Aunty Jo-Jo @ Kurhaus, the Hague, NetherlandsSince my current job is with Shell, which is a Dutch company, I'll be sharing some of my impressions of the Netherlands.
- It may be one of the smallest European countries, but there is a long and proud history of maritime, trade, art and the Golden Era
- The geography is interesting with 70% of the country below sea level, so much effort and ingenuity has gone into the construction of dykes and dams to keep the water out
- Dutch scenery allows you to see a great expanse of sky and water in the countryside , while the cities proudly display centuries-old architecture crammed together around beautiful squares and delightful canals
- Real "Dutch" food is very basic: bread, cheese, milk and more bread. However, immigrants have introduced more variety into the Dutch diet and you can easily find Indonesian nasi padang, Indian samosas, Chinese wontons and Thai kao pad.
- The Dutch are proud of their artists, and rightly so. Who can resist the bold wild colours of Van Gogh (my favourite) or the gentle glow of a Vermeer? I've recently discovered the genius of many other Dutch artists from the Golden Era, and am particularly impressed by Gerard van der Boch
- A visit to the Anne Frank's hideout in Amsterdam left me a little sad but in awe of the human spirit. There can be no justification for discrimination based on race or colour - God made us, every one
- I am amazed at the ability of the Dutch to switch from one language to another: Dutch, English, German, French, Indonesian. It's almost effortless
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