As a (shallow) man of Jamaican heritage, I often see parallels with the land of my parents and the Dutch approach to doing things. In Jamaica, if you order a coffee and after 20 minutes have the nerve to ask what happened to your order, you'll be told, "take it easy man, your coffee soon come". This is quite similar to the theatrical rolling of eyes, disinterested shrug of … [Read more...] about Langzaam Maar Zeker or Why the Dutch Are So Slow Vaccinating the Population
life in the netherlands
Shock as Police in Gelderland Issue Fines For Ignoring the Coronavirus Distance Rules
Police in Gelderland Issue Fines For Ignoring the Coronavirus Distance and Group Rules I hope you're sitting down while reading this, as what I'm about to tell you is shocking! Unless your chosen abode of quarantine is a cave that lacks WIFI and 4G coverage, you'll surely know about the new rules that came into force on Monday evening. The Dutch government, … [Read more...] about Shock as Police in Gelderland Issue Fines For Ignoring the Coronavirus Distance Rules
Dutch Word of the Week Plofkraken
Plofkraken and the closing of ATMs at night in the Netherlands The term 'plofkraak' and it's plural form 'plofkraken' is a combination of the words 'plof' which means explosion and 'kraak' which means 'break-in' or 'robbery'. Plofkraak/Plofkraken is the term used for an increasingly common form of ATM robbery whereby explosives are used to get to the money stored in the … [Read more...] about Dutch Word of the Week Plofkraken
Amsterdam Landlord Forbids Tenants From Having Children
Amsterdam landlord to tenants: If you get pregnant, rot op! An Amsterdam landlord has made what some might consider being an unreasonable request to their tenants. They have to sign a contract stating that they won't get pregnant. Sadly, this is not me being sarcastic nor is this satire, this has actually happened recently in Amsterdam. Which brings me to the subject of today's … [Read more...] about Amsterdam Landlord Forbids Tenants From Having Children
The Winners and Losers from the Public Transport Strike in the Netherlands
Public Transport Strike in the Netherlands on May 28th Unless you live in an expat bubble, you'll be aware that there's a public transport strike planned on May 28th. Buses, trams and trains won't be running with the exception of the train service to and from Schiphol airport. What's the reason for the public transport strike? In spite of the Netherlands being a workers … [Read more...] about The Winners and Losers from the Public Transport Strike in the Netherlands