Six Things I HATE About the Netherlands

Six months ago today I zipped up the last of my suitcases, watched the Tar Heels win in the Elite 8 game, savored my last bites of New York Italian food (chicken parm!), used my TSA pre-check and went through security at JFK as a NYC resident for the last time. I will never forget settling in my seat (on Delta, of course). Nervously fidgeting with the buckle. A lot of thoughts ran through my head. Not sure knowing what to expect. Not knowing when I would return.

I landed in the Netherlands on an unseasonably warm March day. The sun was shining, the tulips almost in full bloom. The city was bustling. My drive into the city was nothing short of magical. And 6 months later that’s how it has remained: magical.

It was exciting at first to keep track of the milestones: 1 week in the Netherlands, 2 weeks, 1 month and then 2! At a party early on someone told me one day I would lose count, and sure enough, I did. It wasn't until last week when someone asked how long I’ve been here, I realized I had to stop and think. I couldn’t believe how fast 6 months have gone by.

So, to celebrate my 6 month mark, I did what any normal American (or New Yorker) would do. I tried to think of all the things I hated about my life in the Netherlands. At first I thought I’d make a list of 10. But I could only get to 6. Ironic, I guess. Here are the 6 things I HATE about living in the Netherlands…one for each month I’ve been here:

1.       The Pizza

I was warned about the Dutch cuisine before moving. I was told it’s nothing to write home about. I disagree with that. Both the native Dutch food (bitterballen, anyone?!), the types of international cuisines, and sheer # of Michelin Star restaurants in the city way exceeded my expectations. But my one qualm is the lack of ability to grab a slice of pizza. Sure there are restaurants that specialize in pizza – real, Italian-style Napolitano pizza. But who wants that? Some days I just want a delicious slice of NY-style pizza from Luigi’s on the Upper East Side. I miss that. A lot.

2.       The Bread

Sticking with the food theme…the bread in the Netherlands is so DAM good. So why is this on my list of things I hate? I am convinced it has contributed a significant amount of any weight gain. I never used to eat bread so much in the States. I don’t know what they do to it, but it is unreal. As is the bread in every European country.

 

I start each week telling myself this is the week I give up bread. For example, yesterday, on Monday morning, I woke up and said “today’s the day.” And then I got to work. And had a lunch meeting. And at noon when the sandwiches arrived I was hungry. Promise broken. Again. This is actually becoming a serious problem. #FirstWorldProblems

3.       The Hours of Operation

The Dutch are fantastic when it comes to work-life balance. People leave at 5*. I’ve never seen anything like it. It is truly admirable. But, there’s nothing special about leaving work at 5pm when everything else around you closes at 5pm. Stores, dry cleaning, drug stores. I’ve also never seen anything like that. I’ve yet to figure out when you’re supposed to pick up a prescription, stamps to mail letters (yes, I still snail mail things), and the millions of other things that come up in life. If you’ve figured this out, please let me know.

*Disclaimer: Not everyone leaves work at 5 and not every day. This also doesn't mean the Dutch aren't hard working. They are just WAY more efficient at getting things done within working hours from my observations.

 

Also within this bucket, my gym hours. During the week, the gym opens at 7am and closes at 11pm. I was a 6am gym go-er in NY, so 7am is not that convenient as it means shorter workouts that just allow enough to time to rush home, shower, change and run to work to get there by 9. It’s annoying, but not the end of the world. However, on the weekend, the gym opens at 9am and closes at 4pm. 4pm! What is that? So on a Sunday if I wanted to sleep in, then actually do something during the day, there’s 0 opportunity to go to the gym at night. That really irks me. Especially after eating so much bread.

 

4.       The Dutch Obsession with Dairy Products

Back to the food. The Dutch are OBSESSED with cheese and milk. Two things I loathe. When I was 11 one of my friends accidentally spilled milk on me at the breakfast table at summer camp. It sent my disdain for milk through the roof and scarred me for life. I have yet to recover. The Dutch drink milk with everything and every meal. It totally grosses me out.

As far as the cheese thing goes, they love their cheese. If you know me, you know I only will eat cheese under the following circumstances: 1. It is mozzarella cheese that is fully baked/melted on pizza or a pasta and accompanied by tomato sauce OR 2. it is orange/yellow cheddar cheese that is pre-grated and completely melted on a macaroni noodle. There is an occasional #3 which includes melted [orange/yellow] cheddar on an omelet, but that is absolutely it.

 

In the Netherlands, there are two kinds of cheese: old or young cheese. I don’t know what that means, nor do I particularly care to find out. What I do know is there are a lot of cheese shops and they smell when you walk by. I live on a street with an apparently very famous shop. I suppose that’s nice for someone who likes cheese. For me, it’s just becoming a nuisance to hold my breath or dodge the cyclists to get to the other side of the road when I pass by.

5.       The Weather

The Netherlands is not Spain. No one moves here for the weather. I knew that from day 1. I started this post by saying I arrived on an unseasonable warm day, but it never really got warmer than that. Summer in the Netherlands is like autumn in New York for frame of reference. Absolutely beautiful weather to be outside with a light sweater or light jacket. And while that is extremely comfortable to spend a day outside and walk around a city, it's a bit of a let-down for sun worshippers like me. Luckily, there are some incredible beach destinations just a hop, skip and a jump away. And if you're following my adventures, you know I managed to find the beach a handful of times this summer.

One of the positives of being so high north is the insane amount of daylight during the summer months. The sun rises at 5:30am and doesn't fully set until close to 11pm. This was an incredible discovery. On the flip side, I'm still trying to prepare myself for what's to come in winter when I hear the sun doesn't fully rise until 10am and sets around 4pm. Wish me luck!

 

One last note on the weather: the rain. It rains A LOT in the Netherlands. And it's not the put on your raincoat, pop open your umbrella and you're fine kind of rain. It's the coming at you sideways, no matter what you do you will get wet kind of rain. I am not a fan.

6.       Not Being…Dutch

While I fully understand you cannot generalize an entire population, overall I have noticed there’s something about the Dutch that is so admirable. They are direct, which I am learning to love. They are practical. They work to live instead of live to work. The latter point is what fascinates me the most. I find that the Dutch have a zest for life. They know how to enjoy every moment of every day, particularly the moments when they are not working. There’s a contagious energy that I can’t help but envy.

In 6 short months I have learned so much from the Dutch. Except for the language. I have not yet picked up the language, and while I plan to start Dutch lessons in about a month, I do not have high hopes for much success. It’s tough! I can still barely pronounce the name of my street correctly without getting an eyebrow raise, and it’s not a difficult name to say. Baby steps.

 

So there you have it. My list of why I HATE the Netherlands. It’s pretty laughable. I hope you had as good of a time reading this as I did writing it...and I hope in 6 more months I will have some equally as ridiculous items to add to the list J

 

“To Travel is to Live” – Hans Christen Andersen

Travel is one of the most important things a person can do for themselves. Get out. Go see the world. You’ll learn so much more about the world around us and about yourself. I truly think I can’t trust people who don’t like to travel.

So here I go, more travel adventures…

Land of the DAY-nish!  

My mom and I started our journey in Copenhagen. This city has been high on my list for many years. We loved the city and managed to see and do a lot in our 3 days there. Some of the highlights included:

·         Strolling through the colorful buildings of Nyhavn (New Harbor)

 

 

·        Delicious meals at The Fish Market restaurant (we went twice!), and numerous food markets throughout the city including the Street Food Market at Papirøen (Paper Island) and Torvehallerne for smorrebrod (open-faced sandwiches)

 

 

 

·         Marching through the streets with the guards from Rosenborg Castle to Amalienborg Palace

 

 

·         Cruising through the city via canal (duh!)

·         Visiting the H.C. Andersen Fairy Tale House and Experience, and seeing the famed fables come to life through alternative art forms, such as ballet, cut-outs, and installations

 

 

·         Exploring the hippie island called Christiania Free Town

 

 

·        The Little Mermaid statue!!

 

• Discovering the gloriousness that is Flodeboller; a chocolate covered soft meringue that sits on top of an almond cookie

 

Viking X-ing

After Copenhagen we boarded the ship and headed towards Sweden, another place that has been on the bucket list forever. We pulled into Stockholm on a wonderfully sunny day, a rarity in this part of the world. We went straight to the Vasa Museum, which is dedicated to the excavated Vasa Viking ship that sunk in the 17th century. We toured the ship and learned about Viking culture.

 

 

A seafaring nation, it’s no wonder my childhood hero Pippi Longstocking comes from Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. Why do I love her so much? She’s strong (physically and emotionally), generally fearless, adventurous, and of course, a freckle-faced redhead. What’s not to love?

We popped into a children’s store to get our fix of all-things Pippi. 10-year-old me was in heaven. If only I was headed back to 4^th grade in September, I would’ve gone crazy buying all the paraphernalia. 

 

After the museums we meandered along the river admiring the beauty of the city. Our eventual goal was to end up in the Old City, which was an adorable collection of cobblestone streets, historic buildings, palaces, shops and restaurants.

 

To end the day, we went on a hunt for a famous food market called Östermalms Saluhall, which is not to be missed when visiting Stockholm. It’s a great spot to chow down on local cuisine, namely Swedish meatballs (just called meatballs in Sweden!). So we had our fix before trying to find out way back to the ship. This proved to be more difficult than anticipated (because there are two ports in Stockholm). And although we made it back on, it was not without some sweat, blood and tears (literally. All three).

 

We sailed away, marveling at the Swedish countryside. A vast array of inlets surrounded by huge mansions, forests of trees and beautiful ships in the moorings.

 

Finding Fairy Tale Lands in Eastern Europe

The next day we were off to Tallinn, Estonia. I know half of your are going, “Where?!” That’s what we said when we booked the cruise. If you haven’t heard of Tallinn, you should. If you have no desire to go to Estonia, you should change your mind.

Tallinn was like stepping into a medieval fairy tale. The red-roofed buildings lined the old city and the gates of the old city are now forever flung open, welcoming visitors to the town. Estonia itself has a very interesting history, having been occupied over the years by everyone, except the Estonians. We took an interesting walking tour and our local guide told us about the history of the city – and the country. The guide was about my age, so it was interesting to hear her opinion of the Russians, how she grew up vs. her parents and even her grandparents. All very, very interesting.

In addition to meeting the warm people and viewing the beautiful landscapes, we were also able to walk on a part of the old city walls. From there we had great views.

 

Before heading back to the ship we met up with Kim Friedman, a colleague from the Emanate days. Kim and I have kept in touch over the years. It’s always great to catch up with her, both personally and professionally. She and I both share a love of travel and while this is not the first time we were in the same place around (or at) the same time, it was definitely one of the most unique places we could’ve met up!

 

Discovering Imperial Russia

 In a completely ironic state of happenstance, 2017 was truly the summer of the Romanovs. It was never intended to be, yet somehow, 100 years after the Russian Revolution (1917), this summer was eerily dedicated to them. It kicked off in June when Melissa and I saw Anastasia on Broadway. I always had a fascination with Anastasia. I believe she truly did escape, made it to Paris, and lived out her days as an unassuming Parisian wannabe. And that’s what I continue to believe.

Then our trip brought a stop in St. Petersburg. After an almost two-hour wait in customs (yes, TWO HOURS. Welcome to Russia), we were able to leave the port and join our tour. The day was action-packed and we hit the following highlights:

·         The Hermitage: I can write a full blog post just on this museum! The stunning Winter Palace is now home to the main part of the museum. We toured several of the rooms of the palace as well as the galleries which consist mostly of 18^th and 19^th century European masterpieces. No trip to St. Petersburg is complete without a stop at the Hermitage. I just wish we had more time!

 

 

·         The Fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul: The burial site of Catherine the Great, Peter the Great and the Romanov family (although I learned that might not be true from my visit to the Hermitage in Amsterdam today…)

 

·         Catherine the Great’s Summer Palace: Just as impressive as the Winter Palace, and potentially even more opulent. The stunning Amber Room is jaw-dropping. Unfortunately no pictures can be taken in there.

 

·         Peterhof: Summer palace to Peter the Great, the palace is incredible, but the site is probably the most known for its impressive gardens.

·         And a little shopping: We were on the hunt for Russian lacquer boxes and matryoshka dolls. I’m excited to share we located both and I absolutely love my purchases, which are now proudly on display in my living room 

 

 

We sadly did not go to the Church of Spilled Blood as it is closed on Wednesdays. It was one of the biggest disappointments, but we were able to snag a picture from fellow cruisers who did visit the exterior of the church on their tour.

 

 

 

Ending the summer, I just caught the Romanov exhibit at the Hermitage in Amsterdam (fun fact: there is a Hermitage in Amsterdam! It’s linked to the one in Russia. To be honest, I do not know why Amsterdam. Anyone know?). Marking the 100 year anniversary of the revolution, the exhibit explored the time period between Nicholas II’s marriage to Alexandra, coronation, and life as the Tzar through 1917 and his family’s murder.

^ Notice the bullet holes in the painting

 ^ the murder weapon used to kill the family -- eek!

It was informative, dark and haunting. The Romanovs were a strange bunch. Contrary to what I always assumed, the last ruling family did not enjoy the societal events that made their predecessors so famous. They kept the five children relatively secluded and used the Winter Palace seldomly, opting for a quieter residence (still a palace) in the outskirts of the city.

So there you have it. Summer of the Romanovs, 100 years after the Revolution.

Last stop: Helsinki

Last, but certainly not least, we stopped in Helsinki, Finland. Our time in port was the shortest of all, which was unfortunate because the city had such charm. We spent our time marveling at the architecture, particularly of the churches in the city center, and popping in and out of the amazing art and design shops in the city.

 

We walked up and down the Esplandi, a main shopping street with tons of shops and boutiques. The median of the street is lined with greenery, park benches and art installations. We couldn’t help but stop to take pictures and rest our feet along the way.

 

I never realized Marimekko was from Finland. That was a nice surprise! We spent a good amount of time in the shop browsing the home ware section, as well as the kids section. We walked out with a gift for Alani, and some new decorations for my kitchen!

A trip to Helsinki would not be complete without a visit to the famed food markets, where we tried the most amazing salmon soup and looked at all the fresh fish stalls in the city.

 

Our bellies full, wallets empty and arms dragged down from the shopping bags, we begrudgingly headed back to the ship to begin our return trip to Copenhagen.

Cruisin’

Overall our time aboard the Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas was great. The ship was a bit old, but our days at sea were just enough of the relaxation dose that the doctor ordered. Since the weather was a bit cooler than what you’d find on a Caribbean or Mediterranean cruise, we spent a lot of time relaxing in the indoor solarium by the heated pool and hot tub, watching the waves roll by. I took advantage of the spa and we went to several of the cultural sessions on board that prepared us for what we were going to see in port, particularly in Russia. The ship had an impressive collection of Faberge, too!

And just like that, our week flew by and we were back in Amsterdam. A sadness always washes over as your vacation slips away and reality sinks back in. However, we still had two fun-filled days left to enjoy in the Netherlands!

Hans Christen Andersen truly said it best, “To Travel is to Live”