Is the housing market in the Netherlands out of control and getting way too expensive?
It’s presented as news, but most of you reading this probably knew this already: living in the more popular cities of this country is getting nigh impossible if you don’t have the money (or parents) to back it up.
Yesterday, the NRC covered the ‘Nederlandsche Bank’ (our central institution) stating that the housing market in the Netherlands isn’t yet in a ‘bubble’ state but surely is ‘overheated’ – which is kind of a no-brainer for anybody who has cut out and handed over his or her kidney at an open house in Amsterdam as a down payment. So what’s going on with the housing market in the Netherlands?
How Gezellig
This is happening in the housing market in the Netherlands:
So this is what the central bank is saying (you can skip this part if you’re from London, New York or Paris). The young and educated folks are moving to the cities because of culture/work. Because they can’t get social housing, and because affordable (free sector) rental apartments are as scarce as a Dutchie refusing bitterballen, the price of real estate is going through the roof. Families are also moving out of Amsterdam to cities such as Zaandam and Haarlem, driving up the price there in turn.
You probably can’t afford this
Amsterdam real estate prices keep going through the roof (the same goes for Utrecht, Groningen or Leiden, basically any city with an university) and as a result weirder deals are struck every time. You now have to bring more than 60K ‘cash’ on average if you want to buy a house without any ‘voorwaarden’ (conditions like financing) in Amsterdam. More than 25% of the buying is done without a fricking mortgage!
Social consequences for the housing market in the Netherlands
So it’s a no-brainer that people with wealthy parents are in an advantageous position (turns out this is true for thousands of years). This development is also fueled by the low interest on savings at the moment, so buying a house for your kid is just a smarter way of handling your money for rich parents than stashing it at some bank.
This has a few consequences for the housing market in the Netherlands of course. Firstly, people live in rentals which are actually ‘too expensive’ for them – that way they can’t save up money for buying later. Second, no one wants to buy a house in the small rural areas outside the ‘Randstad’ these days. Third, it’s in general gosh darn hard to move to the Netherlands from abroad.
The solution to all of this? Building more houses is the first thing that springs to mind of course. But municipalities are too slow in handing out permits and such. So you better get used to these London/New York like scenes in the housing market in the Netherlands as well.
The UK is an exciting place to live these days, especially if you like elections. If you think Brexit is a good thing, and if you have an anarchic fondness for political uncertainty, then no doubt it is thrilling. However, as British politicians gear up for the snap UK general election on 8th June, the uncertainty of Brexit is meanwhile continuing to make life miserable for millions of EU citizens in the UK.
According to a report for the Dutch government (in Dutch) written in March 2017, there are thought to be about 73,000 Dutch nationals living in the UK. How many of them will be allowed to stay is dependent on the upcoming Brexit negotiations. While previously it was Dutch citizen Monique Hawkins who made the headlines after the British Home Office told her to “make preparations to leave” the UK, most recently it is 75-year-old Dutch pensioner Elly Wright who has hit the news in the endless cycle of Brexit misery.
Elly Wright – just one of the many people for whom Brexit is causing problems.
“It’s a horrible situation”
Mrs Wright came to the UK in 1967 after marrying a British military intelligence officer, with whom she has a son. When they divorced, a British court ruled that she had to remain in the UK as part of the divorce settlement. She met her second husband, also a UK citizen, in 1981. After working in the National Health Service and public housing for several decades, she retired to Surrey in 1993. Now, following the Brexit referendum of 23rd June 2016, she may no longer be welcome to stay in the country where she has spent most of her adult life.
Due to the exhilarating uncertainty of Brexit, many of the 3 million non-British EU citizens in the UK have applied for permanent residency. This is a gruelling procedure that requires a lot of paperwork, and applicants must supply historical bank statements and pay slips. Having retired 24 years ago, and never dreaming that 17 million Brits would recklessly vote to “take back control”, Mrs Wright did not keep these documents.
“Don’t worry everyone, I got this”
Red, white and blue Brexit – but no Orange?
Mrs Wright is unable to retrieve old bank statements from the period of her employment, because her bank will not provide documents from that far back. She is thus unable to apply for permanent residency in the UK. As her British husband is no longer alive, applying for UK citizenship now would mean relinquishing her Dutch passport. And until the Conservative government stops using people like her as “bargaining chips” in Brexit negotiations, her ability to stay in the UK will remain deeply uncertain.
So, will Mrs Wright be deported? Will she be granted permanent residency? Will she be allowed to travel to EU countries once Brexit negotiations are over? The answer, as to so many questions about Brexit, is: who knows! Thrilling, isn’t it.
Looking to get high in Amsterdam? Well we’ve found the perfect place for you: The A’DAM Lookout Tower. (Ok, so not that type of high, but it’s still mindblowing!)
Until April 22, you can actually visit and swing there for FREE! The swing had disappeared for a bit because they were replacing it with a six-seater, and making it faster. The new, improved and better swing is all ready and installed for everyone to enjoy again. So, starting from noon on April 19, until April 22, anyone can visit it for free and have as much fun as we had there!
The DutchReview Crew does not often meet up in person (we’re modern like that), but when we do, we always plans the best outings. And those people at HQ delivered this time, with a brilliant view from the A’DAM Lookout Tower. So besides the expected view what else was there to see and why should you visit the A’DAM Lookout Tower?
Why visit the A’DAM Lookout Tower: The Ferry!
The A’DAM Lookout is just on the North side of the river, so I can already hear some of you sighing disdainfully behind your screens. But don’t fret, it’s worth the effort, trust me. If even just for the FREE ferry ride. Yes, free, exactly. If you’re Dutch (or a resident here), then I know that the word free is already stirring some excitement deep within you.
And the ferry is fun in and of itself. I mean, the nice breeze, the sunny sky, a tranquil boat trip. It’s great…just be careful of rush hour.
Chilling on the ferry, with a lovely blue sky.
Why visit the A’DAM Lookout Tower: A Tall(ish) building in Amsterdam?
The A’DAM Lookout Tower is immediately visible across the water from Central Station, but the closer we got, the more I realized how tall this building was for Amsterdam standards (for other standards not so much). Although it stands at a modest 80m in height, the A’DAM Lookout is still somehow the 22nd tallest building in the Amsterdam, and probably the tallest building in the city center. A perfect place to look over the mostly vertically challenged city.
Why visit the A’DAM Lookout Tower: It’s a Pretty Nice View
What’s really cool about the place, though, isn’t necessarily its height. It’s really the view that makes this place worth a visit (yes, even if that means crossing into Noord). Just check out these awesome pics.
Gotta love that view.Look, we found Nemo!
But I’m getting a bit ahead of myself, because the fun starts way before you set your eyes on Amsterdam’s lovely skyline. Even before we got on the elevator, we got the chance to take this awesome picture.
….I mean, this picture was totally taken after our elevator ride. Because it’s totally real and definitely not in front of a green screen.
Yes, There’s an Experience Elevator
Anyways, then comes the elevator. A’DAM Lookout’s very own Experience Elevator. 20 floors in 22 seconds. It’s pretty cool.
WARNING: A lot of flashing lights.
Why visit the A’DAM Lookout Tower: The 360 Panorama View with Bar and Restaurant
When the experience elevator ends, you step out onto the building’s penthouse, which hosts a bar and restaurant. You can walk around the floor uninterrupted to get a clear view in every direction. There are even a number of fancy tablets fixed onto the walls to help indicate the notable points in the view.
Fancy Tablets!
You can look straight down through a glass floor too if that’s what you’re looking for.
The bar and restaurant are an attraction in themselves, of course, for who wouldn’t want to dine in style while enjoying the sights of the Dutch capital? Besides that, there are a number of displays strewn about the place, including a miniature model of the A’DAM Lookout Tower itself (complete with brilliantly creative dioramas that held the attention of the DR Crew longer than we’ll admit to).
A miniature A’DAM Lookout Tower in the A’DAM Lookout Tower. Wicked.Look! a Feyenoorder making out with an Ajacied. These dioramas are crazy.Yup, that’s a (relatively) giant butterfly.
There’s even a miniature Amsterdam.
Why visit the A’DAM Lookout Tower: The Roof Terrace and the Swing Over the Edge
Yup, there’s a roof terrace too. Just a short flight of stairs up from the penthouse, you can step out into the open air and enjoy the clear blue skies of Holland (that is, given the sky is clear that day, like it was for us).
This is also the location of one of A’DAM Lookout’s greatest selling points: the swing. If you’re a thrill-seeking daredevil, then you’ll want to swing right over the edge.
The swing on the A’DAM Lookout Tower is Europe’s tallest swing and leans right over the edge of the terrace. Visitors with a bit more courage than us have the opportunity to swing peacefully at 100m (!) above the ground.
We may not have strictly-speaking been on the swing, but at least we saw it.
Of course, when you’re all done visiting, the gift shop has some interesting souvenirs.
Curious to Visit?
If you’re looking to experience A’DAM Lookout yourself, the tower is open daily from 10:00-22:00, so you can visit at whichever time best suits you. For more information, check out their website. THE BUTCHER Social Club is also right next door, which is also certainly worth checking out if you want to have some post-visit drinks as well. Or check out the EYE museum which is also right next door!
The city of Rotterdam and all the Feyenoord fans out there are heavily anticipating a huge celebration in the upcoming days. If the they beat their little cousin Excelsior tomorrow (also in Rotterdam) Feyenoord will be Champions of the Dutch league and the following celebrations (or chaos) will be out-of-this-world.
Will Feyenoord really be the Champions tomorrow?
Pretty fat chance they will. It were nervous times for all Feyenoord-fans the past months but that all is over now the last 2 weeks since Feyenoord just needs 3 measly points in the upcoming two matches to grab that title. And since the game on Sunday (14.30!) is fairly easy: Excelsior, a club which was literally sponsored by Feyenoord for many years – their whole stadium will be filled with Feyenoord-supporters.
So fast forward to Sunday 16.30 and there’s a good chance that Feyenoord will be the winner of the league. It’s been a long time coming and Feyenoord has got the most intense fans of the Netherlands, so the celebrations will be bigger than epic. (More on the recent history of Feyenoord here and let’s hope there isn’t that much rioting like in 1999)
Een bericht gedeeld door DutchReview (@dutchreview) op
So Feyenoord will be Champions, what is happening after the game?
Sweaty and all, the players are intended to immediately board the Feyenoord-coach and drive to ‘De Kuip’, just a few kilometers away. They should be driving on the ‘Van Brienenoordbrug’, but I’m expecting huge gatherings of crazy fans to slow down the bus significantly. I’ve also heard that there’s a secret route to Feyenoord stadium and a plan B. Most of this hurry by the organizers of this whole deal is because they want to finish up the official part as quickly as possible in order to prevent the possibility of chaos and such later on in the evening.
De Kuip
The Feyenoord stadium tomorrow is sold out completely while there isn’t even a match going on. Some 40K people bought tickets just to watch the game on screens and see Feyenoord’s veteran captain receive ‘de Schaal’ – the Dutch league title. It’s also pretty fair to say that Lee Towers will sing a song and grown men will cry.
People will drink a thousand beers, songs will be sung, people will take a dive into the fountain at the Coolsingel and god knows what will happen. But surely after that it’s over right?
Monday on the Coolsingel might be even bigger
Traditionally titles won by Feyenoord are always celebrated at the Coolsingel in front of the Rotterdam City hall. Since it’s a logistical nightmare for the mayor to have that on Sunday, celebrations are now scheduled for Monday at 12.00 o’clock. Yes, normally speaking people would have to work and who’s going to start drinking at 10 in the morning on a Monday? But as you probably should know by now this is not going to be an ordinary party.
The municipality of Rotterdam is expecting some 140K people attending at the Coolsingel (and the Binnenrotte). But many Feyenoord fans and yours truly are thinking more in the range of 300K-500K people. So all in all you can pretty much expect this happening to rock Rotterdam Sunday and Monday all together!
Ever heard of a Dutch earthquake? Doesn’t sound believable right? You might not have noticed if you’re an expat, but the Netherlands is more than just the “Randstad” and Amsterdam. We have some beautiful, and mostly empty, provinces in the North which the Dutch tend to treat like they’re not there. Except of course when we’re draining their gas bubbles and causing earthquakes. The NAM has been in a long, drawn out legal dispute over whether or not they’re responsible for the damages (they are) and if they should compensate those who live their for material and immaterial suffering (they should).
HAHAHAHA, SO MUCH GAS MONEY
The gas mining has lowered the value of homes for local citizens. The houses themselves have been regularly damaged by small earthquakes that arose as a result of the NAM’s industrial endeavors. Dutch court ruled last March that the NAM was responsible and had to pay for both the material and immaterial damages. The NAM has now launched in appeal, claiming they “do not contest their responsibility in the damages”. Instead their appeals focusses on what exactly falls under immaterial damage and how much of it they have to pay.
Lawsuits have been ongoing since at least 2015, when a court ruled compensation was required for the value loss of homeowners in the region. Of course the NAM went into appeal on that ruling as well. This shouldn’t really be surprising because the NAM is a joined venture owned by Shell and Exxon. Two companies not exactly known for caring about people. Examples aplenty for those that are willing to look. For now it doesn’t appear like a solution is forthcoming, putting a permanent black mark on the Dutch tradition of solidarity.
Meanwhile if you feel like visiting the Dutch North, I can highly recommend Giethoorn, or as we like to call it, Dutch Venice.
Saturday was the People’s Climate March in Amsterdam. Originally, I wanted to write something about the march itself and the impact it may or may not have. I have since given up on this or any semblance of pushing my own agenda. Instead I would like to relay some of the conversations I had with people, I think they covered most of my own thoughts and will allow me to hide behind their words.
As it happened
Lets start with a quick rundown of events. The march started at 2, there was a large stage on the Museumplein belting out music and a few speeches in Dutch. The band on stage moved to a human powered float when the parade began and returned to center stage at 5 when the march returned. The energy was pretty good throughout, with the exception of a couple of lulls when things got backed up and the march came to a standstill.
Many of the onlookers smiled and took pictures, completely unaware of the events unfolding and their exact purpose. Not one face that I saw seemed upset or put off by the demonstration. During the march I tried to focus mostly on the people witnessing it. The people who did not know about the demonstration. Would this convince them to look into climate science? Might some of them march next year here or at their respective countries? Who knows.
The onlookers
To actually explain the march I think it is best to tell you about the people I met Saturday.
I then talked to some onlookers outside of the front of the Rijks. A family from Ireland, some students from Japan, a Moroccan couple, they were all smiling and taking pictures with a slight air of bewilderment, not sure if this was everyday in Amsterdam or a unique event. I approached them and asked if they knew what was going on, they said no but they all guessed basically correctly and supported the cause.
I kept walking a bit and came across a man by himself. He was smiling and having a smoke looking out over a canal when he noticed the demonstration and stopped to take some pictures. Dinnyes, a chef in Switzerland though he originally hails from Hungary. I asked him if he had ever participated in such a demonstration, he said no but that he was happy to see people taking part in something positive. We spoke a bit more, had a nice handshake and exchange of information and we parted ways.
After meeting each onlooker I could not help but think their day had been changed. The shock of seeing thousands of people march through the street with a positive attitude, making an attempt at change. I think this was the real effect of the march. To influence other people more so than the Dutch government.
I also mingled with the marchers asking them about their motives and what they hoped to achieve. The first marcher I spoke with was Daniel, it was his first demonstration. He said he used to be more passive about such situations but realized recently that unless people stand up for whats right, nothing will ever change. I cannot say he is wrong. And it was nice to see a young Dutch student getting involved for the first time. More on him later.
The next demonstrators I spoke with were Abdel and Yet (I had lost my pen at this point and desperately hope I am spelling their names correctly). I ran into Abdel looking on at the parade as it had slowed to a stop turning onto the gracht.
He and Yet were hopeful about the protest and were happy to see so many people getting involved in a variety of ways. I saw Yet toward the end of the march and she was near the front happily keeping pace still in high spirits. I was quite tired from all of the monarchic celebrations throughout the week but the positivity of protesters like her and the onlookers like Dinnyes helped me stay optimistic.
On the gracht I spoke with another woman, Eva, with NDSM.nl. She said her reason for being at the march is that she is working on incorporating more alternative energy in the Netherlands and wants to help work with Shell on an alternative energy future. She was staying pragmatic and looking for solutions that can start to be implemented now. I gravitated towards these sorts, more practical solutions for the here and now is always a good place to start.
By @Sharon__Maureen/twitter
The man on the porch.
While I was bypassing the gridlock on the gracht I asked people walking and staring on the opposite side of the canal what they thought of the march. Since it was a bit more removed than on the streets, they were less accurate with their guesses than the initial batch. One man with his children was looking on from across the way. I asked them if they had a guess about what it was they were seeing.
They said ‘no’.
I filled them in and asked the man if he agreed with the march.
He responded with a smile and a ‘no’.
I asked him if he could explain why he did not agree with the march.
His answer succinct. ‘No’.
We had a laugh and he proceeded to tell me.
His words were somewhat true even if not easy to swallow. He said that such marches do not sway governments. He was skeptical that the new coalition would look at such a demonstration and actually change policy accordingly. Pragmatically, he is completely correct, this will not accomplish the mission of effecting the new government which was the stated goal on Facebook. But there is clearly more to a demonstration than what one organizing group puts on Facebook.
Wrapping up the procession
Here I would like to skip to the end. The march itself, again, seems irrelevant to recount for people who were not there. Nothing crazy happened and you can basically imagine it. People chanting, one stage singing enviro-friendly songs, people all pushing similar but different agendas, and honestly it was not too chaotic or worth mentioning. The only relevant information I found was what the people thought of their own actions on this day.
I caught up with some of the people I had talked to earlier in the day near the end and asked them what they thought of the demonstration. Daniel was pleased as was Yet, they considered the march a success and I would have to agree.
The student activists
One group stood out to me throughout the day. A group of vegan student activists. When I saw them at the end of the march I had to inquire more about their motives and what they thought of the march. I spoke with two of the activists, Krishnakumar and Andrea. Both are studying at Rheinwaal University in Germany and made the trip to Amsterdam for the sole purpose of marching for the climate. They had signs with facts like ‘51% of greenhouse gas comes from the animal industry’ and other tidbits that did not force veganism. But gave compelling environmental reasons for going vegan none the less.
Krishnakumar far left Andrea next to him
I sat down with the two in the middle of the concert going on at the end of the march. I spoke with Krishnakumar first. He was disenchanted with the Media and felt that the people he has seen around the world are not doing enough to stand up to injustice.
I think the essence of what Krishnakumar said was best embodied in one sentence he said, ‘if you feel something is wrong, you must do something.’ Simple, elegant, and he put his money where his mouth is by showing up on Saturday. He was following the concept of responsibility laid out by the great rebels of the past century, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela, and the like. Ktishnakumar felt that things must be done on an individual level first in order to impact others around you. By practicing what he preaches to the best of his ability it was easy for me to feel that even in my attempt at not eating a lot of meat maybe I should go full vegetarian or even vegan. Enthusiasm and hope poured out of him and I found myself being swayed.
Andrea later noted that she had seen the impact individuals can have on the group saying, ‘Not all of us are vegan, but it has made more of our peers aware.’ Aware.
One girl who went with their group became more interested in the Vegan cause after learning about it. She may not ever be a full blown vegan but I know that as a result of Saturday at least one person had learned about the climate impact of eating meat. That is progress. Not everybody knows the various ways we impact the earth and raising awareness for the impact of cosmetics, garments, livestock, and other issues is a necessary first step.
I asked Andrea rather vaguely ‘does protest work?’
She paused, ‘Depending on your aim. ‘Work’ is vague. It raises awareness. It gets people curious, and that works… As long as people are curious and they are willing to take new information, then you can consider that progress.’
I continued, ‘do you think this [vegan] message is maybe a bit shocking to some?’
‘Yeah I think so. Me and some of my girls here are vegan and have been for a few years now. I can see how it would be a little too much for some to take in. I’m all for progress and baby steps. Doing little bits until you get there.’
While other people were pushing their NGO’s or their social clubs, most of the people I met were individuals coming together to support the environment from their own angle. Not trying to gain much in return other than awareness.
By @Sharon__Maureen/twitter
I wish I could add the entirety of my interviews with these two student activists but that would likely fill another article or two. Long story short they see problems in the world but they also have small scale solutions to implement now while we work on the bigger issues. Reducing ones meat intake is a simple first solution but there are hundreds of other avenues from the media, to politics, to student movements that must all be taken for change to be made. That is the best I can do to sum up my 15 minute conversation with the two students, but there was a lot more said than I can do justice here.
The Message
Initially I was looking at the parade from the man on the porch’s perspective. Clearly this would not sway the government to change their policies, but maybe like the student activists seemed to think, it would raise some awareness.
Baby steps can really add up. There were quite a few young people I spoke with who said it was their first protest of any sort or one of the first they had ever been too, including a nice young Fries man. This alone was reason to celebrate. People are getting more involved and hopefully next year this same march can pull more people and more the year after that.
I do not think the stated goal of the protest, the NGOs, the band playing or anything else that annoyed me initially is the basis of this story or even that relevant. The unaffiliated people who made up the march are the ones who deserved to be heard, not the people who brought their own sound equipment.
Onlookers were smiling and taking pictures they will hopefully share. They were amazed. The people marching were energized by this and it truly felt like there was communication between the onlookers and the marchers even if rarely between individuals. I was disenchanted when I first arrived at the march. It felt more like a festival than a protest. But the kind people I met throughout the day made that cynicism quickly fade.
Will the new government change its climate policy because upwards of 8000 people walked around for a few hours? Not likely. Did hundreds, if not more, look on in wonder at this procession in a way that hopefully showed a sense of solidarity to people from around the world? Yes. That is why these marches in international capitals can be so influential. It is not just the native and local population that sees these protests but tourists from all over the world I spoke with were happy to see so many out for the cause.
This was truly uplifting. Regardless of anything else, Saturday belonged to the majority of the people there without an ulterior motive, to make the planet a little bit better and inspire others to join the cause.
Here is a carbon footprint calculator. If you’re interested in making small changes that help the earth look into your impact and ways to reduce it. And look out for the peoples climate march next year as well as other ecological and social demonstrations coming up this year around the country.
Every year on May 5th, the Dutch celebrate the freedom that they live in. Named Bevrijdingsdag (‘Liberation Day’), the date marks the end of the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands in 1945, now seventy years ago. The end of World War II and the following decades of political and social change in Europe and the rest of the world resulted in the freedom that we now have: a freedom wherein people are free to act and think and express themselves as they want to.
It is difficult, if not impossible, for those of us who have never experienced war and oppression first-hand to truly understand how special this freedom is. When it comes to the horrors of war, the vast majority of this country is all theory and no practice. Especially now that the amount of people who have experienced World War II is rapidly shrinking, it is important to emphasize how privileged we are. As the saying goes: “Freedom is not free.”
So how they the Dutch make an effort to keep the past alive? It should go without saying that there will be festivals in all major cities. But Bevrijdingsdag is not just a matter of people getting free entertainment: there are also projects that will actively involve the new generation. And yesterday’s 4th of May remembrance, with young people reading and telling about the deeds of their elders in the war, showed us that too can be powerful.
Rotterdam after the Nazi incendiary bombardment. source
Of course there’s enough cynicism to go around: for a lot of us, May 5th is just about getting a day off from work every five years and going to free concerts. Every year again, there is also the discussion about how and who we commemorate on May 4th, Dodenherdenking (‘Remembrance of the Dead’). We at DutchReview certainly have been critical of the way in which we deal with the past. And this year there was the issue of whether it was okay to remember the refugees of war in Amsterdam on the 4th of May. Canadian liberators rolling into Leiden:
Still, there is no question here that we all agree on the importance of paying respect to those who lost their lives because of tyranny. No matter if we disagree about politics or ethics, we all want to keep and share the good life that we can have here.
As always, looking back into the past makes us think about where we are today and where we might be tomorrow. The wealth and freedom that we have in the West makes it tempting to think that we are ‘done’, as if we are “living in the holidays of history”.
The Liberation of EindhovenThe Liberation of Eindhoven
The challenges that freedom faces today come in many forms: whether it’s violation of human rights by governments, social and political unrest in Eastern-Europe and the Middle-East, or concerns over privacy and equality. Though the world sometimes seems like a terrible place, fact is that violence is at an all-time low. It’s our job to make sure that this trend continues, and for that reason, every year we will honor the dead on May 4th and celebrate our freedom on May 5th.
No, we’re not talking about some abominable snowmen or an ice summoning superhero straight out of a comic book. We’re talking about 57-year-old Dutchmen Wim Hof, born in Limburg, Netherlands, whose incredible ability to withstand the extreme temperatures has made him famous worldwide. Haven’t heard of him yet? Let me give you a brief rundown on his modest *cough* achievements so far.
“Ice? more like nice…”. Wim Hof (Note: May not be an actual quote from Wim Hof). Image: Aad Villerius/Wikimedia Commons/CC2.0
Wim Hof’s Achievements
In 2007, he climbed past the “death zone” altitude on Mount Everest (~7,500 metres) wearing NOTHING BUT FREAKING SHORTS!
In 2009, Hof completed a full marathon above the polar circle in Finland, in temperatures close to −20 °C (−4 °F). The man was dressed in nothing but shorts and finished in 5 hours and 25 minutes (still over 3 hours more than the world record, but I guess he can be excused because IT WAS IN THE MOTHERLICKING ARCTIC CIRCLE AND HE WAS ONLY WEARING SHORTS).
Hof holds the current Guinness World Record for the longest ice bath, now set at 1 hour 53 minutes and 12 seconds. Bet you feel a little ashamed for squealing like a trapped pig last time the hot water ran out while you were taking a shower now don’t you? I know I do.
More Of Wim Hof’s Feats
But hey, if you’re not the type of person to be so easily swayed into blind admiration by a few modest *louder cough* feats of 100% certifiable and undeniable superhuman resilience, then feel free to read on…
In 2011, he ran a full marathon in the Namib Desert without water. The run was performed under the supervision of Dr. Thijs Eijsvogels. Again… he ran a full marathon in the desert, where’s the no water… without water.
Wim can run at altitude without suffering from the effects of altitude sickness. Now read that sentence back to yourself.
In the same year, he was injected with toxins under medical supervision and demonstrated that he could effectively control his autonomic immune response. Wim was able to raise his cortisol levels and lower his blood concentrations of cytokines (inflammatory mediators) using solely his meditation and prep techniques.
Want To Know More About Wim Hof?
A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America also claims that by consciously hyperventilating, Wim can increase his heart rate, adrenaline levels, and blood alkalinity. He’s also believed to possess much higher levels of brown adipose tissue, which aids in cold resistance. In short, the blokes pretty much an exception to the rule that extreme cold will deliver hypothermia; extreme heat leads to dehydration; AND BEING INJECTED WITH DEADLY PATHOGENS STRAIGHT INTO YOUR MOTHERFUCKING BLOODSTREAM WILL KILL YOU!
Mind equals boggled. Even more boggled than the fact he’s only got 141,000 followers on Instagram. The Rock has 84 million. Sure he can ad-lib a one liner like a boss, but let’s be honest, who’s more impressive? Geez, society…
This man deserves another article, or at the very least a TED talk. If you want to learn more about this master of metaphysiology and modern medical anomaly, stay tuned for part 2 coming next month (or just Google him maybe).
Research by the Netherlands Association of Journalists (NVJ) is set to publish research on Wednesday (World Press Freedom Day) that will show exact numbers on threats and intimidation that Dutch journalists have faced recently and the growth compared to the previous survey, eight years ago.
But from what data has been published it doesn’t look great, even for a press freedom bulwark like the Netherlands, in a global rise of oppression against open, independent journalism.
Threats include direct physical confrontations but also threats via social media, having become common place for Dutch journalists to receive streams of threats via Twitter and Facebook when writing about ‘controversial topics’, including death threats and threats against their families. Three in five journalists report having been threatened or intimidated at some point, one in five reports being threatened at least once a month. Including detailed descriptions of what’s going to happen to them.
Erdogan vs. Rutte: The proverbial Pressure Cooker.
Some of the most ‘threatening’ cases surround reports on Turkey’s President Erdogan – sparking great controversy when Turkish youth openly threatened and obstructed journalists on live TV during last years rally in Rotterdam regarding the failed coup. The Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, later responded on a television interview of the show Zomergasten that it was time for those who didn’t want to accept Dutch rights and freedoms to “Bugger off”. Much upheaval followed but Rutte stood steadfast in his statement, both to much criticism and praise. Dutch-Turkish columnist Ebru Umar even spent some time under arrest in Turkey for her criticisms. The diplomatic riot between the Netherlands and Turkey regarding the visiting of Turkish ministers to promote the Turkish referendum proved to be the most explosive of all.
Dutch journalists and the elections: From Wilders to Refugees.
But there was also much to worry about regarding the Dutch political climate itself, with elections earlier this year and the campaigns at full throttle – many ‘enthusiastic supporters’ went into overdrive and sought out journalists and press agencies that criticized Geert Wilders or were accused of propagandizing ‘Leftist party ideals’. Reports on refugees and asylum seekers were also reason for heated situations, as many accused the press of holding back the true facts of crime and terrorism regarding the influx of predominantly muslim refugees.
Altogether it appears much has changed surrounding the press climate in the Netherlands, objectivity is no longer seen as a virtue or an obligation but as a weakness or automatically belonging to ‘the opposing side’. The researchers fear that press freedom may be under pressure in the Netherlands, with some Dutch journalists even going as far as skipping certain topics in order to avoid the consequences.
The Pressure is on, Globally.
President Trump aboard Air Force One talking to the press.
Internationally however it appears that the country is still doing well, countries like Britain and the United States have slipped on the lists of Press Freedom – especially after Brexit and President Trump ushered in media wars against objective, independent journalism and fake news began taking viral forms.
The Netherlands has been relatively save from media wars and fake news is contained to few subjects, such as Turkey and Russia, but having moderate effect outside of its immediate intended circle.
Here at DutchReview, especially the news section, we hope that you will support free press and open debate over intimidation and harassment or propaganda and fake news. We are all dependent on the hard work of those who seek the truth, not those who shape the truth, but as things are getting tougher we will all have to stand up. The Netherlands has earned its reputation as free and independent with hard work and effort – will you stand with us?
Admit it, non-Dutchies, most of us have wanted to be Dutch, even a little bit, especially if we just have plain old (pick your country) DNA. I mean, come on! Tulips, windmills, a beautiful gene pool, happy people, and the big one – freedom to tell it like it is. Living outside the Netherlands, I enjoy the daydream that I might be Dutch. Once in a while I break out the family tree to look for a Dutch uncle swimming upstream in the gene pool.
There are many “warning symptoms” that indicate you are headed for permanent Dutchness. So if you long to be Dutch or if you see others with these symptoms, take corrective action immediately or find yourself craving a one way plane ticket to Amsterdam. Don’t expect help from a Dutchie, they may just laugh at you and say “Sterkte!” Whether you live outside the Netherlands or as an expat in the country, I have put together a list that will tell you that “You Might Be Dutch IfYou…”
YOU MIGHT BE DUTCH IF YOU…
…consider hagelslag on bread or mayonnaise a food group.
Fries and mayo!
…find yourself eating everything with fork in left hand and knife in right (except raw herring).
…visit a coffee shop to slow down, not to speed up.
YOU MIGHT BE DUTCH IF…
…on your wife’s birthday, you take her to an expensive restaurant and “go Dutch”. (In the USA this is called “Divorce”).
…for some unknown reason you feel obligated to tell the truth when your girlfriend asks, “Do these pants make my butt look big?” (In the USA this is called “Not getting lucky for a month”).
…you begin to sugarcoat all your food and none of your words.
YOU MIGHT BE DUTCH IF YOU…
…wake up to discover you own 17 cats in your apartment, all piled up in the window blocking the three days of spring sun.
