 | McLae´s guide to The Netherlands |  |
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The Netherlands Internet country code: .nl International telephone prefix: +31  Vincent van Gogh Quite a few travellers visit the Netherlands to enjoy its famously tolerant attitude: prostitution is legalized and licensed and the sale, possession and consumption of small quantities of softdrugs, while technically still illegal, is officially tolerated by the authorities under a policy of gedogen (tolerance). Harder drugs remain illegal both in theory and practice. In the same open minded atmosphere is the Dutch ease towards homosexuality, making the Netherlands one of the most gay countries on the planet. To experience these freedoms, you're best off in Amsterdam with coffeeshops and clubs. On a note unrelated to tourism--but still relating to its liberal culture--Euthanasia, abortion, wearing traditional wooden clogs (klompen) and same-sex marriage are also legal. Cycling: Cycling in the Netherlands is much less hazardous than in other countries, because of the infrastructure - cycle paths, cycle lanes, and signposted cycle routes. However, the proliferation of bicycles also means that you're seen as a serious part of traffic - motorists will hate you if you don't keep by the rules. Some things to know: There are four ways to use a bicycle: [WARNING] NEVER ! park a bike near a trainstation unless it is a guarded bike parking ! in other places use a good bikelock to secure your bike. Biketheft is a problem. Eating and Drinking: Dutch traditional cuisine is basic. However, due to inffluences from Indonesian, Chinese and North African immigrants there is an abundancy of foodcultures to choose from. In the big cities you can eat good Thai food (on the Nieuwmarkt in Amsterdam for instance) for a bargain price, and in the Chinese quarters you can get authentic Chinese food. You will also be able to find a restaurant from every corner of the world (especially in Amsterdam). Every village has its own Chinese restaurant where you can eat a lot for a little money, but the taste is aimed at the Dutch citizen with little 'taste' for adventure (no herbs, a lot of sugar). Also around every corner is a 'frietboer', also known as 'snackbar' or 'cafetaria', which sells french fries. You can have a lot of things added to your french fries: ketchup, mayonaise, curry, pinda sauce, onions etc. They also sell all kinds of other fried snacks. Modern Dutch restaurants and cafés serve better food lately, mostly meat, vegetables, served with fries and salad. If you eat in a café then food is affordable, you can also go to upscale restaurants where prices go up equally. Most of the time profit is made from the drinks, so be careful there if you're on a budget. Traditional highlights are pancakes (available in 'pannenkoekenhuizen'), mashed potatoes with carrots and bacon (hotch-potch 'hutspot') and pea soup. You'll have to go to a traditional restaurant to find this however. In the south the bakery's have "Limburgse vlaai" some kind of pie. wich is something you should try. Drop (liquorice) is something you love or hate, you can buy all kinds of varieties. You can get it sweet or extremely salty. Although the Dutch brand "Heineken" is one of the most prestigious beers in the world, it is just one of the many beer brands in Holland. You can get all kind of beers from white beer to dark beer. Popular brands are Dutch, the traditional beers come from monasteries in Holland or Belgium. You can visit a traditional beer brewer in for instance 'Moergestel' at the 'Trappistenklooster'. It needs to be said that the brewery is owned by the big brewer Bavaria, so it's not so traditional anymore. Hot Chocolate with whipped cream is a winter tradition in Holland. It really fills you after a cold walk. In summer you can also get it in every decent bar, however sometimes it's made from powder and doesn't taste that good. Also popular in winter are alcoholic bitters. Every city has it's own version. Amsterdam has 'Beerenburg', Tilburg has 'schrobbelear' a.s.o. Dutch drink black tea, and they keep it as watery as possible. Luckily, if you're English, you get the teabag served with a cup of hot water, so you can make your own version. Milk in your tea is almost unheard of. If you're from the States or Canada, you can drink one cup of Dutch coffee in the morning and add water the rest of the day! If you order 'koffie verkeerd' you get the French 'café au lait' which is less strong with fresh milk. Smoking: The Netherlands are renowned for their liberal drug policy. While technically still illegal, mostly to comply to international treaties, soft drugs are regulated by the Ministry of Justice under an official policy of gedogen (tolerance), and you are allowed to buy and smoke small doses (under 5 grams) of cannabis or hash, as well as fresh hallucinogenic ("magic") mushrooms. For this you have to visit a coffeeshop for weed or a smartshop for the natural highs. These are abundant in most larger towns. Coffeeshops are not allowed to sell alcoholic beverages, and minors are not allowed inside. They are also prohibited from advertising, so many use the Rastafari red-yellow-green colors to hint at the products available inside. History: Under Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, leader of the Burgundian empire and king of Spain, the region was part of the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands, which also included most of present-day Belgium, Luxembourg, and some land of France and Germany. 1568 saw the start of the Eighty Years' War between the provinces and Spain. In 1579, the northern half of the Seventeen Provinces declared itself independent from Spain, and they formed the Union of Utrecht, which is seen as the foundation of the modern Netherlands. Philip II, the son of Charles V, was not prepared to let them go that easily and war continued until 1648 when Spain finally recognised Dutch independence. After gaining formal independence from the Burgundy-Spanish Empire under King Philip IV, the Dutch grew to become one of the major seafaring and economic powers of the 17th century during the period of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. In the era, referred to as the Dutch Golden Age, colonies and trading posts were established all over the globe. (See Dutch colonial empire) Many economic historians regard the Netherlands as the first thoroughly capitalist country in the world. In early modern Europe it featured the wealthiest trading city (Amsterdam) and the first full-time stock exchange. The inventiveness of the traders led to insurance and retirement funds as well as such less benign phenomena as the boom-bust cycle, the world's first asset-inflation bubble, the tulip mania of 1636-1637, and according to Murray Sayle, the world's first bear raider - Isaac le Maire, who forced prices down by dumping stock and then buying it back at a discount ("Japan Goes Dutch", London Review of Books [April 5, 2001]: 3-7). After briefly being incorporated in the First French Empire under Napoleon, the Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815, consisting of the present day Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. In addition, the king of the Netherlands became hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Belgium rebelled and gained independence in 1830, while the personal union between Luxembourg and the Netherlands was severed in 1890 as a result of ascendancy laws which prevented Queen Wilhelmina from becoming Grand Duke. The Netherlands possessed several colonies, most notably the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) and Suriname (the latter was traded with the British for New Amsterdam, now known as New York). These 'colonies' were first administered by the Dutch East India Company and the Dutch West India Company, both collective private enterprises. Three centuries later these companies got into financial trouble and the territories in which they operated were taken over by the Dutch government (in 1815 and 1791 respectively). Only then did they become official colonies. During the 19th century, the Netherlands was slow to industrialise compared to neighbouring countries, mainly due to its unique infrastructure of waterways and reliance on wind power. After remaining neutral in World War I, it became a member of the allied forces during World War II in which over 100,000 Dutch Jews were murdered in the Holocaust of World War II, along with significant numbers of Dutch Roma (gypsies). After the war, the Dutch economy prospered again, being a member of the Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) and European Economic Community unions. The Netherlands was among the twelve founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and among the six founding members of the European Coal and Steel Community, which would later evolve into the European Union. |
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