijmegen

2008-07-04T19:44:00.021+02:00

for an impression klick on the picture

about 10 km. from my hometown there is the city of Nijmegen. every year there is one of the biggest events in the world. in July there are the International Four Days Marches.

The International Four Days Marches Nijmegen is the largest marching event and one of the biggest sporting events in the world. Each year, in the third week of July, some 45,000 participants have to walk between 30 to 50 kilometers each day for four days!

click here for the official website

From 12 to 18 July, during the walking event, accompanying festivities (Hypotheek Visie Four Days Festivities) are organised. It is the biggest music festival of the Netherlands, drawing a crowd of over 1 million visitors and including more than 200 bands. National and international performers will be entertaining at various special event locations and at numerous cafés.

http://waalkade.wifi4all.nl:8888/view?id=1

Live Webcam "Waalkade Nijmegen"

Nijmegen, the oldest city in the Netherlands, is situated on a range of hills near the River Waal. The city has attracted people since its very foundation. The surrounding area features hills, woods and polders, creating a varied countryside offering a range of recreational opportunities to both citizens and tourists.

Smile for you

2008-07-03T20:27:00.011+02:00

Smiling is infectious; you catch it like the flu,

When someone smiled at me today, I started smiling to.

I passed around the corner and someone saw my grin

When he smiled I realized I'd passed it on to him.

I thought about that smile then I realized its worth,

A single smile, just like mine could travel round the earth.

So, if you feel a smile begin, don't leave it undetected

Let's start and epidemic quick, and get the world infected !

(unknown)

Mike Batt

2008-07-02T19:33:00.027+02:00

One of my all-time favourits in music is the singer, songwriter and producer Mike Batt.
especially his lyrics are great and he is always looking for the right voice to sing his songs.

down here is a video from Mike Batt about his latest album with his greatest hits called A Songwriter's Tale.

My favourite song "Walls of the World" lyrics

Mike Batt Lyrics

click on the startbutton to listen to the song

....................................................................................................

and some more songs from Mike Batt;

Wijchen Castle

2008-07-01T21:46:00.018+02:00

In the Center of my hometown "Wijchen" you can find a beautifull castle.

A little history,

Wychen Castle is a moated, almost square castle with a small courtyard. Bordering on the courtyard are a collonade and a square tower. There are vaults below the entire castle, with 1.40-1.60 meter thick walls and a prison cell. The walls of the upper levels are 80 cm thick.

It is unknown when Wychen Castle was built. But due to architectural details probably somewhere in the 14th or early 15th century. In those times it may have been called 'Leler'. The first owners of the castle were members of the Van Galen family.

In 1535 the castle was handed over to Herman van Bronckhorst, Lord of Batenburg. In 1595 the castle was confiscated by a Geertruid van Dalem because its owner; Herman Dirk van Bronckhorst, hadn't paid his financial obligations. She sold the castle in 1609 to Emilia van Nassau (daughter of William of Orange) and her husband Don Emanuel de Braganza of Portugal. They rebuilt the castle to its present Renaissance appearance. The wall anchors represent a double letter E as a remembrance to them.

In the 17th and 18th century Wychen Castle changed ownership several times; the Osy family amongst others. In that period the castle fell into disrepair when it was used as a summer residence by Belgian owners. In 1903 the castle was sold at a public auction. Its new owner became Lady AW. van Andringa de Kempenaer. She renovated the castle only for it to be struck by a devastating fire in December 1906. Only the walls were left standing. Luckily the Lady didn't tear down the remains to make way for a new villa, as was her first plan. She hired the architect FA. Ludewig to rebuilt the castle.

In 1932 Wychen Castle was bought by the town of Wychen and became a town hall in 1933. At present part of the castle still serves as a town hall. Other parts are used for cultural activities and a small, but nice, regional museum. (source: castles.nl)

Christchurch, New Zealand

2008-06-30T10:51:00.026+02:00

My sister lives now for almost 11 years in Christchurch, New Zealand. every two years I make the long travel to visit her and her family. I love the country and the city Christchurch so here is a little history of Christchurch,

Christchurch History Overview

The original settlers of the Christchurch region were Moa Hunters
who hunted the moa out of existence by the 1500s.
Over 1300 - 1500 fires lit in the region destroyed much of the forestation of the region, changing the landscape.
After the Maori tribes, aided by firearms traded by whalers, fought each other to near disappearance in the Christchurch region, European pilgrims began settling the area in the 1800s.

Early Settlement

In 1876 archeological evidence was discovered in a cave at Redcliffs that indicated that the first settlers in the Christchurch area were moa hunting tribes about 1250. Maori history puts the settlement at the time of the year 1000.
Around the 1300s to the 1500s fires that were lit by the Moa Hunters destroyed much of the original vegetation replacing it with open tussock grassland. A few isolated patches of bush survived such as those at Riccarton and Papanui.
Erosion denuded the foothills, and the rivers spread across the plains. This buried all traces of the original forests.
The moa were hunted out of existence by the 1500s. And around this time Maori tradition records that the Waitaha tribe migrated from the east coast of the North Island.
Following tribal warfare, the Waitaha were dispossessed by the Ngati Mamoe tribe. They were in turn subjugated by the Ngai Tahu tribe, who remained in control until the arrival of European settlers. (source: tourism.net.nz) want to know something about the Dutch contribution in the history of New Zealand? click here

The Dutch Language (source: kwintessential.co.uk)

2008-06-29T18:45:00.003+02:00

Even though Dutch is the 6th language in the European Union, not many people are familiar with it. In fact few have any clue of where it is spoken, if they even know that there is such a country as the Netherlands. Some think that the national language is English, while those with a better geographical knowledge imagine Dutch to be some kind of mixture between English and German, which isn’t actually that far from the truth. It must be acknowledged that the name of the language itself is rather misleading, as it resembles the German word ‘Deutsch’, which in fact means ‘German’. It is derived from an old word which originally referred to German speaking tribes, amongst which the - present - Dutch. At the beginning of the 17th century its meaning was narrowed down to the language spoken in the Netherlands only, as this was becoming a more and more united, independent state. Nowadays some 21 million people speak Dutch as a mother tongue, while 4 million people speak it as a second language. This number might have been even more had it not been for a few votes that, so legend has it, would have made Dutch the official language of what is now New York. ‘The Big Apple’ was in fact in Dutch hands, back in the 17th century, called New Amsterdam.
Dutch, English and German all belong to the West-German language group, though the Dutch language bares more resemblance to German than to English. This is because the Franks, a Germanic tribe which settled in the country after the decline of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, had a greater impact on its development than opher tribes, such as the Frisians and the Saxons, who would soon settle in what is now Great Britain. Dutch and German are in fact considered part of the so-called continental German group, as opposed to Frisian and English.
It wasn’t until about AD 600 that the Dutch language started to distinguish itself from German, mainly because of the so-called German consonant shift - a process in which certain consonants changed slightly (the ‘p’ turned into ‘pf’, for instance) - which did not take place in the Dutch speaking area. From this moment onwards Dutch starts to develop itself into a more autonomous language and is also being written down. For a long time it is believed that the oldest piece of written text is a famous phrase written down in the 11th century, “hebban olla vogala nestas bigunnan hinase ic ende thu uuat unbidan uue nu” (“all the birds have started making their nests, except for you and I: so what are we waiting for?”). We now know however that there are psalms which date back to the 10th century.
Between 1200 and 1500 many official documents needed to be written in the national language, called Middle Dutch as opposed to Old Dutch which covers the period 900-1100, while ever more people started reading literature as well. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century helped the Dutch language develop itself further, though it still lacked a uniform spelling. In the 16th and 17th century, religious and political conflicts such as the war against Spain boosted the creation of a unified language greatly, and the printing of the so Statenbijbel, in 1627, was the first serious attempt to create a uniform spelling. This Bible translation aimed at bringing together a number of dialects which at the time were spoken in the country, and has brought forth expressions which are still in use today. The first official spelling hkwever was created in the early 19th century.
Dutch is spoken in the Netherlands and in the Northern part of Belgium, though here it is called Flemish. Dutch and Flemish are basically the same languages, with some minor differences in pronunciation and vocabulary. This may occasionally lead to funny misunderstandings: if in Flemish one speaks of people standing in a queue, for example, one uses the same expression Dutch people use when they speak of a traffic jam! Outside of Europe, the Dutch language is also spoken in former colonies Aruba, Netherlands Antilles and Suriname, though it is a second language here, and mother tongue speakers are a minority. In another former colony, Indonesia, Dutch is spoken only by older generations, while some official documents (i.e. laws) are still written in Dutch. Afrikaans, finally, was derived from Dutch and though it is a language in itself, Dutch people can understand it fairly well.
In the Netherlands, being a small country, dialects aren’t such a big issue as they may be in larger countries such as India or China. Nevertheless some 28 dialects can be discerned, excluded the Frisian which is considered a language in itself. These dialects are generally divided into five main groups, of which the most widespread are ‘Hollands’ and ‘Brabants’. The latter is spoken in the more southern regions, and tends to resemble Flemish pronunciation, while ‘Hollands’ is spoken in the North and middle of the country.

Keukenhof gardens

2008-06-29T11:29:00.046+02:00

the famous tulip and flouwergardens in Lisse, in the north-west of the Netherlands. Set in 77 acres of wooded park, Keukenhof is one of the world's most spectacular flower gardens, particularly famous for its fabulous displays of bulbs during spring, featuring millions of different flowers.

In the 17th century rich people spent huge sums on tulip bulbs. People in the middle classes saw an opportunity to make big money and a craze was born – tulip mania. Traders were able to earn anything from 25 to 30 thousand euros a month from selling tulip bulbs. Some people even sold their businesses or their family jewels in order to be able to sell tulip bulbs. But the traders overplayed their hand and in 1637 the market collapsed leaving thousands of people ruined in a very short space of time. it is the history of the Dutch national symbol, the tulip.

for more pictures of Keukenhof, click here

The Most Beautiful Flower Garden - Funny blooper videos are here

Welcome

2008-06-29T01:53:00.024+02:00

Welcome,

first have a look into my livingroom, it's filled up with souvenirs from over the whole world.

it's nice to travel around and take some souvenirs with me and give them a place in my house.

when I look at it than always memories are coming and I can think back to the time I was on a beautifull or nice place on earth and had a good time there.