tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post1455234228087639071..comments2024-02-24T06:21:30.987+01:00Comments on A view from the cycle path: What people miss about the NetherlandsDavid Hembrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-1696933920103776142015-02-08T19:48:13.393+01:002015-02-08T19:48:13.393+01:00Just an FYI...The english language has some of its...Just an FYI...The english language has some of its origins in dialects from the northern part of NL and the northwestern part of germany collectively called 'anglo-friesian' brought over by the anglo-saxons when they invaded britain during the dark ages. Actually the word 'english' isnt even english at all, its (what today is called) german for 'englisch' meaning: Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08374903551900226494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-86170246875485576152011-12-11T14:55:29.006+01:002011-12-11T14:55:29.006+01:00I'm from Germany originally (close
to the Dut...I'm from Germany originally (close <br />to the Dutch border actually) - and cycling is what I miss most as well. Even more than family & friends! There are many ways to stay in touch with friends and family, but bicycling - I had to give it up completely. Riding on a bike trainer in the basement was just not an option. <br /><br />It's funny though how much I took for granted when I celephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12573943987373177597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-12509876714480300362011-12-11T08:56:27.289+01:002011-12-11T08:56:27.289+01:00Kevin: Oh, that's what you mean. Yes, I've...Kevin: Oh, that's what you mean. Yes, I've had a similar experience. When we moved back from New Zealand to the UK I couldn't understand the west country accents of some of my relatives at all. I learnt quickly. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vC9XtRzu04" rel="nofollow">Wurzels for Christmas number one in the UK</a>.David Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-15809360670376742072011-12-10T23:47:00.405+01:002011-12-10T23:47:00.405+01:00David,
I wasn't writing about understanding F...David,<br /><br />I wasn't writing about understanding Frisian. I meant what it sounded like. <br /><br />Have you ever sat in a pub in the UK where the locals at the next table over were allegedly speaking English, but it was totally incomprehensible? That's what Frisian "sounds like" to me.<br /><br />The last time that happened to me I was in Cornwall. The locals there Kevin Lovehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13186428862833389619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-42196593786134796662011-12-10T17:18:59.841+01:002011-12-10T17:18:59.841+01:00And then there's Bert, who'd just as soon ...And then there's Bert, who'd just as soon stay in New Zealand, except that his wife longs for home:<br /><br />http://www.rnw.nl/english/video/dutch-woman-new-zealand-longs-homeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-9069523475374008832011-12-10T12:29:33.128+01:002011-12-10T12:29:33.128+01:00Kevin: They are supposedly relatively close. Howev...Kevin: They are supposedly relatively close. However, I find that in practice the Friese language is more difficult to understand than normal Dutch, the local dialect of Dutch, or indeed heavily accented English.David Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-34671331573372555682011-12-10T11:00:13.247+01:002011-12-10T11:00:13.247+01:00Andy,
English and Frisian are also remarkably sim...Andy,<br /><br />English and Frisian are also remarkably similar. Whenever I'm in that part of NL it sounds like I am in one of the parts of the UK where the locals speak English with an impossible to understand accent.Kevin Lovehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13186428862833389619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-62165523396277147412011-12-10T09:31:58.811+01:002011-12-10T09:31:58.811+01:00Oh, appelstroop (trick apple syrup) too. Pannekoek...Oh, appelstroop (trick apple syrup) too. Pannekoeken/pancake restaurants. Perhaps some other germanic European countries might have them, but they don't exist in Britain/Ireland or the south of Europe at least. You can find them in parts of the USA though.<br /><br />The usually *far* better organised public services & planning - at least compared to UK & Ireland. (Downside: taxes areAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-46985504843572671442011-12-10T09:15:42.709+01:002011-12-10T09:15:42.709+01:00Michael: I definitely agree with you on the herrin...Michael: I definitely agree with you on the herring.<br /><br />Andy: you should have practiced a few times <a href="http://hembrow.blogspot.com/2011/05/dutch-utility-bikes-are-slow-up-hills.html" rel="nofollow">on this hill</a> before taking the bike back to Germany.<br /><br />Pjakma: I tried it once. It's an acquired taste...<br /><br />Jet: We lived just south of Auckland. Quite an <a David Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-90839803234674472872011-12-10T08:10:14.200+01:002011-12-10T08:10:14.200+01:00Just after reading your post I came across this cl...Just after reading your post I came across this clip from the Frisian singer 'gewoon Bram'<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAP_snOOFnk&feature=share <br />I can't understand a word of it (it's Frisian) but the song's about good old boy Bram going to his girl who lives in Harkema on his bike. This is what people miss about the Netherlands :-)).Normahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08372396257282214362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-60465664745014422822011-12-10T02:36:41.619+01:002011-12-10T02:36:41.619+01:00Wherever there is any significant population of As...Wherever there is any significant population of Ashkenazi there will be maatjes.<br /><br />So the trick to finding it is knowing that you have to seek out a kosher market, something that may not be obvious to the average Dutchie used to being able to get it just anywhere.<br /><br />It will likely be made in a German or Polish style, however.kfgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-45065465752079330882011-12-10T02:08:40.641+01:002011-12-10T02:08:40.641+01:00you miss NZ weather? you must be a polar bear! ;)you miss NZ weather? you must be a polar bear! ;)jethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07306733879105775659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-30898767632714879662011-12-09T23:44:49.806+01:002011-12-09T23:44:49.806+01:00Dubbel zoute drop (extra-salty dutch licorice - sa...Dubbel zoute drop (extra-salty dutch licorice - salty in the salmiak sense, i.e. ammonia salt), and dutch cycling infrastructure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-61120327383446910232011-12-09T22:45:03.829+01:002011-12-09T22:45:03.829+01:00It always ascinates me how similar the Dutch and G...It always ascinates me how similar the Dutch and German language are.<br /><br />When I ride the Bakfiets I miss the nice cycle lanes I could use in Amsterdam. I also miss the lack of hills...Andy in Germanyhttp://www.workbike.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-51950220018139826522011-12-09T22:11:00.370+01:002011-12-09T22:11:00.370+01:00I love to ride on my bicycle to the herring stall ...I love to ride on my bicycle to the herring stall for a "one on the tail" and a shrimp croquette!!<br /><br />LOLTommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01163197094625447930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-16077116934746260522011-12-09T20:54:06.418+01:002011-12-09T20:54:06.418+01:00Well, to be honest, some of the categories in the ...Well, to be honest, some of the categories in the second graph are not surprisingly low. This is tru for e.g. herring, I suspect (cause this is a dutch thing, not one of the asked for foreigners living in the NL), Sinterklaas (as a dutch cultural thing) and family (cause this is what foreigners normally have left and miss in the NL, not at their return). Nevertheless it is impressive, that Michael Snoreply@blogger.com