So you might have seen all the short ‘Dutch word of the day’ movies at the DutchReview facebook page the last couple of weeks. Heck, some of you even went to the lonely corners of Youtube and subscribed to our channel.
These movies were short and sweet, but the plan was always to make it into a big one to get it all to work together and serve it to you (for those to lazy to read this one).
So here is our Crash Course on how to speak Dutch in just 7 words, enjoy!
Can’t get enough of that Dutch stuff?
We neither, so it isn’t over yet! Expect 7 more Dutch words to be featured in a not-so-distant future on DutchReview, just because ‘Dutch has all the best words, we’re YUGE, it’s the best’. (but let’s do Kingsday first btw)
Oh and any suggestions for us on what words to cover? Feel free to share them with us. Looking for more articles on ‘How to Speak Dutch’? DutchReview has you covered:
These movies don’t make themselves, so a massive thanks goes out to Elisanne van der Tuuk for presenting it, Lennart Houba for shooting the whole thing and making it come together and of course Henry Stokes for writing the whole thing to begin with (feel like you can do better? Here’s how to start with that).
Dutch All-Stars in USA sports? The Netherlands is just a small country, how so? But Dutch heritage does run big in USA sports. They bring nicknames from “The Flying Dutchman” to “The Frying Dutchman”. There are 4.5 million people in the USA with Dutch heritage. Some come to play sports, from the Netherlands Motherland and the Dutch Caribbean. Dutch All-Stars in USA sports? Absolutely!
For sure, they bring their Dutch traits with them to share. Here are seven USA sports with Dutchie All-Star heritage on display.
Arie Luyendyk – (Arie Luijendijk) “The Flying Dutchman”, Born: Sommelsdijk, NL – Race Car Driver.
Arie, a top notch race car driver, won the Indianapolis 500 in 1990 and 1997. In the 1970’s, Luyendyk won Dutch and European titles, apparently perfecting left turns. He sped to Formula 3 moving to USA in 1984. He was “Rookie of the Year” at Indianapolis in 1985, winning in 1990 and 1997, when his average speed set a record holding for 23 years. Arie also won the “24 Hour Daytona Race”, and the “12 Hour Sebring Race”. Retiring in 1999 he was inducted into the “Motorsports Hall of Fame” in 2014, and is an ABC Sports commentator.
Dianne de Leeuw – Born in (ironically) Orange County, California, with dual citizenship – Figure Skater.
As a figure skater, she won the 1975 World Championship and silver in the 1976 Olympics. She skated for The Netherlands, not USA where she placed first 1971 to 1976 in Dutch Championships.
With limited international opportunities her Mother made the move from Orange, CA to The Big Orange, The Netherlands. She won the National title there in 1971.
In 1974 she won Silver and Gold at European Championships (Zagreb and Geneva) and Bronze at the World Championships. Gracefully gliding through 1975 Championships with Dutch determination, Dianne took Silver in Europe and Gold in World, out-skating Hammill and Errath, and into the 1975 Dutch Female Athlete of the Year. De Leeuw won Silver in the 1976 Olympics behind Hamill of USA. She retired and skated for “Holiday on Ice” and the “Ice Follies”, and coached in Orange, California. Dutch just can’t get away from Orange.
He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 12 years, making playoffs for 10 of those as the most successful Dutch basketball player ever. Stuffing an orange ball in an orange hoop being 2.24m tall came easy for the Dutchie. He was an All-Star in 1998.
Rik played basketball in Eindhoven at age 14, due to a good old Dutch growth spurt making a coach very happy. Rik grew to 7 ft 4 in tall. He moved to USA in 1984 to play in college, and was drafted second overall in 1988 into NBA by Indiana Pacers. Rik never left the Pacers, retiring in 2000 after reaching the NBA finals.
He was a big man among giants as the 10th tallest NBA player ever. Of the tallest players he is #1 on the scoring list, and had outstanding playoff performances. After retiring from NBA, Rik raced motorcycles. I am not sure how tall a bike he needed.
Mike Vanderjagt – Born: Ontario, Canada – American Football.
A pro American Football place kicker retiring as the most accurate placekicker in NFL history. His streak of 42 consecutive field goals is second all-time. He was Rookie of The Year in 1998. Vanderjagt had one of the most accurate legs and in true Dutch fashion had one of the most candid mouths. After his team (the Colts 1998 – 2005) lost in the 2002 playoffs, he told it like he saw it, criticizing star quarterback Peyton Manning’s leadership and Coach Dungee’s temperament. This led to Manning calling Vanderjagt their “idiot kicker”. Vanderjagt was an all-pro in 2003 and first in history to make all field goals and extra points that season. In 2004, Mike’s Dutch traits reared up by publicly berating their opponent, the Patriots, and was labeled “Vanderjerk”. The pissed off Patriots crushed the Colts. In 2005 after missing a long field goal in playoffs causing a loss and smashing his helmet to turf, Vanderjagt re-enacted the kick on TV with a night show host, and made it. He was let go from the team shortly after. Despite being candid, he was an All-Star kicker who also received awards in Canadian Football and raised funds for kids with life altering diseases.
Six time Gold Medalist, Amy Van Dyken – Photo credit
she won six Olympic golds swimming for USA from 1996 to 2000, USA Female Swimmer of the Year 1995 and 1996, and was NCAA’s 1994 Female Swimmer of the Year. All her Olympic medals are gold. Inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame, she has many honors and accomplishments.
Van Dyken had severe asthma and swam on doctor’s orders to help her lungs. She mastered swimming like the Dutch master the seas. In 1996, she was named “Swimmer of the Year” by four national groups, and on the cover of Time, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated and USA Today, and also on a Wheaties cereal box.
In 2014, a tragic accident paralyzed Van Dyken from the waist down. In true Dutch spirit, she now walks again. She started a foundation for those with spinal cord injuries.
Stewart is a retired soccer midfielder for the US National team and in MLS. He has one Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup, was US Soccer Athlete of the Year in 2001, and the highest scoring American in international club play.
With a Dutch Mother and a U.S. Father, “Big Earn”, at an un-Dutch-like 5-ft 9-in tall grew up in The Netherlands. He played with VVV, then Eridivisie Side Willem II in 1990. That year, he played for the US National team. In 1994, he scored the winning goal for US against Columbia, first US FIFA win since 1950. He played in all US team matches in 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, one of five US men to play in three World Cups.
In 2003 he left The Netherlands to play in MLS for DC United, winning the Cup in 2004. Big Ern retired in 2005, returned to The Netherlands to work as a technical director, and then Director of Football Affairs for AZ.
To be of importance to US Soccer, he now works as Philadelphia Union’s Sporting Director.
The Frying Dutchman, Bert Blyleven – Hall of Fame – Photo credits
Blyleven was an American Baseball pitcher for twenty two years. Accolades: Rookie Pitcher of the Year 1970; Twice an All-Star; World Series Champion twice; fifth all time in strikeouts; nine shutouts in 1973; a no hitter in 1977. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
The Dutch are straight shooters, but Blyleven had a great curve ball. A true Dutchie, he flipped a middle finger to a live TV camera. He had pitched a no hitter his prior game, but was traded after being so “candid”. Bert was “in Dutch” as a rascally prankster in the dugout, often giving a “hot foot” to players by lighting their shoelaces on fire. The dugout fire extinguisher read “in case of Blyleven, pull handle”, and his nickname became “The Frying Dutchman”. Bert was a pitching coach for The Netherlands in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
So keep playing sports over here, Dutchies. We need you! Especially for your entertainment value, like baseball player Randall Simon from Curacao who hit a racing Italian sausage Mascot with his bat. Before that he had been hitless for the month. Watch here.
This morning D66 leader Alexander Pechtold broke the Dutch internet with a picture of him and negotiating partner Wouter Koolmees walking hand in hand to the new coalition negotiations. No, they’re not gay – it was a statement against the dirty, stupid, and ridiculous homophobia that still lingers in the Netherlands. (Check the #allemannenhandinhand at twitter for more on this issue.)
From Alexander Pechtold’s Facebook
So what happened?
In Arnhem, at the goddamned Nelson Mandela Bridge, two men were brutally assaulted by six Moroccan youths (and yes, unfortunately, culture matters this time) because they were walking hand in hand together. One of the victims lost half his teeth because he was attacked with a fricking bolt cutter!
Two of the scumbag assailants were arrested. And this is just in, but four other young men between the ages of fourteen and sixteen, have just turned themselves in to the Arnhem police for their involvement.
The couple weren’t even openly kissing (not that that’s a reason for violence) or displaying affection other than simply holding hands when they thought and hoped no-one would see them. As one of the victims said to the NOS:
‘We don’t usually do that, holding hands in public, because we don’t want to provoke people. But we’d had a nice evening, it was late and we thought we were alone.’
Homophobia in Holland: These are the people causing it
Even in this country today, gay people are afraid to hold hands and it’s time to point some fingers now as well; because although only an extremely tiny mindless fraction of men in the Netherlands is practicing violent homophobia, there are still scores of people that incite this behavior with their intolerant attitudes.
Obviously there are the criminal Moroccan street youths, where homophobia is frequently rooted in the culture and this has to be changed. But they’re not the only ones: There are fundamentalist priests and imams who continue to promote homophobia; DENK, who are always quick to cry ‘racism’ but do nothing here; the fundamentalist Christians of the SGP who want to follow Jesus in every aspect – except when it comes to accepting a different sexual preference, and that’s just to name a few. And let’s not forget about all the companies and governmental institutions that still fire people when they find out that they’re gay. To atheist hell with them!
Not everyone has to be friends, but can’t we goddamn live and work together?
Oh and props to the Volkskrant for this coverpage of today, very fitting and well thought out:
Anyways, this story is developing today and as you can see my train of thought was a bit angry. What do you think of all this? Feel free to share in the comments.
Every country has one of these always classic duels and this Sunday will bring you the Dutch version of the Old firm or El Classico namely De Klassieker: Ajax-Feyenoord.
Vintage Classic:
Background of De Klassieker
The two Dutch traditional giants aren’t the illustrious teams from the sixties and seventies anymore, when they regularly competed for the Europa Cup I. Gone as well are the days of Louis van Gaal and Bert van Marwijk winning European Cups, there simply isn’t enough money nowadays in Dutch football to even allow for a serious Dutch effort to reach the latter stadiums of European Football (Although Feyenoord did beat Mourinho’s Manchester United this season in the UEFA Cup).
Both Feyenoord and Ajax have their Icons from the seventies with: Willen van Hanegem (pictured left) and the late Johan Cruijff.
But they are still the biggest supported clubs in Holland by far, and De Klassieker is always a match on its own. The classic match lost its relevancy a bit over the past few years since Feyenoord fell into a deep financial and sportive hole, and Ajax didn’t managed to win the league for quite some years. However this year the teams are pitched at the top 2 spots and the match is always worth watching even if it is just for all the heated moments.
Dutch Hooliganism
As idiotic and carnavalesque the Dutch supporters seem when supporting the National team, as freighting and idiotic the supporters of the Dutch clubs can be. Of course, well over 95% of the supporters of all clubs stay far away from violence and such. But it’s that small minority that ruins it for the rest from time to time.
In February 2009, the mayors of Amsterdam and Rotterdam made an agreement with the KNVB (Dutch FA) to ban visiting fans from the away games in an effort to curb the violence. So at De Klassieker it’s now relatively peaceful, and both firms seem to abstain more and more from making nasty references about the second world war. Although hooligans from both teams seem to be active still, with Feyenoorders storming their own (corporate) building a few years back, and with Ajax hoolies randomly disturbing games and festivities.
Wait what? Nazi jokes at a football game? Yeah, it’s just as moronic as it sounds. The Ajax supporters (or better said, just the hooligan kind) call themselves the Jews and continued to make ’jokes’ about the German bombardment on Rotterdam in may 1940. (Because the Jews weren’t harmed by the Germans in those years or something?)
The Feyenoord harde kern desperately tried to match this stupidity by making references about gassing Jews and shouting ‘Hamas Hamas’ slogans. Luckily the last few years this stupidity has somewhat subdued.
In 2011 at Ajax-AZ, a crazy hooligan stormed the field in an attempt to kick the AZ-goalie Esteban in the back. Esteban, being from Costa Rica, evaded this and proceeded to kick the shit out of Wesley the hooligan while the whole nation watched.
This Sunday: realistic expectation
Back to the game of today. Feyenoord is magically in command of the league and look to set Ajax 9 points behind, in which case championship fever would reach galactical levels in Rotterdam-South. Ajax showed to be in a decent form the last couple of games, but is missing their talented striket Dolberg.
But what I’m actually hoping for:
Yours truly is a dreamer and a big Feyenoord fan. So here’s hoping for a hattrick by Feyenoord’s hero Dirk Kuyt!
Graziano Pelle’s goal against Ajax 4 years back, we miss him…
Yes, finally it’s tax-season and time to do that tax return in the Netherlands! If you’ve received the well known blue envelop from the Dutch tax offices than you’re also ‘cordially invited’ to file a tax return in the Netherlands for 2016. Are you guys all just as excited as I am? And did you all study the whole year to ace this fiscal test of adulthood?
Yeah, probably not, that’s what I thought as well. Well, there is at least some good news – despite the organizational mess the Dutch tax bureaucracy is at a higher level these last months, they did invest time and money in making the whole process a bit smoother once again. But not too much of course (it’s still tax-season, not fun-season), first things first – when’s it all due?
1. The deadline for your tax return in the Netherlands
No worries, you’ve still got ample time to get your financial act together – the ultimate date to file your (income-) tax return is the 30th of April. Some Dutch people might be stressing that you’ve got until the 1st of April, but that’s just a lingering trauma – that date was extended a few years ago.
You do however get word and a possible refund from the tax office before the 1st of July if you did your tax return before the 1st of April.
Are you reading this somewhere in the last week of April? Don’t panic – you can get an extension of the deadline till the 1st of October. (Or better yet. Just get someone else to do it for you!)
2. Hypotheekrenteaftrek – Tax Return in the Netherlands when you bought a house
Buying a house certainly is a coming of age thing, and so it goes for the tax return that comes with the status of real estate ownership. Getting a mortgage may be fiscally more attractive than renting a house, but it certainly isn’t fiscally less complex.
First of all, let’s start with the jackpot-scrabble-winning word ‘hypotheekrenteaftrek’ (mortgage interest deduction). When you take out a mortgage loan the bank charges you the mortgage interest every month, it’s nice and low at some 1,5- 2% but still it will cost you. But the good news is that you can declare the interest you pay and this is deductible from your amount taxes you have to pay.
Obviously the ‘hypotheekrenteaftrek’ is a precious thing for many Dutchies, and it doesn’t look like a new cabinet will take it away from the home owners in any form.
There’s more!
Certain costs that you made when buying a house are also deductible from taxes, with an almost instant advance also possible. I’m talking valuation costs, the fee for the ‘NHG’ (National Mortgage Guarantee), mortgage advisor and some of the notary fee’s. It’s a big money safer when buying a house and personally I was so surprised that there was so much to be declared!
Especially if you’re living in Amsterdam you might have to deal with the ‘erfpacht‘, the groundlease, whatever it is you will be happy to hear that costs for that are also deductible! All in all it can be a complex affair, but definitely worth it financially.
3. Personal deductions for your tax return in the Netherlands
Well, it’s good to hear there’s a whole range of personal deductible items for your tax return in the Netherlands. The list changes frequently, every year the details are different, so it might be wise to consult a tax advisor if you’re not a 100% sure.
4. 30% ruling – it’s an expat thing!
There’s a fiscal reason we Dutchies think that we’re going to outshine Britain soon once it comes to drawing in heaps of expats, it’s a tax bonus! If you’re still considering moving to the Netherlands than the 30% tax free of your gross salary might just be the thing you need. The Dutch legislative bodies in all their wisdom recognized that expats might have to make more expenses than Dutch people, thus giving them a bit more financial room. So hurray for you guys and girls that qualify for this one!
Before you go out and buy an Amsterdam apartment, better check if you actually qualify for this ruling. For instance; you have to make at least 37K per year and have a job here before you register in the Netherlands.
Once again it’s a bit complex, which leads me to the following:
5. Have someone else do it for you and better
This picture says it all:
Filing a good and quality tax return can certainly help you out a lot. But it’s already troublesome for a Dutchie, so if you’re a home-buying expat it can be quite a daunting prospect. So it makes sense to have a professional party help you out with this one. Blue Umbrella can help you out with your tax return in the Netherlands, already making life easier for certain DutchReviewers. Added bonus is that they’re specialized in expat-affairs so checking up on all this 30% business or making sure you get the info you need in English is exactly their cup of tea.
Not only are some of the tax rulings in the Netherlands quite complex and bureaucratic, they can also be time-consuming. Registering with Blue Umbrella’s service of ‘Blue Tax’ can thus not only safe you money in the long run, but also safe you precious time which would otherwise go into ‘fiscal matters’.
Oh, and they can also totally extend that tax deadline for you.
Great news for Dutch universities, coffeeshops and DutchReview of course. There are now more international students in the Netherlands studying then ever. A whopping 112.000 students are enjoying a Dutch education at a University or ‘Hoge School’.
University in Utrecht
Where are these international students in the Netherlands from?
Research from Nuffic (the Dutch organisation for internationalizing our education, how cosmopolitan of us!) shows that there are 81.000 students doing full time stuff here, the rest of them are here for shorter stints -doing Erasmus for example. There are 164 nationalities hitting the books/bong here. Most of them are Germans, with 22.000 of our neighbours from the East here. After that are the Chinese (4300) and the Italians (3300). And no, I will not make those horrible biased jokes about the different demographics of the Chinese and Italians in the University libraries and innercity coffeeshops.
Why international students in the Netherlands are a good thing
Many of the international students stick to the Netherlands after graduating here, and one of our statistical offices (the CPB) has calculated that they contribute around 450 million euro’s to the Dutch economy each year (coffeeshop spending is not even included in this!). Low costs, good quality of education and of course the fact that both our uni’s as the regular Dutch folk (pretend to) speak superawesome English are the main reason why internationals students and the Netherlands is such a successful combination.
The Dutch being Dutch have also found that their schools can make money from international students, so it’s win win for everybody here (except for those people that long back to the coffeeshop-and-international-student- free Holland of the 50’s).
The good old days. Because screw diversity and multiculturalism
It’s one of those clichés we don’t really want to escape from (goodbye stupid clogs!) the blooming of the flower fields in the Netherlands is one of those seasonal traditions, like Kingsday, that has grown on the country. Not for a small part is this new found appreciation because of the genuine and massive attention and pure love for our brightly colored flower fields from abroad.
So every year there are more people flocking to them and every year we get better photos with 50% more flowery magic added to them. Now it’s almost prime time for the blossoming fields, should be about a week or so and we promise to get you tons of shots and movies, no worries.
But who wants to wait that one out ey?
So we hooked up with Roy Poots again (you might have heard from him, we also worked with him on these two insanely successful photo-reports about the Netherlands and Rotterdam) and bring you his magical shots of the flower fields in the Netherlands of the last season. So here are the Dutch tulips fields around Leiden and Lisse in their full glory. Enjoy!
Oh, don’t forget to like DutchReview’s Facebook page in order not to miss out on all the feature coverage of these fantastic flowers!
The Flower Fields in the Netherlands
This is why we wrote ‘Flower fields in the Netherlands’ and not just tulipfields. Plenty of other flowers to see!You’ll see plenty of tourists walking around, nothing to do about thatThe Netherlands looks like a giant colored testprint sometimes 😀Some lovely lakes in this area as well, such as the ‘Kaag’As usual, sunsets and sunrises make it look extra good!
Can’t get enough of the flower fields in the Netherlands?
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7 tips for finding an English-Speaking Job in Amsterdam
The fact that your reading this article, shows you’re seriously considering a change that will ultimately carve a career path, potentially paved in gold. Your destination – Amsterdam. Why? The Dutch are on a mission, creating Europe’s most prolific start-up community and the opportunities English speakers are endless.
How to Job Hunt Abroad, When You Have No Idea What You’re Doing
Being an outsider might make job hunting seem tough, but being fluent in English just gave you that competitive edge. Job hunting is never easy, golden rule of thumb is network and get noticed. Be prepared to put in real time and ready to face challenges, obstacles, possible rejection but ultimately this journey will be worth every piece of effort your prepared to commit.
Something like this, but more laptops and coffee
1. Don’t go at This Alone
Most likely you’re lucky enough to already be settled in the Netherlands, and seeing the benefits of being a global citizen. However, to get results on the job front fast, you really need to put yourself out there. Sounds daunting, right? Well it needn’t be and you don’t even need to leave your seat.
The first part of your strategy should be letting people know you’re considering a change and outreach. Social Media is your golden ingredient, LinkedIn and twitter are your key tools, if you not already set up on the platforms, this is the first place you need to start. Get yourself a cracking profile, follow your target companies and start making connections. Forbes have written a helpful guide on ‘how to market yourself on LinkedIn’.
Twitter offers more job opportunities than any other platform and direct access to key influencers who do the hiring and the firing! It’s really that simple – LinkedIn lets you know who they are, you’ve got one opportunity and 140 characters to sell yourself to that key person, don’t be afraid just do it. Tweet ?
2. Upgrade Your Skills
Ongoing professional development and keeping your skills current are vital to making you stand out from the crowd. We know, easier said than done. Top tip – take your CV, and pull it apart. Look at your strengths and weaknesses and decide what and where needs improvement. It might be your looking to jump back into a previous career path, retraining completely or upgrading your current qualifications. The Netherlands and Amsterdam offers so many opportunities for the English speaker, it could in fact be just as easy as going back to basics in the UK. Let’s say your previous career in the UK was a top CEO’s Executive Assistant, well in Amsterdam Executive Assistants who are English Speaking are in high demand and we’ve got a course for that, check out the well-known International training providers Souters. See if you can land yourself the opportunity to shadow a new connection or maybe a friend in there day to day role, get a taster for what it might be like to work in a start-up.
Any experience you can gain makes a bold statement on your CV.
3. Take Advice from Others
The best advice you can ever take, is from someone who’s made the change a success. The old saying ‘it’s not what you know, but who you know’ really can prove to be the most vital tool in securing your dream role. Many people even strangers are happy to share the success and hand out advice. What you really want to aim for is finding a mentor who can open doors and avenues that may not have been achievable without their assistance.
Start off by working online
Since we live in the age of technology there are lots of opportunities to find an online job. A lot of it involves freelance work and will require you to get creative at times. One of the more popular alternatives, in this case, is to start your writer career at a well-established paper writing service like this one. Overall this experience can be used as the basis of becoming a content writer for various websites in the future so it is an option worth taking into consideration.
5. Get out and Visit Industry Events
Creating your own luck can be the golden ticket. Being in the right place at the right time can go a long way in meeting the right people and businesses. Industry events like VRDAYS and business groups can be exactly the right place to get that ‘Big Break’ and land a English-Speaking Job in Amsterdam. Amsterdam’s top two accelerators: Rockstart and Startupbootcamp are always on the lookout for English speaking talent.
6. Hit Local Co-Working Spaces in Amsterdam
People thrive and share in co-working spaces, and that means endless opportunities to show your talent. Mixing and making new business friends can offer many advantages, opportunities and job leads you might not normally come across. This helpful site launchdesk offers you the chance to grab addresses where co working space exists and possibly rent co-working space if it takes your fancy.
7. Finding an English-Speaking Job in Amsterdam? Job Hunting Persistence is the Key to Success
Persistence in life will always pay off in anything you do. Fortunately, there are simple ways to stay motivated and tenacious when it comes to looking for the right job.
In the End: Stay steadfast and True to Yourself
Don’t be dishonest with yourself, it takes time to find and certainly land the job of your dreams. If you can budget for the inevitable or pick up some temporary work along the way it will lighten the load. Take a project management approach, plan your weekly efforts and stick to them, always, always remember to take time out for yourself as job hunting can be both daunting and draining experience. If you’re sending money from overseas accounts to your Dutch account then you definitely feel the fear of being jobless, never be guided by this fear, let it motivate you to find the job you’re passionate about.
And most importantly of all, Good Luck – Amsterdam’s waiting!
Any other tips for finding an English-Speaking job in Amsterdam? Feel free to share!
When looking for a fun-filled day trip, most people turn first to the bustling Dutch capital. But don’t just follow the (huge) crowds — why not check out Zaandam’s HEMbrug site for a fabulous alternative?
The tranquillity of the HEMbrug site lets you discover a rich history while perusing the wonderfully unique warehouse buildings, home to a variety of fascinating activities and shops.
Of course, you don’t have to take our word for it — check out the HEMbrug for yourself! And don’t forget to consult Zaans.nl for even more information (in English!) to get the best out of your visit.
What is the HEMbrug site?
The HEMbrug is a haven of unique museums, art, history, small businesses and cosy cafes that you can find in the wonderful Zaandam, part of the North Holland province.
And there is plenty of history hidden in its walls too. The HEMbrug’s buildings make up a former ammunition factory, where Dutch military firearms were produced as early as 1895.
Two men casting bullets to fill grenades at the Dutch National Artillery, Hembrug, 1912. Image: Unknown author/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
Now, many innovative businesses and creative entrepreneurs call the HEMbrug home, cultivating an exciting community that is important not only to Zaandam, but to the greater Amsterdam area.
I mean, where else can you search for a new luxe sofa under the shadow of a huge helicopter? (Yes, you read that right; more on that later 😉).
What is there to do at the HEMbrug site?
Close enough to cycle from Amsterdam, but far enough to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city, here’s everything you can enjoy in a fun-filled day trip to the HEMbrug. 👇
🖼️ Get inspired (and buy some special gifts!) at ArtZaanstad
The imposter syndrome when decorating your home without a creative bone in your body can feel… daunting.
Visiting ArtZaanstad, the HEMbrug’s centre for art lending, solves all your problems at once, providing you with an incredibly vast selection of paintings and sculptures by contemporary artists.
ArtZaanstad has endless works of art for you to look through! Image: DutchReview
Don’t feel like committing to one piece? Just rent one for however long you’d like — or wander through the gift shop for something small to call your own.
Walking around the unique industrial maze that is the HEMbrug will probably make you think, “What is this place? Where did it come from?”
And you won’t have to look long before you find the answer: a visit to the HEMbrug Museum will tell you everything you need to know about the site’s wartime heritage.
The best part? The open-air museum can be visited for free! Image: Zaans.nl/Supplied
Through a special collection of photos, films and documents, you can learn about the former military firearms production factory.
Or, dive even deeper into this forgotten history with a guided tour, which reveals the mysterious nature of HEMbrug through surprising stories and secrets spilt. 🤐
Marvelling over everything that HEMbrug has to offer is best served with a refreshing drink, freshly baked pastry or even tasty woodfired pizza from one of the lovely eateries onsite.
Cultural Centre BIND is a cosy living room-style cafe perfect for a coffee break and promotes local creatives with regular events like poetry reading and live music.
All the cosy vibes. Image: DutchReview
For later on, take a seat at Lab-44 and scour the impressive menu, surrounded by a buzzing atmosphere as everyone enjoys the local craft beer selection on offer. 🍻
❤️ Get a change of perspective at the Museum of Humanity
Experiencing the Museum of Humanity for the first time stops you in your tracks. It’s a collection of photo portraits with a powerful message you won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
This was one of our favourite places when we visited the HEMbrug. Image: DutchReview
Photographer Ruben Timman started this incredible initiative in 2001, capturing people from all over the world in front of a black background to emphasise their personal stories.
His journey took him to 20 countries across five different continents. Now you can marvel at a selection of his 8000 portraits here at the HEMbrug, with friendly guides to tell you all about the special project.
Something else that makes a day trip to the HEMbrug different from Amsterdam? The locals really want you there! That’s why they’ve shared their recommendations for the area on Zaans.nl, so you get insider tips from those who know best.
👀 Scour the goods at the local stores and galleries
The HEMBrug is also home to a collection of quirky shops and galleries. But we’re warning you, their interesting items will make it hard for you to leave the day empty-handed.
Remember that helicopter we mentioned earlier? Well, you can find that (not for sale 😉), alongside some incredible repurposed furniture, at the Vitra Circle Store.
Cool, huh? Image: DutchReview
We know the Netherlands loves its second-hand shopping, but this colourful, carefully displayed store feels more like a stunning art gallery than a kringloop. 🎨
And talking of art, make sure to check out Vroom & Varossieau, a modern art seller that blends old-school graffiti with contemporary work; you’ll be gawking at everything they have to offer.
🕐 Opening times: Vitra Circle: Fridays from 9 AM until 5 PM, Saturdays from 10 AM until 5 PM, V&V: It’s advised to contact the business ahead of time. 📍 Location: Vitra Circle: Affuitenhal 10, 1505 RE Zaandam, V&V: Draaibank 10, 1505 RN Zaandam
🤯 Bigger than the Rijksmuseum? Check out the huge ZAMU collection
There are still more exciting projects on the horizon for the HEMbrug site, with the development of the huge Zaanstad Amsterdam Museum.
ZAMU promises a grand exhibition space, three times the size of the Rijksmuseum, showcasing the works of fifteen world-famous artists. Each exhibition has its own industrial warehouse. 🎨
Before this mammoth museum opens next year, you can enjoy the phases of its creation. This starts soon with the opening of a stunning garden by Dutch landscape architect Piet Oudolf.
Nineteen fascinating sculptures by late American artist John Chamberlain marked the first of the installations, with the rest to follow ahead of the museum opening in autumn 2025.
Okay, we convinced you (we knew we would 😇). You’re ready and raring for your trip to HEMbrug, so let’s check how to get there.
🚲 By bike from Amsterdam
To get to theHEMbrug from Amsterdam by bike, you can cycle different routes on either side of the IJ river.
The easiest route leaves Amsterdam Centraal, heading towards Sloterdijk station, where you continue and then follow Westhavenweg until you reach the water. Then, hop on a ferry to the other side, turn right onto Hemkade and you’re on the road to the HEMbrug site.
For any alternative cycling routes from Amsterdam to the HEMbrug, just whip out that handy-dandy Google Maps app! 🤳
🚙 By car
Unlike for most places in the Netherlands, driving to the HEMbrug is a great option because parking is easy and free.
Simply follow the A10 ring road towards Zaanstad, then take the Oostzaan – Zaandam-Zuid – Het Twiske exit.
After that, turn right onto N516/Kolkweg and follow the road until you can see the signs leading to the HEMbrug. The terrain is well-marked with signs, so it should be a breeze to find.
🚅 By train
Hitting the tracks? Firstly, you’ll need to find your way to Zaandam Station. Once you’ve arrived and finished gawking at the funky building just outside (yes, it’s really a hotel), you’re nearly there!
From Zaandam Station, you can either cycle for 12 minutes or take the 456 bus for the same amount of time, straight to the HEMbrugterrein.
The mysterious HEMBrug site has always had its secrets, but now it’s out there: this is truly a hidden gem waiting for you to explore everything it has to offer.
Have you ever been to the historic HEMbrug site? Share your tips in the comments!
The Netherlands’ best-rated mobile service providers in 2024 are all budget service providers: Simyo, Ben, and Youfone.
New to the Netherlands and unsure which mobile service provider to use? Enter… the Consumentenbond.
Also known as the Dutch Consumers’ Association, this organisation is dedicated to identifying which tech products you ought to spend your hard-earned money on. 💸
How? By judging each provider on the quality of features like mobile calling, internet, and customer service, the Consumentenbond ranks them with a score out of 10. Here are the top three!
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Simyo officially takes the crown as the Consumentenbond’s top Dutch mobile service provider for 2024, with a stellar 8.5 points out of 10.
And, as the recipient of no less than 30 awards since they first topped the charts in 2013, it’s easy to see why they rank so highly for customer satisfaction.
Being a budget service provider, they’re most well-known for the sheer affordability of their packages — which start at a low €6 per month.
However, with access to KPN’s speedy, ultra-reliable mobile network, excellent customer service and a range of prepaid/SIM-only plans and mobile subscriptions with a phone that can be adjusted monthly, affordability isn’t the only reason they’ve received a provider rating of 9.8.
Nabbing second place on the list of best Dutch mobile service providers with an excellent 8.3 out of 10 is Ben, another budget provider offering high-quality mobile calling and internet.
Powered by Odido’s expansive and super-dependable mobile network, Ben ranks well for its above-average internet connectivity and speed.
These internet packages, which start at an affordable €10, can be cancelled on a monthly basis.
In addition to this, Ben also scores highly on their clear and effective customer service, nabbing a very respectable 8 points out of 10 on the Consumentenbond’s scale.
Regularly named in the top three of the Consumentenbond’s list of best Dutch mobile providers, Youfone is yet another budget provider that offers you a generous bang for your buck.
Hot on their competitors’ heels, Youfone scored a superb 8.2 out of 10 to solidify their place as an exceptional provider of mobile internet.
Like Simyo, Youfone offers you access to KPN’s super-speedy and ultra-reliable mobile network for a fraction of the price of a monthly KPN subscription.
And, unlike many other budget providers, Youfone also provides 5G functionality with their SIM-only plans.
