Police have confirmed three people have been injured after a stabbing incident in the centre of The Hague earlier today.
UPDATE 23:48 – The three young stabbing victims have now been released from hospital, police confirm.
“I am very shocked by the news that a stab incident took place tonight in which children have been the victims,” said Deputy Mayor Boudewijn Revis. “On a night when so many people do shopping in one of our busiest shopping streets, something so terrible happens.”
UPDATE 22:53 – All three stabbing victims were minors, The Hague Police have said. Families have been notified.
De slachtoffers van het steekincident aan de #Grotemarktstraat zijn alledrie minderjarig. Er is contact met hun familie @PolJanHen
UPDATE 22:38 – A witness has described to NOS the moments immediately after the stabbing. “I saw two girls screaming and running away. A man fled. He jumped very athletically over benches to get away. He looked like a cheetah. People were trying to get away. but that didn’t work. I was shocked.”
UPDATE 22:36 – Police have retracted an earlier issued description of the suspect, but confirm the suspect is still evading police.
UPDATE 22:31 – There is still no word of the condition of the victims. Police have confirmed three people have been transferred to hospital. The suspect remains on the loose.
UPDATE 22:05 – The Hague Police have confirmed the perpetrator is still on the run. The news comes despite rumours that the stabber had been arrested earlier. According to RTL Nieuws there have been two arrests, but neither were the suspect.
Wij zijn nog steeds op zoek naar de dader van het steekincident #GroteMarktstraat. Heeft u informatie neem dan contact op met de opsporingstiplijn via 0800-6070 of anoniem via M 0800-7000. @PolJanHen
UPDATE 21:29 – According to NOS, two young women were stabbed outside the Hudson’s Bay department store, before entering the store in a panic.
UPDATE 21:22 – Police have confirmed three people were injured in the attack. They’re appealing for witnesses or people who may have photos or video footage.
Bij het steekincident aan de #GroteMarktstraat zijn er drie personen gewond geraakt. Heeft u iets gezien van dit incident, of hebt u camerabeelden of ander beeldmateriaal? Meld dit dan via 0900-8844.
Details of the incident are not known, although unconfirmed reports say that the stabbing occurred inside Hudson’s Bay department store on the Grote Markstraat.
DutchReview videographer Ivaylo Kirov is currently at the scene. According to Kirov, there is a large police presence, while the street remains cordoned off. Bystanders are unaware of what has happened.
RTL Nieuws reports that the perpetrator initially escaped but has since been arrested.
A cooking teacher from Wellant MBO Amsterdam has been poisoned by a student. In retaliation for a mobile phone ban, the student added detergent into the teacher’s cup of tea.
The teacher only knew of the student’s act when her tongue began tingling. She had to immediately seek medical attention, RTL Nieuws reports.
According to reports from the school, the student poisoned the teacher impulsively after the teacher told the student not to use their mobile phone.
A spokesperson from Wellant MBO has responded to the matter, saying that the school is ‘very shocked.’
“The student is very sorry. As school management, we were immediately informed and investigated the case. We are taking measures against the pupil,” the spokesperson said.
The student, a minor, is now being transferred to a different school (and hopefully won’t be taking any cooking classes anytime soon).
The teacher, on the other hand? The school won’t say much, except that she is at home and is being treated.
What a cooking class! What’s the worst thing a student did to a teacher at your school? Tell us your story in the comments below!
The American shopping day has made its way to the Netherlands, but more and more businesses are choosing not to participate.
Although consumers are expecting Black Friday deals from businesses more often in the Netherlands, plenty of businesses are opting out. There are two main reasons for this: the business might be concerned about the environment, which the overconsumption perpetuated by Black Friday does little to improve; or the business might not be making enough, or any, money from the day. This is especially the case for smaller businesses.
Small businesses often can’t afford to give discounts
Smaller companies typically have smaller profit margins than larger companies, who may well be able to afford to give consumers a discount one day a year. But for small businesses, giving a Black Friday discount can easily fully wipe out their profit on an item.
For some entrepreneurs, the discount can even come out of their own pocket, NOS reports. But because more retailers in the Netherlands are participating, there’s lots of pressure for all companies to do so from consumers.
Consumerism and the environment
Black Friday is also a concern for businesses that are trying to make the world a better place. Consumerism is a huge problem for the environment: the more we buy, the more products are produced, and inevitably, the more things are thrown away.
And consumers are increasingly aware of this too, says Henk Hofstede, an expert on retail banking at ABN AMRO. “[Consumers] increasingly want transparency and a good origin of products. Marketing expressions such as Black Friday must fit in with that. And consumers love bargains, but there are plenty of people who think it’s a marketing party.”
Will you be participating in Black Friday? What do you think about it? Let us know in the comments below.
It is indeed. It’s also that time of year to try and figure out what the hell you’re going to buy for everybody. Well, DutchReview has come to the rescue for this one. We bring you Stroopwafel liquor – the ultimate stocking filler. Or if you’re anything like me – just the perfect present to treat yourself with. 😉
Stroopwafel Liquor…EXISTS?
This is not a drill! Yes, Stroopwafel liquor exists. Yes, it may just be the best thing to ever exist. Yes, we have already mentioned it on DutchReview when we found out. Yes, you all went mad about it. Now we’re here to tell you a little more about this little piece of heaven. The crew here at DutchReview gave it a try for the first time and this may just be our new favourite thing.
So, what is Stroopwafel Liquor?
Stroopwafel liquor is a caramel-cookie flavoured drink, which mimics the flavour of our much loved Dutch snack, Stroopwafels. It’s actually a century-old recipe created by the Emiel van Meer’s craft-bakery located in Gouda in the 1850s. With something that traditional, it’s gonna be good!
What is actually in it?
All that really matters is that it contains caramel-y goodness and a splash of alcohol to warm the heart. No – really, that’s what it is.
Does it actually taste like stroopwafels?
A valid question. I’ve tried many different things in the past that claim to taste like something and it tastes nothing alike, but not on this occasion. It really does taste like stroopwafels. It’s sweet exactly like our favourite snack, but it doesn’t burn at the end like a lot of liquors do.
How strong is this Stroopwafel Liquor (the very important question)?
The very important question – it’s stronger than I first thought. It’s 14.7%, which ain’t bad at all. The even more important question: Can you drink the whole bottle to yourself and still be okay? Well, the 1L bottle has 14.7 units, the equivalent of 6 pints of Heineken (6 half L drinks), so it’s definitely more than a nightcap. It’s so delicious and subtle though, that it certainly would creep up on you. Best to let grandma only have one at Christmas.
Can you buy different sizes?
Yes, they are available in miniatures (50ml), small (350ml), regular (700ml) and large (1L), so you can really buy it for any occasion.
Where can I buy Stroopwafel Liquor?
Stroopwafelworld is currently selling this taste of heaven – at a decent price too. They currently have a sale on their 1-litre bottle, from 19 euros down to just 16 euros. Literally the perfect gift for your loved ones…or yourself. Why buy 50ml, when you can buy 1L?
But no, if you’re after something a bit smaller, they sell smaller bottles and also taster bottles, which is perfect if you only want a small glass.
The miniatures are also perfect if you’re looking for that little bit extra to put in the stocking this year (P.S. not for kids though guys). You can also get a Christmas box for it, so they’ll be no need for that annoying wrapping that we all hate.
For more info, prices, orders, the lot, head over to their website. They have plenty of other stroopwafel products too (they aren’t called stroopwafelworld for nothing). Not in the Netherlands? Nee worries, you can even get things shipped worldwide!
What do you think of this Stroopwafel liquor? Have you ever tried it? Let us know in the comments!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in November 2018 and has been updated in November 2019 for your reading pleasure.
What if I told you that there was a time travel ship docked in Rotterdam that would take you back to the glamorous Sinatra-era days of the fifties and sixties (with WIFI of course). Well, you probably/hopefully wouldn’t believe me because such a thing doesn’t exist, but what does exist is a gorgeous steamer docked in the up-and coming neighbourhood of Katendrecht. Join me for a cruise on everything that the SS Rotterdam has to offer!
What is the ss Rotterdam and where is it?
The ss Rotterdam is a cruise ship from the golden days of the ‘Holland-America’ line. After a life of sea voyages and renovations, it is now in use as a swanky hotel, restaurant and meeting place. It’s permanently docked at Katendrecht in Rotterdam, which is an up-and coming neighbourhood and certainly worthy of a visit by itself if you’ve never been there.
If you don’t have the time for a proper dinner or staying a night on board the ship, you’ll be happy to know that it’s open for drinks at its rear deck as well – which has slowly but surely gained status as an Instagram hotspot.
Image: Abuzer Van Leeuwen
The history of the ss Rotterdam
The ss Rotterdam was built in Rotterdam itself in 1959, and was the fifth ship by this name to sail for the famed Holland-America Line. If you’re thinking – “hey, I read about this before, DutchReview!” – then it was probably in this article about the equally iconic Hotel New York.
Image: Abuzer Van Leeuwen
Back in the sixties and seventies, the ship saw it all and then some. People dressed up every night to dine like royalty while the ship steamed up to New York. Once ashore in the Big Apple it would host the great entertainers of that era, with even the voice himself, Frank Sinatra, singing on the ss Rotterdam.
All over the ship you’ll find these amazing pictures of that bygone era. Image: Abuzer Van Leeuwen
If you go on a tour through the ship the veteran tour guide has some truly rich stories about their past times when they worked aboard the ship.
It experienced the last decade of the transatlantic line and cruise ship service between Rotterdam and New York. Then the ship sailed a bit into a period of, well, less extravagant times, and its future didn’t look too much like smooth sailing water (sorry for all the seafaring puns, there will be more though). Lucky for us it has been completely renovated in the style envisioned by the builders, that style we now all love.
Here’s the Captain’s cabin:
Staying a night on the ss Rotterdam
You’ll be happy to learn that booking a night on board the SS Rotterdam is actually pretty affordable. When I checked you could even get one under 100 euros per night. The reason for this fair pricing is, well it’s on a renovated ship, so yes there’s a lot of swag but be aware that the windows are a bit small and the rooms are snuggly – if you’re a sucker for high ceilings then this might not be for you… and perhaps staying there for weeks on end would also be a bit too much for the claustrophobic among us.
Still, loads of class and vintage details in any room at the ss Rotterdam. Image: Abuzer Van Leeuwen
Nonetheless, the rooms come with endless amounts of atmosphere and were beautifully renovated, so perfect for staying for a weekend or midweek break.
Fine dining at the ss Rotterdam
There are actually a few spots on the ss Rotterdam to get your fix when it comes to food and beverages. There’s the Lido, which is the regular area for your breakfast and casual dinner. There’s the Ocean bar for your cocktail needs on the weekend, and there’s also the Captain’s lounge for all your other drinking desires.
And then there’s the Lido Terrace (aka the Deck) which comes with all that swag you could possibly want for your insta photo:
Needs more clouds and less of me in the morning. Image: DutchReview
Dinner at the ss Rotterdam’s Club Room
But for that real fancy feeling onboard a ship you’ll have to reserve a table at the Club Room. It was easily the fanciest dinner I ever enjoyed in Rotterdam and has all that splendour of a bygone era we all miss from series such as Mad Men.
There’s jazz playing, the staff knows their stuff and can recommend some excellent wines and the service is of a non-Dutch level (which is good).
But of course, you want to know about the food. Dining at the Club Room is not a fast experience, the chef and his staff take their time to get you some very refined dishes. There’s the option to go a la carte, but perhaps you should just go with the flow and order a 4 to 7 (!!) course menu.
Image: ss Rotterdam/SuppliedImage: ss Rotterdam/Supplied
Because I can promise you, every dish is a little trip for all the senses. They look pretty, are creative and taste like a special night out is supposed to taste. Also, just look at this dessert:
Image: ss Rotterdam/Supplied
Pro-tip: have them pair your wines with your dishes, we tasted some excellent and original stuff that night, they know their wines.
The Swag of the ss Rotterdam
But in the end, the decisive reason why you should want to visit or stay overnight at the ss Rotterdam is that this ship has plenty of sauce. It’s not just that it’s a ship (but it surely makes it better) that’s docked in the quintessential port town of Rotterdam – talk about immersion. But the ship is just loaded with artsy details and gorgeous art-deco interior design decisions.
Image: Abuzer Van LeeuwenImage: Abuzer Van LeeuwenImage: Abuzer Van Leeuwen
From the bars to the staircases, from the dining areas to the old captain’s bridge: it’s either super nautical or has loads of charm and character. Especially when going on a guided tour by one of the ship’s veterans or when you’re going for dinner at the Club Room you can almost taste the vintage years, the Sinatra era, the many journeys the ship made to New York. It’s the closest thing you can get to feeling as though you’re part of Mad Men in Rotterdam or the Netherlands for that matter. (P.S: If you know of more venues like this one, please comment because we love them here at DutchReview!)
Grab a bike and explore the neighbourhood
The ss Rotterdam is docked in Katendrecht – an area which has seen a huge transformation over the past few years. Katendrecht was once Rotterdam’s gritty and dirty neighbourhood – the home for sailors and the red light district. Now it’s the perfect spot to grab a bite to eat or have a beer overlooking the Maas river while still retaining loads of the charm from the old days.
Image: Abuzer Van Leeuwen
All of this is best discovered by bike, which you can conveniently rent from the ship. Besides getting the quintessential Dutch experience of cycling you also get to see more in less time while still being chill.
Image: Abuzer Van Leeuwen
Katendrecht is not far from the the ‘Kop van Zuid’ and the centre of Rotterdam, and sports all that great Rotterdam architecture that we love, minus the crazy inner-city rental prices and tourism that you get in Amsterdam. There’s also lots to do in and around Katendrecht, which means you’re close to foodie hotspots like the Fenix Food Factory and the Foodhallen and also some of Rotterdam’s highlights – such as Hotel New York and the Erasmus bridge.
Or even better, take the Watertaxi from the ss Rotterdam
Last tip is the best one! If you ever wanted to feel like James Bond, the SS Rotterdam has its own station for the Watertaxi. These yellow speedy boats take you to almost everywhere the water goes in Rotterdam and it’s such a cool way to go from A to B.
Can’t beat these views. Image: Abuzer Van Leeuwen
What makes coming and going from the SS Rotterdam with a watertaxi such a special experience is that, well, it’s a boat that arrives at another bigger boat! Splendid views and it’s your own little adventure – and frankly the quickest way in many cases for moving around town.
Awesome docking station. Image: Abuzer Van Leeuwen
Have you been to the ss Rotterdam? Share your experiences in the comments! And also, we mean it, recommend us some of that other vintage era experiences of the mid-century!
If you’re planning to take out some cash to splurge on Black Friday today, make sure your chosen ATM actually still exists. ABN AMRO has shut down dozens of its ATMs around the country after a series of heists, otherwise known as ‘plofkraken’.
We personally think that the Dutchies are somewhat to blame for this series of heists, given how absolutely adorable their word for them is. Plofkraken. Who doesn’t want to rob a bank after hearing that word?
(It might be just that I’m a poor student but we’re leaving that aside, ok? Ok.)
Temporary ATM closures
Anyway, leaving aside my aspirations of criminality, ABN AMRO has said that its decision to close dozens of ATM machines around the country is only temporary, while they look for safer locations to house them in. There have been 60 heists this year already on ATM machines, according to NOS, which is a 40 percent increase on last year.
Heists cause damage to the local area
Heists are obviously pretty disruptive when they take place in residential or commercial areas: the thieves usually leave significant damage behind. A recent heist in Zaandam, for example, left the facades of a shop and apartments in need of repair. Obviously, when this happens, residents don’t want the ATM to come back- so ABN AMRO and other banks clearly need to start reconsidering where they place them.
Have you noticed ATMs being shut down near you? Let us know in the comments below.
But along the way we also tested the Ultimate Dutch Sandwich (the verdict? Umm…), headed to a killer English comedy show, and tested out some options other than Netflix for streaming in the Netherlands.
We also checked out some amazing Dutch places to live outsideof the Randstad (yes, they exist!) found out whether it was possible to hike in this ridiculously flat land, and delved into the deeper questions of sex work in the Netherlands.
Whatever you fancy, we’ve got ten of the best articles from DutchReview this month that you may have missed – or maybe they’re just so good you can’t wait to read them again!
Hobbiton in New Zealand. Source: reginasphotos/Pixabay
Geldrop is a small town located next to Eindhoven in the Dutch province of North Brabant. You may not have heard of it but if you are a Lord of the Rings fan you should have! Why? Because all of the street names in one of the neighbourhoods are named after someone in J.R.R Tolkien’s epic trilogy.
We got bored at our DutchReview office and thought, what could we do to make the day more entertaining? So we conjured up a plan. Why don’t we smush together all the delectable Dutch delicacies we can think of, layer after layer, between perfect white bread and eat it? Afterwards, we can get other nationalities to test out our marvellous creation and see how it compares with their nations food.
When people talk about awesome places to live in the Netherlands, they often focus only on the big four: Utrecht, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. No shade to any of these places – they’re great – but they’re not for everyone, so we wanted to broaden the discussion and bring you seven amazing places to live that are not in the Randstad.
Escaping reality is an interesting component of the human condition. If you could jump into a book or movie, would you? If so, we have found the solution for you right here at My Escape Club: your key to escape room fun in Amsterdam. You can live out your fantasies and it is perfect for adrenaline junkies.
The Netherlands is renowned for being flat, full of cows, and honestly not that exciting for hikers. Right? Let’s not mention all that rain. But, turns out hiking in the Netherlands is not only possible but offers some pretty stunning outlooks. Let’s look at four of the myths about hiking in the Netherlands and bust them! (Theme music please…)
Cheaper air fares, more money and endless social medias posts and adverts mean more travellers than ever are jet setting to cities that are struggling to cope with their own popularity. Overtourism is becoming an increasing problem, but what is it? How is it affecting Amsterdam? Are we all culprits? How can we counteract overtourism?
Boom Chicago is the place to go in the Netherlands for comedy. It’s the best English improv you’ll see in this country. A couple of weeks ago, we at DutchReview were lucky enough to see one of their fabulous shows and we absolutely loved it. So we wanted to tell you all about the experience- and about Boom Chicago in general!
Got a burning desire to put your feet up, rest your overworked mind, and find out (again) whether Ross and Rachel will ever get together? In this complete guide, we’ve dug up every streaming service in the Netherlands so you can spend more quality time with your TV.
It’s been almost a year since Aisha moved as a lovepat to the Netherlands and, boy, that’s an emotional roller coaster. I figured as I’d spent the previous year living, working and travelling in foreign countries that moving for the one I love would be easy. But, I was wrong. So wrong.
All of us would have heard of it, most of us would have walked by it and some of us might have strolled through it: we are talking about De Wallen in Amsterdam, one of the oldest neigbourhoods in the capital, more commonly known as the Red Light District in Amsterdam.
What do you think of these ten great articles from DutchReview this month? Think we missed one from the list? Got a great idea for something you want to be covered next month? Let us know in the comments below!
With Christmas stampeding up in front of us, it’s important you have some guidelines to surviving the Dutch holidays. Here are the top five things you need to know to survive the Dutch holiday season and, while we’re at it, we’re also going to teach you some Dutch to make it through the Dutch holiday season.
After five years of living here, I have become an expert in some, and am still struggling with others.
Dutch holiday season: Gourmetten
Adopting this Dutch holiday practice is a great way to gather with family and friends around the holidays. Gourmetten is tabletop cooking of miniature sized meats with veggies and dips – delicious!
Packets of pre-cut meat can be bought in most supermarkets which makes it really easy to prepare for this holiday tradition.
You really don’t want to know what’s in those sausages. Image: Abuzer van Leeuwen
Some tips for gourmetten:
For younger children, it helps to have a stone top gourmet, as this does not require oil, thus less spatter of hot oil into the eyes on tiny diners.
Pancakes and eggs are great to cook up in the smaller pans, as well as veggies.
While cooking, have a pan of half water/half fabric softener on the stove, with the flame turned down low. This will help get rid of the oily/fried smell in the air while you’re cooking tableside.
Dutch language you do and don’t need at gourmetten:
‘Mag ik nog dat sausje/stukje brood’– frying that little piece of meat in a small pan can take ages, you’ll end up devouring all that bread and sauce.
Wat is dat voor vlees?’ – the first rule of gourmetten is that you don’t ask what that little piece of meat actually is
Gourmetstel – it’s the centrepiece where it all happens, usually by now a family heirloom
Suprises (pronounced “sorprieeze)
This holiday ritual usually involves children and requires you to reach down into your soul and bring out your “crea bea”. Usually children draw secret “Sint” in class. Each child writes their name and a few inexpensive gift ideas for their secret Sint. Your child then has to use their knowledge of the child’s name they picked for the gift they will buy. Sounds just like Secret Santa, right? There’s a twist!
Normal wrapping paper is a big no. BUT, creative packaging for the gift. Hell yes. Think paper-mâché, arts and crafts, glue, tape and glitter. Once the surprise is made the gift is put inside. The wrapping is actually more important than the gift at this point.
The more effort put into the packaging, the more credit received. Image: Heather Court
Some tips:
For example, if the chosen one is a soccer player you could create a soccer ball, or perhaps a goal. In our instance, our gift receiver had a pet pig, thus the pig below. Inside were the requested chocolates. One year we had a piano player and made a great holiday piano out of a shoebox.
It is taken very seriously so don’t skimp out on the effort.
‘lootje’ – the ticket with someone’s name you’ve gotten to prepare a surprise for
‘verlanglijstje‘ – the wish-list for presents
‘pakjesavond’ – all of this is done when the Sint skips town again, traditionally on the 5th of December.
Sinterklaas Gedichtjes
Hand in hand with the above-mentioned surprise is what the Dutch call a gedichtje. This is a personalized poem written to the recipient of the surprise. It can also be something that is done for friends or family during the Christmas celebrations and I have also seen it done at work for Secret Santa activities.
Essentially you write a poem or rhyme about the person and refer to things they like and do. For example, you can reference making goals if it’s a gedichtje to the soccer player, or talk about swimming if someone swims for a hobby. Usually, it’s funny and cute and not too long, but if you and you’re friends are a bunch of nasty people it might well be turned into a proper roast.
Some tips:
There are several websites that you can use if you lack the creative juices to write your own rhyme. You just plug in the recipient’s name or choose a theme and it will spit out several poems that you can use for this fun holiday tradition. Try this site or this one.
The Dutch appreciate originality though, and would of course much prefer a self-written poem in place of a ‘cheat’ download.
Dutch you need for a poem:
There is only one sentence you absolutely need to start with and after that you might as well do the whole thing in English. It goes as follows: “De Sint zat eens te denken, wat hij nu eens aan Hans/Heather zou schenken”
(The Sint was just thinking, what would he be gifting to Hans/Heather)
Christmas Markets
Not in the Christmas spirit? Missing family and friends? No worries, the Dutch have figured out a way to make you feel more Jingle Belly. Just attend one of the hundreds of Christmas markets scattered across the country and you will be sure to be bitten by the Christmas bug.
Some tips:
Get there early as they can tend to get crowded really quickly, especially if it’s cold.
Bring small change for all the yummy holiday treats and small currency as many of the vendors have great holiday gifts and decorations for sale
The Christmas Fair at the Lange Voorhout. Image: Kevin Coellner/Supplied
Dutch you need for visiting a Christmas market:
‘Lekker chocolademelk/Glühwein’ – the beverage of choice is some hot cocoa, and if you’re a boozy person you go for Glühwein – which is a hot sweet wine from Germany
‘Lekker Schaatsen’ – There are a bunch of ice-skating rings at these Christmas Markets, which makes the nostalgia complete for the Dutch
‘Lekker gezellig’ – Well, you should know this one by now
Oliebollen
My personal favourite treat of the holidays here in the Netherlands. Fried balls of dough covered in powdered sugar, what’s not to like? Similar to Beignets, these yummy treats are often found at fairs or in parking lot corners and come with a variety of fillings such as apples or raisins.
Luckily, they are not generally a year-round treat or we would all be having trouble peddling our derrieres to work. Many eat them on New Year’s Eve as a treat (or perhaps a hangover cure for New Year’s Day.)
Some tips:
Eat them warm, they are way better that way.
If you choose to bring home a bag (or two, don’t judge me), you can heat them up by wrapping them in a paper towel and microwaving them for a few seconds. Not too long or they become a bit chewy.
Dutch you need to properly eat oliebollen:
‘Poedersuiker’ – powdered sugar comes almost mandatory with the oilbolls
‘Appelflappen’ – these apple beignets things are the ‘healthy’ substitutes at the oliebollenkraam.
AD Oliebollentest – The AD newspaper in the Netherlands is doing a test each year on the best oliebol in the country, it’s a thing during the Dutch holiday season.
Have you experienced the Dutch holiday season? Got any other tips? Drop them in the comments below!
Butchers have noticed that more and more Dutch people are ordering turkey for Thanksgiving over the last few years. But researchers don’t think that Thanksgiving will become as popular here as it is in the US, NOS reports.
Dutch turkey suppliers say they have seen an increase in the amount of turkeys being ordered for the fourth Thursday in November- with some even experiencing double the amount of interest they had last year. The catering company kalkoenbestellen.nl has even taken on more staff to deal with the increased demand.
“Just an excuse to eat well”
Most of the customers who order a Thanksgiving turkey in the Netherlands don’t actually have American roots- though there are, of course, a few expats. Cor Holtman of lekkerekalkoen.nl thinks this is simply because Thanksgiving is a nice holiday: “I am now celebrating it myself. It is a great opportunity to say a word of thanks. And yes: it is also just an excuse to eat well.”
Thanksgiving won’t become a major commercial holiday in the Netherlands
Professor of American Studies Mark Thompson (University of Groningen) doesn’t think that Thanksgiving will become as big here as it is in the US, though. The commercial sector might be disappointed, but this is not going to become a major holiday. “The Dutch are crazy about American culture, but this party is difficult to make commercial. It’s all about friends and family, not shopping.”
Lack of historical significance to the Netherlands
There is also the additional factor of historical significance. According to researcher Irene Stengs of the Meertens Institute and VU University Amsterdam, “Thanksgiving is linked to the birth of the US. It is also a national holiday there. And although we find it pleasant here in the dark November month, it will never get that load in the Netherlands.”
GroenLinks and the SP want parents to have free childcare for three days. How do they plan to finance this? They want to completely get rid of childcare allowances, reports NOS.
These three days of childcare is not exactly set in stone. They also said that if the parents want more, they should finance it themselves. However, if someone is a single parent and they have a low income, then they might be entitled to a higher number of free childcare days.
Does the childcare system need to be changed?
These proposed changes come after new evidence has resurfaced about the childcare allowance affair, where a number of parents were falsely accused of being fraudsters. Childcare allowance was either stopped or they had to repay thousands of euros. The new evidence (an evaluation report from 2015) points to the fact that State Secretary Snel knew there were more parents affected than he let on.
However, despite this controversy, Klaver from GroenLinks believes that things are not going to get better even if Snel were to leave. He says the current system of providing childcare allowance is not robust enough and has its faults. He said on NOS Radio 1 News on Tuesday, “parents have to pay first and then get money back from the government and that goes wrong in 80 percent of the cases.”
MP Leijten from the SP agrees with him. They had suggested a similar proposal a few years ago and are on board with GroenLinks’ proposal.
Do you think the childcare allowance system should be changed? Let us know in the comments below!
