When the coronavirus hit Europe in full-force, many people found themselves stranded in foreign countries, unable to easily return home due to the many new travel restrictions.
This was the case of 25 Dutch high-school students on a study trip, who had no choice but to sail across the Atlantic from the Caribbean, reports Reuters.
5-week journey across the Atlantic
The young students, aged between 15 and 17 years old, were part of a sailing course that was supposed to last for six weeks.
The plan was to sail to Cuba on board of a ship built in 1920 called Wylde Swan. They were scheduled to fly back to the Netherlands, but coronavirus and the resulting flight cancellations left them stranded.
The organizers of the course, which involved professional sailors and teachers, decided that the only thing left to do was to sail all the way back to the Netherlands ā a 7000-kilometre trip.
Stockpiling on resources on the island of Saint Lucia, the crew and the students started their slow journey back home. In their first stop in Europe, on the Azores islands belonging to Portugal, the students and the crew were not along to go out onshore.
They finally arrived back in the Netherlands in Harlingen on April 26, just in time to celebrate King’s Day. As per social distancing measures, they could only leave the ship one-by-one, before being picked up by their parents who were eagerly waiting for them.
Life on the ship
One of the students said that one of the biggest issues for her was the lack of privacy, as there were 40 people in total on the ship.
Activity wise, the students played games and studied for their sailing course. Students also rotated keeping watch from 3 AM to 6 AM. In the afternoons there was a “Happy Hour”, ironically named such, because that was the hour when the students had to help with cleaning.
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Today, the telecommunications network VodafoneZiggo has switched on its 5G network. However, you probablyĀ won’t notice any changes for a while.
Only customers of VodafoneZiggo who are paying for access to a 5G network in their monthly subscription, and who have a smartphone that can connect to 5G, will be able to take advantage of this faster mobile network.
Will we notice a change?
But will it actually be faster? Eventually, yes, but for now the difference will not be very big. VodafoneZiggo estimates that 5G is now about 10% faster than the current 4G mobile network. That’s because theĀ much faster 3.5 Ghz frequency band has not yet been auctioned off to telecom companies- that won’t happen until early 2022, RTL Nieuws reports.Ā
The 5G controversy continues
There has been a lot of controversy around 5G in recent months: some people believe that it can damage the environment and people’s health, though there is no evidence for that. Conspiracy theorists also think that 5G is responsible for coronavirus.
Nineteen telephone masts have been burned down over the past weeks, which is thought to be connected to the movement against 5G.
Are you looking forward to 5G? What are yourĀ thoughts on it? Let us know in the comments below.
Coronavirus has been detected in several mink farms amongst some of the animals. Because some of the farm’s employees had symptoms of the virus, it can be presumed that the animals were infected by their human caretakers.Ā
The farms are located in Milheeze and Beek en Donk, both of which are located in the region of North Brabant. The virus has hit this region in the Netherlands the hardest. Both farms have been closed as a precautionary measure.
Precautionary measures
However, precautionary measures were taken immediately. Both animals and manure are not to leave the parameters. Furthermore, walking and biking within a 400-meter radius of either farm is prohibited, NOS reports.Ā
How the virus spread through the farms is currently being studied. According to Wim van der Poel, professor of virology in Wageningen, we don’t as yet know how hard the virus hits amongst minks ā but not all of them will suffer from consequences (though some have developed pneumonia as a result).
It should be noted, however, that minks have proven to be particularly susceptible, and other livestock have not as yet displayed symptoms.
Can minks give coronavirus to humans?
According to the RIVM, minks can’t return the virus to humans. Human to animal contamination is possible, but not the other way around, in the case of minks that is.
Coronavirus is said to have originated in bats and then spread to humans. So the whole question about animal-to-human contamination and vice-versa still needs to be examined further.
Have you heard of any other animals in the Netherlands that have been affected with coronavirus? Let us know in the comments.Ā
One of the most important Dutch national days is around the corner, namely Remembrance Day on May 4.
Given the current situation with the coronavirus, it’s now being decided in what way can Remembrance Day be celebrated while respecting current social distancing measures, reports RTL Nieuws.
No audience for Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is celebrated in honour of the civilians and military personnel that fought in WW2. Normally, the event attracts crowds, but this year’s edition will play out differently.
The celebration in Dam Square will only be held this year with Prime-Minister Rutte, the Mayor of Amsterdam, as well as the Chairman of the National Committee for May 4 and 5. King Willem-Alexander will also be present to give a speech.
Even if people cannot go out to celebrate this memorial day, alternatives have already been found for people to participate.
Donating flowers for the war memorials
A decision was made by the National Committee so that people may buy and donate flowers from flower growers, so that they may get distributed across war memorials in the country.
This is done also to support the flower growers which have been hard-hit by the coronavirus crisis.
If you wish to donate flowers to monuments, you can do so through Bloemenvoor4mei.nl or through the Tikkie App.
As is usually done on Remembrance Day, there will be two minutes of silence at 8:00 PM, followed by the singing of the Dutch national anthem. People are encouraged to sing along.
Will you be donating flowers for this historic day? Let us know in the comments!
Authorities are generally happy with how King’s Day went in terms ofĀ peopleĀ sticking to the 1.5m rule.
King’s Day is usually a day when people come together, but because of coronavirus, this year’s festivities were slightly different. According to Hubert Bruls, chairman of the Security Council for all the regions of the Netherlands in an interview with NOS, “it was relatively quiet across the country,” and people generally adhered to the rules.
Fewer fines issued than expected
Over the entire weekend, 719 fines were given out to people who were flaunting social distancing rules. On King’s Day itself, 65 fines were handed out until 4pm. The police also noted that the number of fines given out on the night before King’s Day was surprisingly low, at 309.
Young people keeping to the rules
Bruls says that young people, in particular, have shown a marked improvement in keeping to the rules since a few weeks ago. The number of fines and reminders given to this age group has fallen a lot since then. “The message has probably really gotten through to them now.”
King’s Day still about togetherness
Pieter Verhove, mayor of Gouda and chairman of the Orange association, remarked upon the symbolic importance of the day. “Although there is sadness and pain in a number of people because of the coronavirus and we have been in a special situation for weeks, we have nevertheless shown each other resilience to celebrate King’s Day. Togetherness is always great on these days in the Netherlands and that was certainly the case [yesterday].”
How did you celebrate King’s Day? Let us know in the comments below.
So we’re all inside celebrating King’s Day 2020 and you just know this news is going to come up on your timeline: it’s the warmest King’s Day ever! (-ish)
At around 12.45 pm it was 18.2 degrees in De Bilt, later in the afternoon the temperature there went above and beyond the 20 degrees reported RTL news.
On average, it’s about 15 around this time of year. But there have also been King’s Days in recent years when it was not even 11 degrees and most of these royal holidays were with loads of rain as well. Probably all the King’s Days since you came to this weird-weather-country.
The previous record, set in 2014, was at 17.6 degrees, and that was sort of a cheatday: this was when we celebrated King’s Day on April 26, because the 27th was a Sunday. And then there was, of course, Queen’s Day, which it was called during the reign of Queen Beatrix (ending in 2013) and her predecessors. It was almost 27 degrees in 1993!
Here comes the rain
If you have a chance to trip to gardonia or balconia, do so. Because after today the warm weather will be gone and rain makes a comeback. It is unclear how long it will take after today before we can enjoy the sun again.
How are you enjoying your King’s Day? Let us know in the comments!
It’s the 27th of April 2020, and what normally is a day of orange, drinking and festivities are different this year around because of coronavirus. Since many of you have come to expect these updates, and we’re just inside in our orange shirts anyways – we thought we might as well share the latest coronavirus numbers with you and give you an update on how King’s Day in the Netherlands is coming along in these troubled times.
Coronavirus update for April 27
The RIVM has published the latest count of coronavirus cases in the Netherlands.
As of now, there are 38,245 confirmed cases, 400 more than yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has reached 10,521, an increase of 65 from the last count. There have also been 43 more deaths since yesterday, reaching a total of 4518 deaths.
Although these numbers are encouraging, and do seem to show that the regulations are working, it is also a national holiday today. Fewer deaths and hospitalisations are reported to the RIVM on weekends and holidays by hospitals. They are added to the total throughout the week, with Tuesday bringing the previous week up to date completely.
Anyways, the weather might look tempting and the numbers less bad than say 2 weeks ago, but please keep on social distancing and stay at home as much as possible.
Itās Kingās Day today but all festivities are canceled and celebrations forbidden.
There are no festivities, but people do know and feel it’s King’s Day. You see people dressed up in orange on the streets, you see Dutch flags in front of Dutch houses as is common on King’s Day and people were lining up around the block for those delicious orange tompoucen – one of the last things that we can still enjoy.
After 10pm the King gave a short speech from his home. The king said he preferred to spend the day in Maastricht, where the royal family was originally planned to be visiting. He thanked everyone there who was involved in the preparation of the holiday that had to be canceled due to the corona measures. “But what is in the barrel does not sour,” said Willem-Alexander. (it sounds better in Dutch)
The king urged everyone to persevere. “Many had hoped for more freedom of movement after tomorrow, even here at home,” he said. “But the coronavirus cannot be lectured.” (taught a lesson?) He said he hoped that this King’s Day will also remain unique in another way, namely a one-time home celebration; remote but still as one.
On behalf of us here at DutchReview I also want to wish you all a sort of happy, but above all safe and healthy King’s day! I also want to take this opportunity to thank you, the DutchReview reader, for sticking with us these days. And I especially want to thank the epic DutchReview crew, writing up all these articles – from their homes – in these difficult times.
As an international and young professional, there’s nothing as important as having a cozy place to live in. Whatever these virus days have has told us, it’s that you need a proper house to social distance yourself in. If you’re looking for a place in Rotterdam then the WEST507 by The FIZZ has you covered, with some new and unique city lofts.
Here at DutchReview we are big fans of Rotterdam. It’s a quirky and innovative city, and it definitely has a different tempo and energy than other cities in the Netherlands. A city scarred by war but which had a great revival, Rotterdam is a great place to get refreshed and inspired, be it by its new cutting edge architecture, or from its many cultural venues and hotspots.
If you want to move to this dynamic city, you’re in luck. The FIZZ, which you might know from other apartment complexes in the Netherlands, is opening a brand new complex called WEST507. It’s located in a former office building at the address of Westzeedijk 507, and there will be 183 apartments in total, divided in three categories: City Lofts, Work & Live Lofts and Urban Penthouses ā all of it in a smashing building.
The Atrium of West507
Registration has already started, so give it a good look as soon as possible. We’ve already worked together with the good people of The FIZZ. Check out their awesome Cobana building which opened up a while back.
Delfshaven, a historic neighbourhood in a modern city
Delfshaven is one of the few old areas of Rotterdam that escaped relatively unscratched from the blitz of WW2. Vintage while still close to the new and modern city center, it’s an ideal and quiet location for your new home.
With quaint canals, up-and-coming businesses and entrepreneurial hubs in refurbished warehouses, the neighbourhood has all the amenities you expect, from supermarkets to sports halls, sportsfields ā you name it, they’ve got it. You can also find charming antique stores, art studios, beer breweries and gin bars in Delfshaven nowadays.
Not many neighborhoods in Rotterdam have this old school Dutch charm (source: Pixabay)
The area has an old and rich history. It was the departure point of the pilgrims to America and Piet Hein, the famous Dutch sailor was born here. You can get a taste of those days by going to the Pelgrimvaderskerk, a Church built way back in 1761, which still offers services on Saturdays and Sundays.
WEST507: right prices for the right location
Finding decent rent and a good space can be difficult, especially in big cities like Rotterdam. Luckily, WEST507 offers affordable prices for plenty of space. So, what options do we have on the menu?
City lofts
For the city lofts, there are several options available, and there’s a total of 144 city lofts in the building.
There’s the Type A lofts, which start with a net price of 1500 euros, with a size ranging from 105 square meters to 206 square meters.
An A1 loft, glamorous couple not included
Then there’s type B, with a starting net price of 895 euros, with sizes ranging from 52 square meters to 75 square meters.
I could social distance myself here for years
Type C, which are the most pricey lofts, start with a price of 1625 euros, for a size range between 117 square meters and 147 square meters.
Following there’s type D, with prices starting from 1500 euros, and sizes from 105 square meters to 118 square meters.
Finally, there’s type G, starting with the price of 1255 euros, with a size between 94 square meters and 148 square meters, and type H, with the price of 1250 euros and a size between 94 square meters and 100 square meters. You can check out the floor plans and other details here.
Work and live lofts
For the work and live lofts, we’re looking at spacious apartments with high ceilings and plenty of natural light, ideal for those looking for a space to be productive in. There are a total of 15 work and live lofts in WEST507.
The first type is type E, with a starting price for rent of 1625 euros, and a size of 118 square meters. Following is type F, with a starting price of 2550 euros, and sizes ranging between 216 and 246 square meters. Finally, there’s type G, starting with a price of 1255 euros and a size ranging from 94 to 148 square meters. You can find out more details about the work and live lofts here.
Penthouses are the stuff dreams are made of
Finally, on the top of WEST507, there are 24 penthouses, with rooftop terraces with a great view over the harbour and the skyline.
You can expect a nice view
The first type on our list is type P, with a starting rental price of 1200 euros, and a size between 75 and 80 square meters. Following that there’s type Q, with a starting price of 1200 euros, and size also between 75 and 80 square meters. Next on the list is type R, with a price of 1250 euros and a size of 80 square meters. Last on the list is type S, starting with a price of 1600 euros and a size between 110 square meters and 122 square meters. You can check out more information about the penthouses here.
Great facilities for comfortable urban living
WEST507 has plenty of facilities to improve your quality of life, and this co-shared space with a good mix of people (young and old, internationals and Dutchies) will provide a lot of opportunities for socializing and events. So what kind of facilities can you expect?
The characteristic building
In WEST507, youāll be living in a unique building, namely a nationally recognized heritage site. Youāll notice this directly, since the building has a distinct warehouse feel to it, so you get some of that old vintage feel in an otherwise supermodern city as Rotterdam.
In this case old is gorgeous and the renovation of it all has worked out majestically. Just take a look at the entryway and the hallways, the ironwork and that stained glass detail. Many characteristic details are still visible in the building. Take for example the former cantina on the roof, with a panoramic view of the city and the parts of the port of Rotterdam.
Rooftop terrace
Lover of sunshine and good views? Worry not, WEST507 has a generous terrace space on the last floor for the penthouse people. With great views over Rotterdam, the terrace also acts as a social hub with plenty of events and other fun activities. So whenever that sunshine hits, up the stairs and get some of that Vitamin D.
Meeting rooms and lounges
As WEST 507 is made for social living, there will be plenty of space for all tenants to participate in social activities. Not only that, but there are also communal cooking spaces so that you might all learn recipes from each other and enjoy a great talk during dinner.
Of course, no Dutch living space is complete without generous bike storage. Besides that, you will also have a phone app for all information related to your tenancy status, community activities and more. Yes, it’s truly living in 2020.
A resident manager to take care of you
To top it all off, WEST 507 will have a resident manager, who will work fulltime to ensure that your living experience is the best it can possibly be. Not only that, but they will be in charge of organizing events and other social affairs, thus making sure that all tenants have not only a great individual experience there, but a collective one as well.
Registration for WEST507 has already started and is open until the 30th of March. Make the most of your social distancing period to read up on it and register!
These are coveted spots so best to move quickly. Now some dates:
The RIVM has published the latest count of coronavirus cases in the Netherlands, and it seems to be good news.
As of now, there are 37,845 confirmed cases, 655 more than yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has reached 10456, an increase of 75 from the last count. There have also been 66 more deaths since yesterday, reaching a total of 4475 deaths.
Although these numbers are encouraging, and do seem to show that the regulations are working, it is also Sunday. Fewer deaths and hospitalisations are reported to the RIVM on these days by hospitals. They are added to the total throughout the week, with Tuesday bringing the previous week up to date completely.
How many people are in ICUs at the moment?
Some good news: the number of people in intensive care related to coronavirus has fallen for the fourteenth day in a row, as of yesterday. The decrease was smaller than usual yesterday, but that doesn’t mean that the general decline is stagnating. According to Ernst Kuipers of the Landelijk Netwerk Acute Zorg, people are released at a slower rate on the weekend from intensive care units.
Coronavirus found in two mink farms in the Netherlands
It had already been proven that ferrets could catch coronavirus from humans, so it’s not really surprising that minks can too. Coronavirus has been discovered on two mink farms in Gemert-Bakel and Laarbeek, according to the RIVM. As employees at the mink farm had symptoms of coronavirus, it’s likely that they passed it onto the animals, but that is not yet proven. As of yet, there are no indications that farm animals can spread coronavirus to humans, the RIVM says.
Now, as all of you good citizens will know, tomorrow is King’s Day. Of course, celebrating the King’s birthday is going to look very different this year, but we’ve still got some cheerful articles that will put you in an orange, blue, white and red mood, and maybe take your mind off the current situation.
7 things you didn’t know about King Willem Alexander
King Willem Alexander has been the Netherlandsā head of state for nearly seven years now, but thereās more to him than ājustā being king. From secretly flying KLM planes to having the nickname āPrince Pilsā while in university, King Willem Alexander has led an interesting life,Ā thatās for sure.
King Willem Alexander’s flying career
If you’re intrigued by that mention of the Dutch monarch flying KLM planes, and you’re wondering if you’ve ever been on one piloted by the good man himself, we have a whole article about King Willem Alexander’s flying career, detailing the how, the when, and the why.
King Willem Alexander: the highlights
If you want to feel both really patriotic and mildly amused, this is the article for you. We go through some of the highlights of King Willem Alexander’s reignĀ so far, from how he acquired his nickname “Prince Pils” to his wedding day.
Flags in the Netherlands: what you need to know
This weekend, of all weekends in the year, you’ll see a lot of flags flying around the country. Ā But why are some orange, white and blue, and others red, white and blue? And what’s with the little orange ribbon that is attached to the top of some flags? Here are the details.Ā
You can follow DutchReview on Facebook for more coronavirus updates-Ā and, tomorrow, for someĀ special Koningsdag coverage.Ā
In the latest coronavirus new, GPs have revealed that 764 patients were not in hospital at the time of their death. These numbers have not been included in the daily death rate which only relies on hospital data, reports NOS.
The latest numbers show a downwards trend in regards to hospitalizations and deaths. As of today, there have been 37,190Ā confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Netherlands, an increase of 655 cases from yesterday.
The death rate has had a slight increase with 120 reported having succumbed to the virus over the past day, bringing the Dutch total to 4,409.
RIVM suggests the chances of a rapid virus revival is now extremely small
“The potential for potential fires to spread now is extremely small,” said head of infectious disease control Jaap van Dissel and Jacco Wallinga, who is responsible for the calculation models.
KLM gets four billion dollar bailout from the government
It was announced last night that the Dutch state will bail out Dutch airline KLM for up to four billion euros. The airline has been hard hit by the coronavirus crisis with 90% of its fleet grounded.
The conditions of the deal is not yet clear, but Minister of Finance Wopke Hoekstra has said it may be comprised of guarantees and loans. āKLM is vital for the Dutch economy and Dutch employment,ā he said.
Public asked not to use public transport on King’s Day
Public transport companies have requested the public to avoid their services on King’s Day and during the May holidays. The services is only to be used for necessary purposes, warn NS and other transport companies.
“We only drive for the heroes who fight the coronavirus. In this way, we keep the Netherlands accessible to care workers, informal caregivers, shelf-stockers, and other people for whom travelling by public transport is really necessary. Help them, help each other. Public transport is not for recreation!” said the NS on its website.
Police helicopter deployed after over 100 people group in a caravan park
Police officers attended a caravan park in Apeldoorn last night after reports of a noise nuisance. Over 100 people had gathered in the area and were not following the social distancing measures, said a police spokesperson to Omroep Gelderland. A number of offenders were fined.
Dutch farm spells out a beautiful message in tulips to tourists
The fields, which are normally filled with tourists at this time of year, spells ‘See you next year!’. Owner Rik said that the project was āspontaneousā and not just for the tourists, but also for the locals, the workers, and Keukenhof.
FollowĀ DutchReviewĀ on Facebook forĀ more coronavirus updates in theĀ Netherlands.Ā
