Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine, the Netherlands has openly stated its support for Ukrainians. However, in spite of calling for sanctions and seizing Russian property, the Netherlands is still filling the coffers of Russia.
And quite significantly at that. According to a study by Kalavasta, each Dutchie pays an average of €2 to Russia every single day, the NOS reports.
What? How?
Of course, it’s not as if everyone in the country reaches into their back pocket, grabs a €2 coin, and happily hands it over to Putin himself.
This amount comes from the money that the average person would pay for everyday products that are produced using Russian gas, such as fertilizer and tomatoes. 🍅
Millions every day
The study also gave an estimate of what the average family would send to Russia each month. For example, a family of three would send an average of €180 into the country’s coffers every month.
If that amount doesn’t faze you, the study also worked out how much the Netherlands currently sends to Russia every day — a whopping €30 million. 😳
This confronting plea demonstrates the damage that can be done by supporting Russian gas.
Kalavasta usually works on behalf of ministries, environmental agencies, and large companies. They advocate for climate-neutral strategies — but this time, they turned their research toward Russia.
Speaking to the NOS, the director of the agency, John Kerkhoven, explained that the agency wanted to do whatever it could to help during this time of crisis.
“We don’t make anti-tank weapons but calculation models, so we made a calculation model for this as well.” And it’s safe to say, the study’s findings may very well rattle some foundations. 💪
The startup company, Holland Norway Lines, has officially launched its new ferry route. As of today, you can now sail between the Netherlands and Norway. 🚢 All aboard!
The new ferry service will sail from the Netherlands’ Eemshaven in Groningen and arrive in Kristiansand in Norway, reports Life In Norway. 🌊
The ferry has space for 1,500 passengers and 350 cars. It also comes with a sports pub, restaurants and even an onboard sauna resort with saunas and hot tubs. How class! 🧖♀️
Tell me more!
The ferry will take 18 hours to travel between the Netherlands and Norway — offering plenty of time for some sightseeing opportunities! 👀
The ferry will depart from the Netherlands at 3 PM, three times a week. Outbound ferry journeys will depart on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and arrive in Norway at 9 AM the following day.
Return journeys from Norway will also begin at 3 PM every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Let’s talk prices
Ok great! But how much is it going to cost you? Let’s lay it all out:
By foot
With a car
With a motorbike
With a camper
Outbound journeys (Eemshaven-Kristiansand)
€75
€230
€255
€440
Homebound journeys (Kristiansand-Eemshaven)
€75
€230
€255
€440
Travel with sustainable goals
Holland Norway Lines also mentions the company’s sustainable goals for this ferry route on their website. Their goal is to “create a zero-emission cruise-ferry connection between Holland and Norway”.
Sustainability is certainly a perk — and so is the travel time. This new ferry route will provide a systematic route for drivers and shorten the travel time of those traveling by car.
Are you excited about this new ferry option to Norway? Any travel plans? Tell us in the comments!
By scanning a QR code via an app on their smartphone, travellers can recycle their plastic bottles and will receive a 15 cent deposit almost immediately on their bank account.
According to the NS, a whopping 10 million bottles could be collected using these deposit machines for train passengers. 🚄
Ultimately, the NS plans to install these machines at 50 stations. Starting in 2023, they will add them to another 17 locations.
Reaching for sustainability
With this initiative, the NS hopes to reduce stations’ waste and make sure 90% of all PET bottles in the Netherlands get reused. ♻️
Starting at the end of 2022, people can also return drink cans at deposit machines. In light of this initiative, the NS wants all trains to be completely waste-free by 2040. 🗑
At the moment, it’s also possible to return plastic bottles for a deposit at supermarkets and gas stations. Some supermarkets like Albert Heijn are also introducing more sustainable practices like allowing customers to buy products without packaging.
What do you think of NS’ new initiative? Tell us in the comments below!
Alrighty folks, two more days of grey autumnal weather and then the Netherlands will get its place in the sun back — literally. ☀️
The clouds will begin to part on Friday, revealing a much drier and sunnier weekend compared to last week, RTL Nieuws reports.
Next week, temperatures in some parts of the country could even reach up to 20 degrees and the sun will again bless our faces with some much-needed vitamin D.
Typical Dutch weather
However, before you run to get your sunglasses, we’re in for one more day of rainy weather. In fact, Thursday will be the most autumnal day of the week.
We think the meteorologist Martijn Dorrestein said it best: “we have had all four seasons in one month. That is typical of the Netherlands.” 🤦
So, autumnal weather until Friday, then a somewhat milder weekend with the occasional shower (it wouldn’t be Dutch spring without it), before the sun breaks out and the temperatures rise.
While it is only in North Brabant and North Limburg that temperatures will rise up to 20 degrees, the rest of the country can still look forward to pleasant temperatures of between 15 and 19 degrees.
Enjoy it while you can
Although it seems like Dutch spring is back on track, it’s only a temporary detour so to say. “After the weekend, we will have lovely weather for a few days. Then the temperature will drop slightly and it will be changeable,” says Dorrestein.
How are you planning to spend the warmer days next week? Tell us in the comments below!
Dutch customs authorities have placed 14 yachts owned by Russians under “strict supervision.”
This includes 12 yachts under construction — including superyachts — and two yachts under maintenance at Dutch yacht builders, reports the NOS.
Shipyards cooperate despite sanctions
The bold move follows an investigation into shipyards in the Netherlands carried out by the customs authorities. It found that the shipyards are still cooperating with the construction of the yachts, despite the major sanctions. 🤦
Dutch customs will not allow builders in shipyards to deliver or hand over the yachts to the owners and the yachts cannot leave the Netherlands because of sanctions against Russia, President Putin, and hundreds of oligarchs who support him. Looks like it’s bye-bye boaty. 👋
“Theft” of property
Moscow reacted furiously to the seizure of Russian property abroad. Former Russian President and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev are even calling it “theft”.
Medvedev says Russia will enter a lawsuit to get back the properties, intending to fight a legal battle with the US, Europe, and international courts.
Even more sanctions imposed
Dutch foreign minister Hoekstra said that the Netherlands froze €516 million in assets and blocked €155 million in transactions. It seems like they finally got the hint and took action against oligarchs. 💰
This isn’t the only investigation carried out by Dutch customs authorities. Customs have already examined more than 30,000 shipment containers from Russia and Belarus. The Netherlands are slowly but surely implementing the sanctions against Russia.
What do you think of the sanctions against Russia? Tell us in the comments. 👇
Food is probably my favourite thing in life (not even exaggerating), and I always make a point to try local food everywhere I go. But I have one big problem: I am gluten intolerant.
Where do you find gluten? In bread, pizzas, pasta, cakes, cookies, biscuits, pies, quiches, even soy sauce. The horror.
So how about gluten-free food in the Netherlands?
Finding gluten-free food in the Netherlands
Basically, everything that is tasty (and also a little bit unhealthy) is off my list of approved foods — unless it is gluten-free (thanking the world for gluten-free pizzas).
That involves burgers, sandwiches, wraps, beer; anything made with wheat, barley, or spelt flour. But it’s ok… Most Dutch supermarkets sell gluten-free options. However, they often cost double or sometimes triple the price of what the “normal” version would cost.
You can get Daiya products in Jumbo. Image: Depositphotos
Of course, it also makes me the annoying person when invited to a dinner party (seriously, who doesn’t eat bread? Ah yes, me).
It is when I go out to eat, however, that it gets really tricky. The Dutch are very good with certain specific food diets, like vegetarian food, or even veganism. But when it comes to gluten-free stuff, the options at restaurants and cafés in the Netherlands, are much more limited.
Of course, things have changed a lot over the past five few years or so, and it wouldn’t be fair to say that nobody makes an effort.
Some national restaurant chains are very food allergy-friendly. Some local restaurants too — especially if you go to bigger cities such as Amsterdam.
You can almost always count on finding a gluten-free pizza somewhere, but if you’re going for a different cuisine it’s a good idea to check their menu in advance. Simply sitting down and having to guess what you can eat before ordering can turn out to be quite a waste of time for everybody, really.
Oh how I wish I could eat this. Image: Pixabay
Tips for the gluten intolerant
Now, after having lives in the Netherlands as a gluten intolerant for years, these are my top tips that I can give you:
Check out the growing variety of gluten-free products available in Dutch supermarkets, often found in dedicated sections.
Familiarise yourself with key Dutch terms such as “glutenvrij” (gluten-free) and “tarwe” (wheat) to navigate food labels.
Don’t be afraid to ask about gluten-free options, even if they’re not on the menu. More often than not, restaurants will be able to accommodate you.
Embrace the Dutch treats that are naturally gluten-free, such as cheese, and specific types of licorice.
Or, cheat… 🫣
Yes, I cheat on gluten-free food in the Netherlands. There, I said it.
I do not eat bread, pizza, pasta, or cakes, anything with a very solid base made of wheat flour. But I eat bread crumbs because, as I said, I am only intolerant, not allergic. And, when facing some Dutch delicacies, you sometimes have to make a decision: food or your stomach.
I choose food.
Disclaimer: What you choose to eat or not is your own decision. Since I don’t have celiac disease I can relatively safely indulge in some deep-fried Dutch snacks (every once in a while). If you don’t have that option, then go for a gluten-free alternative!
Croquettes, bitterballen, and kaassoufflé simply taste like heaven in my mouth. I cannot resist them.
If you ask Dutchies, they don’t seem to appreciate enough what proper Dutch food is though. If you ask them, they’ll probably tell you they eat “meat and potatoes.” How exciting.
But the truth is elsewhere. Not in big or very elaborated meals, no. It’s all about what you gonna spread on that bread!
Satay or curry sauce, butter topped with chocolate sprinkles, chicken in a cream spread, they seem to be pleased with very little — and isn’t it nice to see? That gives them plenty of time to do something else with their lunch break, and I think that’s pretty smart.
What’s your experience with gluten-free food in the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments below!
The Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn recently announced customers can soon buy certain products without packaging thanks to a new upcoming concept: AH Packaging Free. ♻️
With this new shopping system in place, customers can walk in with their own reusable bags or jars and fill them from a dispenser, reports NU.
Albert Heijn also explains that the prices of these items will be cheaper because customers won’t be paying for the product’s packaging costs anymore. ✨
And which products are soon-to-be packaging-free at Albert Heijn? We’re talking:
Pasta 🍝
Rice 🍚
Cereal 🥣
Spreads 🧈
Tea 🍵
Nuts 🌰
This new shopping system will first be offered at the XL supermarket in Rotterdam and will then be integrated by the remaining 50 larger AH branches, reports NU.
How will this work?
It’s quite easy! Customers must first weigh their reusable bag or jar before filling them with the products from the dispenser.
Once that’s done, they print a barcode that shows how much they’ve purchased. At the end of the shopping session, customers simply have to scan their barcodes at the register. Voilà!
Sustainable shoppers are going to be very happy! Customers can now take reusable bags from their own household — meaning less packaging waste.
This will also help reduce food waste since customers can now fill their bags with the exact amount of food they actually need — 500 grams of hagelslag please!
What do you think about this new shopping system? Tell us in the comments!
We’re just as sick of the current Dutch weather as you are — but things are starting to look up again.
Weerplaza forecasts that the Netherlands will have bad weather (cold, grey, and rainy) until next weekend. After that, we can expect sunshine and warm temperatures, reports NU.nl.
Cycling through the seasons
The lowlands faced some interesting weather in the last few weeks. 😵💫
At the moment, cold air from the north is still keeping the temperatures around less-than-ideal 10 degrees. 🍃
Anticipating spring weather
It will be a while before the weather returns to springtime — temperatures will remain below 10 degrees Celsius, it will rain a lot, and some parts of the country may experience nighttime frost. 🥶
But in due time, springtime weather will come back for April. Temperatures will rise up to 20 degrees (and even higher in the south) and there will be plenty of sun after one more week of this gloomy weather. ☀️
What are you planning to do when the weather gets better? Tell us in the comments! 💭
The Dutch bank ABN AMRO stated that energy bills for citizens in the Netherlands have risen up to 20% in the first three months of 2022. 🤯
ABN AMRO tracked and analyzed the transactions of payment accounts and discovered that the average energy bill of a household went from €135 in February 2022 to €137 in March the same year, reports the NOS. 📈
Costs vary depending on the type of energy contract
What kind of utility contract do you have? We’ll wait while you run and double-check. 👀
In their report, the Dutch bank mentioned that residents with fixed contracts won’t see the higher prices reflected on their energy bills. This is because they pay fixed-rate energy tariffs.
On the other hand, those who have variable contracts or soon-expiring contracts are about to receive some costly bills. 🧾
In the Netherlands, 40% of households have variable energy contracts, meaning their residents will have to deal with the soaring price increase. 💶
More consequences for low-income households
Especially residents with low incomes will experience negative effects on their economic situation, according to their own banks.
Those earning the lowest 20% of income in the Netherlands spend about 13% of their income on energy costs, reports the NOS.
The energy shortage is hitting high-income and low-income families in similar ways. However, the effects are likely to be more long-lasting for low-income groups.
The reason for this is that those with low incomes usually have variable energy contracts and live in poorly insulated houses, says Jeannine van Reeken, an economist at ABN AMRO.
Have you noticed this rise in energy costs first-hand yet? Tell us in the comments!
Tenants in the Netherlands can often nominate the next person to take over their room when they move out.
However, large Dutch property owners, such as Vesteda, Bouwinvest, and Heimstaden, now want this to come to an end, reports the NOS.
Why? Because tenants have been using this as a sneaky way to make some extra cash.
Floors and curtains for thousands of euros
Old tenants would often ask new tenants to take over the floor, curtains, or other furniture in the room in exchange for a nomination.
The new tenants would then, of course, have to pay for these things — sometimes as much as thousands of euros! 🤯
“This is a disguised and dubious way of asking for key money,” tells Vesteda spokesperson the NOS.
More and more complaints
Until recently, the nomination was something both parties benefited from. The property owner didn’t have to invest time in finding new tenants and old tenants could make arrangements with the new ones about taking over furniture and other items.
However, with the increasing housing shortage, property owners like Vesteda receive more and more complaints from people.
Not only about homes that were never even advertised online, but also about tenants asking for disproportionate amounts of money for the items they’re leaving behind.
“For example, a departing tenant asked via social media for a takeover sum of €11,000 for a laminate floor and some second-hand furniture. We then started to keep a close eye on social media and saw that our houses were being offered for high prices,” tells Vesteda spokesperson the NOS.
No more nominations
Starting this month, Vesteda will no longer accept nominations for rental properties with rent under €1,400.
The company wants to ensure that the distribution of homes is fair again and that everyone has an equal chance.
Bouwinvest stopped accepting nominations for rental properties under €1,200 in 2020 for the same reasons.
What do you think of the decision of big property owners to stop accepting nominations? Tell us in the comments!
