Going Dutch

I often pondered as a child why the Dutch lived in Holland, when say the English live in England and the French live in France. It just doesn’t follow. Then I discovered that historically, English speaking people just used the word Dutch to describe people from the Lowlands of Europe including Holland, Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium, and it stuck. The next conundrum was why Holland? Again it is an historical issue; North Holland and South Holland are actually two provinces in the Republic of Seven United Netherlands which was created in 1588 (now 12 provinces). The country became very wealthy for a time and the people of North and South Holland were responsible for a lot of that wealth, being very successful at trading. Again, through usage by the merchants and foreign business contacts the name stuck. So there it is, not Dutch or Holland but Netherlanders who come from The Netherlands. Fortunately Netherlanders are very warm, relaxed and welcoming people and seem to have forgiven the British for our lack of understanding of their history.

Growing up in Scarborough, one thing I looked forward to every year was the Dutch Festival. It was really a trade fair which was organised by the local Chamber of Commerce that also saw a week of events for the townsfolk, including a Grand Carnival. All week we would see people around dressed in the traditional Dutch costume, women with blue tops, striped skirts and white aprons and the easily identified Dutch Bonnet. The men wore navy blue shirts with double rows of brass buttons on the front, navy trousers with braces and clogs. I never will know how they keep them on, I find them extremely uncomfortable.

The Spa was open to the public and that was where all of the trade stands displayed their wares. It was something that I wasn’t aware of until I became a teenager and by that time the Festival had altered slightly, taking in Belgium and Luxembourg and becoming the Benelux festival.

In the town, the shops held a Spot A Prize competition for the public to enter. You would buy a programme of events from one of the traders, each one being marked with a number and if you saw your number in a participating shop window next to a prize, then you had to take your programme and show it to the shopkeeper to prove that you were the winner. There were some lovely prizes too; I designed the programme one year but sadly I never won anything. Typical events of the week included an official opening at the Town Hall, talks at various venues, endless samples of Edam cheese being handed out in the town and on the foreshore, old time dancing, beach games and sports on the beach, a concert at the Floral Hall, coffee morning with the organ playing in the Ocean Room at the Spa, a teenage dance put on by the Scouts, a play at the Theatre in the Round, an aquatic gala and tea at the Corner Café. Then of course the Grand Carnival followed by a Grand Carnival Ball at the Spa. And after all of that came a Farewell party with fireworks.

Most of it was for the adults of course, but the Carnival Parade was for us. We were allowed to leave school early and would race into the town to watch the procession as it wound its way through the town. There were bands playing and majorettes marching along throwing their batons in the air. Floats were laden with some very creative tableaus maybe a scene with Poseidon or gymnasts whilst others reflected the business being sponsored. There was more than one beauty queen with her maidens in attendance as well as the Carnival queen who was probably Miss Scarborough at the time. Some floats had people throwing out sweets which we children raced after to catch, whilst others had water pistols which we all ducked to avoid. More Edam cheese samples. There were clowns and stilt walkers, jazz bands and best of all the Dutch Barrell Organ which came every year and was paraded on a float. I can still hear the tune in my head as it played Tulips From Amsterdam. It was a thrilling sight which seemed to go on for ages as they headed to the final destination of Weaponess Valley Coach Park.

It was many years later before I actually visited The Netherlands; in fact we have had two super holidays there and visited Amsterdam on more than one occasion, travelling overnight on the ferry. The first holiday was a real eye opener. We took the ferry crossing from Hull to Rotterdam which is a great way to start your holiday. None of the endless queuing as at an airport. We simply drove on board and once we had parked the car we went to reception to get the keys for our cabin. Phil and Ian were just at the right age to enjoy the adventure and soon bagged their bunks, then it was out on board to explore the boat. I think mealtimes were the real feature of that first trip. The buffet was splendid, and the boys took full advantage of what was on offer. The biggest joke was that each devoured five puddings during that first meal. It’s a wonder they didn’t burst.

We had booked a chalet in a place called Rijnsberg. Not far from the coast, and about 30 miles north of The Hague, this quiet little town was perfect for our needs. We parked the car and hired bikes which we used for most of the holiday after that. Netherlanders enjoy camping and caravanning and the site we were on had every facility and was immaculate. We even had a little hedge round our outdoor space which gave some privacy and was big enough for sunbathing and having a bar-be-cue.

Once we had settled in, we went to explore the local town. The roads are perfect for cyclists and there are dedicated cycle paths for as far as you want to go which makes it much safer than our set-up in the UK and easier for you to consider travelling further. The next town was Katwijk aan Zee which boasts some lovely beaches, and it was all so easy that before we knew it we had cycled along the coastal path to Noordwijk aan Zee.

Everything was so handy for us too. We had loaded our bikes up the next day with a picnic and set off for Katwijk finding a nice sunny spot in the sand dunes. It was great in and out of the sea, all fresh air, whilst over there were big container ships passing so close to the coast on their way into port at Rotterdam. Towards the end of the afternoon we collected our things and made a start for home when we suddenly heard a commotion. Heading towards us at great speed was a runaway horse. We were on a slip road which ended at the busy main road just beyond us and the horse was running straight for it. Paul ordered us to quickly put our bikes down and form a chain across the road, with our arms spread out wide and to my amazement the horse slowed down into a trot. Paul grabbed its bridle and calmed the animal down before turning in the direction it had come. As he led the horse, the rest of us grabbed our bikes and belongings and followed on back to the sea front. There we saw a tearful young girl surrounded by lots of people, a police car and two officers. Their faces all lit up at the sight of Paul leading the stray back to its owner. I remember mumbling something to somebody that my husband knew how to handle horses, and that was that. Excitement over, we jumped on our bikes and rode back to our little chalet in Rijnsberg.

There was quite a big canal running close to the campsite and we soon discovered that the tow path was lovely to ride along. We found directions to Leiden and decided to have a look. The first thing that we noticed as we cycled in was the racks of bicycles outside the station. The University is the oldest and most highly regarded in the Netherlands and there were plenty of academic looking types on bikes. We were amazed to see the child carriers on the front of bikes, and people giving croggies as a norm. Apart from the fact that it is illegal in the UK, I think our bikes would collapse with the weight of another rider on the back. Leiden is a really beautiful city, not unlike Amsterdam with its canals and cafes. We visited the windmill where Rembrandt van Rijn lived with his family and then found a spot in the sunshine and had a drink before exploring the city centre further. What a hot day it was too, and we were glad to find some shade. One thing we learnt to enjoy on our holiday was chips with mayonnaise. Yum yum.

Having made it successfully to Leiden and back, we decided to cycle to Delft. I remember coming across a canal when a fully laden barge came along. The traffic stopped at the lights, the road bridge swung open the barge passed through, the road bridge swung closed, and the traffic set off again. It was all done with a minimum of fuss in a couple of minutes and yet so impressive because of it.

Delft was all we wanted it to be, and the buildings spoke of their age. We wandered in and out of churches and courtyards, visited a great museum and learnt a lot about the history of the place, but we didn’t find the pottery works. I think we decided that it was too far and too late on that particular day. We must have taken a wrong turn as we left Delft and it wasn’t long before we were cycling down the side of a motorway. The afternoon was drawing on and there was nobody to ask for directions. Suddenly Phil asked where we were going, and I admitted that we were a bit lost. He said he knew the way, so we decided to trust him and sure enough, after ten minutes of cycling we were back in familiar territory. I felt really proud of him and very grateful too as I was getting a bit panicky.

Amsterdam was best tackled on the train, which was another adventure. We had never been on double deck trains before and were amazed to see people just wheeling their bikes on. It didn’t take long to reach the city and we followed the crowd out into the wide streets. I love Amsterdam. It is so full of life and colour and doesn’t tower over you like most capital cities. We thought we had seen bikes in Leiden, but they were everywhere, and the cycle racks were huge each holding hundreds of bikes. We wandered around as typical tourists, a trip on the canal, a cone of chips, photos here and there, taking in the sights. We had to visit the Royal Palace in Dam Square, it was so impressive, but I’m pleased that we managed to miss Damrak Street, the boys were too young for that kind of thing.

We queued for ages for the Anne Franke museum, but it was worthwhile. A sad story from the second world war that demonstrates the intolerance of man. We have also visited the amazing Rijks museum and the wonderful flea market in Waterlooplein and I have promised myself that one day I will go to one of the many Diamond factories in the city which offer tours and an insight into the Diamond cutting industry. A craft which the Sephardic Jews introduced way back in the 16th century.

The weather on the whole was really kind to us with lovely sunny days, so it was a bit of a surprise to wake one morning to rain. We got our things together, jumped in the car and headed up north. Our route took us to the causeway running between the Ijsselmeer and the Wadden Sea which is where the story comes from about the little boy with his finger in the dam. There’s no truth in the story but the real revelation is the feat of engineering to build such an enormous dam. We stopped at a viewing / information station and marvelled at the sight. The area had been swampy for centuries and serious flooding caused many deaths inland as the North Sea swept into the Zuiderzee. There had been a number of plans to breach the gap which finally went ahead following a serious flood in 1916. The Zuiderzee Works began in 1918 and the project was finally completed in 1986. It has created the great lake known as Ijsselmeer, drained the water around five islands making them part of the mainland and created farmland in a new state of Flevoland.

Our destination was Giethoorn, listed as the Dutch Venice and the prettiest village in the Netherlands. The only way to get round the village is to walk, cycle or by boat as the main street is a canal, the properties being inter-connected by 176 bridges. We were able to see inside some of the houses which were very neat and orderly. Beds were hidden inside what looked like cupboards, and some had truckles underneath. It was very snug and cosy, but a tight squeeze for a family of any size. In the end we were so wet that we headed back to the car park and home, but it had been a lovely day and a really interesting place to visit.

We have been to the Netherlands several times now, either to Amsterdam on the overnight ferry or for our holidays and I have always been struck by how friendly and pleasant people are. On one occasion the arm fell off my sunglasses. They were expensive and I liked them, so I headed for an opticians to see if they could be mended. The lady behind the counter took my glasses and chatted away as she fixed a new pin in place and then handed them back to me. Payment? She wouldn’t hear of it; she had enjoyed talking to me and was pleased that we had enjoyed our holiday.

I have fond memories of many places such as Gulpen, a brewery town not dissimilar to Tadcaster where we happened across a festival in full swing. Maastricht and the wonderful flea market. Drielandenpunt where the three countries of The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany meet and Apeldoorn where there was a huge sculpture of a telephone at the approach to the town. There was a lot of interesting places to visit and, as we discovered on our bikes, the country is not all that flat. In fact one day we rode to a village at the top of a hill which was probably the steepest I’d ever climbed. But where the land is flat, the countryside is far from boring. From the road you can see neat farmsteads each with a pretty farmhouse and barn, pasture land full of healthy looking Friesian cows and beautiful horses. The dykes divide the fields providing excellent drainage, prevent flooding and a useful resource for Herons who you often see staring in to the water waiting for a Frog or a nice, tasty Eel.

There are over 17,500 dairy farms in the Netherlands, so it is no wonder that they excel in cheese production. We visited Gouda one day and happened across a market in full swing. As with most markets there was a fair range of produce, but we struck up a conversation with a very friendly man selling bike spares who told us that the name Gouda should be pronounced Hooda. We bought a few things off him, including a windscreen for my bike. They were quite common in The Netherlands, but I’ve never seen them in this country. It turned a few heads as people stared when I rode passed, and several of the staff at work offered to buy it off me. Sadly my bike was stollen a few months later and that was the end of that.

When I think of The Netherlands I usually think of Windmills, Tulips and Diamonds, but my romantic bubble was burst when I realised that Windmills were not on every corner. As with most things in the Netherlands, it was a historical and practical answer to a problem, and indeed many other countries also have them.

Tulips, however, are a multi-billion euro business which has thrived since the 16th century. Tulips are originally a wild flower found growing across central Asia and cultivated by the Ottomans. The name is thought to have come from the Persian word for Turban. Brought to Europe via diplomatic routes and developed in The Netherlands by a botanist called Carolus Clusius the flower swiftly became very popular with the public and a marketable commodity. Bulbs changed hands at silly prices until finally in 1637 the market crashed, and many people lost their wealth overnight. (The bulb of a tulip, known as "the Viceroy" displayed in the 1637 Dutch catalogue was offered for sale for between 3,000 and 4,200 guilders according to weight. This was at a time when a skilled craftworker earned 300 guilders a year.) Tulips are still a hugely important market in The Netherlands, but I think it is safe to say that the industry is under better control these days and I've never paid over the odds for my Tulip bulbs that come back with me following every trip to Amsterdam.

Most Tulip farms in The Netherlands are in provinces to the West around Leiden and The Hague and are a beautiful sight in the growing season. In the middle of this is the estate of Keukenhof and a name most closely associated with Tulips. A kitchen garden for the hunting grounds and castle of Slot Teylingden in the 15th century it was redesigned in the English style in the 19th century laying out the foundations of the park as it is today. It wasn’t until 1949 however that a group of businessmen established the park as a good place to showcase their plants. As with every country in Europe after the war it was important to help the export drive and give a much needed boost to the economy. It is hardly surprising that it has become the largest garden in Europe and apart from Tulips there are displays of Hyacinths, Daffodils, Lilies, Roses, Carnations and Irises. But for me the most wonderful place in the gardens is the Beatrix Pavilion which houses the most astonishing display of Orchids. I was speechless with wonderment when I first looked round at all the different types and array of colours. If you love Orchids it is a must for your bucket list.

I should think most of us know about the exploits Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh, but the Dutch were also great adventurers and explorers in the 16th and 17th centuries gaining quite a large colonial empire. However their main aim was trade rather than domination of the local populace. They formed companies such as the Dutch East Indies and the Dutch West Indies and traded out of such diverse places as Brazil, India, Mauritius and The Gold Coast including quite a few African countries. They sailed as far as Ceylon and Thailand and established a large post in the Malayan city of Batavia. They took advantage of the rich trade in spices which brought them into dispute with Portugal who had similar interests. They didn’t back down from a fight either and embarked on war with both Spain and Portugal who did not appreciate Dutch raiders in what they saw as their colonial territories in America, Asia and latterly the Philippines.

Neither has the relationship between Britain and The Netherlands always been harmonious with the Anglo-Dutch wars of the 17th and 18th centuries which were all about territorial issues. It was a time of great toing and froing and empire building with France invading Holland and renaming the country the Batavian Republic. Napoleon was next, dissolving the Republic and establishing a monarchy placing his brother Louis on the throne as King of the Netherlands.

Whilst all of this was happening, the British monarchy was itself in turmoil. There had been a civil war, followed by the execution of Charles I. Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector for five years but following his death the monarchy was re-established. Charles II was succeeded by James II whose lack of popularity saw him deposed and so it was that in 1689 William of Orange and his wife Mary II were asked to take the monarchy, both being closely related to the British royal family.

The people of the Netherlands have created many practical solutions to the world and the following are just a minor snapshot. Cornelius Vermuyden was responsible for draining the Norfolk Fens over 400 years ago, managing the water levels and turning wetlands into fertile farmland. In 1608 either Zacharias Janssen or Hans Lipperhey invented the stellar spyglass which was actually the year before Galileo claimed it. Later in the 1620s Cornelius Drebbel first came up with the idea for a Submarine and the microscope was also on a Dutch drawing board by the mid-17th century. If you have you had an eye test you will have read letters from the Snellen chart and the modern fire hose reel was invented back in 1673 by Jan van der Heyden. The Speed Camera (should keep that one quiet really), the Compact Disc and Bluetooth; and Wi-Fi was made possible thanks to a Dutch project led by Victor Hayes.

Regardless of whether you say the Dutch from Holland or the Netherlanders from The Netherlands, it is a country and its people that I love. I certainly have every intention of visiting the country again one day, and I hope it is soon.