If your calendar is looking a little empty, consider this a sign to find a terrasje. Weeronline forecasts a wonderfully sunny stretch, with temperatures potentially hitting 25 degrees by Friday.
While Tuesday starts a tad cloudy, clear skies are pushing in throughout the morning. Eventually, temperatures will reach 15 degrees in North Holland and up to 20 degrees across central and southern regions.
The Wadden Islands will be exempt from warmer temperatures, reaching a rather windy 13 degrees Celsius.
However, throughout the day, there will be strong winds. How strong, you ask? Between 29 and 38 kilometres per hour, so don’t ditch your jackets just yet.
Sunshine from Wednesday to Friday
From Wednesday through to Friday, Weeronline is promising a sunny bonanza with barely a cloud in sight. Blowing from the east to the southeast, the wind will be dry and warm.
Wednesday brings 16 degrees to the north and up to 21 degrees elsewhere. Thursday cranks up the heat further, up to 22 degrees across the country.
Although a bit gusty, Friday is D-day. Think highs of 21 to 25 degrees throughout the Netherlands.
As usual, don’t get too attached to the warm weather. The forecast becomes uncertain from Saturday on, with the stable weather likely giving way to a more uncertain picture.
Rain showers are possible, and temperatures will most likely drop by a few degrees.
So, make the most of the terrasje weather while it lasts.
How will you celebrate the sunny days ahead? Let us know in the comments below!
Behold, the dawn of ‘smart’ traffic lights: cyclists in the Netherlands will soon be able to turn the light green just by downloading an app.
These intelligent traffic control systems (iVRIs) are activated when the navigation system detects an approaching cyclist, without the rider having to do anything.
According to RTL Nieuws, an app called ‘Da’s zo gefietst’ (That’s done easily) has been commissioned by the provinces of Limburg, North Brabant, Overijssel, Utrecht, and South Holland to encourage cycling.
That app will include a feature that enables this communication between smart traffic lights and cyclists. Drenthe, Gelderland, and Groningen are also joining the effort.
Anonymous communication
The app-to-light communication will not be traceable to the specific phone or person, RTL reports.
An anonymous message will be sent to the smart traffic light when a cyclist approaches, causing the light to turn green. Once the cyclist is gone, the signal is cut.
According to Rijkswaterstaat, this complies with the GDPR: the transmission occurs entirely through anonymised data.
There are currently 1,450 such lights in the country, according to the Rijkswaterstaat, and emergency services already use this light-to-vehicle communication.
It’s simply a matter of extending the convenience that smart traffic lights offer to cyclists, as well as to other vehicles.
The hope is that easier passage for bikers and fewer stops will make cycling more attractive overall.
What do you think of this latest development? Let us know in the comments!
An unprecedented event like World War II is bound to be filled with stories of human resilience and ingenuity in the face of adversity.
One such story involves a Dutch ship, which came up with a pretty whack — but somehow successful — plan to survive the war. 🚢
A secret Dutch ship during World War II
The Dutch Navy had ships in the Dutch East Indies when the Japanese invaded in 1941. The Japanese Army was ferocious in its attacks, as part of its broader plan to colonise most of the Pacific Ocean.
By 1942, the Japanese Army had achieved significant victories in Southeast Asia.
All Allied ships in the region were ordered to retreat following Allied defeats during the Battle of the Java Sea and the Sunda Strait in February of 1942.
One of the Dutch ships on the retreat was the Abraham Crijnssen, a minesweeper built in Schiedam in 1936. The ship was supposed to retreat with three others, but it made the voyage alone. 😬
No ship here, just an island
It was quite a long trip to Australia, and the ship was already in trouble, as the waters were filled with Japanese warships. 🌊
Would you be able to spot her amongst the foliage? 🤔 Image: Australian War Museum/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
Thankfully, the crew demonstrated some classic Dutch ingenuity and creativity.
They began cutting trees and vegetation from nearby islands, loading them onto the boat, and painting it to resemble stone. They decided the best course of action was to pretend the ship was just an island minding its own business.
This is one of those plans that sounds so ridiculous on paper that it’s bound to work. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, it did.
During the day, the ship would pretend to be an island, staying put and just, you know, doing island things — like chilling and probably welcoming crabs on board. 🦀
In the night, the sneaky lads would sail closer to the destination, repeating the process until they managed to put a considerable distance between themselves and the Japanese Navy.
The Japanese Navy missed an island shaped like a boat that would change position occasionally, which is beyond all of us, and probably surprised the Dutch crew as well.
We can only imagine a crew member wiping the sweat off their brow with their hand after they escaped and saying, “Wow, that worked!” 😅
A happy ending for the Dutch island ship
The ship remained in Australia for the remainder of the war. Following the war’s end, it was used for anti-revolution patrols in the Dutch East Indies.
The ship finally made its way back home to the Netherlands in 1951.
This wartime Dutch ship is less exciting without the vegetation, not to mention much easier to spot! Image: Nick-D/Wikimedia Commons/CC3.0
Removed from the Navy list in 1960, the ship moved ports across the Netherlands several times before finally settling at the Dutch Navy Museum in Den Helder.
You can visit it (although no, unfortunately, it’s no longer disguised as an island).
Have you heard this story before? Tell us your thoughts on this ingenious Dutch plan in the comments below! 💬
The story of The Hague during World War II is a tumultuous one. From V2 rockets installed in the Haagse Bos to the accidental bombing by the British forces, The Hague was strongly marked by the war.
To better understand the city during the war, we must explore one of the darkest periods of European History.
May 10, 1940, the invasion began
The German invasion of the Netherlands started relatively early in the war. Although the Netherlands was officially neutral, it also expected a German attack.
The Dutch plan was to fall back on their “water” defences in the west of the country at Fort Holland.
German paratroopers over The Hague in World War II, 1940. Image: Nationaal Archief/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
The Germans planned to overwhelm The Hague through an aerial attack and secure the airstrips and the city itself. Part of the plan was also to capture the royal family, who were located in the city.
Early in the morning of May 10, German planes flew over The Hague.
The idea was to deceive the Dutch into thinking they were attacking the United Kingdom, but the planes ended up alarming the Dutch.
The German forces captured airfields in and around The Hague but failed to capture the city and the royal family.
After a Dutch counter-offensive the same day, the German troops retreated and lost their initial progress.
The successful counter-offensive of the Dutch forces in The Hague didn’t last long. On May 14, in the aftermath of the Rotterdam Blitz, the Netherlands capitulated.
The German occupation of the Netherlands
This marked the start of a harsh German occupation.
They deported the Jewish community of The Hague (the second largest in the country) and almost completely exterminated them in Auschwitz and other Nazi camps.
Roma residents of the city also met their demise in extermination camps.
By 1943, the Dutch had begun to construct the Atlantic Wall near The Hague.
The Atlantic Wall provided coastal defences that Nazi Germany made to prevent an Allied invasion from the seas, even though, in the end, it didn’t work.
The construction involved many demolitions around the city’s coastal areas, displacing tens of thousands of residents.
The Atlantic Wall had a great impact on the city. Its legacy is still visible today, whether it’s the bunkers by the coast or the dramatically changed areas following demolitions.
The V2 rockets of the Haagse Bos
By 1944, it was becoming increasingly clear that Nazi Germany was losing.
The German forces pushed hard during the last stage of the war in a desperate attempt to turn the tide. It was only a matter of time until the Allies were victorious.
One of the projects to push back was the infamous V2 rockets. This expensive rocket was the world’s first long-range guided ballistic missile.
Its development was long and expensive, but starting in September 1944, around 3,000 V2 rockets were launched by the German Army. They targeted London and, later on, Antwerp and Liege in Belgium.
V2 rockets were launched in the Haagse Bos (The Hague) in 1945 from World War II. Image: Ian Dunster/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
Due to time constraints, the rocket had technical issues, like all rushed projects. Its guiding system was quite rudimentary, and it wasn’t guaranteed that they would hit their targets.
The Germans launching the rockets could only cross their fingers and hope they successfully passed the North Sea and hit London.
While a formidable weapon, the V2 rockets were less successful in helping the Nazis hold off Allied invasions.
With Allied bombings, the Red Army marching through Eastern Europe, and the D-Day landings on the Western Front, the Axis were on the verge of losing the war.
The accidental British bombing of Bezuidenhout
On March 3, 1945, the British Royal Air Force commenced a mission to bomb the V2 installations in the Haagse Bos. This was around a month before the end of the war in Europe.
The pilots got incorrect coordinates and flew in foggy weather — they ended up accidentally bombing the nearby residential neighbourhood of Bezuidenhout.
The bombings destroyed most of the neighbourhood, killing 511 people. When they realised their error, the Royal Air Force dropped flyers apologising for the mistake.
The 1945 bombing of the Bezuidenhout area in the Hague was actually a British accident in World War II. Image: The Hague Municipal Archives/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
Trouw, the Dutch resistance newspaper at the time, wrote the following about the bombings:
“The horrors of the war are increasing. We have seen the fires in The Hague after the terrible bombings due to the V2-launching sites. We have seen the column of smoke, drifting to the south, and the ordeal of the war has descended upon us in its extended impact.”
“We heard the screaming bombs falling on Bezuidenhout, and the missiles which brought death and misery fell only a hundred metres from us.”
“At the same time, we saw the launching and the roaring, flaming V2, holding our breath to see if the launch was successful, if not falling back on the homes of innocent people.”
“It is horrible to see the monsters take off in the middle of the night between the houses, lighting up the skies. One can imagine the terrors that came upon us now that The Hague is a frontline town, bombed continuously for more than ten days.”
“Buildings, burning and smouldering furiously, a town choking from smoke, women and children fleeing, men hauling furniture which they tried to rescue from the chaos. What misery, what distress.”
The ruins of the Bezuidenhout neighbourhood in The Hague after the British bombing. Image: Nationaal Archief/Wikimedia Commons/CC1.0
The war in Europe ended not long after that, on May 8, 1945. The Dutch quickly reconstructed what they lost in the war, notably in Rotterdam.
The areas affected in The Hague were also reconstructed following a construction boom in the 1950s and 1960s.
The war might be long over, yet the scars remain. If you ever find yourself in Bezuidenhout, you’ll find different signs telling the stories of the bombing, and you can go on a little walking tour to find all of them.
Have you learned anything new about the war in the Netherlands? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
May 4 and May 5 are both important days in the Netherlands. The country remembers the people who died during World War II on National Remembrance Dayand celebrates our freedom the day after on Liberation Day.
But many people also remember May 6, as it marks the date on which the Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn was assassinated in 2002.
Who was Pim Fortuyn?
A former writer and professor of sociology at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, Pim Fortuyn took the Dutch political scene by storm at the beginning of the new millennium.
With his controversial ideas, strong debating skills, and flamboyant style, Fortuyn divided the Dutch political sphere in a way that few people had managed to do before him.
Accused of racism, sexism, populism, or any kind of -ism with a bad reputation, the controversy around Pim Fortuyn grew.
During the presentation of his last book, protesters supposedly threw a cake filled with excrement and vomit in his face.
He called for an ‘ideological fight’ against Islam, meaning that he wanted a debate about how Islamic culture is incompatible with Dutch liberal views.
In his own words, parts of Islam had no place in Dutch society. Fortuyn was heavily criticised for using the word achterlijk to describe these parts of Islam, describing them as ‘backwards’ or ‘retarded’.
Pim Fortuyn’s assassination
On May 6, 2002, just a few days before the elections, the ‘lone wolf’ Volkert van der Graaf shot Pim Fortuyn at point-blank range outside the studios in Hilversum.
In court, Van der Graaf claimed he saw the need to kill Fortuyn because he was a threat to Dutch society and used Islamic culture as a scapegoat to gain political power.
Many Dutch people saw the assassination of Pim Fortuyn as the murder of Dutch innocence and Dutch democracy.
Before May 6, 2002, the idea of someone being murdered for their ideas was something alien to most Dutch people — something that happened in the past or in other countries, but not “where we live.”
Op 4 mei herdenken wij de doden. Op 5 mei vieren wij de vrijheid. Op 6 mei zijn we weer even stil. Op 6 mei werd Pim Fortuyn, de man van het vrije woord vermoord. pic.twitter.com/BLZrptn8aZ
Translation: On May 4, we remember the dead. On May 5th, we celebrate freedom. We will be quiet again on May 6th. On May 6, Pim Fortuyn, the man of free speech, was murdered.
How did his death affect Dutch politics?
Priding itself as the one country where the prime minister rides his bike to work, the Dutch identity experienced a new vulnerability.
Anger rose, and tensions grew between various ethnic and political groups.
Following the death of Fortuyn, his political party carried on but soon fell out of favour.
It seemed that without the spark of its charismatic and bold leader, neither its ideas nor its politicians could stick together.
The party disbanded in 2008. Though we will never know how successful his political theories would have been in practice, there can be no question that Pim Fortuyn was a unique politician who was not held back from speaking his mind by threats or insults.
If you can spare half an hour, you might want to watch the following video (in Dutch). It’s an interview with Pim Fortuyn, made by Theo van Gogh, who was himself murdered for his ideas two years later.
Decades later, how does the Dutch population feel?
Pim Fortuyn’s death hasn’t stopped his ideas from persisting within the Dutch population. In 2022, a large part of the Dutch population still agreed with Fortuyn’s political stance, according to the AD.
Research by the EenVandaag Opinion Panel in 2022 showed that 24% of Dutch voters said they would have voted for him in the elections had he still been alive.
While 72% of the population found Fortuyn’s ideas important to Dutch culture, 45% also admitted that he had contributed to a division in society.
Have you heard the story of Pim Fortuyn before? Tell us in the comments below!
Everyone loves a good party, but the biggest is King’s Day in Amsterdam! So, what’s happening in the Dutch capital on April 27? 🧡
Amsterdam will have its festivities, so here’s what you should know if you plan to celebrate in the Dutch capital. 👑
What is King’s Day?
King’s Day celebrates the current ruling monarch’s birthday. In this case, the entire Netherlands throws a huge birthday party for King Willem-Alexander, whose birthday is April 27.
Note: While in 2025, King’s Day was celebrated on the 26th, the regular celebration on the 27th returns this year in 2026.
Given the chance to let loose, the Netherlands celebrates like crazy. Even if they aren’t the biggest fans of the monarchy. 🤷🏻
King’s Day in Amsterdam
There will be plenty of music and festivities through the night and into King’s Day. Amsterdam is well known for its open stages throughout all its neighbourhoods. 🎶
There are parties around Amstelveld, Leidseplein, Nieuwmarkt, Rembrandtplein, and the Jordaan, with some featuring live music. 🎤
Spui, Reguliersdwarsstraat, and Marie Heinekenplein are accessible to partygoers from 12 PM to 8 PM and are completely free! 😍
There are also some festivals on the outskirts of Amsterdam:
The municipality closes most of Amsterdam’s city centre to traffic on April 27, but you can walk or bike around the city as usual — the only thing that’ll slow you down is the crowds.
You can still access the city by car through a few open roads, and parking is free, but the municipality strongly recommends arriving by train. 🚄
Starting this year (2026), on King’s Day, passengers are not allowed to bring their bikes on NS trains.
The NS runs on a special King’s Day timetable with extra trains: both Amsterdam Science Park and Amsterdam RAI stations are closed all day. Metro stations Nieuwmarkt and RAI are also closed on King’s Day.
Walking in and around Amsterdam will be unlike anything you’ve done before! Image: Depositphotos
Buses, metros, and trams will also be running throughout King’s Day in Amsterdam, some on different routes and timetables, which you can check on the GVB website.
Trams won’t run at night, but there will be night buses, and the ferry between Amsterdam Central Station and NDSM will follow a Sunday timetable. F3 (Central Station to Buiksloterweg) will run more frequently, operating all night.
Flea markets on King’s Day in Amsterdam
The municipality will allow flea markets across the city. Anyone can settle down anywhere in the city and sell unwanted goods from 6 AM to 8 PM, except in Dam Square and some other restricted areas.
You can sell anything except for live animals and alcohol, and you can only sell food if you have a permit.
Let op! You won’t be allowed to purchase more than one serving of alcohol between 6 AM and 12 AM during King’s Day. You are also only allowed to carry a maximum of 1 alcoholic drink on the street. A six-pack, for example, is not allowed.
There are dozens of markets to check out across the city’s many parks and squares. There are even special markets where only children can sell their old things. This list can also be found on the Gemeente Amsterdam’s King’s Day page.
Let’s hope the weather holds up and comes through for the country’s biggest party.
How are you planning on spending King’s Day this year? Tell us in the comments!
Ever felt like throwing a plate at a wall just to see your stress fly away with it? Welcome to THE RAGE, a place where that’s not only allowed, it’s highly encouraged.
We recently headed to Eindhoven to check out this iconic rage room, and honestly? It’s as cathartic as it sounds.
From the moment we arrived, Hara, the owner, made us feel right at home.
For anyone unfamiliar, a rage room is exactly what it sounds like: a controlled environment where you can smash and destroy objects to release stress, frustration, or just to have fun. Think of it as a mix of cathartic workout and complete chaos.
What to expect
Once inside, the building revealed a surprisingly cosy resting space, complete with comfy seating. This area sits just aside from the smashing room and is mainly for decompressing after a session.
After choosing the best outfit for us, we finally got handed our weapons of choice.
Exactly like the Mario Brothers, we’re also destroying everything. Image: DutchReview/Supplied
Once we stepped into the smashing room, it was like a candy shop for chaos lovers.
The smashables
One of the things I loved most about THE RAGE was the incredible variety of things you can smash.
Tables were stacked with plates, bottles, glass cups, old keyboards, TVs, monitors: basically, anything that can be smashed. Even furniture.
You want to smash the exact copy of the phone that keeps ringing at the office? At THE RAGE, you can do that. I picked up my first bottle, swung, and watched it explode into a spray of glass.
Hara goes out of his way to keep the smashables collection diverse and interesting, and it really shows. One moment, we were shattering plates into tiny shards; the next, we were hammering an old monitor like rock stars with guitars.
Sustainable smashing
While we were there, one question kept popping into our heads: where does Hara get all these smashable treasures?
Turns out, there’s a great story behind it. When he first started, Hara would visit local kringloop (second-hand shops), asking for spare items.
At the beginning, most of them said no. But with a bit of persistence and a lot of friendly charm, he built strong relationships with shop owners.
Now, thanks to those connections, THE RAGE has a steady supply of breakables.
So who knows? If you finally ditched Oma’s dreaded silverware at a kringloop in Eindhoven, there’s a good chance it might meet its glorious end in Hara’s smashing room.
A safe space to let go
After more than 40 minutes, we were exhausted, happy, and oddly zen. And the best part? There wasn’t a scratch on us.
The safety gear instantly put us at ease. Because the first thought in the room should be, “Time to imagine my boss on this plate!” And not “Will this thing smash into my eye if I swing too hard?”
Great for after a stressful day of work. Video: DutchReview/Supplied
The concept behind THE RAGE is beautifully simple: sometimes the best way to reset is to break something — but not yourself.
Hara and his wife made sure every centimetre of us stayed completely safe.
We got a very thick suit, safety goggles and on top of that a safety helmet that completely protects your face, head and ears. And of course gloves, in different sizes, even very small ones!
Over time, this place has grown into a full-fledged venue for controlled chaos, perfect for anyone in need of a little release.
Who is it for?
Pretty much anyone who’s ever wanted to hurl a plate or swing a hammer at a TV. THE RAGE welcomes:
👩💻 Corporate teams swapping trust falls for sledgehammers
🕺 Groups of friends seeking a chaotic night out
😮💨 Solo visitors in need of instant stress relief
💊 Even therapy-goers whose doctor prescribed a little smashing
The only rule? You must be at least 14. Teens up to 18 need an adult chaperone, but after that, it’s open season on breakables.
Ready to break something? Plan your visit
Curious to try it for yourself? Whether you’re looking to smash a few plates, hammer a TV, or go full-on destruction mode, THE RAGE in Eindhoven has you covered.
Packages start at just €50 for solo sessions, and larger group experiences for up to 20 people can last as long as two hours.
For packages, pricing, and details, you can check out THE RAGE’sfull list of options.
Got a bike in the Netherlands? Congrats, you’ve just entered the national sport of bike theft. With nearly 86,220 bikes registered as stolenin 2024 alone, protecting your two-wheeled pride and joy isn’t optional. It’s survival.
Whether you’re enjoying a night out in Amsterdam or parking at your local Albert Heijn, bike thieves are lurking. And honestly? You’re probably making their job way too easy.
Here are five rookie mistakes that scream “steal me!”, and how to avoid becoming another statistic.
1. Using a flimsy lock (or worse, no lock at all)
Think that cable lock from the Action will do the trick? Think again.
Cable locks and cheap chain locks are basically gift wrapping for thieves. They can be cut through faster than you can say gezellig.
If you want to keep your bike, invest in a proper lock. Look for one with an ART-2 certification or higher (that’s the gold standard in the Netherlands).
Make sure you invest in a decent lock for your bike. Image: Dreamstime
For electric bikes, many insurers actually require two locks, with at least one being a chain lock. Yes, two locks.
If that sounds excessive, ask yourself: “Would I rather lug around an extra kilogram, or lose €2,000?”
Don’t cheap out here. A decent lock costs around €30 to €70, but replacing your bike? That’ll hurt a lot more.
2. Locking only the wheel
Here’s a fun fact: bike wheels are removable. Shocking, we know.
Yet people still lock just their front wheel to a bike rack and act surprised when they return to find… well, just a wheel.
Thieves can easily remove wheels or entire frames when bikes aren’t properly secured to fixed objects.
The golden rule? Always lock your frame to something solid and immovable, such as a bike rack, fence, or lamppost. Bonus points if you loop the lock through the back wheel, too.
This isn’t just good practice; many insurance companies require it. If your bike is stolen and it wasn’t locked to a fixed point, your claim could be rejected.
Even with the best locks, theft can happen. That’s why Univé’s bike insurance covers theft and vandalism. Highly rated by the Consumentenbond, Univé offers affordable coverage starting at just €2.27 per month.
3. Parking in dodgy locations
Not all bike parking spots are created equal.
Entertainment areas, shopping centres, student complexes, train stations, and metro stops are prime hunting grounds for bike thieves.
In 2024, 10,810 bikes were reported stolen in Amsterdam (that’s about 30 per day). Meanwhile, The Hague scored even higher with 11,710 bicycles reported stolen.
So what’s an international to do? Park smart:
Choose well-lit, busy areas (take it from someone whose bike was stolen from an alley)
Use monitored bike parking when available (many train stations have them)
Avoid leaving your bike in isolated spots overnight
We’ve all experienced it at this point. Image: Depositphotos
Theft occurs more often at night and in the evening than during the day. But don’t get too comfortable, because even daytime isn’t safe if your bike isn’t locked properly.
4. Leaving your bike in the same spot for too long
That bike that’s been chained to the same rack outside your flat for three weeks? Yeah, thieves have noticed.
Bikes that look abandoned become easy targets. University campuses and transport hubs are especially bad for this, as are other locations where students or commuters might leave bikes for extended periods.
If your bike starts collecting cobwebs, it sends a clear message: “My owner doesn’t care about me.” And neither will anyone else when it mysteriously disappears.
The fix? Move your bike regularly, even if you’re not using it much. And if you’re going on holiday, bring it inside or store it somewhere secure.
Fun fact! Eventually, even your municipality might notice your abandoned-looking bike and take it away to a bike depot. You’ll have to pay a fine to get it back. (Yes, this has also happened to me.)
5. Having a bike that screams “steal me!”
Here’s the thing about the Netherlands: the most thief-proof bike is often the ugliest one.
Snazzy electric bikes are increasingly targeted by organised gangs, with e-bikes, fatbikes, and electric cargo bikes experiencing high theft rates.
That shiny new e-bike with all the bells and whistles? It’s basically a neon sign saying, “I’m worth thousands of euros!”
However, Dutch cycling culture has a solution: embrace the omafiets (granny bike). You know, the heavy, slightly rusty city bike that looks like it survived both world wars. They’re functional, reliable, and thieves won’t give them a second glance.
Of course, if you do have an expensive bike (we’re not judging), just be extra vigilant with security. Use multiple high-quality locks, park strategically, and most definitely consider insuring it.
Sometimes, you do everything right. Two locks, perfect parking spot, the works. And still, your bike vanishes. That’s where Univé’s bike insurance comes in.
Whether it’s your daily commuter or that expensive e-bike, you can ride confidently knowing you’re covered. Check out their flexible plans.
Right, let’s wrap this up with a quick recap of your anti-theft game plan:
🔐 Lock it right: Use at least one ART-2 certified lock (two for e-bikes). Always secure your frame AND wheel to a fixed object.
🤔 Choose your parking wisely: Well-lit, busy areas are your friend. Avoid theft hotspots like train stations if you can, or use monitored bike parking.
🚶🏼♀️ Keep it moving: Don’t leave your bike in the same spot for days on end. Thieves notice patterns.
🤫 Embrace the shabby look: The fancier your bike, the bigger the target. Sometimes ugly is beautiful (at least in the Netherlands).
🤝 Get insured: Because even with all these tips, you’re guaranteed to experience bike theft at least once in this country. Better safe than sorry.
Got any other anti-theft tips, or a tragic bike theft story to share? Let us know in the comments below!
Several of the account holders have been unable to make meaningful contact with Meta to have their bans reversed. Meta is legally required under European law to provide explanations for removals.
Clubs are home to vital resources
For groups that are already marginalised, social media can be a community lifeline.
Tillatec founder Samuel King, whose official account lost 40,000 followers as a result of the suspension, said to NU.nl that the club’s younger clientele “use the platform to stay up to date on events. This has a major impact on us.”
The Club Church account had to restart from scratch after last year’s removal of its 19,000-follower profile. Now, having built a 6,000-user following, that’s gone, too.
In response to NU.nl’s article, Meta has said they are investigating the accounts in question. In their own words, “no system is perfect.”
Why?
That’s the real question, and there’s been no meaningful answer.
Some question whether AI moderation is at fault, including Repro Uncensored, an NGO that tracks social media censorship worldwide.
Spokesperson Martha Dimitratou stated that “It could be a word, a message, or an image that gets picked up,” which can lead to a removal.
This could explain the arbitrary nature of the decisions. As Club Church account administrator, Caspar Pisters, told NU.nl, “there are also many queer accounts that are allowed to remain on the platform.”
On November 14, while our community was dancing at our event with Striptopia, our Instagram account was permanently deleted by Meta’s automated systems. We never received a warning, nor had a post ever been removed. Under the EU Digital Services Act, platforms are required to provide transparency and meaningful explanations. We did not receive one.
It seems being cautious doesn’t help, either, says Micklin Korsuize, co-founder of The Queer Agenda. After successfully reversing their previous suspension, the group “didn’t post anything anymore, but we were removed again anyway.”
Objections to the suspensions have also been rejected without explanation, leaving the groups stranded and unable to move forward.
As Carolina Are, fellow at Northumbria University’s Centre for Digital Citizens, told the Guardian last year, “It wouldn’t be as much of a problem if platforms’ appeals actually worked, but they don’t.”
For now, it seems, the groups will have to keep fighting.
What do you think of these removals? Let us know in the comments.
The Dutch may be famous for keeping water out, but Vitens — the country’s largest drinking water provider — is now warning that it’s struggling to keep enough water in.
While businesses and households across the Netherlands grow more water-conscious, Vitens warns that total demand is still climbing, driven by a growing population and growing economy.
The company sounded the alarm in a new report, in which they anticipate “shortages in the drinking water supply.”
Vitens supplies drinking water to around six million people across Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Utrecht, Overijssel, and parts of Drenthe and Noord-Holland. If you live in any of those provinces, you’ll be affected.
According to NOS, the company has already begun telling some businesses they can’t guarantee a new water connection or an expanded supply.
New build homes could also face supply issues and delayed connections, adding yet another hurdle in the Dutch housing market.
Climate change is just making things worse
If the core issue isn’t irresponsible water usage, then who’s to blame? Given that Vitens is owned entirely by Dutch municipalities and provinces, there’s no private operator to point the finger at here.
Instead, experts point to climate change, particularly long dry spells hitting the areas where groundwater is extracted. Water contamination is also adding pressure, making it harder and more expensive to process what’s available.
Vitens CEO Tjeerd Roozendaal didn’t mince words.
In the company’s annual report, he highlighted that a “water transition” is needed, and it requires governments, water managers, and the company to work together.
At present, Vitens is exploring a multi-source approach — purifying water from several different sources at a single location — to reduce dependence on any one supply.
This shortage warning comes as water bills across the Netherlands have already been rising in 2026. If you’re not already paying close attention to your water use, now is a good time to start.
Are you actively trying to cut down on your water use in the Netherlands? Let us know in the comments below.
