10 typical Dutch things

1. Biking – you’re not seeing people biking when the weather is good like in Germany. Here you see people on the bike even in winter and you also feel like doing that because the biking paths are absolutely amazing. They are separate from the street, often in both directions and as they have lots of roundabouts you also can drive there separate from cars. 

2. Albert Heijn and Hema – are typical Dutch stores which are really popular. Albert Heijn is a common supermarket and in Hema you get everything you need – from makeup over kitchen stuff to sweets.

Hagelslag in different colous and flavours

3. Hagelslag - there are different foods I want to talk about but this one is more special because its sprinkles for (Dutch) bread (And therefore they are not the same sprinkels as for baking!!!). There are lots of variations of flavours so I guess nearly everybody can find one which fits you.

Yummiiiii!!!

       4. Speculoos – besides Hagelslag they have another special bread toping which I thought you should know about. Speculoos is actually tasting like the cookies but it’s a paste like nutella or peanut butter.

5.  Cafés – Here in the Netherlands they have lots of cafés where you can sit outside almost all the time. When fall comes the put on their heaters outside and every seat has a blanket. When Sun is shining it’s really hard to catch a table especially when you’re with many people and so you have to wait and catch the first table that’s free. 

6. Water – when I visited my host family for the first time I already got the impression that the Netherlands actually should be floated. But as they have very good engineers here they stopped most of the water and kept some land. In my neighborhood we have lots of “Grachten” which are water canals where you can find lots of duckies and swans.  I really like it but sadly there are blue algae in the water so you’re not allowed to swim in the water. 

7. only ONE “koekje”(cookie) – That’s a typical Dutch habit. When they have tea time or a birthday and there is cake or cookies there is this unspoken rule to just take one piece/cookie. You will seem kinda greedy when you take more ;) 

8. Wilhelmina Pepermunt – If you go to a restaurant and you have something with garlic don’t worrie, after paying you’re check you will get a humbug each and mainly they serve it fom the special brand “Wilhelmina Pepermunt”.  

9. Sinterklaas – At this time of the year you can buy “Oliebollen” which are fried dough and they are awesomely delicious (: besides that you’ll get a chocolate letter in your shoe which will be the first letter of your name. And as I mentioned in my other post that’s also the time when you can buy Kruidnoten – but as Daniel corrected me they call it “Pepernoten” in general (even if it’s a different thing). 

Coffee in a Blond Amsterdam cup  

10. Blond Amsterdam - is a special brand you can (as far as I know) just purchase in the Netherlands. It looks comic like and is very cute. They bring out different editions like now there is a Sinterklaas and a new Asian Edition.

 

And next time I may make a list of 5 typical foods. But I have to work on that first.

So I wish you a nice rest of the week and so far an enjoyable and wonderful week.

Feel hugged Xxx Leo