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Thalys waves doei to the Netherlands, but it’s good news for international trains

Eva Gabriella
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Thalys waves doei to the Netherlands, but it’s good news for international trains

The high-speed train named, Thalys, will no longer exist on your platforms as the trains will all merge under the name of Eurostar. 

Eurostar top woman Gwendoline Cazenave announced that the name, Thalys, will disappear from all trains that run from Amsterdam to Paris, and so forth, reports the NOS.

Last year, Thalys and Eurostar transported 15 million train-goers. And, the Eurostar Group wants to double this number by 2030.

Covid-19

Thalys is in the firing line on this episode of what else can the coronavirus destroy next? Only 80% of travellers travel on the Eurostar and Thalys compared to pre-Covid-19 levels.

The Eurostar Group hopes that by merging the two, the number of passengers will increase.

READ MORE | The guide to taking the Eurostar train from Amsterdam to Rotterdam to London

Covid-19 is not all to blame, though. Of course, the post-Brexit passport fuss has left Brits missing their trains due to the new rules and lack of personnel.

Capacity underload

For now, Amsterdam and Rotterdams’ departure capacity only allows a maximum of 200 people to board a 900-person capacity train. 

READ MORE | Packed NS train complaints rise as number of trains drop

Gone are the days when you didn’t have to sit next to some stinky, sweaty soul because the Eurostar Group wants to put at least 600 bums on their seats.

This means fewer trains will have to roll over railways — a win for the environment.

A sustainable mission

The Eurostar Group are real rail enthusiasts, proclaiming that this is the golden age for high-speed trains. 

Their aim is to create an alternative to road and air travel in an environmentally sustainable way. 

READ MORE | Hoera! The first Dutch energy-neutral train station is already breaking records

With 51 trains in total and no talk of building more, the group has designed a smooth and sustainable journey for the travel bugs among you.

For the time being, the Thalys trains will now be called Eurostar, but they will still remain red.

Which countries have you been to on the Eurostar? Tell us in the comments below!

The Netherlands officially has the highest quality of life in the world (take that, Denmark!)

Mihály Droppa
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The Netherlands officially has the highest quality of life in the world (take that, Denmark!)

The Dutchies have a new trophy on their shelf —  they’re officially the proud owners of the highest quality of life in the world! 

Alright, we know there are a lot of things that aren’t perfect here — like when you have to squeeze onto a crowded NS train between Schiphol and Amsterdam. But hey, let’s talk about the big picture!

The honour was bestowed upon the Dutchies from Numbeo, a cost-of-living database, which crowned the Netherlands as the best. 🏆

Orange is the new golden medal

The Dutchies are right on the top when it comes to quality of life. Right after them are Denmark, Switzerland, and Luxembourg — but the Netherlands is the best. Did we mention that? They’re the best! 

Here’s how

The ranking is based on a series of factors, including the cost of living, purchasing power, housing prices, pollution, crime, health system access, and commute times. 

READ MORE: 5 reasons the Netherlands is the best place to live for expat families

When it comes to the Purchasing Power Index, the Netherlands is at the (still impressive) eighth place. 

Meanwhile, it turns out that the paracetamol your huisarts offers when you are about to die from one of the many flus that the Netherlands has to offer is still enough to put the Netherlands into the top 10 when it comes to health care!

Next, it probably won’t surprise anyone that the Netherlands doesn’t rank so highly when it comes to the cost of living. In 15th place, they’re coming right after France. 

READ MORE: Yippee! Dutch housing prices are (finally) falling, here’s where they’ve reduced the most

And finally, when it comes to Property Price to Income Ratio, the Dutchies are the 11th on the list, proving that the housing crisis is still a real struggle for many. 

Top 10 countries for quality of life

  1. Netherlands
  2. Denmark
  3. Switzerland
  4. Luxembourg
  5. Finland
  6. Iceland
  7. Austria
  8. Oman
  9. Australia
  10. Norway

Do you feel like this ranking is realistic when it comes to the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments!

Slow down! The municipality of Amsterdam pushes for a bike speed limit

Francesca Burbano
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Slow down! The municipality of Amsterdam pushes for a bike speed limit

Cyclists behold: the municipality of Amsterdam is looking to impose a speed limit on bicycles. 

“Not because we think electric bikes are stupid, but they have to maintain an appropriate speed,” reports alderman Melanie van der Horst to BNR.  

Dutchies: slow down with that pedaling 

While the speed limit is not yet known, the Fietsersbond, a Dutch organisation that represents the interest of cyclists, states that “there are bicycles that drive 35 kilometres per hour in the city, and that is not safe.”

For this reason, the Fietsersbond proposes a bike speed limit of 20 kilometres per hour. 

While it is difficult to make sure people stick to this limit, there are many possibilities and techniques to consider. 

According to van der Horst one option would be geofencing, a GPS tracking device for bikes, “You can ensure that the bike reduces speed with geofencing, but that technology is still in its infancy.” 

Another option would be giving fines to people that go over the speed limit. However, this would require more people to enforce these speed limits because there are no license plates on bikes. 

READ MORE | Where to buy a bike in the Netherlands: the ultimate guide 

New infrastructures makes it safer to cycle

Apart from enforcing a new speed limit for bicycles, there is also a proposal in the Amsterdam City Council to reduce the speed for cars to 30 kilometres per hour.

This potential speed limit creates opportunities to look at the infrastructure of Amsterdam. Van der Horst reports that, “we don’t want people of a certain age to have to cycle on a street with cars.” 

The speed limit for cars of 30 kilometres per hour in Amsterdam will be approved in December 2023. 

What do you think about this new speed limit? Tell us in the comments below! 

Tom Hanks’ terrible Dutch accent gets him nominated for ‘Worst Supporting Actor’ 

Eva Gabriella
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Tom Hanks’ terrible Dutch accent gets him nominated for ‘Worst Supporting Actor’ 

Tom Hanks has received a nomination for Worst Supporting Actor after speaking in the most ‘ridiculous’ Dutch accent in his portrayal of manager Tom Parker in the film Elvis.

The Golden Raspberry Award (Razzie) is the satirical equivalent of the Oscars, where films and people are given the title of ‘Worst Picture’ or ‘Worst Actor’.

According to the Razzie organisation, Tom Hanks’ Dutch-accent-turned-Southern is the favourite to ‘win’, reports the NOS.

READ MORE | Tom Holland in Holland?! 7 times the Netherlands appeared in Hollywood movies

How did this happen?

For a man who’s won two Oscars and been given six nominations at the Academy Awards, whatever went so wrong?

“Hanks sidestepped any talk about this accent and instead spoke at length about how he learned more about Elvis’ infamous manager,” said a spokesperson for the entertainment website Variety.

The actor didn’t respond when asked what preparation went into the role. Helaas! It seems poor Hanks either didn’t do his homework or found the Dutch accent a bit too difficult. 😅

READ MORE | 9 Dutch actors in Hollywood you probably didn’t know were Dutch

That’s not all

Hanks was not only nominated for the ‘Worst Supporting Actor’ but also for having the ‘Worst Interplay’ between his Oscar-winning face and unfortunate-looking latex face prosthetics.

To add insult to injury, he’s expected to ‘win’ another for his role in the badly received film, Pinocchio.

At last, we know that his ‘ridiculous’ accent was not a sly dig at the Dutch. It seems the actor has just gone and lost his footing.

Did you watch Tom Hanks in the new Elvis film? Tell us in the comments below!

Dutch weather stays overcast and just above freezing for the rest of January

Liana Risseeuw 🇱🇰
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Dutch weather stays overcast and just above freezing for the rest of January

Sick and tired of grey, rainy Dutch weather? Welcome to the Netherlands, we’ve got more grey, rainy weather headed your way. 🌧️

This morning, we’re set to have clouds, clouds, and more clouds, according to Weeronline.

Starting the day at a frosty 2 degrees Celsius, the temperature will hop to about 3 degrees in the afternoon. This mild temperature hike will be accompanied by a brief appearance of the sun every now and then.

Wednesday brings fog and rain

The day will likely be off to a cold and foggy start, with light frost spread across the provinces.

Although there’s predicted to be a slight temperature increase in the afternoon, this will only bring the temperature up to 2 degrees Celsius in the southeast and 4 degrees Celsius in the coastal regions.

Nighttime will bring a wave of precipitation moving from the west to the east of the country, like a surge of tikkies after a night out. ☔️

For many areas, this will mean rain or sleet, though Limburg may expect some dry snow.

Thursday and Friday are likely to be drier

But not as dry as stale ontbijtkoek, because the odd shower could still be on the cards.

Temperatures will also reach highs of around 8 to 9 degrees Celsius on Thursday, with a little more sun peeking through the clouds.

Friday will be slightly colder, at 4 to 5 degrees during the day.

As for the rest of January…

…it’ll be mostly overcast. 🌥️

However, highs of 8 to 10 degrees are forecasted for Sunday and Monday, according to the KNMI (Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute).

What do you think of this week’s weather? Tell us all about it in the comments below!

Brr! Dutchies keep their thermostat lower than anywhere else in Europe (and we’re not surprised)

Mihály Droppa
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Brr! Dutchies keep their thermostat lower than anywhere else in Europe (and we’re not surprised)

It’s official! The Dutchies keep their thermostat at the lowest of any European country, with an average indoor temperature of just 18.04°C. 

When the energy crisis started, the Dutchies immediately understood the assignment — they’d trained for it for years.

Rising to the challenge, no less than 84% of households lowered their heating compared to the previous winter season by an average of 1°C, RTL Nieuws reports. 

In comparison, Spaniards cut their average temps by just 0.29°C, while gas-rich Norwegians dropped by 0.2°C to a cosy 20.8°C.

Who is freezing the most?

The thermometers of the province of Utrecht are showing the biggest temperature drop compared to the end of 2021, with 85% of households lowering their thermostat. 

READ MORE: Amsterdam launches plan to help poorest households reduce energy bills

Meanwhile, the coldest houses are in Groningen, where the average household is only 17.56°C. Brr! 🥶

Google knows it all

Thanks to the increased use of smart thermostats, data shows who follows the cabinet’s advice to set the thermostat no higher than 19 degrees during the day and 15 degrees at night.

In fact, Dutchies are loving smart thermostats with more and more wanting to pay increased attention to their heating habits. 

The number of proud new smart thermostat owners increased by 32% this season. Honeywell is the most popular brand, followed by Toon and Google Nest. 

READ MORE: It’s a miracle: this Dutch energy company is lowering its prices in January

At what temperature are you keeping your thermostat this winter? 

Sorry pugs: the Dutch are banning unhealthy ‘designer pets’

Francesca Burbano
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Sorry pugs: the Dutch are banning unhealthy ‘designer pets’

The Netherlands is taking action to stop the illegal breeding of cats and dogs with extreme appearances by banning them altogether. 

Dutch Agriculture Minister Piet Adema is working on two new bans, including the ban of owning these designer breeds and banning photos of them in advertisements, reports ANP.

“We make life miserable for innocent animals, purely because we think they are ‘beautiful’ and ‘cute,'” Adema says. 

The country already banned the breeding of designer pets in 2014 but is now seeking to close a loophole by banning the trade and import of these animals.

But wait, they’re so cute — right?

While flat-faced dogs and cats with folded ears look adorable, their health problems are far from it. These pets suffer from a range of health conditions as a result. 

Short-snouted dogs, for example, are constantly out of breath, making them gasp for air throughout their life. Cats with folding ears, on the other hand, have deviated cartilage, which causes them to be in a lot of pain. 

“This subject touches me as a minister but also as a human,” stated Adema. 

READ MORE | Thousands of pets put up for adoption as Dutchies return to the office

New rules = better life for animals

This ban would come in after a transition period. People who currently own these pets are allowed to keep them until they’ve passed away. 

In addition, the ministry is working on rules to stop showing these animals on social media since the breeds have been a staple favourite among celebrities and social media influencers. 

Issues like enforcement and how to handle freedom of expression on social media will take time to implement. 

What do you think of these new rules? Tell us in the comments below!

Experts warn of huge upcoming wildfire risk in NL: “Uncontrollable”

Lyna Meyrer 🇱🇺
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0
Experts warn of huge upcoming wildfire risk in NL: “Uncontrollable”

Wildfires will become more uncontrollable and occur more frequently in the Netherlands. That’s why the government needs to come up with a plan, ASAP.

This is the conclusion of research done by experts from KNMI (Dutch Royal Weather Institute), Wageningen University & Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Deltares and the NIPV (Dutch Institute of Public Safety).

“We are going to experience more of this, and it may happen in the short term,” researcher Hans Hazebroek from the NIPV tells the NOS.

It’s getting hot in here

The risk of wildfires is growing faster than the climate is changing.

Because temperatures are rising and nature is drying up, more vegetation will become flammable. 

Yep, those beautiful tree-lined cycle paths? They could be ablaze. Canopied forests that you wander through leisurely? They’re also the perfect recipe for a fire. 

According to the researchers, wildfires in the Netherlands can quickly have devastating consequences due to the dense infrastructure of the country.

The country’s concentration into dense cities will lead to more frequent wildfires, causing evacuations and affecting vital infrastructures.

Density poses a problem

When it comes to wildfires, the proximity we all love so much could become our biggest downfall. 

In the Netherlands, nature, agriculture, recreation, living, railways, and healthcare tend to be condensed in specific places. And by “specific places,” we mean the beautiful Dutch cities.

On the contrary, much of the energy supply is located in nature, where we find high-voltage cables and switching stations. 

Simply put: the design of the country causes a huge risk for the rapid spread of wildfires. And that’s why experts are calling out a national “wildfire signal” and are nudging the government to take action, ASAP. 

So, what’s the plan?

Anton Slofstra from Brandweer Nederland (Fire Brigade Netherlands) believes that the Netherlands needs a set of measures to prevent potential wildfires. 

What could this look like? Much like the obligations for buildings, he says. “We can only successfully extinguish a fire if a building meets building regulations. You actually miss regulations like that in nature. As a result, very large parts of nature can just burn out.”

READ MORE | It’s official: the land of dikes and canals has a water shortage

Due to their long-lasting and large-scale character, wildfires can easily overwhelm the fire brigade. Therefore, the institutes warn that more firefighters and equipment would be needed to face large wildfires. 

It is also necessary to gain more knowledge about smart landscape design, and how to make wildfires more manageable.

Delta plan

The NIPV and Brandweer Netherlands both feel the need for a Delta Plan for wildfires, much like the plan that the Dutch government has come up with to protect against a flooding disaster.

READ MORE | Why the Netherlands isn’t underwater (VIDEO INSIDE)

Slofstra believes that if we think far ahead, we can make significant landscape changes that will aid in the prevention of large wildfires. “We have to start now,” he emphasizes, to see the start of results in the coming years.

What do you think about the Netherlands’ increased risk of wildfires? Tell us in the comments.

Yippee! Dutch housing prices are (finally) falling, here’s where they’ve reduced the most

Liana Risseeuw 🇱🇰
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0
Yippee! Dutch housing prices are (finally) falling, here’s where they’ve reduced the most

Paying thousands of euros to share a cramped, damp flat with a mouse and looking for an out? You’re in luck, as Dutch housing prices are finally falling — for the first time in nine years. 🥳

Prices of owner-occupied houses in all provinces fell during the last few months, according to NU.nl.

However, it was the provinces of North Holland, Utrecht, and Flevoland that exhibited the steepest drop, with housing prices 3 to 4% lower than the previous quarter.

Aspiring homeowners didn’t waste any time

New homeowners took full advantage of the price drop, with a grand total of 51,345 houses sold during the last quarter. 🔥

In fact, from early October to late December, there was a 1.8% rise in home ownership in the Netherlands. You go, homeowners!

However, prices are still higher than in 2021

Despite a very welcome price drop across the country, houses are still more expensive than they were in 2021.

For example, if you’d chosen to hop off and buy a house in December of last year, you’d be paying 2.7% more than you would a year earlier.

The good news? (Yes, there’s a silver lining! 😉)

That 2.7% increase is the smallest rise in house prices that we’ve seen in the past seven years.

Whilst the current housing crisis doesn’t leave us much energy to be hopeful about home ownership, this small win shows us that there still is (some) hope on the horizon!

How do you feel about the drop in housing prices? Tell us all about it in the comments below!

A Dutch man got nudes from 150 girls, incl. minors — then blackmailed them

Lyna Meyrer 🇱🇺
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0
A Dutch man got nudes from 150 girls, incl. minors — then blackmailed them

A 24-year-old man is suspected of pushing hundreds of girls into sending him nudes, which he then used to blackmail them. 

The Dutch Public Prosecution Service calls this their largest investigation into online abuse of minors to date.

Gianni de W.

The prosecutor tells RTL Nieuws that the suspect is named Gianni de W., from a small village near Breda called Etten-Leur. 

De W. would make contact with young girls online, on platforms such as Snapchat or Instagram, where he used fake usernames like “Bryan.snapx” or “Bryansnelgeld” (Bryan quick money). He would then offer them money in exchange for nude photos.

Once received, he then threatened to publish the photos online if the girls didn’t continue to send footage of themselves. 

“He has made the lives of his victims hell,” says the prosecutor.

Mostly underaged girls

The police suspect that most of the girls targeted by Gianni de W. were minors living across the Netherlands. The youngest victim was only 13 years old.

So far, eight girls have filed official complaints about the suspect, but the actual number of victims is much larger. 

The investigation has uncovered around 150 folders with different girls’ names on De W.’s computers, containing thousands of nude images.

The suspect allegedly even asked one of the girls to film herself having sex with her boyfriend, and then send it to him.

Detained

The investigation into Gianni de W. is far from over, and a large number of girls have yet to be tracked down.

The suspect was detained on October 11 2022 and has been in custody ever since. His next pre-trial hearing will take place on April 11.

The police urge everyone that recognizes the suspects’ username, or line of action to come forward by contacting their local police.

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