Travelfood

Holland is a wonderful small country with a unique countryside conquered by the sea. The tourist is delighted by tulip field which blossom in spring, and by windmills and canals, everything that make you enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Small towns such as Utrecht, Leiden, Haarlem, Delft and the Hague are examples of beautiful canal towns with big churches. The capital Amsterdam looks the same, but on a much larger scale and as everywhere else in the world, the people in the capital are different from the rural areas. The world famous Dutch tolerance is concentrated to the capital.

When the country is flat and the situated by the stormy North Sea, it is obvious that it rains a lot and the rain whips you vertically. Although there are no steep hills to disencourage bicyclists, the hard wind makes you pedal as if climbing a mountain or if you are lucky, gives you extra speed. For this warm drinks are needed and the Dutch genever alcohol warms well at winter. From street kitchens you can buy hering buns (groene haring) and even smoked eel. As a legacy from the Indonesian colonies there are many Indonesian restaurants to be found and they serve rijsstafel, which is a rice buffet with many different sauces. I myself would have liked to tast something from Holland’s other large former colony Surinam. For some reason, there are also many Uruguayan steak restaurants in Amsterdam as well. Poffertjes, a kind of mini pancake, are served as desserts or with coffee.

Holland has an extensive train network, which takes you to the smallest towns. The huge Afsluitdijk dam, which connects Holland’s northern Friesland parts with the south which and closes the artificial giant lake Ijselmeer (please visit the beautiful lake harbor town Hoorn!), offers nevertheless a highway and bicycle lane only. Many do their Holland tour by bike and that is perhaps the most pleasant way to do it unless it rains. There are inexpensive but high-quality bikes for rent at most train stations.

Amsterdam and Holland are worth a visit during any time of the year although the spring-blossoming flower fields are perhaps the most attractive. The smile and friendliness of the locals make the visitor feel welcome and most of them know English. A few times during the century the canals freeze and you may skate on them. That is an experience worth waiting for!

Europe, food, Holland, Netherlands, travel, travel experiences