When I first arrived in the Netherlands as a young, bright-eyed student, I bought the ‘museumkaart’ (Museums Pass) for €59,90. It was a splurge, but gave me free or heavily discounted access to about 400 museums throughout NL. Usually I went with people. Don’t get me wrong, going to a museum alone can be really great. But sometimes you get excited about a painting, or want to tell someone your insights on pre-WWI events. It’s nice to have another person with you for that kind of thing.
MRW I have nobody to chatter to about Roy Liechtenstein’s ‘Still life with attaché case’
Of course, the Netherlands is a nation of problem-solvers. So now there’s a website for that. The Netherlands’ Museums Association seems to have introduced the world’s first online site for people looking to hook up with other museum pass-holders.
You have to have a museum card to participate, which you register online, but the service itself is free. After registering their card, users can write a short description of what they’re interested in, or search the profiles already there and hook up with new art gallery buddies.
It’s a really great way to meet like-minded people, deepen your cultural knowledge, and even make new friends or find a special someone you just happen to click with.
*clicking intensifies*
A popular initiative
Since its launch on 27 March, the initiative has been successful. A quick browse of the site reveals loads of are using it. Most profiles are written in Dutch but there are a few English ones too.
The site itself is only available in Dutch at the moment. This might change as interest grows, but for now, it’s no biggie. Just get a Dutch-speaker to help you get set up!
How does it work?
Everyone with a Museums Pass and older than 18 can use it. You don’t upload a photo and can control how much you tell people about yourself.
A short bio is visible to all visitors to the site, but you have to be registered to access more information and the users can choose how much information they want to share. Users filter the results by ticking boxes indicating their preferences. People find each other based on profile descriptions and preferences.
When one person contacts another user, that user can choose to accept or reject the contact. Basic contact details will be given once a request is accepted, and then the users can chat to each other, and meet when they both agree to.
Some people are nervous about using sites like this and people use it for different things, but there are some safety measures and support in place. The service is focused on connecting people based on their cultural interests. Obviously you should try and get a feel for what’s appropriate on the site. Erotic or offensive profiles will be removed by a moderator. Users can also report each other, so if someone is inappropriate, don’t hesitate to flag it up.
As always, it’s just about being kind and respectful.
I no longer have a Museums Pass, but for that year I think I used it four or five times. So still worth it…but I felt bad knowing I’d missed many museum opportunities.
If this website had existed when I still had a museum card, I definitely would have used it. If you’re looking for new friends, a regular museum-buddy or just want to learn more about Georgia O’Keefe, give it a go!
Is it undemocratic to be excluding Geert Wilders from the coalition?
In this post-Brexit world, it is safe to say that we are all quite familiar with the phenomenon that is populism. In the past twelve months, we have witnessed numerous victories in the spirit of this new political buzzword, and in March, the famous Dutch tolerance was tested when their national elections rolled around.
Dubbed the ‘quarter finals’ of the European national elections that are taking place in 2017, they attracted international attention as the world watched to see whether resident populist, Geert Wilders of the Freedom Party, would scoop the top prize. However, the Netherlands held firm and awarded him second place. Despite this high placement, with just Mark Rutte’s Liberals ahead in first place, Wilders is still to be kept out of the progressing coalition talks that will form the new Dutch government.
In response, Wilders branded Rutte’s efforts to exclude him from the talks ‘undemocratic and unmarketable’. Wilders looks to be correct in one aspect: it is seemingly undemocratic to exclude him from the talks. But does that mean he needs to be included?
If we consider the concept of democracy as we generally understand it in the Western world, Wilders’ exclusion is undemocratic. Although numerous definitions and types exist, at its root, democracy means to subscribe to a political system that is ruled by the people with a basic protection of civil rights. In the modern era, one of those treasured civil rights is universal suffrage no matter your sex, race, or class, and this is a right that exists for Dutch citizens.
In the March 2017 elections, Wilders received 13.1% of the vote, with a 3% rise since the last elections in 2012. In an election where there were 28 parties to choose from, this is obviously a significant victory. It’s clear he holds the support of a large portion of the electorate, and ignoring the views of his voters would be dangerous for the new Dutch government.
Arguably, Wilders’ voters would be being ignored if the Freedom Party is not included in the new coalition talks, and policies that a significant amount of the Dutch population voted for would not be implemented. If democracy means purely to put electoral power in the hands of the people for the purpose of equal rights and representation, then Wilders’ exclusion is undemocratic.
The Dutch way of doing democracy
The actual process of forming a new government in the Netherlands, however, means that it is not fully undemocratic to exclude Wilders from the ongoing talks. First and foremost, as it is difficult for a party to gain a majority in the Tweede Kamer, a coalition is almost inevitable in Dutch politics. This being the general state of affairs, the Netherlands is traditionally a country of political consultations and consensus, although the formation process has become more difficult in recent years.
One such example of this is the turbulent history of the Rutte-Wilders relationship. Although the Liberals and the Freedom Party originally cooperated in Rutte’s first term as Prime Minister, it ended badly when there was a breakdown in economic cooperation due to proposed austerity measures, and Wilders walked out. Citing this, the Freedom Party’s leftist socio-economic policies, and their principled objections to Wilders’ far-right rhetoric as the reasons why he would not work with Wilders further, even in a minority coalition, Rutte has continued to say that he wants his rival excluded from coalition talks.
Furthermore, the Volkskrant reported that most of the other parties will refuse to work with the Freedom Party as well. If the main goal in the formation of a new democratic government is to ultimately find political parties that are willing to cooperate, then it makes sense that Wilders’ party is excluded from the main talks, especially if there is a wide ideological clash.
Furthermore, Wilders’ far-right policies, especially regarding the status of Islam, go against the Dutch government’s position on freedom of religion. This principle states that the Netherlands believes everyone is free to define their own religious or ideological identity. It is also imperative in Dutch society that no one is restricted from doing so, thus developing the Dutch’s reputation for being liberal and tolerant.
Additionally, the freedom of thought, conscience, and religion is an essential element in the concept of modern democracy. By excluding Wilders from coalition talks, the Dutch government is recognising the right to religious freedom, which is a truly democratic principal which has underpinned evolution of Western civilisation.
Lessons learned
Let us ask ourselves: can we really allow a political party that preaches hate against an entire demographic and reduces them to a stereotype to be a part of a prominent European government? If we do so in the name of democracy, then I do not think we understand its correct definition.
On this note, it is also premature for news outlets to claim that Rutte saw off the far-right challenge. As already stated, Wilders came second in the elections and it is obvious that he has changed the state of Dutch politics. The political rhetoric of the nativist agenda has begun to influence mainstream parties and civil society, especially in the constant reference to Dutch national identity and the status of immigrants.
Wilders has not been fully rejected. The same could be said for the French elections that was won by the liberal Emmanuel Macron, with Marine Le Pen receiving only 35% of the vote. But that is still the largest vote for a far-right party that has ever occurred in a presidential election in France. This shows us that whilst right-wing populism has not triumphed in this European election cycle so far, we have not seen the last of this movement.
Renewable energy is a hot topic in the Netherlands, which is almost solely reliant on fossil fuels for its energy production. The Dutch government has therefore set the goal of generating 14% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020, and 16% by 2023. The ultimate aim is to be carbon neutral by 2050. The Gemini windpark, which has become operational earlier than planned, is a stepping stone towards achieving this goal.
Wind turbines: munching up all that lovely wind and turning it into energy
A ‘Huge Breakthrough’
The owners of the Gemini wind farm have hailed the success of the project as an ‘enorme doorbraak’ (huge breakthrough). However, not all observers are equally thrilled. It has been pointed out that the Gemini project, which cost a modest 2.8 billion EUR, is overpriced. An opinion piece in De Volkskrant noted that the 150 wind turbines now spinning off the coast of Ameland will produce energy at a cost of 17 cents per kilowatt hour. Whereas the wind farms which are currently being planned for the coast of Zeeland will produce energy at a cost of 5 cents per kilowatt hour. Seemingly the process has become cheaper in the time that it took for Gemini to be built.
All the same, whether you like wind energy or not, it is hard to suck the wind out the sails of those involved with the project. Gemini’s managing director, Matthias Haag, described the wind farm as a symbol which proves that ‘a very large project can be built on time, and in a very safe environment’. Great care was indeed taken for the environment during the construction of the wind turbines: work on the site did not begin in 2015 until the porpoise breeding season was over.
“Thanks, you guys.” Solidarity with the North Sea porpoise
How the Dutch Media is on the paper trail of Trump money laundering in the Netherlands
Cool, calm and collected – everything Donald J. Trump is not, Dutch media are calmly but steadily on the trail of what could best be described as toilet paper hanging from his pants. You can try and deny it but the facts are there, Donny. We look for you at night.
Back in 2009 Barack Obama called the Netherlands a tax haven, together with places like the Cayman Islands, and struck the Dutch right in our tiny, little sensitive hearts. But was he wrong? Well, there’s some nuance to it, but the country is earning some sweet pocket money for this side gig. But it appears that the Netherlands’ banking system may actually have one little gem in store for former president Obama and a total nightmare for “President 45”.
Trump money laundering in the Netherlands: Socialist TV and Steak Ketchup – You’re about to get served!
In comes ZEMBLA, by Dutch network VARA (a historically socialist media network no less!) and widely known – even internationally – for digging so deep it once reached the molten core of the Earth and confirmed the current US Administration had set up camp there for the 2016 elections.
But, in all seriousness, this is a trustworthy news source and they’ve got something so good it trumps steak with ketchup: a paper trail leading directly to Trump money laundering in the Netherlands and his connections to the Russians.
You see, Trump used to be a “successful” businessman – given you ignore all the bankruptcies and lawsuits – and did many investments through a company called Bayrock. Guess where this Pokémon-sounding investment company is headquartered? Tax Haven Holland!
Oh, and ZEMBLA has all the little receipts – it’s pure money laundering, by setting up in the Netherlands in 2007, it laundered $1,5 million dollars. And the company is in hot water already, the State of New York is doing investigations into their tax fraud, large scale tax fraud – and Donald is a key figure. According to attorney F. Oberlander – prosecuting on behalf of New York State – the maximum jail term could be as long as 30 years! But it doesn’t end there! There’s more! This was just the appetizer!
Now we’re heading for the steak – Trump, and Bayrock, have been working closely with some third parties, namely the Georgian-born Tamir Sapir and Kazakhstani Tevfik Ari and formed a new joint company Bayrock/Sapir Organization, LLC. Guess what? That company has been accused of grand scale fraud. Oh, and guess what else? That company was the developer behind Trump SoHo, the hotel condiminium Trump bought into for nearly 20% back in 2005. Soviet/Russian-ties confirmed. Nice.
But it keeps getting better, this is the proverbial ketchup on the steak. Remember Rudy Giulliani? Sure you do, top lawyer, former mayor of New York and current advisor to the Trump Administration. Well guess what the legal company backing Trump’s Bayrock is called? Bracewell & Giulliani…
And guess what else? ZEMBLA has access to the communications between Bracewell & Giulliani and several dark figures in the former USSR. And I really do mean dark – people that embezzled hundreds of millions, people that were fugitives and had fraudulent government roles supporting controversial regimes. These people have worked with, and are directly tied to, Donald J. Trump.
Trumpocalypse Now – Watch it Melt.
It’s all starting to add up, thanks to a letter box firm in Amsterdam and a TV network with a socialist tradition. This could potentially, and very real, be the bells that usher in the Trumpocalypse, these are the kind of ties that nobody wants to be confronted with. They are on paper and kept in a trusted, friendly nation – so cleaning up your tracks won’t be as easy. Bet they wouldn’t have dug into on the Cayman Islands. You’re welcome President Obama…
And all this after Trump so graciously responded to our “Holland Second”-request. Sorry, Don.
Lately, we saw a rise of populist politicians. Here in the Netherlands with Geert Wilders, in the UK with the Brexit, in France with Marine Le Pen, and so on and so on. Those parties have one thing in common: they do not like the European Union and want to leave it. As a lot of the DutchReviewers tend to feel very European, I thought this was the perfect timing to take the time to explain what the EU actually is.
A lack of communication?
Recently, I was at a conference at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (sounds fancy, I know) to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Rome treaty. After debating about what the EU provides to European citizens, there was a discussion about what could the EU do to improve the whole situation. Of course people wanted more efforts on the labour market, some wanted the citizens to be more involved, some wanted to restore border controls… I personally thought that before any of this, the EU had to do one thing. A very simple thing and yet often overlooked: communicate about what the EU is.
Born and raised in France, one of the six countries that greatly contributed to the creation of the European Union with, first, the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (with the Netherlands, among other countries), I never really studied the EU before my third year of bachelor in political science. I consider myself as an educated person (you know, the French and their ego…), and yet I don’t really know what the EU is. And I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one. This article is the perfect opportunity to catch up.
The European Union: what is this exactly?
The European Union was officially created with the Maastricht treaty in 1992. Yes Dutchies, the EU exists thanks to you. Back then, there were only twelve countries. For now, there are 28 countries in the EU. Soon, however, we will only be 27 as the UK is leaving us.
The European Union didn’t appear from nowhere, it is the result of a long evolution. The first step, as mentioned previously, was the ECSC. And in 1957 (I will try not to bore you to death with too many dates and boring details, history graduate writing here…) was the Rome treaty creating the European Economic Community with a common market. The main goal was that, by making countries cooperate economically and be kind of interdependent, they would not fight each other. There were six members: Germany, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy. As more and more countries joined, the community wished to accomplish more than simply being an economic community. With the Maastricht treaty, countries agreed on having common politics in terms of security and diplomacy, as well as a judicial cooperation.
They also started to think about having a common currency, what was to become the euro, and established requirements to be part of the euro community. Just to name a few: an inflation rate of less than 1.5%, a government debt of less than 60% of the GDP, and a government budget balance of less than 3% of the GDP. As you can imagine, some requirements are not really met those days.
Nowadays the EU also works on environmental issues, health, migrations, justice… It became way more than just an economic cooperation. And the main goal was well achieved: we have been living in peace since WW2.
The current European Union
The Eurozone, Schengen… Let’s complicate the situation a bit
You have the European Union, and then you also have the Eurozone, which is the countries that use the euro as their currency, and the Schengen area that is the zone in which there is a free circulation of the people. It doesn’t sound too complicated does it? Now here is the complication. Some countries are members of the Schengen area without being members of the EU, and some members of the EU do not use the €. Switzerland or Norway for instance are not EU members, yet joined the Schengen area. Sweden, Denmark or the UK are (for now, sorry dear British citizens) members of the EU, and yet refused to use the €.
Yes, we do. And yes, that is quite practical.
All of this shows that being a member of the EU doesn’t oblige countries to join treaties, they can join or refuse. Everything is negotiated, both by governments and commissioners, but also by representatives.
Who does what?
As any organization, the EU also has institutions. As I’m doing my best not to be too boring, I will briefly describe the main ones. Google is always here to help if needed.
The European Parliament in Strasbourg. Quite a few people (when they are there)
The European Parliament is the law-making body, and is composed of 751 MEPs who are directly elected in each country. Although this is not the election with the best turnout ever, with only 42.6% people voting in 2014. Outch. Which is sad because they actually do things, mainly voting laws that will apply in the whole EU.
The European Council (which is not to be confused with the Council of the European Union) is composed of the heads of state or government of the EU members, the President of the European Commission, and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (how fancy does that sound). They decide the EU’s overall direction and political priorities, but they do not pass laws.
The Council of the European Union is composed of government ministers from each EU country. They coordinate EU policies, discuss and adopt laws, so they are the main decision-making body with the European Parliament. Together, they adopt the annual EU budget. They also conclude agreements with other international organizations or countries. Basically, they have a lot of power.
The European Commission is composed of 28 commissioners, one for each country. They propose new laws, manages EU policies and supervises EU funding. They also represent the EU internationally, which sounds like quite a nice job.
Lastly, the European Central Bank is, as its name kind of describes, the European bank. They set the interest rates, makes sure that financial markets and institutions are not messed up, also makes sure that payment systems work well, and more generally they manage the euro and conduct the economic and monetary policy.
European symbols: spread the European love
The most obvious one: the European flag, with the circle of yellow stars on a blue background. Unlike the stars on the US flag, they do not represent the number of states (although considering there are twelve, I do think it was linked at some point), but the circle represents unity, solidarity, and harmony. Yes, all of this. The European anthem is the Ode to Joy, by Beethoven, and the European motto is “United in diversity”. And every May 9th is Europe day. This day marks the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, a speech during which he expressed his idea of a political cooperation between European countries so war would never happen again. I have to say, I do like the European symbols as they are very positive. And we all need more positivity around.
And a blue sky. Can it get any more positive?
Now small fun fact, to bring it back to the Netherlands: on every euro notes, there is a bridge that is to represent the link between European countries (more positive symbols!). Those bridges were not actually real to avoid rivalry between countries, until a Dutch architect, Robin Stam, decided to reproduce them. And those bridges now exist and they are in Spijkenisse, near Rotterdam!
As any expat knows, the mandatory bureaucracy of legal migration means making repeated visits to a government office to register and prove your legalness. It is a necessary, but often dreaded step in the process of getting settled. Yet, I would commend the Dutch government for offering a most pleasant and streamlined migration experience, even though I have had to visit offices in 3 cities in Zuid-Nederland, including my own, over the course of my first months here.
Of course, my disclaimer is that my experience is American, so interactions with most U.S. government offices have been based on providing the bare minimum to get the job done. What makes the Dutch experience so distinctly memorable? It’s actually rather simple, and here, I’ll count the ways.
If you’re lucky, you even get to visit a beautiful building like Maastricht’s Stadhuis.
Koffie, rood, of blauw water?
As a coffee-lover, I was astonished and quite happy to find that working in The Netherlands also comes with the hospitality of having a coffee or its zero-calorie alternative at meetings. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that this also applied to my appointment to register in the Netherlands. What a hospitable greeting it was: a nicely decorated office complete with coffee, water, and even fresh fruit.
Or, if this was not readily provided, as was the case when I later visited my local expat center, then a Coffeelovers was only a few steps away. I’m impressed. Such luxuries — which is what they are to me, yet probably a Dutch government standard — are entirely incompatible with visiting any government office stateside. Then again, this is perhaps an unsurprising byproduct of the importance of coffee in Dutch culture in American culture.
Punctuality
Have an appointment? Prepare to be seen on time in The Netherlands. At the U.S. Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), for example, even after making an appointment, wait time consumed an additional 45 minutes of my life. And that’s not while I sip a coffee or water provided by said office. It’s sitting in a monochromatic, cubicle-laden office with hard plastic chairs and a crowd suffering the same fate.
When I registered in The Netherlands, I barely sipped my freshly brewed espresso before shaking hands with an official and proceeding with my appointment. Even after visiting other Zuid-Nederland gemeente offices without an appointment and taking a number, I have waited little more than 15 minutes to see an attendant. So a bit thank you is owed to the Dutch government offices for being punctual and saving 30 minutes of my life that I could spend doing something else more enjoyable, like having more coffee or, better yet, a beer on a terras.
Happy Staff
When you go to an office and are specifically instructed “No Smiling,” which I have experienced as a both a visiting client and as a former employee of a U.S. government office, this strikes me as a fundamental mismatch with our humanity here. And most certainly not Dutch.
Indeed, for every Dutch office I have visited to date, staff smile at me and seem genuinely happy to ask, “Hoe kan ik u helpen?” Happily for me, I think this is completely in keeping with what I have come to learn and love about being an expat in a country known for happy mums, happy teens, and happy kids. It seems that the report on happy Dutch dads is missing, but I wouldn’t be surprise to see the report forthcoming.
It’s lovely to be greeted by smiling faces
Needless to say, coffee, timely visits, and smiles are ingredients for an altogether pleasant experience visiting a Dutch government office. If this is the government standard, then I look forward to many more happy Dutch experiences to come.
Is the good weather finally here? Could it be possible? I know, I know, the last few nights have been icy and cold (I don’t really, I was in Italy), but fear not, the sun is coming!
Thursday is predicted to have maximum temperatures around 20 degrees! Ok, so not that crazy, but it’s the Netherlands, and this is what passes for good weather apparently. On the brighter side, next week is expected to have maximum temperatures rise to 25 degrees. I mean, what more can a Dutchie ask for?
A Mostly Dry Week Ahead
Weerplaza is even predicting that next week will be mostly rain-free. And I know what you’re thinking, “Holy Shit, bring out the beers, let’s hit up the terraces!”
Yes, exactly! Go out, enjoy the sun, it won’t last long. Rush recklessly to the nearest terrace and realize that the Dutch have been sitting there happily for three weeks now already because apparently 10 degrees and cloudy is good weather enough for them.
I don’t know what to do!
Is it your first time experiencing good weather in this country? Are you completely flabbergasted and entirely uncertain of how to handle this sudden upcoming change in climate? Well have no fear, DutchReview is doing it all can to make sure you make the most of the year’s 72 hours of sun. And if you’re in Amsterdam, make sure to check out the urban beaches scattered through town.
Is the housing market in the Netherlands out of control and getting way too expensive?
It’s presented as news, but most of you reading this probably knew this already: living in the more popular cities of this country is getting nigh impossible if you don’t have the money (or parents) to back it up.
Yesterday, the NRC covered the ‘Nederlandsche Bank’ (our central institution) stating that the housing market in the Netherlands isn’t yet in a ‘bubble’ state but surely is ‘overheated’ – which is kind of a no-brainer for anybody who has cut out and handed over his or her kidney at an open house in Amsterdam as a down payment. So what’s going on with the housing market in the Netherlands?
How Gezellig
This is happening in the housing market in the Netherlands:
So this is what the central bank is saying (you can skip this part if you’re from London, New York or Paris). The young and educated folks are moving to the cities because of culture/work. Because they can’t get social housing, and because affordable (free sector) rental apartments are as scarce as a Dutchie refusing bitterballen, the price of real estate is going through the roof. Families are also moving out of Amsterdam to cities such as Zaandam and Haarlem, driving up the price there in turn.
You probably can’t afford this
Amsterdam real estate prices keep going through the roof (the same goes for Utrecht, Groningen or Leiden, basically any city with an university) and as a result weirder deals are struck every time. You now have to bring more than 60K ‘cash’ on average if you want to buy a house without any ‘voorwaarden’ (conditions like financing) in Amsterdam. More than 25% of the buying is done without a fricking mortgage!
Social consequences for the housing market in the Netherlands
So it’s a no-brainer that people with wealthy parents are in an advantageous position (turns out this is true for thousands of years). This development is also fueled by the low interest on savings at the moment, so buying a house for your kid is just a smarter way of handling your money for rich parents than stashing it at some bank.
This has a few consequences for the housing market in the Netherlands of course. Firstly, people live in rentals which are actually ‘too expensive’ for them – that way they can’t save up money for buying later. Second, no one wants to buy a house in the small rural areas outside the ‘Randstad’ these days. Third, it’s in general gosh darn hard to move to the Netherlands from abroad.
The solution to all of this? Building more houses is the first thing that springs to mind of course. But municipalities are too slow in handing out permits and such. So you better get used to these London/New York like scenes in the housing market in the Netherlands as well.
The UK is an exciting place to live these days, especially if you like elections. If you think Brexit is a good thing, and if you have an anarchic fondness for political uncertainty, then no doubt it is thrilling. However, as British politicians gear up for the snap UK general election on 8th June, the uncertainty of Brexit is meanwhile continuing to make life miserable for millions of EU citizens in the UK.
According to a report for the Dutch government (in Dutch) written in March 2017, there are thought to be about 73,000 Dutch nationals living in the UK. How many of them will be allowed to stay is dependent on the upcoming Brexit negotiations. While previously it was Dutch citizen Monique Hawkins who made the headlines after the British Home Office told her to “make preparations to leave” the UK, most recently it is 75-year-old Dutch pensioner Elly Wright who has hit the news in the endless cycle of Brexit misery.
Elly Wright – just one of the many people for whom Brexit is causing problems.
“It’s a horrible situation”
Mrs Wright came to the UK in 1967 after marrying a British military intelligence officer, with whom she has a son. When they divorced, a British court ruled that she had to remain in the UK as part of the divorce settlement. She met her second husband, also a UK citizen, in 1981. After working in the National Health Service and public housing for several decades, she retired to Surrey in 1993. Now, following the Brexit referendum of 23rd June 2016, she may no longer be welcome to stay in the country where she has spent most of her adult life.
Due to the exhilarating uncertainty of Brexit, many of the 3 million non-British EU citizens in the UK have applied for permanent residency. This is a gruelling procedure that requires a lot of paperwork, and applicants must supply historical bank statements and pay slips. Having retired 24 years ago, and never dreaming that 17 million Brits would recklessly vote to “take back control”, Mrs Wright did not keep these documents.
“Don’t worry everyone, I got this”
Red, white and blue Brexit – but no Orange?
Mrs Wright is unable to retrieve old bank statements from the period of her employment, because her bank will not provide documents from that far back. She is thus unable to apply for permanent residency in the UK. As her British husband is no longer alive, applying for UK citizenship now would mean relinquishing her Dutch passport. And until the Conservative government stops using people like her as “bargaining chips” in Brexit negotiations, her ability to stay in the UK will remain deeply uncertain.
So, will Mrs Wright be deported? Will she be granted permanent residency? Will she be allowed to travel to EU countries once Brexit negotiations are over? The answer, as to so many questions about Brexit, is: who knows! Thrilling, isn’t it.
Looking to get high in Amsterdam? Well we’ve found the perfect place for you: The A’DAM Lookout Tower. (Ok, so not that type of high, but it’s still mindblowing!)
Until April 22, you can actually visit and swing there for FREE! The swing had disappeared for a bit because they were replacing it with a six-seater, and making it faster. The new, improved and better swing is all ready and installed for everyone to enjoy again. So, starting from noon on April 19, until April 22, anyone can visit it for free and have as much fun as we had there!
The DutchReview Crew does not often meet up in person (we’re modern like that), but when we do, we always plans the best outings. And those people at HQ delivered this time, with a brilliant view from the A’DAM Lookout Tower. So besides the expected view what else was there to see and why should you visit the A’DAM Lookout Tower?
Why visit the A’DAM Lookout Tower: The Ferry!
The A’DAM Lookout is just on the North side of the river, so I can already hear some of you sighing disdainfully behind your screens. But don’t fret, it’s worth the effort, trust me. If even just for the FREE ferry ride. Yes, free, exactly. If you’re Dutch (or a resident here), then I know that the word free is already stirring some excitement deep within you.
And the ferry is fun in and of itself. I mean, the nice breeze, the sunny sky, a tranquil boat trip. It’s great…just be careful of rush hour.
Chilling on the ferry, with a lovely blue sky.
Why visit the A’DAM Lookout Tower: A Tall(ish) building in Amsterdam?
The A’DAM Lookout Tower is immediately visible across the water from Central Station, but the closer we got, the more I realized how tall this building was for Amsterdam standards (for other standards not so much). Although it stands at a modest 80m in height, the A’DAM Lookout is still somehow the 22nd tallest building in the Amsterdam, and probably the tallest building in the city center. A perfect place to look over the mostly vertically challenged city.
Why visit the A’DAM Lookout Tower: It’s a Pretty Nice View
What’s really cool about the place, though, isn’t necessarily its height. It’s really the view that makes this place worth a visit (yes, even if that means crossing into Noord). Just check out these awesome pics.
Gotta love that view.Look, we found Nemo!
But I’m getting a bit ahead of myself, because the fun starts way before you set your eyes on Amsterdam’s lovely skyline. Even before we got on the elevator, we got the chance to take this awesome picture.
….I mean, this picture was totally taken after our elevator ride. Because it’s totally real and definitely not in front of a green screen.
Yes, There’s an Experience Elevator
Anyways, then comes the elevator. A’DAM Lookout’s very own Experience Elevator. 20 floors in 22 seconds. It’s pretty cool.
WARNING: A lot of flashing lights.
Why visit the A’DAM Lookout Tower: The 360 Panorama View with Bar and Restaurant
When the experience elevator ends, you step out onto the building’s penthouse, which hosts a bar and restaurant. You can walk around the floor uninterrupted to get a clear view in every direction. There are even a number of fancy tablets fixed onto the walls to help indicate the notable points in the view.
Fancy Tablets!
You can look straight down through a glass floor too if that’s what you’re looking for.
The bar and restaurant are an attraction in themselves, of course, for who wouldn’t want to dine in style while enjoying the sights of the Dutch capital? Besides that, there are a number of displays strewn about the place, including a miniature model of the A’DAM Lookout Tower itself (complete with brilliantly creative dioramas that held the attention of the DR Crew longer than we’ll admit to).
A miniature A’DAM Lookout Tower in the A’DAM Lookout Tower. Wicked.Look! a Feyenoorder making out with an Ajacied. These dioramas are crazy.Yup, that’s a (relatively) giant butterfly.
There’s even a miniature Amsterdam.
Why visit the A’DAM Lookout Tower: The Roof Terrace and the Swing Over the Edge
Yup, there’s a roof terrace too. Just a short flight of stairs up from the penthouse, you can step out into the open air and enjoy the clear blue skies of Holland (that is, given the sky is clear that day, like it was for us).
This is also the location of one of A’DAM Lookout’s greatest selling points: the swing. If you’re a thrill-seeking daredevil, then you’ll want to swing right over the edge.
The swing on the A’DAM Lookout Tower is Europe’s tallest swing and leans right over the edge of the terrace. Visitors with a bit more courage than us have the opportunity to swing peacefully at 100m (!) above the ground.
We may not have strictly-speaking been on the swing, but at least we saw it.
Of course, when you’re all done visiting, the gift shop has some interesting souvenirs.
Curious to Visit?
If you’re looking to experience A’DAM Lookout yourself, the tower is open daily from 10:00-22:00, so you can visit at whichever time best suits you. For more information, check out their website. THE BUTCHER Social Club is also right next door, which is also certainly worth checking out if you want to have some post-visit drinks as well. Or check out the EYE museum which is also right next door!
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