All hell broke loose in Schiphol last night as a pilot from Air Europa accidentally sounded the hijacking alarm. But for about half an hour, everyone thought it was a genuine emergency situation. As it was already triggered, safety protocols had to be followed through, leading to a number of disrupted flights, angry passengers, and one embarrassed pilot.
A part of Schiphol was evacuated and the full military was deployed. Even the Minister Grapperhaus (Justice and Security) praised them for following through on the protocol, despite it being a false alarm. The delayed flights were resumed after about an hour. The error was made on the Spanish airline Air Europa’s Airbus A330.
#AirEuropaInfo False Alarm. In the flight Amsterdam – Madrid, this afternoon was activated, by mistake, a warning that triggers protocols on hijackings at the airport. Nothing has happened, all passengers are safe and sound waiting to fly soon. We deeply apologize.
How was a false alarm for a hijacking triggered in Schiphol?
But is it as easy as pushing the wrong button? What actually happens when there is a hijacking taking place? According to what aviation experts told NOS, there are three ways. But this time, the pilot sounded a false alarm by sending in the wrong transponder code to air traffic control through the radio.
The code for a hijacking is 7500. It is entered into a “keyboard that is similar to that of a telephone” and is then sent to air traffic control at the airport. “If you select that 7500, all the bells and whistles will go off with air traffic control,” explains aviation expert Joris Melkert.
Nog even over het kapingsalarm op Schiphol. Zo ziet de transponder op de gemiddelde Airbus A330 eruit. Met de toetsen stel je de viercijferige transpondercode in. Bij een kaping 7500, bij een noodgeval 7700. De verkeersleiding kan deze code zien. pic.twitter.com/KwIqUFobEu
Translation: A quick note about the hijacking alarm at Schiphol. This is what the transponder looks like on the average Airbus A330. Use the keys to set the four-digit transponder code. With a hijack [it is] 7500, with an emergency 7700. The traffic control can see this code.
There are similar codes to the hijacking one: 7700 is for a general emergency and 7600 is if they have lost communication with air traffic control. So it was a matter of just one digit!
Schiphol has not yet said how much this mistake has cost to rectify. With all those flights delayed, that’s going to be a tall order to pay. Of course, when all of this was unfolding, it was a scary time. But now that everyone knows it was a false alarm, people can help taking a jab at the whole situation. I mean, can you blame them?
They say numbers are important, but this sure is a costly accident to make. Were you in Schiphol when this unraveled? Let us know in the comments below!
UPDATE 21:08: Air Europa have confirmed that a pilot mistakenly triggered the hijacking alarm and apologised for the incident on Twitter.
#AirEuropaInfo False Alarm. In the flight Amsterdam – Madrid, this afternoon was activated, by mistake, a warning that triggers protocols on hijackings at the airport. Nothing has happened, all passengers are safe and sound waiting to fly soon. We deeply apologize.
What a relief! Police and emergency services are still trying to figure out what went on when the pilot pressed the hijacking alarm button earlier this evening. The event took place while passengers were boarding, with 27 being on board at the time of the hijacking.
Passagiers en crew veilig van boord. Onderzoek ter plaatse duurt nog voort.
Emergency services have been rushed to Schiphol airport as a result of what the Marachuessee are calling a “suspicious situation”. According to sources within the military police, it is likely a plane hijacking.
UPDATE 21:08: Air Europa has confirmed that a pilot mistakenly triggered the hijacking alarm and apologised for the incident on Twitter.
#AirEuropaInfo False Alarm. In the flight Amsterdam – Madrid, this afternoon was activated, by mistake, a warning that triggers protocols on hijackings at the airport. Nothing has happened, all passengers are safe and sound waiting to fly soon. We deeply apologize.
UPDATE 20.45: Whatever the situation is, the Dutch military police at Schiphol have signalled that all passengers and crew are safe and not on board anymore.
Passengers and crew are safely off board. On-site research is still continuing. https://t.co/hZvl0Dq5ig
Authorities became aware of the situation during the boarding of the plane. The pilot of the aircraft would have pressed a hijack alarm button to raise the alarm. About 27 passengers had boarded the aircraft at that point.
NOS reports that Jos van Dongen, a reporter from Zembla, is at Schiphol. According to him, the D pier is cleared and cars with tinted windows drove towards gate D5. He was sent away by the Marechaussee, just like the other travellers.
The award-winning South African comedian will be gracing the Amsterdam stage in May of 2020. Noah is the host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central until 2022.
He will be coming to Amsterdam as part of his Loud And Clear tour on 27 May 2020. Tickets to the performance, which will be hosted at the Ziggo Dome, will go on sale this Friday (8th November). According to the TicketMaster page, they’ll range in price from 32.95 to 66.10 euros.
Aankondiging: Trevor Noah van de Daily Show komt – 27 mei 2020 – naar de Ziggo Dome Amsterdam! (verkoop vrijdag 8 november om 10:00) pic.twitter.com/IzBTyRl9dP
Noah has performed in the Ziggo Dome before, in 2018. His comedy usually focuses on his experiences growing up in South Africa, Trump, colonialism, racism, and his confusion about America (we’re all confused).
Are you going? Have you seen a Trevor Noah show before? Let us know in the comments below.
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.
For those of us for whom it is not an everyday occurrence to see sex workers doing their jobs, the Red Light District in Amsterdam can seem like a daunting experience. But it doesn’t have to be: I kid you not, I was in De Wallen for nearly an hour before I even noticed a sex worker’s window brothel. Of course, I wasn’t exactly looking for them nor was I surprised by them. I only had an inkling of what to expect as the Red Light District’s reputation precedes itself. But any wise old cracker knows that you need to see it for yourself to know it.
So there I was, a young Indian girl pretending to be that wise old cracker, ready to explore the oldest part of Amsterdam. In this article, I touch upon Red Light District etiquette, if you can take tours here, and things you can see in De Wallen. What this article will not tell you, however, is how not to be a creep (although I do get some punches in), so I’m sorry evolution might’ve skipped you.
De Wallen is the main Red Light District in Amsterdam. Image: Erik Tanghe/Pixabay
Where is the Red Light District in Amsterdam?
The Red Light District has been around since the Middle Ages and is not restricted to just the one in the old city centre. In fact, Amsterdam’s Red Light District has three major neighbourhoods – De Wallen, the largest and oldest one near Oude Kerk; Singelgebied, part of the Singel canal that runs from IJ Bay to Muntplein Square; and Ruysdaelkade, a canal in De Pijp in Amsterdam-Zuid.
The most well-known and perhaps the most visited for tourist purposes would be at De Wallen. It is right in the middle of Amsterdam and is very close to the Oude Kerk, the oldest church in the city. Whenever you hear someone say the Red Light District in Amsterdam, they probably mean this one. It is right in the centre of Amsterdam and is probably the most crowded.
How do you get to the Red Light District in Amsterdam?
If you’re looking for De Wallen, it’s not that far away from Amsterdam Centraal. You can take a 10 to 15-minute stroll along the canals, walk through the narrow streets and take in the sights as you make your way to the most crowded part of the city. If you’re feeling particularly lazy, or if Dutch weather is not on your side (when is it ever?), it’s only a short 10-minute tram or metro ride away.
Do’s and Don’ts in the Red Light District in Amsterdam
Some of these etiquette rules might bore those of us who are decent people, but bear with us! There are points in there that you might not have been aware of. If you want to be a part of the solution and not the problem, then definitely read on.
DO go in with an open mind
When you’re walking through the Red Light District in Amsterdam, remember to go in there with an open mind. You will see things which you may not encounter in your daily life. Acknowledge that and move on.
DON’T be a damn creep
I don’t even know how to begin writing this section, but it has to be said. You would think that in this day and age, you wouldn’t have to emphasize how not to be a creep with people, regardless of their profession. But unfortunately, we’re far away from that.
Don’t whistle at them, don’t harass them, don’t antagonise them. They’re just trying to do their jobs and tolerating bullsh*t like that should not be a part of it.
DO treat sex workers with respect
Sex workers are people who are just trying to do their work in the Red Light District. They are people who deserve the same level of respect you do (unless you’re the type of creep I mentioned before).
DON’T take photos of sex worker
Sex workers in the Netherlands come from diverse backgrounds. Some of them might need to have their identity protected in order to safely carry out their work. I hope you’re not the kind of person who is okay with being the reason why someone gets killed or assaulted.
Also, would you really want completely random people coming to take pictures of you while you’re at your workplace without your consent? Probably not. Sex workers probably don’t want that as well.
DO secure your bag
The Red Light District, despite the reputation that surrounds it, is safe during the day and the night. The biggest threat in the neighbourhood would be pickpockets. If you have decided to brave the hordes of tourists crowding around the area, be sure to put all your valuables into your bag, and have it safely tucked underneath your arm.
It is against the law in the Red Light District in Amsterdam to consume alcohol or smoke weed while you’re walking through the neighbourhood. Amsterdam has already been trying to curb the consumption of alcohol in the neighbourhood as it leads to sloppy drunks creating a public nuisance for everyone.
DO ignore street dealers and street prostitutes
Always, always, always avoid buying anything from anyone when you’re walking through the Red Light District in Amsterdam. Sex workers are legally required to work from behind their windows, so street prostitution is illegal. They are not allowed to offer or promote any of their services on the road or in any public buildings. If found out, a fine of 115 euros will be imposed on the sex worker and the customer.
Apart from that, you might also run into street dealers trying to sell you drugs. Never buy from them. You never know what they might be selling you so be vigilant! Remember, there are coffeeshops, and they are all trusted sources for your weed.
DON’T stare or stand in front of the windows for too long
Going back to my point of not being a creep – seriously, should I spell it out for you? If you have no intention of going in, don’t stop and stare at a sex worker while they’re trying to do their job. You’re probably blocking the way for potential customers, and really, who wants someone weird leering at them while they’re working? That’s not what they’re there for.
Things to do in the Red Light District in Amsterdam
Now that you’re all equipped with the Red Light District etiquette, you might be wondering what you can do there if you’re just looking to explore.
Obviously, the Red Light District is not just sex workers, prostitution, and drugs. It is a vibrant neighbourhood with people living and working there. The Red Light District and De Wallen has a lot of offer: there are plenty of bars, restaurants, and coffeeshops in the neighbourhood. All you have to do is walk around, and you will be able to find something you would enjoy.
Can you take tours in the Red Light District in Amsterdam?
If you’re someone who is genuinely interested in the history of sex work in Amsterdam, the sex industry, and learning more about the plight of sex workers, you might want to take tours of the Red Light District. You better hurry because Amsterdam has been clamping down on these tours in an effort to curb tourism and handle the hordes of people who crowd around the sex worker windows. Starting from January 2020, all tours through the Red Light District are banned.
Right now, tours are still happening, but they have been given time until the end of this year to wind down their businesses. Until then, the tour guides should have a permit, should not have groups larger than 20 people, and they need to take the group through the neighbourhood without blocking the windows. They also have to make sure that no one is taking pictures and they are behaving respectfully.
These rules are already in place, but apparently they don’t help solve the problem of leaving the sex workers vulnerable. They believe that these tours are a thing of the past, and think only people who want to treat sex workers as objects would attend them. They believe these tours only help facilitate these kinds of people and hence leave the sex workers vulnerable.
Tourists frequently crowd around window brothels in the Red Light District in Amsterdam. Image: Petr Kratochvil/publicdomainpictures
It is true that there are a lot (if not some) bad seeds out there, but are all of them the same?
Sex workers in the area are worried about what this would mean for their business. Groups like Red Light United and the Prostitution Information Centre are against it for obvious reasons: these tours gave sex workers the opportunity to dispel some of the stigma attached to prostitution.
Apart from banning these tours, Mayor Femke Halsema has other plans in store for them. She is exploring to implement one or more of the following four policies: making sex workers shut shop and move elsewhere, expanding the number of window brothels in the district, banning all window brothels, or allowing the window brothels to operate but behind closed curtains.
With the announcement of these rules, groups like Red Light United rallied against them. They claim that 93% of sex workers are against these policies. The New Yorker quotes them saying, “any measure aimed against tourism is a measure against sex workers in the Red Light District.” They do agree that some of the current rules are good and should be enforced, but they also want the government to work with sex workers to seed out the bad guides from the good ones. It would only seem logical to include their voices in these conversations. One can only wonder who the government is trying to please if their policies are not drafted by including sex workers in the process.
Hidden gems in the Red Light District in Amsterdam
If you don’t want to take any tours but are still in the area to explore, we have made a list just for you. It might skip a lot of people’s radar because they’re so overwhelmed (or perhaps underwhelmed?) with the reality of the Red Light District. So here are our picks so you don’t miss out!
Red Light Secrets might be the only museum of prostitution in the world. Hear stories about the history of prostitution, intriguing exhibits about working as a sex worker and get an insight into the sex work industry in the Netherlands. This should be high on your list because you will be hearing from current or former sex workers. Who better to tell you all you need to know about sex work in the Netherlands?
Discover this special gem of a museum: a perfectly preserved canal house from the 17th century with a clandestine church in the attic. This remanent of Dutch history gives you a taste of how Catholics continued holding their services when they were not allowed to practice their religion in public spaces during the reformation.
Allard Pierson Museum
Where: Oude Turfmarkt 127-129, 1012 GC Amsterdam
Named after one of the leading and most progressive art historians in the Netherlands, the Allard Pierson Museum‘s vision is to make the University of Amsterdam’s heritage collection as accessible as possible for everyone. Take a peek into classical history, learn more about the history of the performing arts or even get an insight into the history of book trading! This museum is a must-see in the Red Light District in Amsterdam.
Oude Kerk
Where: Oudekerksplein 23, 1012 GX Amsterdam
Visit the oldest building in Amsterdam: the Oude Kerk or the Old Church. Today, it is a Calvinist church but that wasn’t always the case. Before the Reformation, it was just a wooden chapel erected in 1213. This little wooden chapel was replaced by a stone church and was consecrated in 1306. A church that has evolved with time, it has undergone multiple renovations, survived the great fires in the 15th century, the Beeldenstorm of 1566, and is now a place that brings the old and new together. You can see permanent exhibitions about the history of the church and Amsterdam, and temporary exhibitions of contemporary art installations by famous artists.
The Prostitution Information Centre is the brainchild of Mariska Majoor, a former prostitute herself, wanted to have the opportunity to educate the public about sex work in Amsterdam. They organize walking tours (oftentimes conducted by someone from the sex work industry and they’re not the only ones), have an easily accessible area full of resources, and a very helpful and kind listening ear for sex workers who might need their assistance.
A statue to honour all sex workers around the world, “Belle” was erected in the Old Church’s square. It was unveiled in March 2007. Created by Els Rijerse, the plaque reads: “Respect sex workers all over the world”. It is hard to miss!
And with that message on the plaque, we are signing off and going to let you tell us your thoughts.
Did this article help to make it less daunting to venture into the Red Light District? Are there any more do’s and don’ts that we might’ve missed? Let us know in the comments below!
According to figures released by the Central Bureau for Statistics today, the number of jubilee celebrations among younger couples is decreasing, because more divorces are taking place.
Basically, the story is that younger couples are separating more often than previous generations. This means that the number of copper and silver anniversaries being reached is decreasing. The number of separations has steadily increased since the 70s. In 1971, only 12 percent of marriages ended in divorce. Just a decade later, that percentage had doubled.
2 out of 5 marriages end in separation
At the moment, about two out of five marriages end in separation: which, of course, explains why fewer and fewer copper and silver anniversaries are being celebrated. On the plus side, this figure has remained more or less the same one the past two decades. If you’re curious about what marriage is like in the Netherlands, apart from the propensity to divorce, then check out our article on wedding traditions in the Netherlands.
More gold and diamond anniversaries celebrated
On the other hand, the number of gold and diamond anniversaries is increasing. This is down to a combination of longer life expectancies (people are living long enough to reach fifty and sixty years of marriage) and generational differences (as we’ve already noted, divorce was far less common in the past than it is now in Dutch society).
Fewer and fewer marriages taking place in the Netherlands
Finally, the number of marriages taking place in the Netherlands has almost halved over the past fifty years. In 1968, about 123,000 marriages were taking place each year. In 2018, that was 65,000.
Have you ever been to a golden jubilee celebration? Let us know in the comments below.
Ingrid van Engelshoven, the Minister of Culture in the Netherlands, is making plans to make sure heritage that is connected to the Second World War is safeguarded, reports NU.nl.
“We are celebrating 75 years of freedom this year,” says Van Engelshoven. “For me, the memory of freedom also means that we continue to protect heritage from this period to tell stories about war and [the] occupation throughout the Netherlands. Stories that are not only about then but also about now: they teach us how important freedom is and how important it is to have an eye for the other.”
Amongst these plans, she wants the Waalsdorpervlakte and the Oranjehotel to be deemed as national heritage monuments, and to protect and conserve the Dutch parts of the Atlantic Wall.
Waalsdorpervlakte
The Waalsdorpervlakte is in a dune area called Meijendel in The Hague. It is an open space where 250 fighters from the Dutch resistance were shot and killed. It is also the site where one of the biggest commemorations takes place on May 4, the National Remembrance Day in the Netherlands. All the people who lost their lives are buried in Apeldoorn in the Field of Honor Loenen.
It is a nickname given to a detention centre in Scheveningen. Between 1940 – 1945, more than 25,000 people were kept here to be interrogated by the German occupiers. Some were under the suspicion of and/or as a punishment for participation in the Dutch resistance activities. In September, it was restored to have a memorial centre inside the prison to remember and commemorate the victims.
The prison at Scheveningen where 25,000 people were imprisoned, tortured and killed. Image: Nationaal Archief [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
Atlantic Wall
The Atlantic Wall was a coastal line of defence that was built along the coast of continental Europe, to prepare for a suspected invasion from the Allied Powers. Its construction in The Hague led to many residents being forced out, and the village of Scheveningen being surrounded by lines of bunkers and barriers. There are large parts of it in the Netherlands that have been conserved and protected.
Have you visited any of these World War 2 memorial sites in the Netherlands? Let us know in the comments below!
The education sector in the Netherlands is all set to go on a national strike today. The strike was originally cancelled when the government had agreed to invest 460 million euros in the education sector. It was back on when it was clear that this would not solve any problems in the long term. 4000 schools have shut shop and campaigns are being organized all over the country, reports NU.nl.
“The biggest problem is that it is not structural money,” says Simone van Geest, spokesperson for education association AOb. “It is a very small patch with which you try to close a gaping gap temporarily. You can offer the teachers a little extra salary for one year, but after a year they have to return it. That is not a solution.” Four out of 10 schools in the Netherlands experience a teacher shortage. If this keeps going in the same way, the education sector expects 6000-8000 fulltime jobs to be cut out next year, reports NU.nl.
What kind of solution are the teachers looking for?
The strike has been organised to take place today as the House of Representatives is debating the budget for the education sector for the upcoming year. They are hoping to see a good, long-term investment plan which tries to solve all the problems the education sector is currently under.
Four out of ten schools suffer from a structural teacher shortage: the expectation is that schools will be short of six to eight thousand full-time jobs next year.
“Half a billion is the absolute minimum for an emergency package,” explains Van Geest. “The teacher problem has been going on for ten years and is now so large that a structural investment of 4 billion euros must certainly be made to make all problems disappear.”
What can we expect from the strike?
As of Tuesday afternoon, 3818 schools had registered for the strike today. Individual teachers have also taken it upon themselves to strike, so even if their school remains open, they will not be going in to teach any of the classes today.
Translation: “The entire Erasmus Bridge is full and the cars have to wait,” says AOb district director Jan Menger, who is walking along with the march in Rotterdam.
Additionally, the campaigns are going to be spread out all over the country. Teachers in Utrecht are organizing a “freeze”: they will be standing still in Utrecht Centraal. Strikers are expected on Dam Square in Amsterdam and Leeuwarden. Teachers n Alblasserdam are planning on baking pancakes for people in a retirement home. Some cities like Almere and Zwolle are going to have some platforms where teachers and others can come together to talk about the problems they encounter.
Is your child affected by the strike today? Are you teacher striking? What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below!
Last week, the Crossing Border festival took place in The Hague. This is by far the one of the coolest festivals in the Netherlands, so we wanted to give you a run down of what went on- so you’re ready and waiting for next year’s, just like we are. Without further ado, these were our four favourite events at Crossing Border Festival 2019.
Hilary Mantel
If you read our piece about Crossing Border in October, you’ll know we were extremely excited about this event. Hilary Mantel is my favourite author of all time, but I don’t think I’d ever really seen her in conversation. She talked about the process of writing her first book, A Place of Greater Safety- and about how long she had to wait to see it hit the shelves. As an aspiring writer myself, that was really inspiring to hear about.
Hilary Mantel signing books at Crossing Border festival 2019. Image: Wouter Vellekoop/Crossing Borders
László Krasznahorkai
Another author we loved hearing talk was László Krasznahorkai: a Hungarian author whose work has become available to us English-speakers only within the last couple of years. He talked about the newest of his books to appear in translation: Baron Wenckheim’s Homecoming. It’s coming out this fall, by the way. I was not personally familiar with Krasznahorkai’s work before, so it was really cool to listen to him talk and be pretty sure I had found my next favourite author.
Ongehoord
Now, Crossing Border festival is a combination of literature and music, as you know. So, one of the music events I was most excited about at this year’s festival was Ongehoord, a curated collection of musicians who performed varying pieces throughout at evening at Theater aan het Spui. We got everything from saxophones to flutes, and again, I found some really cool new musicians whose work I was excited to hear more of.
Son Mieux
In an awesome surprise performance, Camiel Meiresonne of Son Mieux played some of his best-know songs, including “Nothing”, “Feels” and “Easy” at Theater aan het Spui as well on the last evening of Crossing Border. Already established as one of my favourite Dutch musicians, getting to see a solo performance by Meiresonne was super cool.
So, get those tickets ready for 2020! We’re so excited for next year’s Crossing Border festival already. How about you? What did you see there? Let us know in the comments below.
Feature image: Wouter Vellekoop/Crossing Border Festival 2019.
Starting from 2021, everyone’s favourite Dutch Railways will be getting rid of a discount that 700,000 people depend on: the NS Voordeeluren season ticket. They will not be getting that 40% discount during the evening rush hour (4 pm to 6:30 pm). This is part of NS’s plan to have fewer people travel during those times, reports NOS. Seriously, NS?
They’re doing a massive overhaul of their season ticket system where they are cutting down the total number of subscriptions from 22 to 11. They are also looking to make the NS Flex into a standard mode of getting subscriptions. They say that they sought the advice of travellers and unions before making these decisions.
Part of cutting down on these subscriptions also includes the NS Voordeeluren subscription: it has not been sold for eight years. However, even though they stopped these sales, existing customers were still able to continue and extend their subscription. Right now, they can use this subscription to travel with a 40% discount during off-peak and evening rush hours. The only thing being scrapped out now is the discount applied during the evening rush hour.
Changes for people over 60 too
They are also changing things up for anyone who avails the “choice days” discount for people over the age of 60. Right now, they can travel at a reduced rate for seven days in a year. However, starting in 2021, they can use this subscription only outside of the off-peak hours. Obviously this is not optimum, which is why they’re opening up the validity for throughout the year.
Why is NS doing this?
As NS is grappling with the reality that more and more people want to use the trains, they are scrambling to make sure there’s enough place for everyone. They believe that with this decision, there will be fewer people during the rush hour. According to NOS, 1 in 14 evening rush hour commuters are in possession of a discount subscription. To be honest, we were expecting that number to be higher, considering how expensive the Dutch Railways can be.
What do you make of this? Let us know in the comments below!
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