Posts Tagged ‘Netherlands’

The Shell and the Bull

Sunday, January 17th, 2010

Although 2010 is, according to The Economist, expected to be the hottest year since climate measurements began, Rotterdam was not spared heavy snowfalls. Many parts of the Netherlands were covered in white, causing the train system to break down at some point. Luckily, I was able to spend the hardest time in other parts of Europe; now the temperatures are rising again.

When the weather barely reaches zero degree for days, the dikes in Rotterdam freeze. This is probably the most enjoyable time for Dutch families since children run on the ice where usually ducks take a swim. Also, school children would try to break the ice by throwing nearby stones on the ice, causing a hassle for construction workers since these stones were to be used for fixing the sidewalk. Some kids nevertheless play too much and would get wet feet (the ice sometimes does break).

For bikers this time of the year is the most uncomfortable and dangerous one. Slippery roads turn curving into tricky actions, where talent sometimes does not prevent a fall. Before Christmas I was able to enjoy a nasty fall due to an icy curve. A few minutes later I nearly fell again but this time it was because a biker in front of me lost her balance (breaking on snow usually doesn’t work that well). But as I’m writing this post, the sun is melting the last icy remains and the roads will, hopefully, be save again.

During Christmas, apart from spending a few very nice days in Italy (posts will follow), I received a nice gift, a bottle of red wine of the winery ‘Concha y Toro’ (the shell and the bull, if my translation is accurate). This Chilean wine was served for our annual family Christmas brunch; this year it was ‘fondue chinoise’, a meal where different types of meat are boiled in a hot soup on the table, served with vegetables and different types of sauces. As I returned to Rotterdam I found, to my surprise, two ‘Concha y Toro’ wines on my wine rack. Although it is not the premium edition like the present I received, the ‘Casillero del Diablo’ nevertheless is a good table wine. However, when drinking the wine with your partner be careful not to end up in devil’s rack…

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Two-Wheelers

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

There is, slightly exaggerated, nothing nicer than updating the world after the sun finally broke through the thicket of clouds. After five days of constant rain Rotterdam’s streets lust after a period of drought. These wet paths can be dangerous; especially curves covered with autumn leaves are tricky even for experienced cyclers. Yet, real dutchmen don’t mind getting wet. It is part of the ‘Dutch experience’.

A large part of the Dutch people cycle themselves to work, to the supermarket, or to school. Parents give their kids a lift; yet, as soon as the youngsters are able to balance on two wheels they pedal on their own. Since many cities in the Netherlands have special lanes for bikes cycling is much safer than in other places; in Bangkok I personally would not dare to conquer the dense traffic.

In Rotterdam these lanes are made of red paving stones, so they are easy to recognize, even at night. Even though some paths are marked as one-way you won’t catch angry looks when riding the opposite direction. Traffic rules actually do not seem to apply to cyclists at all. Confronted with a red light, there’s a good chance that the rider just crosses the road, after a careful glance to the left and to the right of course.

This behavior can save you a lot of time; Dutch people are, like the Swiss, a rather hurried nation. Yet, also in the more ‘relaxed’ countries, there are times where people seem to be unable to wait. In Bangkok, for example, people are already entering the skytrain as passengers are still getting of the wagon.

Admittedly, bikes are very convenient provided the rain doesn’t drown the city. Yet, two-wheelers can turn out to be very nasty as well. Since you always need to lock your bicycles properly, otherwise they get stolen quickly, losing your keys can be fatal. Recently, maybe also part of my ‘real dutchman experience’, I needed to shoulder two bikes and bring them to the closest repair shop. Because it was a Sunday the only shop that was open was somehow distant. And yes, it was raining.

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Utrecht

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Utrecht, the fourth largest city in the Netherlands, is a beautiful place to escape the industrial city of Rotterdam. I spent there one afternoon a couple of weeks ago and I can still live on the memories. In short, there were three highlights. First, a boat tour on Utrecht’s canals where children get their first rafting experience and where elderlies and romantic couples enjoy the fresh breeze. Second, an exhausting hike on Utrecht’s highest building, the dome. After climbing some 400 steps, I got rewarded with a nice view on the old water tower and the new, yet small, business district. Third, a delicious dinner in the supposedly best pancake restaurant right at the water made my day. Not to mention that a black cat led to a happy ending. See for yourself, the photos are online in my gallery.

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Febo + Co.

Sunday, September 13th, 2009

If you have ever wondered where you could get a burger out of a shelf, then you might check out the Netherlands. Here, food habits are quite different then down south. Febo ‘de lekkerste’ is probably the easiest place to buy food: no interactions with anybody is needed. According to a dutch friend, people like this here, they sometimes prefer not to talk to anybody. Of course, in Rotterdam there are also more common restaurant types, such as a a couple of Italian restaurants, a quite good ‘Wok-to-go’, where chinese cooks prepare your food instantly, as well as global fast food chains, such as Burger King or McDonalds.

For those who’d rather have a meal at home, Albert Heijn is the perfect location. It is a widespread retailer offering nearly everything needed to cook international cuisine. Albert reminds me of Coop (a swiss supermarket); however, I believe that the quality of the food is superior in Switzerland (although more expensive as well). Yet, Albert sells a lot of instant food, such as prepared salads, oven-ready tandoori chicken, or freshly made pizzas. I am still looking for an Italian speciality shop, since my kitchen still lacks fresh thyme and rosemary. At ‘Nieuwe Binnenweg’ there are a couple of asian and middle eastern stores.

Surprisingly, dutch people generally do not eat a warm lunch. The usual meal consists of various types of bread, ham, sliced cheese, and maybe some fresh fruits, yoghurts, and milk. Yet, the university canteen does serve lunch; so having a warm meal in the Netherlands should not be a problem. If everything fails, you might still get a chance at Febo. Also, I find that locals are not always aware of their eating habits. Albert Heijn, for example, promotes product labels, such as ‘healthy choice’ and ‘conscious choice’. Healthy choice, at least for Albert, simply means that the product tastes fresh and that its easy to open. The supermarket wanted to compete with its store brands against premium brands that also use ‘healthy’ labels, so some labels needed to be introduced.

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Rotterdam

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

My new place of residence is Rotterdam. I moved in my new apartment on August 25 and I have settled down in the meantime. With more than 580000 inhabitants, Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands. It is also host to the biggest harbor in Europe, the Europort. My apartment is located in the city center, near the railway station, which is currently being renovated. The metro area has a population of little more than 1.1 million; so Rotterdam is quite an urban place to live in. Yet, the city center is not too big. Most important places are located to the south of the railway station. There is a long shopping street called the Lijnbaan where most important shops are located. You will find common shops such as T-Mobile or Media Markt but there are also Dutch stores, which you only find here.

My apartment is located on the 10th floor. This allows me to see the sun set every night (except on cloudy evenings), especially since this building is the only ‘high’ building in the neighborhood. Yet, Rotterdam has many new buildings. It is famous for its architecture because Dutch designers dare to provoke and amaze the city with their newest ideas. I will try to publish a post about Rotterdam’s buildings later on as soon as I know the most important spots.

In the Netherlands it is quite easy to get around with a bicycle. In Rotterdam, an probably in many other Dutch cities as well, there are special bicycle lanes available so riders do not need to worry about motorized traffic. Moreover, bicycles nearly always have right of way – being a car driver in Rotterdam might only be have as fun as somewhere else. Because the Netherlands are flat, there is no need for gears. Most Dutch riders use a very old bicycle, which we call a ‘Dutch bike’ back home. One main reason is that bicycles get stolen very easily; even the oldest bikes are locked with two locks. If you have a more expensive version, you need to secure both wheels and the frame with strong locks. Otherwise you might never see your ride again.

Just to the south of the center lies Delfshaven. It is where the Erasmus bridge, which connects both sides of the Maas river, is located. Another possibility to get to the other side is to use the Maastunnel, which I believe is only for cars. Interestingly, Dutch people seem to be somehow lazy regarding cycling. Nearly everybody was pushing their bikes when crossing the bridge even though riding over it was not teasing out a drop of sweat. As you ride to the the east you will eventually get to Kralingen, one of the richest neighborhoods in the Netherlands. There, many roads are paved causing a very townish feeling. Small shops and expensive houses only intensify this feeling. At the end of Kralingen you get to the Erasmus University Woudenstein Campus. This is where the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) is located and where my studies have just started.

Rotterdam’s citizens are very international. Nearly half of the population have a non-Dutch background. About 10% are Surinamese. Suriname is a country in South America and has been colonized by the Dutch. The official language of the nearly 500000 inhabitants is Dutch. Another 10% of Rotterdam’s population are Turkish and another 10% Moroccan. When walking on through the city you will hear a lot of Middle Eastern languages. I find this very exciting especially because I am studying Global Business. Rotterdam is the most multi-cultural place in the Netherlands and I believe it is the right spot to learn about other cultures.

The Europort is the third busiest port in terms of cargo in the world. It once has been number one but was overtaken by Singapore in 1986 and then by Shanghai in 2005. The port connects the sea with two rivers, the Maas and the Rhine. Unfortunately, not the Rhine but the Maas is running through the city center. It would have been fun for me to live with the same river as I have been for the last 20 years (the Rhine also runs through Basel). Over 420 million tons of cargo are handled annually at Europort which led to profits of 150 million Euros in 2008. Actually, the port of Rotterdam consists not only of the Europort but also of historical locations such as Delfshaven. It is also home to the third largest ferry of Europe, the Pride of Rotterdam. Built in 2001, it can transport 1360 passengers with 22 knots. Maybe after graduation, I will be able to finance a Suite and tour the world with Pride of Rotterdam…

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