Are you ready for orange to take over Rotterdam? King’s Day in Rotterdam not only offers the usual celebrations of parties, flea markets, and games but also the experience of celebrating the day with the royal family. 🙌
If that sounds like a blast, you may want to pop by Rotterdam for a unique Koningsdag (King’s Day) experience on April 27 with boat parties, markets, and hundreds of festive partygoers decked out in orange.
This year, even the Dutch royal family will take a break from celebrating in The Hague in favour of making the trip to Rotterdam to partake in the celebrations, writes Indebuurt.
The King’s route through Rotterdam
King Willem-Alexander and his family will get a taste of Rotterdam in a one-kilometre city tour, with musicians and performers at various stops.
King’s Day 2023 will take place in Rotterdam!🧡
King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and their 3 daughters, but also Prince Maurits, Prince Bernhard jr, Prince Pieter-Christiaan, Prince Floris and their wives will celebrate King’s Day together in the city😊 https://t.co/M2yMJfD4gSpic.twitter.com/pGRJPz4xq5
Starting at 11:00 AM, the family will begin at Afrikaanderplein, and then continue along Pretorialaan and Maashaven.
From there, onlookers can wave to the king as the royal family will get on a Rotterdam black and yellow water taxi and pass by the SS Rotterdam, the Hotel New York, and sail under the Erasmus bridge on the Maas.
The family will then continue on foot from Plein to walk across the Blaak towards the Markthal. At 1:00 PM, the tour will end at the Binnenrotte.
Oh, and make sure not to forget your crown! Rotterdammers will not only be wearing all orange but will also be sporting crowns in line with this year’s “we are all kings and queens” theme. 👑
Get your party on!
For those that are dead keen to usher celebrations in with some music and dancing, there’s a long list of parties that will be happening at all times of the day around the city.
From 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM, everyone is welcome to join the free party on the Binnenrotte, featuring artists like Davina Michelle, Ronnie Flex, Lee Towers, and many more.
If you prefer listening to Rotterdam’s DJs instead, you can also pop into the Noordplein Containerbar Noord, where the entrance will be free until 4:00 PM!
Want to dance to house, disco, afro, or hip-hop music? The Royal Republic festival at the Hofbogen will also be free and feature many DJs.
Maybe you feel like wandering around and taking in the sights? That sounds like a grand plan, as there will be boat parties, karaoke nights, and orange galas all over the city beckoning you to join.
Snacks, games, and markets
For those wanting to take a quick break from dancing, there will also be festivals where you catch up on your yearly ration of tompouce, play some games, and take a spin on the Ferris wheel.
If you’re in the mood for a more low-key approach to King’s Day, make sure to stop by the vriijmarkts (flea markets) scattered around the city.
You can sell and buy little things, as well as have a drink with your neighbours around Wijkpark Oude Westen, Schouwburgplein, Mauritsweg, and many more locations.
Are you planning on celebrating King’s Day in Rotterdam? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
Trains will resume between Leiden and The Hague after a fatal train incident that severely damaged the tracks two weeks ago.
Initially, Prorail announced that train traffic would start again on April 18 but the date has now been pushed back due to unforeseen circumstances, reports NU.nl.
The damage is done but what still needs to be fixed?
Upon embarking on Project Mend, Prorail discovered that the damage done to the tracks was far greater than they had anticipated.
One Dead, Dozens Injured In Dutch Passenger Train Crash
An overnight train crash in the Netherlands has claimed at least one life and left dozens of people injured, some of them seriously, local officials and media have said. pic.twitter.com/7OSm8oBCRL
To add insult to injury, not only was there a great deal of wreckage to remove, but the overhead lines, the track itself, and the rail sleepers were destroyed.
A spokesperson for Prorail stated, “That is why we need more time and personnel. The shortage of specialist overhead line personnel also plays a role. Three kilometres of overhead lines must be reconfirmed.”
However, the job’s been made easier since the two trains involved in the accident and the construction crane have been moved from the area on special tractors.
Has your route to work been affected by the crash? Tell us in the comments below!
Could it finally be glorious spring weather on the horizon? 👀 Warm weather was eindelijk (finally) supposed to hitus this week, right?
Well… not exactly, as this week will be far cloudier than anticipated. (After all, it wouldn’t be the Netherlands without its unexpected weather change, now would it? 😉)
Foggy mornings to start off the week
If you’ve been planning to transition your closet from winter to spring and summer this week, you might want to gently nudge the brakes. Those sunny spring days won’t be joining us just yet, unfortunately.
On this chilly Monday morning, fog and cloudy skies will greet us instead, especially in the north. A local shower is to be expected in the afternoon, but the day should remain largely dry, reports Weerplaza.
Temperatures will hit 15 degrees Celsius today, with a moderate northeasterly wind. Tomorrow is likely to be a little brighter, despite cloud fields moving over the country, as the sun will come out every once in a while if we’re lucky. 🌥️
Cloudy skies blocking the sun
Wednesday will be a relatively dry day, with temperatures rising to 14 degrees Celsius in the north and 17 degrees Celsius in the south.
While the temperatures might make you feel like it’s the perfect weather for drinks on a terrace, the sun won’t stay long and clouds will be the highlight of the rest of the week. ☁️
Komende week knapt het wat op, maar stabiel en warmer lenteweer zit er voorlopig niet in. Later in de week neemt de kans op buien toe en aangename voorjaarstemperaturen zitten er nog niet in. pic.twitter.com/04BOJhte2a
Translation: It will improve somewhat next week, but stable and warmer spring weather is not in the cards for the time being. Later in the week, the chance of showers will increase and pleasant spring temperatures are not yet possible.
The cloudiness will roll on into Thursday, with temperatures dropping to 12 degrees Celsius, making it feel significantly less warm than the previous days. 🥲
However, a sunny weekend could be on the cards
Got some fab weekend plans in the park or on your balcony? We may (finally) have good news for you, as the weather will likely be in our favour.
With long sunny periods and afternoon temperatures hitting 15 to 20 degrees Celsius, this weekend will definitely be something to look forward to after making it through a cloudy week.
However, with temperatures rising, the chance of thundershowers also increases — echt niet leuk!
How are you planning to spend your sunny weekend? Tell us in the comments below!
Echt?! Dutch sperm donor Jonathan, who has hundreds of children in the Netherlands and in other countries, wants to father even more children. However, his exploits have now lead to worries of incest.
Stichting Donorkind (Donorkind foundation) and a mother to one of Jonathan’s children have filed a lawsuit to stop the 41-year-old man, who calls himself “Donorpapa Jonathan” (😳), from donating any more of his sperm.
According to RTL Nieuws, while in court in The Hague, Jonathan would often say a lot but not answer questions clearly.
“It is not my intention to be a very active donor,” Jonathan answered about whether he would stop donating now. “But sometimes I still need the freedom.”
Possible inbreeding
You might think 550 children is a lot for one man, but helaas pindakaas, that’s not all! Seven more women are currently pregnant with Jonathan’s offspring.
Given the huge number, the donor children don’t know who all their siblings are. It’s being argued that this takes away their sexual freedom, as they’re going to have to make sure they’re not related to someone before starting a relationship.
Mark de Hek, the lawyer for the Donorkind Foundation, told the court that due to this, “Jonathan’s donor children are already experiencing emotional problems.”
Jonathan disagreed about possible incest among his children, saying, “I don’t believe in evolution, I believe in creation.” Ehm…ok, Jonathan.
A big happy family?
Jonathan’s lawyer, Richard van der Zwan, states that “many donor children who know each other have a great time together and even go on holiday together.”
According to his lawyer, Jonathan gets many gifts on Father’s Day. He also goes on outings with some of his children and visits them in other countries.
Van der Zwan believes this is proof that it’s only an issue for a small “angry group” of people.
No agreement
What Jonathan did is not punishable by law, so the judge gave the two parties a chance to come to an agreement themselves. However, this didn’t happen, even after 30 minutes alone.
As a result, it’s now up to the judge to issue a written decision on April 28.
While he wishes to continue donating, Jonathan also states that “This is a new situation for everyone, a new concept. As a society, we must also help donor children to deal with this.”
De Hek believes this is a very dangerous situation, describing what Jonathan is doing as “a test he is conducting with 550 children as guinea pigs.”
What do you think of the serial donor’s behaviour? Tell us in the comments.
Schiphol Airport is trying out a new strategy to shorten the waiting times for passengers. How? With reserved time slots to pass through security checks and, of course, fashion tips.
Last year, people flying from the airport had to wait up to three hours just to get through security. This year, the airport is implementing new initiatives to avoid repeating this situation for passengers.
So what is Schiphol Airport’s answer to long queues? Handige (handy) 15-minute time slots to pass through the security — and smart wardrobe advice, reports RTL Nieuws.
Did you say time slots…?
Yes, we did. From now on, you can reserve a time slot online up to three days before your flight. If you’re at the security check at your reserved time, you go to a special queue and whizz straight to the front.
Don’t be late though. When you reserve a time slot online, you will receive a QR code by email that you must show at security. If you’re more than 15 minutes late, helaas pindakaas, you will be sent right back to the regular queue.
Not sure what time is best? Don’t worry, the online reservation system will offer you multiple potential time slots based on your flight details from which you can choose.
What you should know about reserving a time slot:
This is only an option for flights flying to European destinations (within the Schengen Area)
The time slot is only for passing security checks, it doesn’t apply to checking in luggage
For families, a single time slot reservation is enough
For group travellers (that isn’t a family), each person should book their own time slot
Schiphol’s fashion tips
Everyone has their own ideas on what the best dress attire for the airport is. There are people in sweatpants and a hoodie, while others go glam wearing suits and high heels.
People watching at the airport. Boy the clothes some people wear! Too funny!
Schiphol Airport is advising that you maybe shouldn’t wear your main character wardrobe during your travels.
Instead, they advise passengers to wear thin clothing, few layers, and low shoes to pass through security as fast as possible.
According to Schiphol Airport, leggings, sweatpants or jeans with a shirt is the perfect outfit They advise avoiding blazers, hoodies, and boots that you will need to take off when going through security.
The latest Schiphol restrictions
In addition to these initiatives, Schiphol Airport is also reducing the number of passengers departing from the airport during the May holidays (April 29 to May 7) by five percent.
Schiphol Airport is also hiring new staff. The airport has said that they will take on 850 new security staff with an incremental wage increase of 21% (finally!). However, it remains unclear whether their training has already been completed.
Schiphol still faces understaffing in other areas, however. Schiphol spokesman, Dennis Muller, says “We have enough staff there, but we are also short of staff during handling. Those people are employed by the airlines, they are also working very hard on that,” writes RTL Nieuws.
If you’ve got a trip planned for the May holidays departing from Schiphol Airport, make sure to check the time, check your fit and check in!
What do you think about the new campaign? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
Did curiosity kill the cat? A package addressed to PVV leader Geert Wilders caused quite a stir after a stuffed, cat-shaped doorstop was sent to the Dutch parliament by a loving fan. 😺
In fact, the House of Representatives was evacuated briefly on Thursday after the suspicious package was found in the building’s mailroom, reports AD.nl.
Het was gelukkig loos alarm, iemand stuurde me met goede bedoelingen een stoffen kat als “deurstopper” toe. Beveiliging heeft de kat opengemaakt om te checken en het was dus loos alarm! pic.twitter.com/QRwhye2M1x
Translation: Fortunately, it was a false alarm, someone sent me a fabric cat as a “doorstop” with good intentions. Security opened the cat to check, so it was a false alarm!
Better to be safe rather than sorry
The package was examined after alarm bells went off at security. They initially thought the cat-shaped object was a teddy bear with a bomb inside it.
As a result of the innocent but heavy kitty’s arrival, all of the meetings in the committee rooms were halted, and members of parliament had to evacuate via the central hall immediately.
For an hour, a group of grown men part of the Explosive Safety Team inspected the plush doorstop. 🧸
Thankfully, no bomb was found and everyone was A-ok. Although perhaps not the kitty (RIP.)
Heavy security for the controversial politician
Geert Wilders is a Dutch politician well-known for his campaigns against the “Islamisation of the Netherlands” and has even, at one point, encouraged a crowd to chant “less moroccans.”
Peek-a-boo, we see you! The first wombat Joey (baby) popped out of the pouch to say hallo, and we all know it’s special.
An Australian wombat was born in the BestZoo in Best, North Brabant, reports NU.nl. And we can’t help but get excited. This is thought to be the first wombat born in a Dutch zoo, to the only wombats in the Netherlands. Schattig!
A cute surprise
The young wombat made his first appearance from his mom’s pouch on Monday. Unfortunately, we won’t know when to celebrate his birthday.
Why is this? The wombat is an Australian marsupial that is heel klein (very small) at birth and stays all nice and cosy in his mother’s pouch for months until he emerges, so the exact date that he was born is not known.
The proud parents of the new wombat
BestZoo is the only zoo in the Netherlands with wombats. The parents of the new wombat joey arrived at the Dutch zoo from Australia in October 2021.
Australian zoos have many wombats, many of which are rescued when they are young. It was difficult to bring the wombats to their new Dutch home as Australia has strict regulations about animals entering and leaving the country.
Fortunately for us, the wombat couple arrived smoothly and now have a happy little family.
In a statement, the zoo says that the wombats are doing well and that the youngster often sticks his snout out.
Some cool facts about wombats
Wombats might look a bit like their Australian relatives, koalas. They do share some similarities. Both are nocturnal marsupials.
However, a wombat lives on the ground, while koalas live in trees.
Wombats have a backward-facing pouch: The advantage is that when digging, the wombat does not gather soil in its pouch over its young. Bonus: the baby can easily eat and stay warm at the same time.
With the end of April approaching, that could mean only one thing: King’s Day 2023 is among us.
On April 27, Amsterdam will turn orange in honour of King Willem-Alexander’s birthday. From parties to festivals, free markets, and accessibility within the city, here is everything you need to know for lekker feesten.
King’s Night in Amsterdam 2023
While King’s Day is officially celebrated on April 27, some places start the party early on Wednesday, April 26, known as King’s Night.
More into techno? Het Sieraad celebrates with a ‘royal party’ of their own with Dutch Techno duo Oliver Weiter & Miss Melera. Club night Modus will also kick off King’s Night festivities in the Tolhuistuin, reports Het Parool.
For those that are not into parties but want to get their groove still on, a karaoke show will be taking place on the Marie Heinekenplein.
On April 27, the city will become home to plenty of festivals and live music events, including Loveland van Oranje in the Meerpark, Kingsland in the RAI, and Orange Blossom in the Olympic Stadium.
Looking for something more gezellig to do? Like last year, vriijmarkts (free markets or flea markets) will start at 6 AM to 8 PM, where you can get second-hand goods.
Getting practical for King’s Day 2023 in Amsterdam
With people celebrating the day away, large parts of the city will be closed to traffic, but public transportation will still be running.
Metros, buses, and trams will run a different or combined route with the Saturday timetable, so regularly check the 9292 website to help you navigate your celebrations.
When it comes to drinking, keep in mind that the municipality of Amsterdam made a decision that it is not allowed to buy or sell more than one piece of alcoholic beverage per person between 6 AM and midnight.
If you need to use the restroom during the day, geen stress as public toilets are available throughout the city. More information on toilets and first aid posts can be found on Amsterdan’s municipal website.
Time to dress up, dance, listen to music, and have an all-around good time! 💃🏻
Are you excited about this year’s King’s Day celebrations? Tell us in the comments below!
In the Netherlands, it is compulsory that everyone has health insurance. This sounds scary at first, especially when you don’t have much money to spare — but fear not, the Dutch government can help you there.
The Dutch take insurance very seriously and who can blame them! In most cases, insurance is an affordable cost that comes with many benefits and allowances. Speaking of allowances, let’s talk about the Zorgtoeslag.
🏥 Zorgtoeslag — healthcare allowance in the Netherlands
A basic health insurance package with an own risk of €385 will usually cost you between €120-160 per month. A heavy price to pay if you aren’t earning very much. Well, good news, there’s a healthcare allowance in the Netherlands.
The government acknowledges that for some people this is too much to pay each month. As a result, there is a benefit you can claim for this.
It’s called zorgtoeslag (healthcare allowance) and it is a monthly allowance that the government pays you prior to your health insurance being paid out.
The allowance you receive depends on a number of conditions. Image: Unsplash.
The maximum allowance in 2023 is €154 per month if you earn €25,000 per year (see the conditions below). In some cases, this will leave you with less than €10 to pay per month towards your healthcare!
👨👩👧 Who can receive the zorgtoeslag?
If you are living in the Netherlands and registered with your local municipality, chances are you are required to take out health insurance. As someone who pays for their health insurance, you may in turn be eligible for the zorgtoeslag. This depends on a number of factors.
🌍 Can you receive the zorgtoeslag if you are an international?
Whether or not you are eligible for the zorgtoeslag as an international in the Netherlands firstly depends on if you are required to take out health insurance in the first place.
Most of the time, health insurance is compulsory for both Dutchies and internationals. The majority of the time, if you are residing in the Netherlands for more than 4 months (non-EU) or 1 year (EU) and are not working, you need to take out Dutch health insurance. If you are working, then you need to take this out right away.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, if you are an international student who has come to the Netherlands to study, you are not required to take out Dutch health insurance.
You are not required to get Dutch health insurance as an international student. Image: Freepik
Similarly, if you are completing an internship that pays below minimum wage as part of your studies, then you are also not required to take out health insurance. Of course, you may still decide to take out Dutch health insurance if you wish, it’s just not compulsory in this case.
Regardless of whether you are required to take out health insurance, or simply choose to, you will be eligible for the zorgtoeslag if you meet the below conditions.
✅ What are the conditions of the Dutch healthcare allowance?
The conditions for receiving the Zorgtoeslag in 2023 are as follows:
You must be 18 or older
You must have taken out Dutch healthcare insurance
You (and your tax partner) must be a Dutch national or have a legal residence permit/you are registered with your local municipality and have received your BSN
You do not earn more than €38,520 each year
You and your partner do not earn more than €48,224 jointly, if you have a tax partner
Your individual assets must be no greater than €127,582
You and your partner’s joint assets are no greater than €161,329
🌏 Am I eligible for the zorgtoeslag if my partner or I live abroad?
If you or your partner are working for a Dutch company but are living abroad, you may still be eligible for the zorgtoeslag if you live in an EU or EEA country.
It is also possible if you live in a country where the Netherlands has signed a social security treaty or any other country if you are obliged by law to take Dutch health insurance out.
TIP: Already claiming? Don’t forget to tell the Belastingdienst within 4 weeks, if your situation changes! If you don’t, you’ll receive a nice bill to tell you to pay it back, ouch.
🤔 How do I apply for healthcare allowance in the Netherlands?
You may find that you were eligible for the zorgtoeslag last year, make sure you meet the deadline! Image: Pixabay
Any benefit applications need to be filed in Dutch on your benefits government section, using your DigiD to sign in. Click here to log in.
If you’re struggling, you can call the helpline (0800-0543) or visit your local tax office and they will advise you on what to do.
Sometimes they can organise for someone to help you with your application. If not — ask your bestest Dutch friend — I’m sure they’ll help you out!
📅 Is there a deadline to apply for Dutch healthcare allowance?
Yes, there is. If you want to have back-payments from 2022, then you have until September of this year to claim them back. To apply for 2022, the deadline is September 2023, and so on.
Hopefully, this will help you get well on your way to not being bankrupt when trying to insure yourself. If you want to calculate how much you might get to prepare yourself, you can do so here.
Dutch healthcare allowance FAQ:
How do I know if I’m eligible for Dutch healthcare allowance (zorgtoeslag)?
There are certain requirements that you have to meet to be eligible to receive the Dutch healthcare allowance. You have to be over 18, have Dutch health insurance and meet certain income requirements. You can find more information about this hier.
How much Dutch healthcare allowance (zorgtoeslag) can I receive?
This will depend on how much you earn and whether you have an allowance partner. The more you earn, the lower your healthcare allowance will be.
You can look here to see an estimation of how much Dutch healthcare allowance you will get for different incomes. This also shows how much you will get with and without an allowance partner.
If you are not already receiving a healthcare allowance, you can see exactly how much you would receive by doing a test calculation here.
If you are already receiving a healthcare allowance, you can log into your “Mijn toeslagen” account here. You can then use your DigiD to log in and find out your exact Dutch healthcare allowance.
How much do I have to earn before I’m no longer eligible for the zorgtoeslag?
You are eligible to receive the Dutch healthcare allowance (zorgtoeslag) for 2023 if your gross annual income is not higher than €38,520 without an allowance partner, and €48,224 with an allowance partner.
If you earn more than that, you are no longer eligible to receive zorgtoeslag. You can calculate your income before benefits here.
How can I apply for the Dutch healthcare allowance (zorgtoeslag)?
You can apply online. If you meet the conditions to receive the Dutch healthcare allowance, you can follow the easy steps here to apply for your zorgtoeslag.
Don’t forget to join our Facebook group to keep up to date on the latest news, cultural articles and information pieces! This article was originally published in March 2018 and was fully updated in April 2023 for your reading pleasure.
The nights will still be cold, with possible freezing inland, but the days will warm right back up quickly.
2023 spring is making its way
While the sunshine is quite certain, the wind in the coming days is less predictable. Depending on the wind, temperatures may be stuck at around 13-17 degrees if there is a strong wind.
Meteorologists are saying that warm temperatures in the Netherlands are relatively late this year. Last year, we reached the first 20 degrees a month earlier.
How will you kick off spring weather this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
![All you need to know about healthcare allowance in the Netherlands [2023]](https://dutchreview.com/wp-content/uploads/health-insurance-768x513.jpg "All you need to know about healthcare allowance in the Netherlands [2023]")
