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Date night in IKEA anyone? Utrecht store to open its showrooms for speed dating

Mihály Droppa
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Date night in IKEA anyone? Utrecht store to open its showrooms for speed dating

Can you think of a more romantic place to meet the love of your life than in an IKEA showroom? No, right? 

Well lucky you! IKEA’s Utrecht store is planning (or should we say assembling) some well-organised and neatly packed speed dating for you!

On Saturday, February 4, IKEA will host a ‘Date for the planet’ speed dating event. 

The store will keep its doors open after the usual closing time, and its showrooms will turn into intimate date locations. Hopeful lovebirds can congregate at 7 PM, and the speed dating session starts at 8 PM. 

I’m ready for love!

IKEA promises all the essentials for a perfect night! Dinner with candlelights, and in typical IKEA style, a starter pack — a big bag filled with conversation starter cards, to avoid awkward silences. 

The rules are simple: a buzzer goes off every five minutes, and you switch partners — so you will have just enough time to know if you met the love of your life or not.

READ MORE: Lover’s paradise? Amsterdam ranks 5th in the best cities for dating in the world

The speed dating lasts until 9:30 PM, but the restaurant will remain open, so you can stay there to chat with your brand-new lover! 

Meet you by the Ektorp sofa

If you feel like the candlelights, meatballs, and snazzy interiors have done the job, and you have the perfect chemistry with your partner, you can hold each other’s hand and explore the rest of the showroom. 

couple-on-date-laughing
So you are a pro at IKEA bed assembling, hé? Image: Depositphotos

There will be a bed waiting for you, where you can make the necessary steps… you can play with your conversation starter cards! 🔥

Date for the planet

IKEA Utrecht is organising this unique event to draw attention to the energy crisis in our homes. The message is even more simple than the falling in love part: being together saves energy. 

READ MORE: Dutch Quirk #84: Buy everything from IKEA and then donate it to a Kringloop a year later

If you feel like you want to be one of the thousand singles (no cheating) who want to search for love in an IKEA showroom, you can register until February 4. The only requirement is that you are at least 18 years old!

Would you be brave enough to show up in the showroom? Tell us in the comments!

Cough it up! The Dutch sent the most Tikkies ever recorded in 2022

Liana Risseeuw 🇱🇰
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Cough it up! The Dutch sent the most Tikkies ever recorded in 2022

The Dutch and their beloved Tikkie are entwined in a love affair that now has the Netherlands breaking records with a whopping 130 million Tikkies sent in 2022! 💸

Oh, and if that wasn’t crazy enough, the sum total of these Tikkies added up to — wait for it — €5.5 billion!

Tikkies can’t stop, won’t stop

We’re really counting every penny this year. Last year’s figures completely pulverise previous records for 2020 and 2021, according to ABN Amro.

In fact, the sum total of Tikkies sent this year eclipses last year’s high of 4.2 billion by 1.3 billion.

Translation: In Dutch we don’t say ‘you are a really good friend’ but ‘I’ll send you a Tikkie for the stroopwafel we shared’ and I think that’s really beautiful

The value of the average Tikkie has also risen by €3 to €41.84, as customers seem to have more faith in making larger transactions through the app.

Match time? Nah, Tikkie time, hoor

When payday meets game day… you get 530,000 Tikkies! ⚽️

Friday, November 25 was the day the Netherlands played Ecuador in the World Cup, sending Tikkie numbers through the roof with many charging for ‘World Cup’, ‘football’, and ‘beer’.

READ MORE | Tikkie etiquette: the do’s and don’ts of asking for money in the Netherlands

To put that number into perspective, a usual day sees around 350,000 Tikkies exchanged on average. This means that game day had Dutchies sending around 180,000 more Tikkies than usual.

The Dutch are prompt AF

On average, 89% of Tikkies were paid within a day in 2022.

READ MORE | Dutch Quirk #7: Send a Tikkie for virtually nothing

Of those Tikkies, about 63% were paid during the hour and 36% within five minutes. This shows that the Dutch certainly respect the call of the mighty Tikkie — and you know what, so do we.

@dutchreview

€0,36 for “sip from my water bottle” ??? #netherlands #tikkie #nederlands #fyp #dutchtiktok #dutch #internationalstudent

♬ My Happy Song – Super Simple Songs

What is the craziest thing you’ve been sent a Tikkie for? Tell us all about it in the comments below!

Believe it or not, the Netherlands is about to get SNOW

Eva Gabriella
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Believe it or not, the Netherlands is about to get SNOW

Fed up with the grey skies? Well, the Netherlands is about to turn white.  Reports are claiming we’re about to get hit with the first snowfall of the year —possibly today!

According to Het Parool a thin layer of snow will fall upon the Netherlands’ head on this glorious Monday. 

But it’s not just today. It’s time to throw on your woolly hat and gloves in preparation for a number of snowy and icy days ahead of us. 🥶

Blue Monday? Never heard of her

The KNMI (the Royal Dutch Weather Institute) and Weeronline report that Monday morning rain showers will undergo an exciting transformation and turn into a wet snowfall as the hours go by. (Listen, we prefer our precipitation in a fluffy, white, wintery form.)

READ MORE | How to survive the Dutch winter: weather, clothing, and more

However, the fluffy stuff isn’t going to cause too much chaos. “It will not lead to snow cover, at most, some snow will remain on cars, the lawn or the garden table,” Weeronline reports.

For now, the snow will keep it brief. At night, temperatures haven’t dropped below zero degrees Celsius yet, which means it won’t stick around for long.

It’s a slippery slope

Slipperiness isn’t on the cards for today. However, there is an increasing chance of ice and slippery mornings later on in the week, says the KNMI. 

By Thursday, the winter days will climax as temperatures are set to drop to -3 degrees Celsius and snow showers will fall all over. 😬

READ MORE | Code orange issued around the Netherlands due to ice and slipperiness

Whether you love or hate the snow, there’s some comfort to be found in this weather forecast. The Netherlands is finally acting the way it should at this time of year after a record-breaking January heatwave, turbulent winds, and many a rainy day.

Will you be out in the snow or keeping warm and cosy at home? Tell us in the comments below!

Plane landing at Schiphol Airport manages to miss the runway

Lyna Meyrer 🇱🇺
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Plane landing at Schiphol Airport manages to miss the runway

In yet another “holy crap” moment for Schiphol Airport, a Delta Airlines plane managed to miss the runway on Thursday morning.

The plane, en route to Amsterdam from Detroit, had a bumpy landing in the dirt in front of the Schiphol-Oostbaan. 

Now, we’re not saying we can fly a plane any better, but yikes!

Dirt, damage and delays

The incident caused some damage to the pavement and runway lights, resulting in an hour-long closing of the Oostbaan. 🚧

The flight’s passengers surely did not have a good start to the day, but luckily, nobody on board the aircraft was injured. 

On the bright side, maybe the adrenaline helped them power through the day and dodge the jet lag. 😉

READ MORE | Top European airports revealed — but Schiphol didn’t make the cut

After the incident, the plane was taxied to the gate, where its passengers could safely disembark, writes the NOS.

In typical Schiphol fashion, the incident led to delays and cancellations of other flights. And people weren’t happy. 😬

Schiphol’s shortest runway

Schiphol Airport has six runways, five of which serve commercial operations, such as the transportation of passengers or goods. 

The sixth one? Yep, you guessed it, it’s the Oostbaan 

With a length of 2,014 metres, it’s the shortest runway of them all, and it’s mostly used for helicopters and private jets. 🚁

The Oostbaan is generally not used on a daily basis, but Delta’s aircraft had been instructed to land there due to Thursday morning’s strong winds. 

What do you think of this Schiphol horror story? Let us know in the comments.

Hol’ up: Winter is returning to the Netherlands with a vengeance (and a chance of SNOW)

Francesca Burbano
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Hol’ up: Winter is returning to the Netherlands with a vengeance (and a chance of SNOW)

For those dreaming of sunshine (Read: us), you’ll have to wait a tad longer with winter rearing its ugly head for a repeat performance in the coming days. ☔️

Wet and stormy weather will attack the Benelux region, thanks to colder air circulating from the north with a chance of winter rainstorms, reports Weer & Radar.

Beware of the wind

On Friday, there will be strong winds of up to 90 kilometres per hour near the Dutch coast, unleashing their wrath on any unfortunate walkers with umbrellas. 🌬️

Over the weekend, stormy weather is threatening, with 40 to 50 millimetres of rain anticipated. Brr! 🥶

Rain, rain, and maybe snow

At the beginning of next week, a low-pressure area will settle over Scandinavia, sending a wave of freezing air straight towards the Netherlands — thanks, Scandis. 👎

The cold and moist air over the country will cause winter showers, so keep those winter clothes at arm’s reach.

Next week, we could possibly be seeing snow, with temperatures dropping and freezing overnight. ❄️

How are you spending the weekend with this cold weather? Tell us in the comments below! 

Nightmare: hundreds locked in pitch-black NS train for hours with no food or drink

Liana Risseeuw 🇱🇰
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Nightmare: hundreds locked in pitch-black NS train for hours with no food or drink

Is this the pitch for the latest Netflix horror show? Nee hoor, it’s just one chapter in the ongoing saga of ‘look what the NS did now’, featuring a broken train, a failed evacuation, and a horde of angry passengers! 🤬

Roughly a thousand passengers were stuck on a ‘nightmare train’ en route to Utrecht Thursday evening, reports NU.nl.

Departing The Hague at 5:55 PM went off without a hitch, and it wasn’t until the train abruptly stopped that passengers realised that… *dun dun dunnn* something was terribly wrong. 🦇

No light and no loo

In the hours following the train’s breakdown at Moordrecht, weary passengers were forced to endure a complete failure of lighting and toilets.

Running outside to have a quick wee in the bushes was also off the table, with the train doors unable to be opened. (Is anyone else feeling claustrophobic?)

Stranded in the dark and waiting for an evacuation, some passengers took to social media to criticise the NS’s handling of the situation. Check out the darkness below:

Translation: Poor information @NS. It’s been two and a half hours now with no reliable information. #ns #stranded #train

People with places to see and things to do were understandably incredibly frustrated.

Translation: Some bonding time on the train fixed between The Hague cs – Utrecht cs @NS_online. A club of law students having a Christmas(?) dinner can no longer attend, a man who has to miss his wife’s delivery, and cake is passed around because it’s someone’s birthday. What a day

All attempts to tow the stricken train failed due to a defect, and it wasn’t until midnight that passengers were finally evacuated.

Translation: Evacuation #ns #stranded #train @NS

However, even the evacuation wasn’t without its fair share of craziness. After loading all evacuated passengers on a second train, this train was made to wait for permission in order to start driving.

Thankfully, some were able to make light of the 💩 situation.

Translation: Finally at our destination, after almost six hours on the train. Would rather have gone to Paris 😅 #ns #train #stranded

What do you think of the saga of the nightmare train? Tell us all about it in the comments below!

‘Murica! Dutch PM Mark Rutte is heading to the White House

Lyna Meyrer 🇱🇺
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‘Murica! Dutch PM Mark Rutte is heading to the White House

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Secretary of State Wopke Hoekstra will jet off to Washington next Tuesday, January 17. ✈️

The two are meeting US President Joe Biden, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the White House for a chat — maybe they’re also suffering from a Zoom burnout?   

A Presidential first date

Biden and Rutte have a packed schedule in Washington, with many important things to discuss.

On the agenda are, among other things, talks about Dutch-American economic relations, the war in Ukraine, and further cooperation in the field of defence and security.

The two also recently had a friendly interaction on Twitter, where some less important things were discussed (like, is it called football… or soccer?). 😉 

Besides that, the two heads of state have not had time for a gesprek (conversation) since Biden’s presidential inauguration in 2021.

READ MORE | Hiep, hiep, hoera! Joe Biden wishes the King a happy birthday  

The Dutch-American friendship

Mark Rutte is no stranger to the White House, having previously met up with Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

The Netherlands and the USA have been BFFs for many years, as they have maintained good trade relations, information exchange, and military cooperation. 🇺🇸🇳🇱

READ MORE | Dutch-American history: how the Netherlands played a pivotal role in America’s Independence

What do you think Rutte should ask Biden on his trip to Washington? Tell us in the comments!

About time! Dutch housing prices have DROPPED in the past year

Sarah O'Leary 🇮🇪
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About time! Dutch housing prices have DROPPED in the past year

When it comes to housing in the Netherlands, we here at DutchReview have spent much of our time writing about ways to navigate the difficult housing market — but today is different.

Today, the Netherlands’ housing gods (whoever they may be) have blessed us with some good news. Housing prices are actually lower than they were this time last year.

Say what?

Finished choking on your coffee? Ok, great. Allow us to elaborate.

According to the NOS, house prices in the Netherlands have fallen on an annual basis for the first time in nine years. By how much, we hear you ask? Just a glorious 6.4%.

In the last quarter of 2022 alone, house prices dropped by a whopping 3.7%, and this is a trend we hope to see continue. But don’t just take it from us noobs with a laptop and an interest in housing news, take it from the experts.

“The extremely heated market seems to be behind us,” the spokesperson for NVM Estate Agents, Lana Gerssen, tells the NOS.

Biggest price drop in Amsterdam

Check the date — it’s not April 1, so we’re not kidding. To our great surprise, the Dutch capital and its surrounding areas saw housing prices drop the most.

READ MORE | Interest, inflation, and lower house prices: what does this mean for Dutch housing?

Specifically, regions such as IJmond, Greater Amsterdam and Haarlem saw house prices drop by up to 9% compared to last year. 🤯

READ MORE | Gather round, folks! These are officially the best and worst neighbourhoods in Amsterdam

On the other hand, regions such as South Limburg and Twente saw housing prices rise by up to 15%. 👀

Time for a reality check

Ok, ok, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows in the Dutch housing market, so we’re going to keep it real with you.

It’s worth noting that while Dutch housing prices have indeed dropped over the past year, they still remain very high.

In 2023, you’ll still need to cough up a whopping average of €407,000 to snag an existing house. Want a new build? That’ll set you back an average of €498,000.

READ MORE | 7 ways buying a house in the Netherlands could save you money (wait what?)

While this is certainly an improvement on the €427,000 that was needed for a previously owned home this time last year, experts still believe the market will be tough for first-time buyers.

“The average house price is still over €400,000. Then you have to earn quite a lot, and with the increased mortgage interest, the monthly costs are so high that it is becoming increasingly difficult for starters,” Gerssen tells the NOS.

One word: interest

On top of this, these lower prices are now overpowered by higher mortgage interest rates. Over the past year, the Netherlands has seen its mortgage interest rates rise from 1% to up to 4%.

What does this mean? The higher the interest rate, the lower the borrowing power for hopeful homeowners to enter the market with. In fact, this is part of the reason why housing prices have dropped — people simply can’t borrow as much.

So let’s take this good news with a pinch of salt. While housing prices are lowering, people’s chances of getting a mortgage haven’t necessarily risen.

How have you been affected by the Dutch housing market? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Feature Image: Jeroen Stoop/Wikimedia Commons/CC3.0

Average rental prices are on the decline in the Netherlands (but with a catch)

Mihály Droppa
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Average rental prices are on the decline in the Netherlands (but with a catch)

While for now, average rental prices are dropping, the number of homes for rent in the Netherlands fell sharply in the last quarter of last year.

More and more people want to sell their apartments, making renting a little less trendy, RTL Nieuws reports. In the long term, it might be even more difficult to find a place to live.

It is nearly impossible to find affordable housing in the Netherlands. Renting is crazy expensive, and the fact that landlords are selling their property that they used to rent out is not helping either. 

Unpayable Randstad prices

Most rental homes are disappearing from the market in bigger cities, especially in Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and The Hague. 

The government has put in stricter rules for landlords, making it more difficult for them to rent out their secondary apartments. 

READ MORE: Why is there a housing shortage in the Netherlands? The Dutch housing crisis explained

Municipalities are also introducing local measurements to make it more difficult for investors to stay on the market. 

The municipality’s goal would be to make the rental prices more affordable, but we clearly don’t see the effect of it. Amsterdam alone saw a rental increase of 10.9% last year. 

“What is happening in Amsterdam, for example, is pure market forces: supply and demand are increasingly becoming unbalanced. In addition, we learn that many investors are currently withdrawing from Amsterdam and selling their rental properties, which also explains the declining rental offer,” — said Jasper de Groot of Pararius to RTL Nieuws. 

Do you still have hope that one day there will be affordable housing in the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments!

Dutch train conductor warns travellers to watch out for ‘Mediterranean types’ on board

Francesca Burbano
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Dutch train conductor warns travellers to watch out for ‘Mediterranean types’ on board

Several travellers in the intercity between Almere and Lelystad were in disbelief yesterday. The conductor on the train alerted people to watch out for their belongings. 

Nothing out of the ordinary with his remark, you never know with pickpocketing on busy trains. 

However, the conductor continued by stating to be especially “alert to Mediterranean types to come to our country to roam the place.” Niet zo normaal. 😲

A social media storm

After the conductor’s shocking statement, it didn’t take long for travellers on the train to report it on Twitter, rejecting the conductor’s behaviour as a result. 

Translation: Dear NS Online, a conductor notified us to watch our belongings, that’s great! The additional comment that we have to watch out for Mediterranean types who come to our country to roam the place…seems quite inappropriate to me.

Translation: Dear NS Online, can you explain to me if it is usual for conductors to warn passengers of pickpockets on the train with the following statement: ‘They are Mediterranean types who unfortunately poach our country bare’?

NS responds back 

NS Online responded to one of the tweets stating they find the conductor’s remark very inappropriate too.

The NS reported to RTL Nieuws today that they “disapprove of any form of racism. And therefore this call. This is not possible.” 

The NS is planning to interview the conductor about this incident, and the conductor will be summoned by his employer. 

Have you ever had any weird occurrences on the train? Tell us in the comments below! 

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