On November 11, police from Heerhugowaard, near Alkmaar, made a gruesome discovery: they found the remains of a Dutchman who had been missing since 2021 — buried in his son’s freezer.
While the North Holland Public Prosecution Service has not commented on the ongoing case, sources of De Telegraaf reveal that the victim’s son has been arrested and remains in pre-trial custody.
The authorities are still investigating to confirm his role in his father’s murder.
Missing since 2021
Albert Visser (67) lived in the same house as his son, Tijmen (31), in a room he rented from him. As neighbours tell De Telegraaf, this arrangement caused much conflict between the two men.
The first hint of Albert’s disappearance dates back to late February 2021, when Tijmen filed a civil case against his father, likely about the dispute they had over the house — but the man did not show up in court.
Despite this, the police did not start searching for him until the next spring, months after a friend of Albert had reported him missing in October 2021.
Found in 2024
Earlier this month, investigators finally searched Albert and Tijmen’s house.
One conversation with Tijmen was enough to make him a suspect in the murder. The police came back the next day, ready to turn the house upside down and dig up the garden in the search — but none of that was necessary.
All they had to do was open the freezer, where they found Albert Visser’s remains, including his fingers, which made his identification fast and indisputable. His son was immediately arrested.
A missing diary entry
In the house, the investigators also found a diary that helped them identify a likely date for the murder.
Albert kept meticulous notes of his meter readings, which he annotated in the same diary every day. Since the last entry dates back to January 10, 2021, they think he was likely murdered between that day and the next.
A conflictual relationship
While the police have not released any conclusive statements about the murderer, all hints lead to Tijmen, including the difficult relationship he had with his father.
The two men were regularly heard and seen fighting, sometimes physically, in the house or on the street, the neighbours tell De Telegraaf.
Albert was known for causing a nuisance in the neighbourhood, often engaging in obscene behaviour publicly, to the point that he had been convicted for it.
As a result, Tijmen had a troubled childhood and youth. Lately, he was doing better and wanted his father out of the house to make his life more stable.
However, this plan came to a tragic end. “The son had become a decent boy. I think of a fight that got out of hand,” said one neighbour, “something terrible must have happened.”
Ugh, wintertime. It makes everyone want to escape their current lives, whether by trying to be a better person or by physically travelling away from their usual abodes. 🏃🏼♀️
Well, you can do both! Travel by train to minimise your impact on the planet and explore some gorgeous European cities. We have chosen seven winter escapes from the Netherlands by train that you can enjoy. 🚄
You could also purchase an Interrail pass if you’re planning on travelling for an extended period of time.
As a more flexible but more expensive option, you can also buy tickets as you go. The prices listed are based on your booking a month in advance, so they’ll be more expensive if you book for tomorrow, for example.
1. Gent
Our team recently visited the beautiful city of Gent, and we were blown away. One of our writers describes Gent as a more relaxed and accessible Bruges, with a stunning mix of old and new architecture dotting the city centre.
Gent is the perfect winter escape from the Netherlands. Image: Depositphotos
And honestly, with that short of a travel time from Amsterdam, how could you not take the trip? Short trips like this one are pretty inexcusable to take by plane — in fact, flying to Gent would probably take you longer than taking the train. 😋
⏳Time from Amsterdam: 2.5 hours 💲One-way ticket price: €30-40
Home of the European Parliament, you can get your fill of politics here no problem. But Strasbourg is also a really beautiful city: it has two UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame (not the Parisian one) and the Imperial, or German Quarter.
The stunning old town of Strasbourg. Image: Depositphotos
There are lots of beautiful parks to enjoy as well, and the French-German cultural blend remains evident to this day.
The train trip will take you through Paris, so although it is a short trip, it could be worth breaking up with a day of exploring the French capital. 🥐
It’s the perfect option if you want to go somewhere just for the weekend.
⏳Time from Amsterdam: 6 hours 💲One-way ticket price: From €42.20
3. Luxembourg
If you want to get the essence of Western Europe, then you cannot miss Luxembourg. The country has a deep sense of culture and history and lies in the middle of the continent (they speak English, Luxembourgish, French, AND German!)
The Fortress of Luxembourg is a must-see: it was known as the Gibraltar of the North until it was rendered unfit for military use in 1867.
Feel the wonder at the Fortress of Luxemburg. Image: Depositphotos
Luxembourg has a great wine-and-dine scene, which is perfect for those winter months when you want to take the chill out of your bones with a delicious meal.
The trip has one change at Bruxelles-Midi. If you leave early enough, you could be in Luxembourg by mid-afternoon.
⏳Time from Amsterdam: 6 hours 💲One-way ticket price: From €32.50
4. Zurich
There’s a lot more to Zurich than just an expensive financial centre, which is why we’re recommending it as one of our top winter destinations by train.
You simply cannot escape the beautiful nature in Switzerland. Zurich is a lakeside city with the beautiful River Limmat running through the Old City.
There are some gorgeous hiking trails up each of the small mountains that surround the city, so bundle up and get out there. And in winter, you can never go wrong with a museum (which Zurich has plenty of!).
The train journey is a neat eight hours and usually includes two changes: one in Frankfurt and one in Basel, Switzerland.
Eight hours is short enough that you shouldn’t need to split the journey, but if you do want to, then Frankfurt is a great spot to take a break.
⏳Time: 8 hours 💲Price one-way: From €37.90
5. Vienna
If you’re craving some high-quality architecture, Vienna is the place to go. You can’t come here and not gobble up the Schönbrunn or Hofburg Palace, where new architectural styles were added on as each new ruler tried to show off.
And then there’s the coffeehouse culture: eat some delicious cake and sip some coffee as you watch the world go by. ☕
The train trip sometimes only has one stop, at Frankfurt, but others have multiple stops in Munich or Salzburg, for example. Depending on whether you want to split the journey, either option is a great idea.
⏳Time from Amsterdam: 11 hours 💲One-way ticket price: From €30 with the NightJet, from €50 with ICE international
6. Copenhagen
Copenhagen is one of my favourite cities (outside the Netherlands, of course), and the train journey takes you through some beautiful countryside and cityscapes.
What can you do in Copenhagen? The first thing I recommend is the Royal Library. Not just for the books but for the architecture too.
So what does the 11-hour train journey to Copenhagen look like? You’ll have either two or three changes — one for sure in Osnabruck and one in Hamburg. Hamburg would be the perfect place to split the journey, as it’s about halfway through the journey, but the trip is totally doable in a day.
⏳Time from Amsterdam: 11 hours 💲One-way ticket price: From €38
7. Prague
Prague is well-known for cheap beer and attracting revellers from far and wide each year.
The Old Town Hall was one of my favourite features. It is adorned with an astronomical clock on its gothic church tower, constructed in 1338. On the ground and second floors, you can find art exhibitions as well as the tourist office. We also loved Charles Bridge.
Built in 1390, the bridge is a major tourist draw so don’t expect much peace and quiet here. It is lined with local artists and a fair few hawkers, but that’s all part of the experience. 🤷🏼♀️
The train journey to Prague from Amsterdam will take you an entire day, but you’ll pass through some beautiful areas. You’ll stop in Nuremberg (so if you want to break up the journey into two days, this would be the perfect place to stay).
A final interchange at Schwandorf, and you’ll be over the German border into the Czech Republic. It sounds like a long journey, but bring a couple of good books or a friend, and it’ll fly by. ✨
⏳Time from Amsterdam: 12 hours 💲One-way ticket price: From €38
From luxury fortresses, beautiful architecture, and so much culture, there’s almost too much to choose from when it comes to winter destinations. And, with just how easy it is to hop on a train, you could fill up every weekend of the cold and dreary months with a luxury trip. ⛄
Will you be heading off to any European cities by train soon? Let us know your favourite destinations!
Looking to score some Black Friday bargains in the Netherlands in 2024? We’ve rounded up the top deals that will save you some cash.
Black Friday in the Netherlands is a pretty big deal — yes, it’s an American holiday, and no, the Dutch have nothing to do with Thanksgiving. But, the Dutch do love to save money — and that’s where these Black Friday deals come in.
During Black Friday and its follow-up Cyber Monday, there are stacks of sales all over the Netherlands on almost anything you could want, from electronics to home goods and more.
In this article, we’ll outline the top Black Friday deals in the Netherlands — and update you with the newest discounts as soon as they arrive! 💪💸
Racing to nab the latest deal? Jump to a category below!
Listen to music and take calls effortlessly on your bike with 24 hours of battery life on your new wireless headphones. Even better? The noise cancellation will make working in the office a breeze.
Dig going to the movies, but hate splurging on tickets? Well, this Samsung TV is the closest thing to an at-home cinema — with its immersive sound system, high-contrast and colourful QLED display, and huge 55-inch screen!
Aptly named “The One“, this TV comes with Philips’ futuristic Ambilight technology — projecting its display colours onto your wall for the most engaging viewing experience. Even better? Its 4K UHD resolution still keeps those images super-crisp and vivid.
Forget craning your head down at your laptop when working from home! This BenQ monitor is 23.8 inches and fast enough for gaming — so definitely fast enough to browse DutchReview when you’re meant to be working. 😉
On the hunt for a new desktop computer? Featuring an ergonomic design to make working at your desk more comfortable, this 27-inch Samsung monitor is calling your name.
Perhaps you’ve also heard that you “should” get a VPN, but it always seemed too tricky, too expensive. But you’re here looking at this article — so why not finally set up a VPN and browse safely with NordVPN’s world-class security? Five minutes and you’re protected. Cool, huh?
Dying to watch that episode of your favourite show, but Netflix isn’t streaming it in your region? This Surfshark VPN makes easy work of crashing through that hurdle, by giving you access to servers all across the globe. Not to mention the best part — your data is kept safe from nosy companies and hackers.
While you’re getting your privacy in order, maybe it’s time to get your passwords in order too. A password manager like NordPass keeps your passwords secure — and easy for you (just you!) to access them. No more forgotten passwords, and you can even store credit card details or personal notes too!
Looking for a handy Bluetooth keyboard with a rock-solid battery life? Logitech’s MX Keys Mini is one of the best on the market — and, from its ergonomic design to its ability to pair with multiple devices, we can definitely see why!
Getting a really good deal on Apple products can be a struggle. However, come Black Friday, you can score a plethora of really great deals — like a whopping €10 off on this Magic Mouse!
‘Tis the season for changing energy contracts… and Essent has your back with generous discounts on electricity and gas contracts that are sure to keep your wallet happy. Even better? This deal applies to both fixed and variable contracts!
Meal planning can be an absolute bummer — which is exactly why a HelloFresh subscription comes in handy. With ingredients delivered right to your doorstep and weekly menus tailored to your preferences, you no longer need to sweat over what to cook for dinner.
Got a long week ahead of you and don’t want to cook? Factor’s delicious chef-prepared (and dietitian-approved) meals are here to save the day — now with a handy 50% discount. Just heat, eat, and enjoy!
Getting a good night’s sleep is the first step towards living a long, healthy life… which is exactly why you need this Emma Hybrid Premium Mattress! Thanks to its Thermosync technology, it absorbs your body heat and redistributes it — keeping you nice and toasty on those long, winter nights.
Though buying new bedding can be expensive, this Black Friday deal proves that you can still furnish your house on a budget — with a whopping 50% off on a mattress and duvet, 30% off on pillow, and the cherry on top: a free bed!
Impress your Dutch dentist with these gold-standard toothbrushes! Not only do they claim to whiten your teeth in just one day, but they come with four different modes to suit your teeth AND connect to an app to see where you’ve missed. You get two bases in this pack, one white and one rose gold, + four brushes!
With winter nipping at our heels, it’s the perfect time to enjoy a cheese tosti (toastie/grilled cheese) with some piping hot tomato soup. Luckily for you, this non-stick Tefal grill press is on sale and ready to elevate your daily boterham met kaas (cheese sandwich)!
Are you looking for a fab winter getaway — or ready and rearing to make some summer travel plans? With a wide range of discount codes for flights, cruises, city trips, and more, you won’t want to miss TUI’s Black Friday sale!
Coming from Australia, Christmas in the Netherlands is definitely… different. I’m used to a hot summer day, often spending most of Christmas trying every way possible to keep cool.
In my country, Santa is wearing board shorts and everyone is outside. The beer is extra cold, the BBQ is working hard, and everyone is enjoying the “no worries” mentality. ☀️🎄
Prior to my arrival, this would have made me laugh with disbelief. But, it’s true! It is not uncommon to see people bringing home their Christmas tree by bike during the festive month of December. It has become a tradition in my household.
If you are visiting some Dutch Christmas parties, don’t forget about the three kisses greeting. This means when I visit my husband’s family of approximately 35 people, I will receive over 100 kisses.
Now, that is merry! 💋
Indoor BBQ´s (gourmetten)
Obviously, I am used to an outdoor massive gas burner BBQ. So when I arrived at my first Dutch Christmas dinner, I was amazed.
A long table was set up in a cosy Dutch living room with around 6 mini-indoor BBQs — a tradition known as gourmetten.
Basically, you sit down and barbeque mini delights at your own pace. It is a delightful food experience, even with all that smokiness filling the room!
Sinterklaas vs. Santa Claus
The Dutch celebrate their own tradition of Sinterklaas early in December. Sinterklaas is a bit similar to Santa Claus, except actually quite different. The concept of receiving presents is the same, though.
So, for my son who is Dutch/Australian, he will get to enjoy both of these jolly and cheerful traditions. That’s so much celebrating in the month of December and double the presents! 🎁
Deep-fried dough balls (oliebollen)
Delicious, delectable olliebollen. Image: Pixabay
When December comes round, you will notice little food stands popping up with bright lights and selling Dutch delights known as oliebollen. Oliebollen are deep-fried dough balls usually with raisins.
Definitely, a lovely way to warm up on a cold winter’s day. They are best served with lots of icing sugar!
Drinking mulled wine
When I first heard about mulled wine, I was not impressed. Coming from a warm country, warm wine does not sound appealing.
However, after walking around in the cold, all rugged up and trying my first mulled wine, I understood!
There is nothing like having frosty cheeks and warming your belly with some mulled wine in a cosy Dutch market. 🍷
There is always the question of whether it will be a white Christmas or not. It’s always a gamble in the Netherlands. Usually, it would be more grey and raining, but still, it is cosy and warm inside.
Watching the bald trees dance in the wind is also charming at Christmas time. The feeling of hope that surrounds you is wonderful, so please — just let it snow! 🌨
Visiting Christmas markets
There are so many Christmas markets happening in the month of December. If you are not impressed by the Dutch Christmas markets, you can always travel an hour our two to Germany.
Is there any better way to enjoy Christmas than going to a Dutch Christmas market? Image: Depositphotos
They are known for some of the best Christmas markets in the world. Now, that’s handy!
Eating Cheese
It is always a good time to enjoy cheese, but Christmas is another chance to indulge! Visit a Dutch cheese shop and do some tastings.
Pick your favourites and enjoy them together with a good bottle of wine, pure delight!
My Christmas table will consist of a cheese board — soft, firm, blue and sharp. Lekker! 🧀
Visiting typical Dutch bars (bruin café)
There is something about visiting a traditional Dutch bar (bruin café) in December. Maybe it is a combination of the darkness of the bar together with a few twinkle lights — but it certainly is magical.
The atmosphere is definitely festive, and you can feel the Christmas spirit in the air! ✨
So, there you are: The merriest bits of Christmas in the Netherlands! Merry Christmas — or fijne kerstdagen! As you Dutchies like to say 😉
What are your favourite parts about Christmas in the Netherlands? Share them in the comments!
For expats in the Netherlands, December is a confusing time. Saint Nicolas, who? What about the Christmas Man (kerstman)?
Does Christmas fall on December 5 or the 25? And what about all the festive food items in Albert Heijn? When does one consume what?
So. Many. Questions. Here are the answers.
The Dutch holiday season starts early
Some cultures begin their winter festivities on Christmas Eve, often at the local church, with a session of midnight mass. Unfortunately, that’s all the excitement they’ll get — unlike the Dutch.
Dutch holiday celebrations start when Sinterklaas and his controversial helpers arrive in she Netherlands. Image: Depositphotos
Here in the Netherlands, the chances for a celebration are infinite. Everything from Sinterklaas (Saint Nicolas Day) and Kerstnacht (Christmas Eve) to Kerstdag (Christmas Day) and Tweede Kerstdag (Boxing Day, translated literally to “Second Christmas Day”).
It seems a bit excessive, doesn’t it? But you wouldn’t say nee if several oliebollen were put in your face. Wat eenfeest (what a celebration)! 🎉
All the Dutch December holidays
Getting lost in the celebrations? Let’s give you an overview.
Most of the Netherlands enjoys the excitement of receiving presents the evening before Sint Nicolaasdag. Who wouldn’t? Thus, December 6, while Sint Nicolaasdag, doesn’t have a whole lot happening after the fun of the night before.
However, do note that Saint Nicolas died on 6 December (it’s not his birthday). He was the patron saint of not only children, but also of repentant thieves, sailors, archers, merchants, brewers, pawnbrokers, and even students in various European countries.
Kerstnacht, December 24
Time to go to church. After midnight mass, families often go home and have a midnight snack or ‘breakfast’ which is eaten in the early morning hours, having arrived home after Christmas Day has broken.
Time to get cosy by the Christmas tree. Image: Pixels
Kerstdag, December 25
Family time! Duchies have kerststol for breakfast, which is similar to a hot cross bun but with an extra almond spice surprise filling running in the middle for a loaf of excitement.
Dinner is as close to ‘fine dining’ as the Dutch can get, epitomized by the cosy, hands-on, self-cooking, raclette-styled gourmetten.
As a small, sweet afterthought, you can nibble on a piece of kerstkrans, a Dutch almond Christmas pastry ring,which is cut into small strips of ever-decreasing thickness, so that the whole extended family is able to indulge.
Tweede Kerstdag, December 26
Dutch Boxing Day is spent eating leftovers, often with the family who couldn’t make it on Christmas day. People often take a slow and gentle stroll mid-day to ease the tight bellies from eating too much hearty, homemade food.
Most shops in the Netherlands are closed on December 26, showing continuing Dutch resistance to the tradition of spending quality time together (meanwhile, 22 million British families are hitting the Boxing Day sales).
If you’re lucky there may even be some snow! Image: Depositphotos
Holiday foods in the Netherlands
The holiday season is also the season of lekker food (and way too much of it). Here’s what you can expect:
Oliebollen
This is a Christmas food that pops up spontaneously in many oliebollenkramen (food carts) throughout the months of November and December.
The oliebol is a Dutch version of the doughnut, drowned in powdered sugar. You usually have a choice between chocolate-filled dough balls, apple and cinnamon, or even raisins (yuck!).
The deep-fried balls are thrown in so much oil that the literal translation of oliebol is “oil ball”. They are eaten all month long but typically on Christmas Eve.
Lekker! Image: Freepik
Kerstkransjes
These are small wreaths made from chocolate cookies, fondant or meringue, and are usually hung on the Christmas tree, ready to be eaten sporadically through the month of December.
Don’t confuse these with kerstkrans! Those are large cake-sized pastries which shouldn’t be hung on your tree. 😂
Advocaat
This is the Dutch version of eggnog, which is so thick you have to eat it with a miniature spoon. It’s usually eaten around Christmas time. You’ll love it!
Looks questionable, but trust us: it’s delicious. Image: Pixabay
Ready to experience your very own Dutch Christmas? We wish you a fijne Kerst!
What are your plans for the holidays? Tell us in the comments below.
One thing that never changes in the Netherlands is the love for snow. And so, here are some magical pictures of the snowy Netherlands.
Every time snow falls, it completely paralyzes the country: People are either stuck in traffic or simply gazing at all the prettiness and funny business going on. It’s even set traffic jam records of over 1,000 kilometres in the past!
Now it’s about time we fulfilled our duty in bringing you all those delicious pictures of the Dutch winter wonderland. ❄️
It’s snow time!
We scoured Instagram and asked you to send us your best pics of the Dutch winter wonderland. We got tagged, inboxed, mail-pigeoned, telegrammed and commented on so much that it made us a bit shy — thank you, guys! 😳
DutchReview readers are just the best. Sadly we couldn’t post them all (our servers would die on us). But here is some of the good stuff we received.
And this absolute banger by Vincent Mullenders, of course. Dutch winter wonderland doesn’t get any better than this!
For more snowy magic from the Netherlands, make sure that you’re following our Instagram.
It’s a typical night out in The Hague: you meet up with your friends at Grote Markt, you pick a terrasje, sit down for a couple (dozen) biertjes, and when you’re ready to dance it out or go home, you pass by Harry to pay your respects — wait, who?
It’s Haagse Harry, natuurlijk!
You know, “Harry from The Hague”, the guy from the big, colourful statue towering over Grote Markt — you can hardly miss him.
But who is he, and what did he do to deserve a statue?
Let’s delve into the story behind the most famous Hagenees to (n)ever live. 👇
Who is Haagse Harry?
Helaas, Haagse Harry doesn’t exist. He is a fictional character from a comic strip, and he’s meant to represent a stereotypical Agga dweller.
As a result, his typical traits include a big belly, a mullet, an outfit that consists of an evergreen tracksuit and white sneakers, and a very short temper.
Harry always has an opinion on city matters, including this debate on ministry buildings. Image: Marnix Rueb/Wikimedia Commons/CC1.0
He is also unemployed unless we count religiously watching ADO Den Haag football games and walking around cursing everyone as a job. In this case, he’s very busy.
Who invented Haagse Harry?
The brilliant mind behind this character is Dutch illustrator and comic artist Marnix Rueb.
After living in Schilderswijk for a few years, in 1991, Rueb distilled his impressions of all the special characters he encountered in The Hague into Haagse Harry.
Harry became the protagonist of Rueb’s short comic insert in the nightlife newspaper “Doen”.
Far from getting offended, the people of The Hague found Harry so funny that they would rush to get the paper, tear out the comic strip, and throw away the rest.
After three years, it was clear that Harry needed to move into a bigger place: what started as a short insert became a stand-alone comic series that went on to have five albums.
What happens in these comics?
Haagse Harry’s stories are mainly about him hanging around the Hague, endlessly complaining about the state of things or quarrelling with people.
His favourite verbal match opponent is his wife, the equally iconic Haagse Bianca.
What makes Harry and the other characters in the series stand out, however, is not just what they say but how they say it: they all talk in the unmistakable The Hague dialect.
To the untrained expat eye, the words on Harry’s shirt definitely don’t look like Dutch. Image: 1Veertje/Wikimedia Commons/CC3.0/Modified
In fact, one of Harry’s typical phrases can be found on his statue’s shirt: “Kap nâh!! Lekkâh belangrèk.”
Wait, what language is that?!
Yeah… you won’t find this one on Duolingo. 🤔
Believe it or not, Harry does speak Dutch — his words are just spelt according to The Hague pronunciation.
In standard Dutch, the sentence reads as “kap nou!! Lekker belangrijk”, roughly translating to “Stop it! Very important” — and it’s meant sarcastically.
Rueb, however, had the genius idea to write the entire series with a special spelling system he invented to convey The Hague’s flat accent.
Of course, this means that the comic is not very beginner-friendly for those of us trying to learn Dutch — but it also makes for a truly immersive experience into raw Dutch culture.
Why is there a huge statue of Haagse Harry in The Hague?
When Marnix Rueb passed away in 2014, the city of The Hague mourned his loss, as well as the end of the Haagse Harry series.
As a result, in 2015, the city posthumously awarded Rueb The Hague Culture Award and commissioned a statue of Haagse Harry in his honour.
In 2016, the 2-metre tall, 3-tonnes heavy rendition of Harry we’ve come to know and love was unveiled, instantly becoming an iconic The Hague landmark.
The statue’s Grote Markt location is perfect, making both a great meeting point for locals and a fun selfie spot for tourists, who can capture the elegant Grote Kerk Tower and down-to-earth Harry in one shot.
And, bonus point, it’s also an amazing people-watching location — something that both Harry and Marnix would likely appreciate.
In fact, it’s easy to picture them together on the benches near the statue, bickering and making fun of the people passing by. 🥰
What’s your favourite Dutch city landmark? Don’t be a gatekeeper — share your go-to spots in the comments below.
Regardless of what you’ve tried, there’s also a pretty decent chance your Dutch friends have attempted to feed you their version of liquorice. 🤔
What is it?
That’s right — life in the Netherlands isn’t just about unhealthy, fried snack food. They’ve also got the sweet treat (or terror) known as drop. 🍬
Drop is essentially the Dutch version of black liquorice — but it’s so much more than that.
If a Dutch person ever offers you candy be very, very careful. It might be Dutch liquorice drop. It’s not all bad but some of them contain so much salt that your taste buds will go into shock. pic.twitter.com/H1QKUMFjrd
There are so many types of drop, it’s hard to keep track! And yes, some of the flavour profiles of these types of drop are less than ideal (looking at you, hard, salty drop).
Why do they do it?
Of course, you might have an unfit palate for this type of candy.
That doesn’t mean it would stop Dutchies from trying to find the perfect type of liquorice for you.
They just want you to experience the same bliss they live in whenever they eat their questionable candy choices. 🤔
Some may consider Dutchies stingy by nature, so you can’t help but feel a little special when they want to share something of theirs with you.
Why is it quirky?
Lots of foreigners (if not the majority) are confused as to why the Dutch want you to try their candy so badly — it’s not every day they’re sharing their culture and food with other people so enthusiastically.
But of all things, why did it have to be drop? It’s just so far out of most people’s comfort zone, and some of it tastes very… interesting (or gross).
It’s quite fascinating that the Dutch are so willing to share this part of their treats, and we’re just not sure if this is the treat that we wish they would share with us. 😬
Should you join in?
Drop is definitely worth trying if you’ve never had it before, but don’t be surprised if it doesn’t taste sweet like your typical black liquorice.
If you like it, that’s great! And if you don’t, don’t worry.
There are plenty of Dutchies who will just eat your share of drop for you. 😉
What do you think of this Dutch quirk? Have you experienced it? Tell us in the comments below!
Have you ever experienced a New Year’s without fireworks? Yep, that might seem impossible to most people in the Netherlands — but not much longer.
In Utrecht, a citizen’s assembly has come up with new ways to welcome the new year, and the municipality has listened.
Out with the old, in with the new
If you’re used to Dutch New Year’s Eve leaving you with a ringing in your ears until about mid-February, spending the holiday in Utrecht this year might take you by surprise.
As RTV Utrecht reports, the city isn’t including any fireworks in its Oud en nieuw celebrations this year. Instead, they’ve adopted the advice of a citizen’s assembly on which new traditions should be implemented.
And what will this new era bring to Utrecht? Blasphemy allegations by a large chunk of Dutch society, probably. 🤭
But also DJ performances at the Jaarbeursplein, a countdown to 2025 and a light show. The city will also have earlier programmes for children and teens, with indoor gaming events and an earlier countdown.
Utrecht’s new and improved New Year’s is supposed to be friendlier to people, animals, and the environment (although it might devastate some 13-year-olds).
“Changing traditions takes time,” says Utrecht alderman Eva Oosters, but so far, the citizens have been very involved in contributing with their ideas.
Enthusiastically beginning a Bachelor’s degree only to start hating it after a couple of months and quickly switching to a better fit is a very common experience — but it doesn’t only happen to commoners: Dutch Princess Alexia just went through it, too.
As the princess treats her studies as part of her private life, she hasn’t revealed the reasons behind her choice, the AD reports.
What’s her new degree?
Princess Alexia (19) is swapping her Science & Engineering for Social Change programme, which she began in September 2024, for a degree in Civil Engineering.
She is not transferring schools, however: just like her old programme, the new Bachelor’s is at the Faculty of Engineering of University College London (UCL), in the UK.
This isn’t Alexia’s first time in the educational spotlight: her choice to study outside of the Netherlands already sparked plenty of discussion earlier this year.
What do the other princesses study?
Alexia, the second of the van Oranje sisters, isn’t the only princess whose studies attract national attention.
Her older sister, Amalia (20), is currently getting a Bachelor of Science in Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics (PPLE) at the University of Amsterdam (UvA).
In 2022, however, it was revealed that due to some serious safety threats, the Princess had to move part of her education online, attending classes remotely from Spain for part of 2023.
Meanwhile, the youngest, Princess Ariane (17), is still pursuing her secondary studies.
After attending the prestigious Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague, where her sisters also studied, she is continuing her education in Italy, at a prestigious international resort — ehm, high school.
Have you ever engaged in the royally sanctioned activity of switching studies? Tell us all about your university shenanigans in the comments below.
