16 Must Have Items to Survive a Dutch Spring

Ah yes, the daffodils are blooming and the snowdrops are bursting out of the ground. It must be spring. But what does springtime look like in the Netherlands? What do you need to survive a Dutch spring? Here's the low down.

1. Umbrella - that umbrella you needed in autumn and winter? Don't store it away just yet. You'll be needing that throughout the spring too. April showers are as prominent here in the Netherlands as they are in Britain. The nice thing about rain during the spring season here is that there is an element of surprise to it. One minute the sun is shining and you're thinking of heading to the beach, the next minute you are pissed wet through. Think of it as a fun Dutch game, but without the fun.

2. Sunglasses - as I mentioned above, the sun shines in spring. Just be sure to carry your sunglasses case with you as the sunshine can be short-lived (see above).

3. Camera - springtime in the Netherlands is a feast for the eyes so be sure to carry photographic equipment around with you. It's the time when flowers cover the ground - and the Dutch are not known for their blooms for nothing. Exploring the flower fields at this time of year is a must if you are in the Netherlands.

4. Winter coat - don't dump it yet, the mornings snd evenings are surprisingly nippy well into April. It's tempting to look at the sun out your bedroom window and think you can pass up your thick coat for that lovely springtime jacket but don't do it. Not yet.

5. Orange clothes - April means King's Day. Which means orange. If you ain't in orange on the 27th of April I suggest you leave the country.

6. Tickets for the Keukenhof - spring means flowers. Did I say that already? And flowers can only mean one thing - the annual spectacle that is the Keukenhof. If you have never been it should be on your bucket list, no matter where in the world you live. Yes, it's busy. Yes, it's jam packed with tourists. But wow, it's beautiful.

7. Food for brunch - spring brings the paas haas to the Netherlands (that's the Easter Bunny to you and me - to the Dutch it's a hare) and on Easter Sunday it's traditional to sit down with family and eat brunch together. It's something driven by the supermarkets I'm sure.....

8. Waterproofs - did I mention it rains a lot in spring here? So you'll need protection. All over rain protection.

9. Pedalling power - spring storms (like the one this week) are not unusual and the wind blows over this flat land with nothing to stand in its way. However, do not think for a minute that winds gusting at 70km per hour stops any real Dutchie from getting on their bike. Depending on whether you are cycling into the wind, or have it in your back, your bike journey will either be done in record time or you'll need every drop of pedalling power you can muster to make it to your destination.

10. Long pants and a jumper - at least that is what Trip Advisor tells those planning on visiting the Netherlands in spring. I would listen to me, and not Trip Advisor - you'll usually need a damn sight more than a jumper and long pants (presumably they mean trousers and not underpants) to stay comfortable in April but hanging about in May in your pants may work.

"The spring months of April and May are also great times to visit during, even though the cooler daytime temperatures may require long pants and a jumper to stay comfortable." Trip Advisor

11. Suncream - having said what I said for number 10 we have had some remarkably summery weather at the end of April in years gone by so sun cream should be at the ready.

12. A favourite strandtent - that's a beach cafe to non-Dutch speakers. At the end of March the cafes are rebuilt on the beach and the terraces and doors open once more. It's THE place to hang to enjoy a drink and a bite to eat with friends and loved ones. With a jumper and long pants on of course.

13. Wellington boots - did I mention it rains in spring? If you like wet feet put on your summer footwear, otherwise keep those wellies on hand.

14. A garden centre - spring is when the Dutch move outside and the garden gets a spruce up. Garden furniture is replaced, renovated or uncovered. Signs and pictures go up in the garden. Candle holders and ornaments appear on patio tables. The garden centres across the nation are buzzing with a capital B (although having said that our local Groenrijk has gone bust so that's a little less buzzing this spring time).

15. Holiday plans - the meivakantie falls, surprisingly, in May and the nation heads off for anything from a mini-break to a two week long vacation. You should too.

16. A car or a bike - if you are in the Netherlands in springtime you'll want to visit the flower fields. Did I mention flowers already? Online there are lots of touring routes to get the best views of the spectacular blocks of colours that cover the Dutch landscape. And if you do it in a convertible with the top down then you'll blend in a treat. And one free tip - a family photo session in such a location is a great idea for the memory treasure trove - something that Vinita Salome can help you with but be quick because those blooms are gone before you know it.

17 Must Have Items to Survive a Dutch Winter

Today marks the official start of winter. It's time to store autumn in your memory banks and get ready for the onslaught of colder, greyer, darker days. Some winters in the Netherlands are more, well, wintry than others. Last year was a rubbish winter. Surviving last winter was something everyone could do with their eyes closed. It was a shame because there is so much to love about this time of year in the Netherlands and this year, hopefully, the weather will let us see what the Dutch are really about when winter strikes.

If you want to get the most out of winter in the Netherlands you'll need these 17 items.

1. Ice Skates - as the temperatures drop the nation collectively blows the dust off their ice skates, sharpens their blades and heads to the nearest frozen puddle, pond, canal or lake to skate. It's an amazing sight for someone who did not grow up in this winter skating culture. It's not such an amazing sight for the locals to see those of us who did not grow up wearing ice skates every winter flailing around haphazardly on the ice......

For the Dutch skating is second nature and their love of ice skating is reflected in their many Winter olympic successes. How many gold medals did the British win in ice skating at the last Winter Olympics? I rest my case. That's why I stay on the sidelines and let the Dutch get on with it, but I encourage you to give it a go.

2. Eternal Hope - where there is ice in the Netherlands there is eternal hope. As the ice grows so do the hopes of a nation that this year will be the year that the Elfstedentocht takes place. Every year hopes are dashed, dreams are shattered as the ice melts. But it doesn't hurt to hope does it?

3. Sledge - if you don't have a sledge you are never going to be considered fully integrated, unless the reason why you don't have a sledge is because you are still cycling even when it snows and the pathways are covered in a thick layer of ice. Some do. I'm pretty sure they are a few sandwiches short of a picnic, but nonetheless you do still see cyclists skidding their way to work and school on two wheels on the ice. Otherwise, you need a sledge to take your children to school.

4. Winter Coat - I almost don't need to say it, but for those of you who come to the Netherlands from sunnier climes - you need a winter coat. A big thick one. See number 5.

5. Scarves and Gloves - it's a flat country, there's nothing to stop that cold, icy wind blowing over the land. There are no hills people - the wind tears over the land like a savage beast and nothing can stop it penetrating to your very core. Except a good pair of woollen mittens and a thick, homemade knitted scarf of course.

6. Umbrella - just like during the autumn months, it rains during winter too. The difference is that the rain is slightly colder as December zips by. A storm proof umbrella is probably a better recommendation for December actually, one of those funny shaped ones that promise never to blow inside out.

7. Potato Masher - winter means stamppot season. It means dinners come mashed. Stamppot is basically mashed potatoes with some kind of vegetable mashed through it, served with a bendy sausage and gravy, or jus as the Dutch more elegantly put it.

8. Hot Chocolate - if ever there was an excuse to drink lots of hot chocolate, Dutch winter is it. Going ice skating? Then treat yourself to a hot chocolate from a festive stall around the rink. Going walking? Stop in somewhere and have a hot chocolate to warm your cockles. Christmas market? Well. the day wouldn't be complete without a mug of hot chocolate. And by hot chocolate I actually mean Chocomel of course.

9. Nerves of Steel - as I touched upon earlier (see number 3) there are some that continue to get around on two wheels even then there is a smattering of ice covering the cycle lanes. In my humble, unimportant opinion, you'd have to be bonkers to cycle on ice, but if you really want a gold integration star then go ahead. Ga je gang.

10. A Sweet Tooth - during the first week of December in the Netherlands you need a sweet tooth and a hardy stomach, and good diving and evasion skills. The first week of December is the home straight to the climax of the whole Sinterklaas gedoe which has been going on for many long weeks. There are kruidnoten, pepernoten and speculaas biscuits everywhere. And I mean everywhere. And it's not unusual to have the small round kruidnoten thrown at you by an assortment of Zwarte Pieten. (Though I have noticed this year the throwing has been minimal - has that been outlawed too?)

11. An Ability to Take Things with a Pinch of Salt - and talking of Sinterklaas and his Zwarte Pieten..... When you experience your first Sinterklaas it can be a bit of a shock for an expat. Take it for what it is. If you have children, throw yourself as enthusiastically as you can in to the story that takes on a national perspective and go with the flow. You ain't gonna change it - leave that to the locals.

Shoes, shoes everywhere, but not a pair to wear

12. Spare Shoes - and still on the topic of Sinterklaas and the Dutch traditions around him, you'll need lots and lots of spare shoes. Children can leave a shoe out at the supermarket, at school, at their sports club and of course at home. The good Sint and his helpers will then fill the shoes with a small present and lots of sweets and biscuits (see number 10).

13. A Love of Pea Soup - eating pea soup in the winter is not just obligatory, it's the law. It should be the deepest green you can imagine, have slices of sausages floating in it and be accompanied by roggebrood (that's rye bread to you and me).

14. Patience - if you use the Dutch public transport system in winter you will need oodles of patience whilst trains grind to a halt because the wrong kind of snow lays on the tracks. Or the wrong kind of ice. Or just ice. Or snow. Of any type really. Just be patient. Or give up waiting for a train/tram/bus and head home to collect a bike/sldege/ice skates (see items 1, 3 and 9).

15. Transport to Germany - winter means crossing the border to visit the German Christmas markets. There are some in the Netherlands too, but if you want authentic then head to our neighbour who really knows how to 'do' Christmas markets.

16. A Supply of Gluhwein - Gluhwein tries its best to outdo it's hot chocolate colleague during the winter months and can suddenly be found everywhere as soon as December rolls in. It's a real belly warmer once the temperatures drop so worth indulging in a tipple whenever you are out and about.

(Although I would never condone an excessive consumption of the delicately spiced mulled mixture; as the Dutch say, "Geniet, maar drink met mate", which for the first few months of my Dutch adventure I translated in my head as, "Enjoy, but drink with friends" even though my Dutch partner kept reminding me it meant don't be a 'pisshead', quashing my belief that I had already, instantly,  passed my first initiation in to Dutch Society.)

17. Candles - it's not that the Netherlands has electric power issues during the winter, but if you were an alien visiting for the first time you could be forgiven for thinking this is in fact the case. The Dutch love candles during the winter - in fact the whole season is all about gezelligheid. And it's wonderful. So get those wicks burning and get cosy for the duration. See you in the spring!

My Expat Bucket List - 10 Dutch Things I Want to Do

As I mentioned last week, a new expat blogger's link up starts today and it will stay open for a month. This time it's all about the things you still want to see, do or experience in the country you currently call home.

I realised whilst writing my expat reverse bucket list that there are still some things I want to do whilst I am here in the Netherlands as an expat (not that we are planning on leaving anytime soon but I have a list). And here it is:

1. Write a book about life as an expat
I have started and thanks to NaNoWriMo last year I made some serious headway with my own musings on life as an expat in the Netherlands. But there is still a long way to go.

2. A Writing Afternoon at Kasteel De Haar 

We recently visited the beautiful Dutch castle of De Haar in Utrecht and I fell in love with the place. It conjured up images of sitting under one of the many majestic trees dressed in a long flowing white dress and a summer hat doing nothing but writing. And how I would love to do just that. If only I owned a long, flowing white dress.... Maybe if spend many afternoons doing just this I might achieve the first items of my wish list in the process.....

3. Visit Giethoorn
I first read about the Venice of the North in an Access magazine and it stuck with me. However, I still haven't quite chalked up an actual visit. Giethoorn is located in Overijssel in the Netherlands and the only way to get around is by boat or bike. Picturesque doesn't begin to describe how it looks.

4. Boerenspellen
This is maybe a strange one, but I keep seeing signs for 'boerenspellen' as we drive in through farming areas and rural landscapes and it sounds like a lot of fun. This is essentially traditional Dutch, outdoor games played in a farmer's field. Think along the lines of pole vaulting over water, chain gang clog walking, farmer's golf (picture big wooden clubs), wheelbarrow races, tyre rolling, tug 'o war.

5. Cycle like a Local
I'm more of a recreative cyclist. And that at a push. I'd like to think nothing of jumping on my bike and heading off out. The reality is clambering in the shed, checking none of the tyres have gone down since the last outing six months ago, cursing because I've caught my leg on a pedal of one of the kids' bikes, leave the shed in a foul mood and limp off to my destination. My husband has been busy clearing the shed up the last few weeks, give the bikes an overhaul and is regularly going off on jaunts on his bike - and I am going to follow suit......

This is what cars looked like when I was regularly driving -
I need to get back out there!

6. Drive
Following the transportation theme, I want to get out in the car. I wrote about my fear a while back, and it hasn't gone away. It is one of those stupid, irrational things that has grown and become the norm. And it's restricting. I even got behind the wheel with a driving instructor, got to the point where I felt confident enough to drive our car and then... I fell down the stairs and was out of action for a few months. And it all went to waste.

7. See Soldat van Oranje
Since having children going to the theatre hasn't been a regular occurrence. In fact, it may have happened once when I went to see Billy Elliot in London for a lovely weekend away with a friend. Once in more than seven years. So I don't really go out of my way to look at what is on in the way of plays or musicals but Soldat van Oranje has caught my eye. I have a thing for war time stories, particularly Dutch ones. In school, I learnt a lot about the second World War from the British perspective, and later taking French A-Level, from the French view. Living in the Netherlands now I am learning how the war was through Dutch eyes.

8. See the Dutch Football Team Live
I have only ever seen the boys in orange on the television and I would like to change that. I figure now would be great time to do that seeing as they are playing their matches in Brazil.
*Stumbles off to look for loose change down the back of the sofa*

9. See the Dutch Football Team Win a World Cup
This doesn't have to be live. I would settle for watching the Netherlands lift the World Cup on my screen in the comfort of my own home, as long as I got to see it. Four years ago Oranje made it to the World Cup final and fell at the last hurdle. It was devastating, even for an adopted Dutchie like me. So far this World Cup they have surprised everyone, and I hope it continues.....

10. See an Elfstedentocht
Oh, this seems like such a wonderful event to witness - a 200 kilometre ice skating tour/race through eleven cities in Friesland. Once the temperature drops below freezing in the Netherlands on more than three says in a row there is a rising national fever in anticipation of the possibility of an Elfstedntocht. Unfortunately, the reality is that it has been many years since the last tocht took place (namely 1997) and I really wonder if I will ever get to see one. There have been a few years since I came to the Netherlands where the rumblings reach epic levels, and it looks like it is a remote possibility and then comes a big thaw and the hopes melt as fast as the ice. One year maybe it will happen.

Linking Up
So, that's 10 things I still want to see do or experience in the Netherlands, now's it's over to you. What do you still want to do in the country you currently call home? If you are not a blogger but have an expat bucket list (big or small) then leave a comment here and share it.

If you are a blogger then link up your post below. There aren't really any rules but I would ask that you please share the link up button below on your own post and it would be great if you visited the other linked posts and leave a comment, even if it is to say hello. I look forward to reading all your expat bucket lists!

<div align="center">
<a href="http://lifewithadoublebuggy.blogspot.nl" title="Expat Life with a Double Buggy"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0N6ik1LnF-b7CpjdqQ8Yn8g85ywT1Czd8tSzxer-Z80tW2UfPEFjOZhEVBWNMxbLsD2eOvaG8y9WqvG_ddeeXi6YSRDvtv1yvFJ1C3LHosBfoOfQk2OQiP6fMGDX_pBAKihGZfcLM3Y/s1600/ELWADB+LinkUp.JPG" alt="Expat Life with a Double Buggy" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

An InLinkz Link-up

Sharing Our Roots - an interview with Suzanne

In the fourth post of this Sharing Our Roots series, Dutch mother Suzanne shares her viewpoint on raising culturally aware children whilst living in Britain.

Making friends the English way - school
uniform and all!
(c) Suzanne

Suzanne was born in the Netherlands but now lives in London in England with her husband and two daughters who are two and four (or as her eldest prefers "four and three quarters"). Suzanne's daughters were born in Britain and hold British passports but not Dutch ones. Suzanne explains why,

"The sole reason is the inconvenience of legalizing their British birth certificates, which is a requirement of the Dutch embassy. The passport of my eldest will expire soon and I’m thinking of taking advantage of the situation to get both girls a Dutch passport as well as extending their British ones. As we have different surnames and nationalities I always get questions at the border and am asked to show their birth certificates when my husband isn’t travelling with us, which is most of the time."

Thinking to the future, Suzanne also sees another advantage of obtaining dual nationality for her daughters, but also considers the practicalities of the unthinkable,

"I can also imagine it being easier for them to move to the Netherlands with Dutch passports if we or they should ever want or need to. For example, their legal guardians (should my husband and I both die) are in the Netherlands. I can imagine a few legal hurdles would need to be overcome before they’d be allowed to leave the UK in such a case."

Asked whether she thinks it is important for her children to know about the country she herself was born in Suzanne replies,

"I don’t dwell on it, I don’t even consider myself an expat - I’m just Dutch and happen to live in the UK. I do think it’s great for kids living in a “dominant” culture (like the UK or North America) to have a true appreciation of the differences between the country they’re growing up in and the other country they’re culturally linked to (or countries, as my London-born husband’s parents are Italian). It also helps them relate to their cousins who are huge role models for them."

So how do you share Dutch culture with your children whilst living in London? Suzanne teaches her

Getting used to Father Christmas, even though
Sinterklaas still visits Dutch children living
abroad!
(c) Suzanne

children about the Dutch holidays and communicates with them in Dutch. Whilst she is working the family has a Dutch nanny who keeps the Dutch language in use in the family home. Suzanne says,

"Between us we read stories, sing songs and show videos that provide context around Sinterklaas, koninginnedag and day-to-day traditions such as hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles), cycling, street play, the absence of school uniforms and so on. Our nanny is a lot younger than I am and can share more of what the current generation experiences."

The children soaking in the Dutch culture
during a visit to Leiden
(c) Suzanne

The family also visits the Netherlands around three times a year which is hugely beneficial for the language skills of her children as Suzanne explains,

"Whenever we visit my family in the Netherlands they get a full 4-5 day language and culture immersion resulting in a huge improvement of their spoken Dutch."

Suzanne relays that she doesn't seek out the Dutch community locally or attend Dutch related events. Instead she makes optimal use of the internet and brings back Dutch books from their trips to the Netherlands.

"We also call the grandparents a lot and sing at least one Dutch song at bedtime each night," she says.

The only real issue that Suzanne relates to bringing up children in a country she was not born in revolves around language although she does notice a potential culture difference in parenting styles,

"My husband doesn’t speak Dutch so I find it hard to speak Dutch consistently. Besides this I cannot think of any negatives. I’m completely at home here and don’t have issues with not being able to relate to how they experience childhood. I do find kids a bit self-entitled and spoiled here and feel I’m always the tougher parent (“no, you can’t have a biscuit the second you walk out of the school gates even though all the other kids can”) but that may be a trend of the time rather than the place."

Whilst bringing up bilingual children can throw up challenges for parents, Suzanne has a gem of advice for other parents when the going gets tough,

"If you do want to teach your kids your language, stick to it. Don’t worry about them getting behind in the other language. They will catch up very quickly and will be forever grateful for being bilingual."

Top 8 Must Buy Items for Expats in the Netherlands

I've entered the Expats Blog writing contest and would appreciate your help to make "Top 8 Must Buy Items for Expats in the Netherlands" a winner. To help, simply pop over to the website, read the article and give it a comment of appreciation, share it/like it on Twitter and Facebook using the links under the article on the Expats Blog - and that's it!

How many of the 8 items have you purchased since moving to the Netherlands?
Head over to http://www.expatsblog.com/contests/308/top-8-must-buy-items-for-expats-in-the-netherlands to find out.

Bikes, Kids and the Dutch

Ferrying children around on a bike - as easy as ABC in
the Netherlands
(c) The Writing Well

*A recent article confirmed that it's actually safer to ferry your children around in a bakfiets (a carrier fixed to the front of the bike) than a child seat fixed to either the front or back of your bike. The reason for this is simple - if you are involved in an accident with a car whilst on your bike more often than not your head tends to meet the windscreen. In a bakfiets this won't happen. The other reason cited for it being safer than a child seat is because drivers notice a bakfiets more than child seats. It all makes sense to me when you think about it logically - with a bakfiets the centre of gravity is lower and it is therefore more stable.

With the imminent birth of our third baby I have thought about a fietskar (a child carrier in the form of a trailer that fits to the back of a bike) as getting about would be a lot easier by bike as the kids get a little bigger. It is safer than two children in seats on the front and back of my bike - particularly given my amateurish, shaky cycling skills. The downside of bike trailers or bakfiets is that they are not cheap!

For a bakfiets you can expect to part with more than a thousand of your hard earned euro - but it is a replacement for a car for many. A bike child seat will set you back anything from 50 to 100 euro depending on the model and the price for a trailer for your bike starts around 170 euro (but remember you need to buy accessories to attach your children safely in the trailer....) and rises easily to near 1000 euro.......

Do you cycle around with your children on your bike? Do you use child seats, a trailer of a bakfiets? Which form do you feel is safer? Did you transport your kids by bike before you moved to the Netherlands? I would love to hear your views!


*This article first appeared on my other blog, A Letter from the Netherlands in September 2011.

The Glory Days of Learning to Cycle

Learning to Ride a Bike
(c) Amanda van Mulligen

I can remember my first real bike like it was yesterday - a red Poppy bike - one with no stabilisers on it... just two wheels. I guess I must have been the age my eldest is now, maybe a year older at six. I remember falling hard numerous times until I had cracked the art of cycling. I can picture my dad holding the back of my bike as I cycled along the paths around our house - until he decided the moment was right to let go. I would carry on travelling until I realised my safety net was gone, turn and scream and then tip over. It was a pattern repeated several times. What I probably mean is hundreds of times. Bruises, cuts and scrapes failed to act as a deterrent - we kept going until I had mastered getting about on two wheels. These were without a doubt my biking glory years. This was back in England, in Warrington to be specific, in the late 1970s.

A few decades on, a change of location, and I am now the one spurring my son on to bike his way around on just two wheels. In the Netherlands, most children, if not actually born attached to a bike, are cycling almost as soon as they have some sort of leg control. At the age of 4 there are children cycling past me on the school run on two wheels. My son has already had a cycling lesson on the school playground (the first of many to come) as well as traffic awareness lessons. The foundation has been laid. It is a matter of time (I suspect weeks if the weather allows) before he joins the majority of the local population and practically glues his bum to a bicycle seat - a relationship which will last until he no longer has proper control of his legs...... I guess I had better dust my bike down and start trying to recapture my cycling glory years before all three of my sons master two wheels!