These are a few of her favorite things

May – 2005

A windmill is a sure sign "this is Holland!"

On the last day of April, Hollanders celebrate Koninginnedag, a day which honors their beloved queen, Beatrix. Most go to concerts, flea markets, or watch “Follow that Queen” programs on TV. These consist of Queen Beatrix flashing a smile and waving to crowds in a chosen city. In addition, many houses raise a Dutch flag, and every balloon, hat, t-shirt, and street is mandatorily decked out in orange, the color of the royal family. It is a plainly patriotic holiday. This gives me plenty of reason to articulate all the reasons why I love the Netherlands. It is time I unearthed all the Dutch cultural gems and let everyone in on Dutch customs, the way I see it.

Being a girl who appreciates food, I love all the special Dutch foods. We eat a lot of bread so a cheese sandwich, or “broodje kaas,” is very common. Also, I start out every morning with some bread topped with Hagel Slag, chocolate sprinkles.

These things are familiar, but there are some outlandish food items that I would like to avoid. Raw herring is a very popular fish in the Netherlands, and according to my family, I will never be a true “Nederlander” without trying it. Nonetheless, this is a cultural gem from which I plan to keep my distance.


A shop in the market selling stroopwafels, one of Amy Renes' favorites. The seller even let her try a fresh, warm wafel.

I gladly welcome, however, stroopwafels, apple pie, Dutch pancakes, and the such. I am even warming up to the black candy favorite of the Netherlands called “drop.” It is almost a given that every non-Dutch person does not like “drop.” In other words, the foreign taste-tester must drop the black candy out of his/her mouth within ten seconds or face an early death.

I was no different at the beginning of the year, though I did try “drop” on a number of occasions, each time believing my friends that, “This kind is different!” It is probably an acquired taste because I am now able to eat a whole piece of drop, without spewing out half-chewed black bits. This is definitely progress.

Food is not the only thing that I like about the Netherlands. I have also fallen in love with the architecture. Here, wooden houses are very rare, and brick is the standard. I appreciate each neat corner, trademark window, and brick wall. That is something I noticed within a few hours of coming into the Netherlands, and it still makes an impression on me.

The architecture seems very rich since so many buildings are from centuries past. That is something that we seem to miss out on in the U.S. We have old buildings, but there is definitely a longer history in Europe. Because of this, even an ordinary supermarket can be placed in a regal structure.


Beautiful Dutch houses such as this one are the kind of architecture that Amy Renes really enjoys seeing in the Netherlands.

To go along with their brick, historical buildings, the Dutch like to keep everything in the surrounding area very neat and organized. This means that every house has a very neat garden, packed with lots of flowers, trees, shrubs, and bushes.

I always thought tulips to be a stereotype of the Dutch, but they really do like their tulips, among other flowers. I was able to go to Keukenhof with my parents this year, which is a giant park with fields and fields of tulips, beautiful gardens, and expositions. We were a little bit too late for the fields of tulips, but the gardens were amazing. It takes Dutch precision and organization to get a garden like that together.

One thing that I might not be appreciating completely is Dutch humor. Being a Dutch speaker for only half a year, most Dutch jokes are lost on me. However, each time I understand even a small part of a joke, I am sure to laugh my heart out and enjoy the moment to the fullest.

Other things that I like about the Netherlands are small things, mostly country images, that seem to scream, “This is Holland!” The images that I am thinking of are wooden shoes, windmills, cheese, and tulips. Every time I see one of those things, I can smile a little because it is always authentic Holland. Windmills are especially nostalgic.

In conclusion, there is a lot to like about the Netherlands. I see them on a day-to-day basis, and I am sure they will stick with me for a long time. I have written about a lot of the cultural highlights, but, of course, there is a lot more to see and learn about the country. You’ll just have to stop by some day; The Queen would be glad to see you.

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