It’s officially the time of the year when most people would do anything to avoid leaving the house. Thuisbezorgd is making sure you really don’t have to.
If you live in The Hague or Groningen, you can now count on Thuisbezorgd to make your dinners… fun, not just delicious.
How? According to Omroep West, the food delivery service is partnering up with EasyToys to offer their customers quick and discreet sex toy delivery.
Taking comfort to the next level, literally
Sometimes, you’re too lazy to cook and too awkward to look a cashier in the eyes when buying a vibrator. Now, you might be able to turn to Thuisbezorgd to help you with both issues.
The only requirements? You live in either The Hague or Groningen — oh, and you’re willing to wait up to an hour.
Thuisbezorgd guarantees the parcel will arrive within the hour and have discreet packaging so no need to worry about any nosy neighbours. As far as Roos is concerned, you’re getting sushi.
Much like its food menu, Thuisbezorgd offers plenty of options. You can choose between an array of sex toys, but you can also get condoms delivered last minute.
In the hour that you’re waiting for them to arrive, we suggest playing charades with your partner or catching up on your emails!
May come to other cities
These fun deliveries are limited to The Hague and Groningen for now because this is where EasyToys has physical stores, but an expansion isn’t out of the question.
If the experiment proves successful, residents of other Dutch cities will be able to wonder whether their Thuisbezorgd delivery person is judging them in no time.
This isn’t the first time Thuisbezorgd has tried something like this. Their parent company has partnered up with Lovehoney, spicing up evenings across the UK, Austria, Germany, and Denmark since September.
What do you think of Thuisbezorgd’s latest business venture? Let us know in the comments below!?
The Hunger Winter took place as World War II was in its final year. Following a German blockade, food supplies to the Netherlands dwindled, and people began to starve.
It was a rare instance of famine in a developed and wealthy country in recent history. Let’s talk about it.
Why was there a Hunger Winter?
If the Dutch had survived the war so far without running into food shortages, why was there a famine in the winter of 1944? There were a couple of reasons.
The obvious and literal cause of the famine was a German blockade enacted in retaliation to a Dutch railway strike that aimed to help the Allied invasion of the country.
The German army blocked water and road routes into the Netherlands and only lifted the water blockade when temperatures had already fallen too low to allow boats to operate in the icy conditions.
At this point in the war, Allied forces had liberated the south of the Netherlands. But as the forces pushed further north, the failure of Operation Market Garden impeded their progress.
The Allied forces failed to seize a bridge over the Rhine at Arnhem. They decided to focus on other parts of the liberation process first, including capturing the French ports of Calais, Boulogne and Dunkirk.
Their progress into Germany slowed down at the time because they couldn’t use the port of Antwerp.
How did people survive the Hunger Winter?
Between 18,000 and 22,000 people died during the Hunger Winter, most of whom were older men.
When we talk about survival rates, it’s important to remember that it was not just the supply of food that was hampered by the blockade.
So, not only was it a very hungry winter, but it was also a very cold winter for the Netherlands from 1944 to 1945.
The starvation was particularly intense in cities — after all, in the countryside, most people lived around farms.
Children eating soup. Image: Menno Huizinga/Wikimedia Commons/Public domain
That didn’t mean they didn’t experience food shortages, but the survival rates were much higher outside urban areas. For the Dutch city-living population, times were hard.
So how much food did people consume during the Hunger Winter?
Rations decreased in calorie content over the long winter.
In big cities like Amsterdam, adults had to contend with only 1,000 calories of food by the end of November 1944 — but that dropped to 580 calories a day by February 1945. Even the black market was empty of food.
People walked long distances to farms to trade anything they had for extra nourishment. As the winter wore on, tens of thousands of children were sent from cities to the countryside so that they, at least, would get some food.
When it came to heating, people desperately burned furniture and dismantled whole houses to get fuel for their fires.
How did the Hunger Winter end?
The Hunger Winter came to a close in May 1945 when the Allies liberated the Netherlands, which partially alleviated the starvation of the Dutch population.
RAF plane being loaded up with food. Image: Imperial War Museums/Wikimedia Commons/Public domain
Sweden shipped flour, and the Dutch made it into bread to feed the people. The Germans also allowed airdrops of food supplies from the end of April forward.
What were the effects of the Hunger Winter on the Netherlands in the long term?
The Hunger Winter had long-term effects on the health of the Dutch population. Even when the blockade ended and people returned to eating normally, starvation had long-lasting effects on the body.
The Dutch Famine Birth Cohort Study revealed that the children of women who had starved during the Hunger Winter had health problems including higher rates of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
One study also showed that the grandchildren of women who had experienced famine were smaller than average at birth.
How is the Hunger Winter remembered in the Netherlands today?
The Hunger Winter is usually remembered in conjunction with the resistance movement during World War II.
There is an exhibition on it at the Resistance Museum in Amsterdam, for example. There are also statues commemorating the Hunger Winter.
The Hunger Winter wasn’t the first time people in the Netherlands had experienced starvation — the Siege of Leiden during the Eighty Years’ War was another occasion where food shortages affected the population.
Did we miss anything important about the Hunger Winter? Let us know in the comments below.
Nestled in the heart of Amsterdam lies a place that draws in tourists like Dutch people to a korting (discount) on cheese.
No, I’m not talking about the Red-Light District (that’s hardly a secret!), but the Begijnhof: a peaceful and historic courtyard in the middle of the bustling city.
I’d already read about this “secret” place, but I still wanted to find this hidden gem and explore it for myself. Luckily, I had a Dutch guide to help me locate the courtyard in the middle of the Singel, the innermost canal of Amsterdam’s canal system.
The origins of the Begijnhof
The Begijnhof was founded in the Middle Ages and is therefore at medieval street level — which is a metre below the rest of the surrounding streets.
The Begijnhof has a rich and storied history. Image: Freepik
It was originally a Béguinage, which refers to housing for Beguines. These Beguines were religious women who lived in a community together but took no vows and had more freedom than nuns.
Now a residential area and site of the English Reformed Church, the Begijnhof is a quiet place with a church and a few lovely old houses in the middle.
An archway and staircase in the tunnel also add to the feeling of secrecy as you descend and come out inside the courtyard.
So what’s the big secret of the Begijnhof?
Why is this spot touted as a hidden secret to be discovered? Well, as the church is invisible from the street, you don’t know it (or the courtyard) is there at all if you’re passing by.
A second reason is that there is another church within the courtyard which was originally a secret because of the Protestant takeover of Amsterdam in 1578.
When the main church was confiscated, the Beguines converted two of the houses into a chapel until religious freedom was restored in 1795.
Right in the heart of #Amsterdam there is bustle everywhere, but if you are looking for peace and quiet there is a secret place in the center, "De Begijnhof" it is wonderfully quiet area and full of history. ❤️🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/aqodUtAJC5
Along with these two historic churches, there is one last wooden building left in the Begijnhof courtyard: one of only two remaining wooden houses still standing in the centre of Amsterdam.
After a fire broke out in the 16th century, building wooden houses was banned in Amsterdam. Constructed in 1528, this solitary black house in the courtyard is the oldest wooden house in Amsterdam.
Not only is this spot historically interesting, but it is also a quiet, little oasis amidst the twisting and busy streets of the city right on the other side of the walls.
The Begijnhof is a little slice of calm in the bustling heart of Amsterdam. Image: Depositphotos
Unfortunately, it’s not a secret anymore. People often find their way into the courtyard to wander around, explore the churches, and take photos of the artwork, statues, and gardens.
It’s gotten so well-known that some of the areas are only open to residents, and you can no longer sit and picnic on the grass.
However, if you want to feel like you’ve stepped back in time, or if you just want to take a quiet moment from the busyness of the city outside, this spot is still worth some of your time.
(Even if just so you can say you discovered a not-so-secret courtyard and a secret church in the middle of the city!)
Have you visited the Begijnhof? Tell us in the comments below!
If you were avoiding taking your winter coat out of the back of your wardrobe, it might be time to fish it out.
According to NU.nl, there will be large temperature differences across the Netherlands today, November 19th — with some of us potentially enjoying the first snowfall of the season.
If you live in the north of the country, you will face cold temperatures of around 2 to 3 degrees Celsius, with the possibility of wet snow falling locally.
Yep, it’s time to warm the Chocomel and grab your mittens (or shut the curtains and hibernate for the next five months, you do you.)
If you’re not ready for Mariah Carey to completely defrost, then it’s time to head south. Locals in the southern provinces will have much milder weather, with temperatures in Limburg remaining around 10°C.
Meanwhile, the middle of the country will linger around a glorious 5°C.
If you’re a fan of (wet) snow, it’s your lucky day!
During the day, the wind from the northwest will be strong, especially along the Zeeland and South Holland coast, potentially resulting in some soggy snowflakes.
However, by the evening, even the southern provinces may not be safe. The cold will spread towards the south — so don’t lose hope, Limburgers, snow is also possible for you!
Wondering if you’ll wake up tomorrow morning with enough snow to make a snowman? ☃️
Helaas, if snow does fall in your region, only a small layer is expected to remain. Instead, you can look forward to the rain, hail, sleet and thunderstorms that are forecast for Thursday. ☔️
Are you excited for snow? Let us know in the comments below!
The Netherlands is known for a lot of amazing things like windmills, bicycles, and cheese! But the Netherlands is also notorious for its (let’s be honest) crappy weather.
If you’ve ever been to the lowlands, you know that it’s rainy, windy, and cold most of the year.
There’s even an app — Buienradar — that the Dutch use just to check when exactly it will rain and how much. 🌧
You’re gonna complain about the weather. Simple as that. 💁🏻♀️
Why is it quirky?
To be fair, complaining about the weather constantly is not uniquely Dutch and a lot of other countries that suffer from a lack of sunshine do it as well.
It’s just that the Dutch have a very creative and quirky way of talking about it. ✌🏼
Should you join in?
Sure! It’s part of the culture, so you may as well join in on the fun!
You probably won’t be able to help yourself from complaining about the weather anyway, as you get your pants soaked on the way to work or school. 🤪
What do you think of this Dutch quirk? Have you experienced it? Tell us in the comments below!
Sororities and fraternities tend to be associated with the US, but don’t be fooled: the Dutch have them too.
It’s the whole package: the brutal hazing, the Latin jargon, and the weird rituals included. One of them is wearing a jacket that hasn’t been washed for years.🤦♀️ Why exactly?
As an outsider, you are most likely to notice the presence of these student unions in your favourite Dutch student city during late August and early September.
This is when the infamous ontgroening (hazing) takes place, the initiation period for new, potential members.
See a group of girls jump into a canal during the early morning hours? Stumble into a bunch of dazed-looking eighteen-year-olds dripping in paint? Read news headlines of hospital admissions due to alcohol poisoning, pneumonia, and psychological torture?
But we were talking about wearing a gross, unwashed jacket, weren’t we? So, what’s that all about?
Why do they do it?
Not washing either yourself or items of clothing seems to be a recurring theme in studentenvereeniging culture.
It’s certainly part of the hazing culture, where potential members are not allowed to wash themselves for extended periods of time — even after doing things such as jumping in the canals or sleeping on garbage.
Turns out, even after having successfully survived the hazing period, the not-washing thing seems to stick around. Members of one fraternity, for instance, are not allowed to wash their ties. Ever.
The jacket that is never being washed is specific to the rowing association Aegir, which is a sister society of Vindicat. Every new competition rower is handed a jacket from the sportsman or woman that has come before them.
The rule? The jacket can only be washed if the rowing team wins the Varsity, the biggest student rowing competition in the Netherlands.
The catch? Well, for one, some of the jackets have been around since the 1980s. And secondly, Aegir has won the Varsity race six times thus far. The last time? In 1982. 🤦
You can do the math yourself.
Why is it quirky?
Well, maybe quirky is a bit positive, but it’s definitely pretty weird.
Just another sort-of-extreme and kind-of-concerning item to add to the long list of reasons why it’s probably better not to join a Dutch studentenvereeniging.
Should you join in?
Don’t get us wrong, not every student society in the Netherlands is riddled with such weird traditions and rituals. Some are pretty harmless.
So, if you’re thinking about joining a Dutch fraternity or sorority, do your research and pick wisely.
What do you think of this Dutch quirk? Have you experienced it? Tell us in the comments below!
France and the Netherlands may share a love of bread, the same three colours on their flags, and a weirdly extensive knowledge of types of cheese — but that’s where the similarities stop.
In fact, there’s a stack of differences between those Dutchies and Frenchies — here are just 19 of them.
“Lekker broodje, he?” (delicious sandwich, right?), the Dutchie says, eyes closed and savouring their €0.60 white roll with a single slice of cheese. Yep, in the Netherlands, lunch is for sustenance and a quick break only.
You can pry Dutchies’ broodje hagelslag out of their cold, dead hands. Image: Depositphotos
But the French? Oh boy, the French do this right. Long, leisurely lunches, with a starter and a main, even on work days. In fact, a two-hour lunch break isn’t unheard of in France — conversation and digestion reign supreme.
Don’t even get us started on those miniature, single-serving wine bottles.
2. French people don’t get fired
Alright, obviously, if you choose to dance naked on the boardroom table while singing about how you embezzled thousands of euros, you might get a one-way ticket to unemploymentville.
However, in general, terminating employment in France is hard: there’s a strict procedure, a need to see just cause, and even a notice period before the employee can finish up.
How do the French get around it? A sneaky concept called mise au placard (put in the closet). It’s a practice of giving unwanted employees the worst possible tasks in an effort to force them into quitting. 😳
In the Netherlands, on the other hand, while it’s not easy to fire someone, it’s certainly more possible.
Problematic employee? Might be a while before they’re out of your hair. Image: Pexels
Because the Netherlands takes job contracts seriously, the employer might just wait for someone’s contract to finish. However, if they’re in a rush, they can also choose to immediately dismiss someone for serious issues — or even go to civil court for permission to fire someone.
Fired by court ruling? Yikes!
3. Dutchies love to speak English
Yes, yes, it’s not a secret that the Dutch speak some of the best non-native English in the world. That’s great — until you try to learn Dutch to integrate into society. Every time you gargle your words out, the Dutch shopkeeper immediately switches to perfect English. Hmmph!
While this can be frustrating, it also means that you don’t necessarily have to learn Dutch in order to become a functioning member of Dutch society.
You’ll have no issues ordering drinks or buying groceries in English when you’re in the Netherlands. Image: Depositphotos
In fact, the Dutchies came in first place for non-native English in the EFI rankings. In contrast, France is ranked 31st, below Lithuania, Estonia, and Serbia.
Why? The French feel a deep sense of pride in their language, linking it closely with their French identity. For internationals living in France, learning French is vital to be accepted as part of the ‘peuple français’ (‘French people’).
4. The French believe in hierarchy
In France, what your boss says goes.
That doesn’t mean you can’t voice any concerns or have a polite debate with your manager, but the French have a strong sense of authority — and, unlike the Dutch, they actually respect it.
The French take their hierarchies very seriously. Image: Depositphotos
Most companies in France operate with a top-down management structure, meaning you better get used to a hierarchical division of labour. Teamwork? Well, safe to say it isn’t always on the agenda.
Contrastingly, the Dutch have a knack for disrespecting authority.
Now, we don’t recommend being rude to the higher-ups — but when working in the Netherlands, there’s more room for friendly banter with the boss.
5. Dutchies are all about negotiation
The Dutch have long lived in a society where conference, dialogue, and arbitration are king. In fact, they’re famous for polderen, a method of policy-making that targets a win-win for both parties.
Dutchies will discuss until they find a win-win solution. Image: Depositphotos
Quick history lesson: polderen is thought to come from the Dutch polders, parts of lands protected by dikes. Since the Middle Ages, Dutchies have had to band together to pump water out of the polders and maintain the dykes — a.k.a. cooperation!
Meanwhile, French people love the sentence J’ai le droit (I have the right). This flows into all aspects of French society: the right to smoke, the right to be upfront, the right to protest, or the right to the last glass of wine from the bottle. Speaking of wine…
6. The Dutch are happiest with a beer in hand
Proost! It’s Friday in Holland, 5 PM, and high time to lift a glass (or more likely a bottle) to your colleagues.
In the Netherlands, the workweek usually culminates in a borrel: an informal get-together where you share a pint and some gossip with your co-workers before heading home to your families.
Proost! Borrels are the best part about going to work in the Netherlands. 😉 Image: Freepik
Soooo, santé? In France, while beer consumption might be on the rise, wine is still the preferred poison of the French. In fact, the Netherlands ranks 31 places higher than France when it comes to beer consumption per capita.
However, we’ll give the French this: drinking wine on a lunch break? That’s a cultural phenomenon we can get on board with. 🍷
7. French people value education
France is known to produce highly educated and — here we go — cultured people.
However, in recent years French educational institutions have gotten a bit of a bad rep due to their rigorous curriculums, a lack of focus on student wellbeing, and too much pressure being put on students to graduate from the country’s top universities.
Some students might find themselves struggling a little more with rigorous academics and career paths. Image: Depositphotos
While Dutchies like education and a diploma or two certainly won’t hurt your chances of landing a well-paying job, experience is the name of the game in this low-lying country.
Most Dutch educational institutions also pride themselves on their hands-on approach to education and seek to bridge theory and practice.
8. The Dutch hold on to their money
There it is: the stereotypical Dutch stinginess. It’s no secret that Dutchies like to hold on to their cash — in fact, being frugal is deeply rooted in Dutch history.
Dutchies are constantly pinching pennies. Image: Depositphotos
The French, however, have a more laissez-faire attitude to life, and if the wine costs a little more than expected, well, c’est la vie. 🤷♀️
In general, the French are what Dutchies would call bourgondisch, meaning they have an indulgent lifestyle. While not every French person lives off red wine and mussels, they do have a very high average level of consumption. Bon appétit!
9. It’s illegal to eat lunch at your desk in France
Now, forget the boring boterham you were planning to chew down while sitting in front of your work computer — the French are onto something. ✋
In fact, since the 1890s, labour laws in France have forbidden workers to eat lunch behind their desks.
Originally, it had to do with the factories of the nineteenth century being, um, unhygienic — but today, the French lunch break is ingrained in office culture. And what’s not to like about leisurely luncheons at a cute bistro?
A restaurant lunch in the middle of your work day doesn’t sound so shabby at all. Image: Depositphotos
Now, don’t get us wrong: Dutchies have a great work-life balance! However, the odd lunch behind the desk doesn’t kill them (or risk a performance management session by their boss).
10. The Dutch work together for the common good
Dutch directness can be quite a culture shock when you first touch down in the lowlands. However, there are many scenarios where the Dutch say-it-as-it-is attitude comes in handy — one of the most obvious being teamwork.
That’s not to say the French workplace is as competitive as you are made to believe in ‘Emily in Paris’, but perhaps don’t list “teamwork” as the number one quality on your resume if applying for a job in France.
11. French people speak more formally
Remember when we said that France maintains quite a hierarchical structure in their companies and organisations?
Well, this goes for their language too. While a singular tu (informal ‘you’) is good enough for your friends and close family, it’s expected that you respect the hierarchical distance that separates you from your boss or elders by using vous (formal ‘you).
Work meetings, getting to know your in-laws…it’s a whole lot more formal than you’d think. Image: Freepik
Meanwhile, while there is a formal way to address someone in Dutch, it’s rarely used. You might use the formal u if speaking to a nice elderly lady that you meet on the street — but otherwise, it’s considered a bit of an archaic structure nowadays. 🤷 In most situations, you’re better off using je instead.
So, whether you’re at school, at the office, or out on the town, you likely won’t see Dutchies in anything more formal than a nice summer dress or a button-up.
Contrastingly, the French love to rock up to work, or even their Sunday stroll, looking like the fashionistas they’re reputed to be.
Dress for function and comfort, not style and impressions. Image: Depositphotos
To the French, dressing up, however, doesn’t mean a face full of make-up or extravagant jewellery. Instead, French women in particular, are known for their casual chic style and barely-there makeup.
13. The French pride themselves on intellectualism
Sitting at a delightful French bistro, smoking a cigarette, and debating Foucault and Chomsky’s views on the innateness of human nature — le mieux de monde!
The French love to be viewed as intellectuals, with schools often focusing on theatre, music, art appreciation, and philosophy.
Fancy a chess match and artisanal cold-brew coffee? Image: Depositphotos
Meanwhile, the Dutchies are clever, but view intellectualism as overly pompous. A spirited debate? Zeker! Bragging about your deep understanding of Plato? Doeg!
14. The Dutch use meetings to make decisions
We’ll give this to the Dutchies: they are efficient! A Dutch meeting typically has a clear goal — to walk out of there with the next steps clearly laid out.
We’re here to get 👏🏻 things 👏🏻 done 👏🏻. Image: Depositphotos
Meanwhile, the French love a debate (see above) and will happily deliberate on an issue over multiple meetings. Long lunch, anyone?
15. The French love fish with eyes
Why anyone would want a fish that looks at them while it’s being eaten, we don’t know. However, in France, serving a fish with a face proves that it’s fresh from the sea. A quick eye inspection and bon appétit!
This is one battle where there is no clear winner: after all, the Dutch eat haring, a raw fish covered in raw onion that slithers down your throat. Echt vies (really gross).
Nothing screams Dutch fish quite like haring does. Image: Depositphotos
16. The Netherlands is open on Sundays
Woke up on a Sunday morning craving some fresh sinaasappelsap (OJ)? You’re in luck! While technically, Dutch stores should be closed on Sundays as a default, most municipalities have started giving special permission to open stores anyway — in big cities, almost all are.
Running out of toilet paper on a Sunday night? No problem — unless you’re in France. 😳 Image: Depositphotos
That’s less than we can say for France. Outside of the main tourist areas, Sundays are a ghost town. Luckily, a boulangerie (bakery) may just be open — merci dieu!
17. Greetings in France are a big deal
Pucker up baby and prime your chapstick: the French take their greetings seriously. Let’s take office culture as an example: when you or someone else arrives, everyone stands up and greets them — often including cheek kisses.
Someone arrives at a party? Kiss. Celebrating New Year’s? Kiss. Meeting your friends for lunch? Kiss. Image: Depositphotos
Now let’s not forget that the Dutch are fond of a few cheek kisses themselves. Luckily, in an office environment a handshake (or even a fist bump) will suffice.
18. Dutch people get hired faster
When looking for a job, Dutch people are pragmatic: they expect an average of 2.4 job interviews before succeeding or being turned away. Any more than that and it’s just not efficient enough for them!
You’ve got that job after…four…five interviews? Image: Depositphotos
The French, on the other hand? It’s not abnormal to go through three to four rounds of interviews over multiple months — and some people even claim six to 10.
Well, if it’s going to be so hard to fire someone, we guess you want to be sure before hiring them.
Feel like scoring a job fast? Undutchables have stacks of vacancies for French speakers (that’s right, you’re in high demand!). See the vacancies, or get in touch to find your dream Dutch job.
19. The French smoke like chimneys
Alright, maybe not chimneys — but smoking is generally more accepted in France than in the lowlands.
Taking a cigarette break sounds tempting! Image: Depositphotos
In fact, 34% of people smoke in France, according to 2023 statistics. That’s the seventh-highest number in Europe! Socially acceptable? More like socially expected.
Of course, the Dutch are no angels when it comes to smoking (especially after a few biertjes). However, thanks to more bans on smoking areas and huge tax rates on cigarettes, only around 23% of Dutchies can be found puffing away — the second lowest for the union. Leuk!
What other differences have you seen between France and the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments below!
Editor’s note: This article was originally written in July 2022 but was fully updated in September 2023 for your reading pleasure.
Well, it’s officially oliebollen season in the Netherlands, so it’s only appropriate to address this quirk now while it’s fresh and happening en masse at almost every Dutch square near you.
Don’t get us wrong, we, at DutchReview LOVE oliebollen — we regularly carry entire conversations about them and how excited we are to have them back in the cold months. A silver lining to look forward to during Dutch winters, if you ask us. 🥶
What is it?
Oliebollen literally translates to “oil balls” or “oil cakes”, which is straight-up descriptive enough for the delicious fried Dutch delicacy — but here’s a visual aid anyway.
You can’t go wrong with a sugary olibollen to warm your heart. Image: Pixabay
It’s basically a desert fritter-like dish and a New Year’s Eve food tradition that’s sold in designated mobile carts around the Netherlands during the cold months.
Oliebollen come in a variety of flavours: from raisin, currant, or apple-infused, to the basic oliebollen with just powdered sugar sprinkled on top.
Coming from New Orleans, the standard sugared oliebollen is very similar to French beignets — the dough is only shaped differently (puffy ball vs an airy square) and is not always sold hot off-street carts.
So it’s not a bad idea to pop it in the oven for some delicious heat.🍴
Why do they do it?
Simply put: they’re delicious! 🤤
But to expand on that answer a bit, aside from oliebollen’s historical timeline in the Netherlands, I believe the combination of sugar and fried dough really helps combat the cold Dutch winter.
Think of it as a sweet, sweet cure to the winter blues, if you will. 🎷
Why is it quirky?
To be crystal clear, the dish itself is not quirky, but rather the Dutch seasonal obsession with it — which we can set our clocks to. ⌚
Sure, it’s a cold months’ tradition, but I honestly would vote to keep oliebollen carts on the streets year-round to supply and support the Dutchies’ addiction.
While the designated street carts around Dutch cities are very aesthetic with their warm lights, colours, and designs — their gezellignature only adds to the quirkiness and Dutch exclusivity of this habit.
There’s generally a line outside Oliebollen stalls around the Netherlands, but trust us, it’s worth it. Image: Depositphotos
Should you join in?
Absolutely! Run to the nearest stall or cart and stand in line now while it lasts. 🏃♀️⏳
We wouldn’t steer you wrong when it comes to Dutch food.
DutchReview crew tip: to join the hype train, be economical and buy olieballen in bulk to share with those around you — a move guaranteed to score you relationship points with Dutchies or anyone with a sweet tooth. 💯
What do you think of this Dutch quirk? Have you experienced it? Tell us in the comments below!
Looking for a home in the Netherlands isn’t an easy mission, especially in big cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague. That’s why Dutchies are looking for their future homes elsewhere. 👀
Where, you ask? According to the AD, the small city of IJsselstein in the province of Utrecht was one of the top Dutch cities on Funda for the first nine months of the year.
IJssel-what-now?
In October, a whopping 408,240 Funda searches were made for the 63 houses listed for sale in IJsselstein.
This makes the city of 33,000 inhabitants the most sought-after destination for house hunters in the Netherlands.
Although, in absolute terms, larger cities such as Amsterdam and Utrecht naturally have higher numbers of searches (who’s surprised), “IJsselstein has the highest number of views per home and is therefore most popular on Funda”, Claire Verhagen of Funda tells the AD.
But… why is this place so popular?
Bart Rietveld, born in IJsselstein and chairman of the local Historical Society, says he is not surprised by his town’s success on Funda, claiming that he “would be surprised if it wasn’t the case”.
Rietveld accredits IJsselstein’s success to the town’s many attractive qualities. 🏠
Though small, it has all the amenities that one would find in a larger city, all wrapped up in a small area.
With its “cultural history and beautiful old city centre”, IJsselstein remains authentic and important to the people living in or around it, says Rietveld.
Its inherent charm and tranquillity are characteristics highly appealing to many looking to get away from the chaotic city life — and we understand why. 🧘🏻♀️
Let’s talk numbers
The AD reports that there were 63 houses for sale in IJsselstein at the beginning of November.
On a small budget? Then a two-bedroom apartment on Schapenstraat right in the city centre might be the right fit for you — for sale at just €245.000.
More to spend? Then opt for a charming country house on the Klaphek, where you can “enjoy the ultimate holiday feeling every day” for sale at… €3.3 million.
Would you consider living in IJsselstein? Let us know in the comments below.
The combination of scheduled renovation work and ProRail staff strikes has made this November a chaotic time for Dutch Railways (NS) users — and the last leg of the month won’t get any better.
According to the NS, this morning’s ProRail strike in South Holland, Zeeland, and West Brabant will be followed by two more strikes on Wednesday and Friday, affecting different areas of the country.
Moreover, due to a major ongoing renovation project, we should also brace for two more weeks of disruption for trains travelling to, from, and through Schiphol Airport, warns the NS.
Is it starting to feel like the Dutch have secretly created a new festivity called “No Train November” and forced you to attend? We feel the same — let’s see how to cope with it.👇
The next strikes
While this morning’s strike, officially concluded around 9 AM, is still causing delays on the tracks of South Holland, Zeeland, and West Brabant, it’s already time to prepare for two new strikes:
Wednesday morning: strikes in Eindhoven and Maastricht.
Friday morning: strikes in Zwolle, Groningen, and Haarlem.
Just like today’s strike, both of these were announced by the FNV union due to stalled collective labour agreement negotiations, and will involve workers from ProRail traffic control posts.
This means that disruptions will extend past the areas of the strike, with possible repercussions across the entire country.
Ongoing renovation work at Schiphol
Meanwhile, the major renovation work around Schiphol is still underway, adding another source of cancellations and delays to the mix.
Before the work comes to a close on Wednesday, 4 December, you can expect the following disruptions — and solutions!
Cancelled trains
The most severe disruptions will happen on the last weekend of November, when no trains will run between Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam Zuid, and only half of the regular trains will run between Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam Centraal, Leiden Centraal and Rotterdam Centraal.
Specifically, this disruption will last from Friday, 29 November, at 4 AM to Monday, 2 December, at 2 AM.
To help passengers deal with this nuisance, the NS has made train tickets valid on metro lines 50 and 51 between Amsterdam Lelylaan and Amsterdam Zuid on these days.
Fewer trains
Until December 4, trains will run through Schiphol, but far less frequently than usual, resulting in delays, cancellations, and crowded trains.
Until then, the NS advises avoiding travelling through Schiphol altogether — or at least avoiding the rush hour.
To allow you to properly deal with No Trains November, the NS advises travellers to consult the latest information on the NS website.
