A Touristy Dutch Weekend

We had recently been asked by several people if we had been to Keukenhof yet. At that point, we had no idea what they were talking about but when we did our research we discovered that Keukenhof was a beautiful garden surrounded by the famous Dutch tulip fields. For more info check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keukenhof. The issue with Keukenhof is that it is only open for approximately 2 months and we had missed the first month. Originally we thought we would go Easter weekend because Gearoid has a long weekend but the same people who asked if we had been, highly recommended we avoid it on Easter weekend due to the amount of foreign tourists (mostly Germans) who would be there. Scared we would miss this beautiful garden we booked a car for the following weekend and decided to check out Keukenhof. Having a car for the weekend also led us to other Dutch sites and overall with the beautiful weather we had a great time.

Unfortunately, the pictures don’t capture the amazing beauty and wonderful smell of Keukenhof. Flowers I have never even imagined- feathered tulips, flowers with a checkerboard design, 3 foot high tulips, etc- were there on display. Gearoid was heavily influenced by the amount of other tourists playing photographer and captured everything he could- including the field of dandelions at the entrance. We thought it was pretty busy when we arrived at 9:30 but we were wrong. Two hours later we could not move without touching people. We happened to visit the gardens the day of the annual Flower parade. We had had our share of flowers and people by then and squeezed out to our rented car. After a quick picnic in the parking lot, we drove around the fields surrounding Keukenhof and I took quick pictures of the colorful flower fields. The color was amazing and the fields looked like giant striped carpets with orange, yellow, purple, pink, red, and white.

 After the flowers we headed to Haarlam, a gorgeous city which we plan to revisit in the future and explore more thoroughly. We generally just walked around and took more pictures. Afterwards, we sat at a café by a canal and planned the next adventure of the day.

After Haarlam, we drove less than 20 minutes and ended up at the beach. Along the beach, people were already setting up their “summer homes.” A long stretch of the beach was filled with almost uniform white rectangles that we’re assuming people use and live in on the weekends. The boardwalk and beachfront weren’t very attractive but the beach is the beach and I will definitely be returning. Across the street from the beach were dunes that are part of Kennemer National Park which you can hike through. After walking along the “commercial” part of the beach we returned to our car and then drove to the official entrance of Kennemer National Park and sat on a part of the beach unoccupied by summer rectangles.   It was a nice ending to a busy day.

 On Sunday, Gearoid had a soccer match and I had to run for my marathon training so we didn’t leave until early afternoon. Sunday’s destination was Kinderdijk, a world heritage site with 19 windmills built around 1740. We had a nice walk down a path that let you enjoy and take tons of pictures of the windmills. There’s really not much to say except the weather was beautiful and the windmills were plentiful. Afterwards, we had an early dinner in a little town that’s name cracks us up: Nieuw Lekkerland. “Lekker” is a word commonly used to describe something as delicious or really good.  We have heard it on a ton of commercials and I use it all the time (mostly incorrectly) in Dutch class when I don’t know what else to say. Anyway, dinner was lekker(!) in Nieuw Lekkerland.

 Over dinner we decided to extend our adventurous weekend and visit the town of Gouda- which is famous for the cheese and is pronounced as how-da. The perfect word to describe Gouda is charming. There were tiny bridges over the canals, a huge cathedral, the cheese weigh house, and of course cheese shops. Unfortunately, because we arrived late on a Sunday all we were able to do was walk around the town and take pictures.  Trust me though- I will be returning when the cheese shops are open. Gouda is also famous for my favorite treat here- stroopwafels – but I will be blogging about these delicacies at a later date. Overall, we had a beautiful weekend and although it was touristy- Dutch people in my running club told me that mainly foreigners visit these places- we were glad to have enjoyed these experiences.  Living here for the next two years has made us determined to visit as many places as possible- even if we have to fight tour buses to get in. Gearoid and I Iived 3 hours from Niagara Falls and didn’t visit them until we had moved away and were in the area visiting friends.  We don’t want to make that mistake again.  After all,  flights to Europe are pretty expensive.

Adaptations

So I usually pride myself on being a person who appreciates other cultures and is willing to try and experience new things. I avoid American restaurants, follow local customs, and try to truly appreciate where I am.  I remember when I was studying in Spain almost a decade ago and fellow Americans with my school’s program decided that instead of embracing the new culture they would embrace McDonalds and cover Spanish delicacies with ketchup.  I would scoff at their need to be and feel American. Let me make clear that I am very proud to be an American and although politics and systems in the States drive me up the wall, there are many things I value and appreciate. However, why travel to other countries and appreciate different cultures if all you want are American products and luxuries?

I would get so frustrated with my schoolmates and their “Spain Sucks” mentality. But as the weeks wore on and I had appreciated the hell out of this other culture, I missed familiarity and the culture that had raised me for 20 years (like I said- almost a decade ago).  I broke my cardinal rule and on one of my last nights, I joined my fellow American students and enjoyed ice in my soda and yellow French’s mustard on a veggie burger at the Hard Rock Café in Madrid. (Writing this I’m remembering that I also suffered homesickness about half-way through after a traumatizing Running of the Bulls experience and splurged on a Dominoes pizza to get me through the remaining weeks but that’s another story).  

Fast-forward almost a decade and I am living in another European country for a prolonged amount of time. This time it’s different though. When I was in Spain, it was only the second time I’d left the country in my adult life. I’m older, have travelled more, and am living not just studying in this new country.  My last experience living in another country has taught me that it is ok to miss the comforts of familiarity- especially when you have to pull buckets of water and light your way with candles but again another story. So although I have indoor plumbing, internet, and other developed luxuries there are simply things, practices and items that I miss from the States.

1)      Mustard- I am not a connoisseur of fancy mustards. For all of my foodie tendencies, I truly prefer the bright yellow vinegary tang of French’s yellow mustard. No Dijon or honey mustard for me. As cheese sandwiches have become a staple of our everyday diet we bought the brightest yellow mustard we could find at the grocery store. I eagerly spread it on my Gouda and bit into a horseradish-y sandwich. The mustard here simply doesn’t please my palate. Luckily, Gearoid made a trip to Montreal for a conference and brought me back a bottle of French’s Classic American mustard (although being from Montreal it came back as Canada’s favorite mustard).  Having French’s in my life again has brought back the joy evoked by cheese sandwiches.

2)      Free Tennis Courts- I learned to play tennis a couple of years ago and have really started to enjoy the game. I’m not too good so the best way to get better is to practice. In the States, Gearoid and I could only play when we were in town at the same time but we would always find a free (unoccupied) free (no cost to play) court. Despite all of the taxes paid here, courts aren’t free. Anyone can play for a certain price. We recently decided that we would eat the cost and join a court close to our house. We actually thought we were getting a good deal- a flat rate for all summer of unlimited play. Wrong- the flat rate only allowed us to play one hour a week during a time that we reserved ahead of time. This leads me to my next point…

3)      Living life with more spontaneity- I didn’t realize until now how freely we all come and go in the States without having to report to anyone but our loved ones. If we move we change our address with the postal system so our mail will move with us. However, if we wanted to, we could live in one place and have our mail sent somewhere else. You can play tennis on free free courts when you want. If you don’t show up to an adult education course, although polite, it’s not required that you call in to explain why you won’t be in class. I’m sure when I was in college, my teachers would not want to know that I wasn’t going to be in class that day because the beach was beckoning (not that I ever skipped class to go to the beach- my lack of a tan back then can attest to that).  I feel like here that life has become regulated and routine. I have to call ahead to play tennis. I have a handful of days to tell the city- not the postal system- where I’ve moved to. When you sign up for a gym, there are different payment plans for what time of day you think you may want to go. What happened to spontaneity?  In the grand scheme of things, these aren’t horrible restrictions and make logical rational sense. However, I have never claimed to be a rational and logical individual.

4)      Knowing what’s going on- The language barrier is starting to get to me. I am progressing with my Dutch lessons and will hopefully soon be getting a volunteer language match. However, so many times we are told something in English and have been told wrongly. A few words can change the whole meaning of a message you are trying to convey (or receive). The tennis price is one example (can you tell yet that this tennis misunderstanding really bothers me?).  All along when I’ve tried to do important things that affect my life- get a bank account, get insurance, etc- I’ve been told  I have to wait until I get the Dutch equivalent  of a social security number- my BSN. I finally got a BSN and have attempted to get a bank account and insurance. However, in my attempts I have been told that I also need my registration card (my immigration form that I have been waiting for) to prove I will be in the country for a significant amount of time. I just wish that I could have received all the information at the same time (or at least the right information) instead of cycling in the rain to get piecemeal bits. In the States, as a legal American I take for granted that when I want something, I can get it. A bank account- no problem.  Insurance- not a problem with the right job.  Tennis court- after the overly tanned old men are done but not a problem.  I know the systems, I know what I need to do, and I know what others are supposed to do.  I don’t even know what the weather is because I can’t understand the local news. My spontaneity is coming from whether I need a coat or not when I go outside. I’m not dumb, I know I can look online but I miss watching the morning news and getting all my info for the day in one English dose.

5)      Blue Recycling Bins- I wish I could understand the trash and recycling system here. I miss the big blue bin where I chucked all of the possible recyclable items. Here we have trash, a bag for brown glass, a brown for white glass, a bag for plastics (but certain plastics are not allowed or recyclable), a bag for cardboards and we’re not sure when and where any of them go. We’ve tried asking but we keeping getting wrong information.  You can’t just get frustrated and chuck it all in the trash because they will know and track you down because they know all of your information. We recently found out by chance that you have to pay for a certain type of expensive trash bag or they won’t take trash. That explains why our brown trash bags have been left on the side of the road while the green ones are picked up. Did I tell you that you need a BSN to throw out trash here? I can at least do that. (just kidding)

6)      Appliances- I appreciate that space is limited in Europe and things are smaller and more compact. I also appreciate that Europe is more environmentally conservative than in the States and things are designed to be less wasteful.  However, I just miss my big old washer and drier. I miss large loads of laundry that when you put clothes in the dryer they come out dry. I know huge amounts of energy are used in the washing and drying of my clothes but I miss the convenience. We have a washer/drier combo here which sounds ingenious. I know I’m lucky that I even have a washer but it’s hard to remember that when I’m pulling hot damp steamy clothes out of the “dryer.” It’s like my clothes just spent 45 minutes in South Florida in July with no AC. As mentioned earlier in my blog, I miss my oven. Gearoid also brought me back some baking ingredients that I attempted to use in the tiny ovenette.  Frustrated with baking 4 cookies at a time, I spread the batter in a pie tin and made a pretty decent round cookie bar. Still not the same but I’m trying to adapt.

I apologize for ranting and complaining. I truly do appreciate this experience and there are things, practices, and items that I actually prefer in the Netherlands than in the States. That, however, is another blog. I miss things and that’s natural because I am used to and familiar to certain products, practices, language(!), and systems.  When I get items I miss in care packages from North America or find them in random Chinese stores here (true story), I appreciate them even more. The other day, my Coca-Cola light (same as Diet Coke but different name) came with 2 ice cubes in the glass and it gave me a little bit of happiness (also a true story).  Being here is reminding me of my appreciation for my country as well as teaching me to appreciate the culture of another. I still prefer a random café to McDonalds but it doesn’t hurt me or anyone else if I visit the golden arches when homesick. 

Fietsen or Cycling

Our first weekend living in the Netherlands, Gearoid and I made purchases that have significantly improved our quality of life. We got bikes. With our car safely stored back in the States and the cost of the bus eating into our monthly budget, we embraced the Dutch way of life and got a new means of transportation. We knew all along we would get bikes before we even left the States. Even though I already had a bike back home that I got as a Christmas gift back when I was in middle school, Gearoid’s bike was unfortunately stolen last fall and my mountain bike was trapped in a container crossing the Atlantic with the rest of our worldly possessions. It made sense to get bikes.

When Gearoid had his interview in November he noticed all of the bikes and how most of them looked like they were from the era of WWII.  His estimation was that we would pay about 50 euros for a used bike. Wrong! We visited quite a few used bike stores with the cheapest bikes being between 200-300 euros apiece. For a couple of hundred euros more we could have gotten new bikes. Honestly, Gearoid and I don’t know what makes a bike good (although he may deny this lack of knowledge). Why did these antiquated looking bikes cost so much? Being close to succumbing to paying an exorbitant price for a used bike we asked around some more and found a little more-used bike shop with cheaper bikes. There we were able to get both our bikes for 210 euros combined! We were very happy with our finds and the fact that my gears are temperamental and when Gearoid rides it sounds like a grandfather clock is attached to the back didn’t bother us. We had embraced Dutch life and made getting around a lot easier with our purchases!

That first day we rode the 10 minutes home and the next day decided to go for a bike ride to explore areas of the town we hadn’t been able to explore yet. The 10 minutes the day before created a situation that Gearoid has dubbed “Dutch Butt.” We were inevitably tender in places that our usual car driving derrieres weren’t used to. Being naturally endowed in that area, my Dutch Butt only lasted a couple of days but it took Gearoid weeks to overcome the tenderness.

In the 3 months since being here, we use our bikes on a daily basis. Everything we used to do in a car is now done by bike. Meeting potential new friends for a drink or dinner- ride the bike. Trips to the market for groceries- ride the bike. Travelling to work, class, and volunteer locations- ride the bike. I honestly enjoy not using my car. It has been over a month since I have been in a car which is almost strange considering my former daily dependence on it.  On the bike I see things I would never see in a car. With the arrival of spring, I have been able to enjoy blooming flowers and budding trees at closer distances. I also notice odd random things I would never notice in the radioed –air-conditioning of my car. For example, the other day I took a street in a nice looking neighborhood that I normally don’t ride through and had to laugh at its name- Generalsmutstraat.

Riding bikes here is safer and more convenient than driving at times. There are specific pathways and roads for bikes (although scooters and electric bikes are also allowed on these pathways and can be quite scary when they zoom past you) and specific street lights as well. Parking can be an issue with a bike or a car. There are specific parking spaces for bikes but if it is sunny and nice parking is difficult to find because everyone else is taking advantage of the elusive sunshine. Some people risk just locking their bikes to a tree or just parking them outside a store. However, just as with parking a car illegally, your bike could be at risk of getting a ticket or towed (hauled off somewhere).  Plus, bikes get stolen daily here.

It’s not all sunshine and tulips though. There are definitely times when I miss my 2 year old Honda Fit. For example- after a tough workout from running club my legs are definitely wobbly and a ride in the car would be more appreciated than talking my legs into working more. Also- cycling in the rain when it is cold is not so fun. The other day I was caught in a torrential downpour and I caught every red light-which although annoying in a car is infuriating on a bike in the rain. I rationalized that I was heading home and it was late enough that I could enjoy my pajamas for the rest of the evening. However, the next day the rain hadn’t stopped and I had meetings to attend about immigration and a 20 minute ride to Dutch class. It is funny how the rain almost always is at its peak when you are nowhere near where you need to be and it stops when you reach your destination.  After cycling someplace, I almost always arrive sweaty and with a runny nose. I don’t know if it’s because I’m wearing too many layers of clothes or I am exerting myself too much. I’m hoping that as the weather gets warmer and I don’t have to wear Eskimo layers of clothing that the sweaty and runny nose arrivals stop.

One more thing- my body is not really bike friendly. The Dutch are supposedly the tallest Europeans and when they stop at one of those specific bike-traffic lights, they just have to rest a foot on the ground with their butts still on the saddle. When the light turns green they go. Being on the shorter side, I have to practically dismount and then kick start my way to go. It is inevitable that when I pull up to a red light, that as soon as my foot touches the ground to wait for green, the light changes.  I think I almost get more of a workout starting to ride versus riding itself.

Although I have been riding a bike since I was 5, it has always been recreationally and in the past couple of decades my riding has increasingly decreased. Other than a big cycling trip around Ireland in 2003, my bike has been capturing dust in the many places we have lived since then.  Before the trip itself, my bike which I had had for about 10 years at that point still had brand new looking tires. So although I can get to where I need to go and carry a bag on my shoulder without wobbling too much, I am in no way capable of performing the acts I have seen Dutch people do on bikes.

I can carry my purse on my shoulder and if it’s not too heavy ride a straight line. However, if my bag is uncomfortably digging into my shoulder I hesitate to readjust it because I am prone to wobbling into the people riding past me or falling entirely off the bike. I can also ride with my groceries in the back saddle bags if the weight is evenly distributed. Otherwise, too much weight on one side will drag me in that direction.  I have seen people ride with multiple children on the front and back of their bikes with groceries as well. Gearoid was very impressed with a man carrying a heavy suitcase and a cello. Some people without tying mechanisms for the racks on the back of their bike will ride perfectly straight with their arm bent behind them holding a full and heavy bag of groceries. A woman rode past me one day with a stroller in one of her saddle bags.

A list of the most impressive things I have seen people doing on bikes from impressive to amazingly impressive:

1.       Riding and talking on the phone
Holding an open umbrella while riding a bike (between 1 and 2)

2.       Carrying something heavy with one hand while riding

3.       Carrying children on the front and back of their bikes

4.       Riding with an adult (although a light one) on their back bike rack

5.       Eating while riding- sandwiches, ice cream cones

6.       Peeling and eating a banana with one hand while riding

7.       Texting and riding a bike

MOST IMPRESSIVE

8.       Using both hands to eat a full bag of potato chips while riding a bike- like no hands on the handlebars!
RECENT EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE EVENT ON A BIKE
A college kid moving a full size couch on a cart in front of his bike. At times his "assistant" would jump on and sit on the couch while cycling was going on!

I’m sure I will see more impressive things but being someone who can just now make hand signals indicating which way I’m turning without wobbling and who can check the time on my watch if the wind is blowing the right way and I’m gliding nicely along I am far from doing impressive things on my bike.