Which inspires me to write some experiences I've had in these last two weeks - experiences that could happen "only in the Netherlands".
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| From Wikimedia commons |
Only in the Netherlands: I'm surrounded by a sea of tall skinny blonde people. The men all bear a resemblance to my husband. Bikes are too tall for me, mirrors in bathrooms are placed so high I can only see the top of my forehead, and microwaves in homes are so high I can't begin to reach them.
Only in the Netherlands - As we are looking for a place to live, we say we are a bit concerned about the apartment that we are looking at is located over a bar. Then my husband asks if the street it's adjacent to is the red light district. Our realtor looks out the window and says, 'Hmm, yes, I think that's it. Want to see it?'
Only in the Netherlands: I order a croissant for breakfast and am asked if I want it filled with chicken curry.
Only in the Netherlands - We hear Alanis Morissette's song Ironic and the words were changed:
"It's like meeting the man of my dreams, and then meeting his beautiful wife."
to
"It's like meeting the man of my dreams, and then meeting his beautiful husband."
Only in the Netherlands: Rusty bikes with mis-aligned wheels, no gears, and missing petals run for 100 euros.
Only in the Netherlands: I get an opportunity to throw a box full of rubber duckies into a canal.
Only in the Netherlands: I wander the city streets at 7:30 in the morning, and there are no cafes open to get a coffee. There are, however, plenty of bars that are still open.
And for a point: Owning what one item makes you blend in with Dutch culture more than anything else? (Only in the Netherlands!)
Sjaak's guess: a bike
ReplyDeleteGinny's guess: klompen
a rubber duckie
ReplyDeleteSince my first choice is already taken...not fair since he IS dutch I will give another guess just in case he could be wrong in an alternative universe and it happens to be the one that Beth is residing in.... I say Hagelslag---you can not live in the Netherlands if you don't have a box of this to sprinkle on your toast every morning!!!
ReplyDeletea photo in traditional dutch garb taken from Volendam?
ReplyDeleteAll good guesses! Sjaak is right, as per usual, but Bram also makes a very good point. I'm giving you both a point!
ReplyDeleteFrom dad: yeah but Bram had insider information! like the stock market....
ReplyDeleteFrom me: Wait a minute... my guess of the Hagelslag is actually on the list of what sets the Dutch apart from other people... it was number 3 behind bikes and some word they just like to say cuz it sounds cool.... and I also played to your interests of alternative universes (which living in The Netherlands surely ranks as one--small useless kitchens etc) and it was not mentioned in your blog making it a more difficult answer to come up with...
and dad's answer of rubber duckies was just funny... everyone should get a point... this game has become so cutthroat you would think we were playing Monopoly... of course dad and I are the competitive ones...but still.....
Ah mom... you are the ones that make this game cutthroat... you are lucky this isn't a sport, as I would throw you out for continually arguing with the referee. ;-)
Delete@Rose: Statistically speaking this game is not cutthroat. Lets just say that a game is cutthroat at 2 standard deviations from norm. Now if we define the norm (the center of the gaussian curve) as any game of nerts involving you (a reasonable norm), or if you wish a wrestling match between Sjaak and I, then this is easily still within a single deviation. Therefore, this game is NOT cutthroat. QED ;-D
ReplyDelete