Beschuit met muisjes

No, my Dutch has not improved that significantly nor do I invent strange sounding words. It's just that  today I had I the chance to experiment a unique Dutch that's called as above.

More exactly, it's what you see in the picture below. Toasted bread (or rusk), called "beschuit", with butter and sugar coated anais, looking like small mice, therefore the "muisjes". It's usually served to visitors that come to see a new born, or brought by young moms to work to celebrate their new born, which is how I got to taste it.

Not very hard to understand the meaning of colors - pink for girls and blue for boys, and apparently there was one exception from the rule, when the muisjes were orange to celebrate Princess Catherine-Amelia's birth.

I was trying to figure out where this tradition comes from, and of course you can go with the the basic explanation that rusk is what you give to a small kid whose teeth are just getting out and that anais is a symbol of fertility, but I believe its much easier: just think of Dutch people's love for sandwiches and sprinkles and there you have it!

Bringing your own cake and desk pimping

A few days ago it was my birthday (verjaardag, as the Dutch say). Obviously, I become wiser and more fabulous, but not at all older :)

When coming to the office, I had a nice surprise waiting for me - my desk had been pimped! Colorful flags hanging from the ceiling on top of it, so no one could miss the fact that I had my birthday, even though I wanted to avoid the  many explanations about growing wiser without aging. A Hawaiian flower garland was hanging on my desktop, meant to give a happy summerish feeling despite the cold wind & clouds outside. And last but not least, the "piece de resistance": small Dutch flags sticked to the keyboard -- the ultimate symbol of my integration into the Dutch society - I did it! I am one of them, at least when it comes to birthday celebrating.

Of course, no birthday goes without cake, however in Dutchland you have to bring your own as opposed to getting one. For your collegues, naturlijk! Apple crumble and  fruits tarts and the most common, but the limburg vlaai is also lekker! Presents? What is that> Don't expect to get any present on top of "gefeliciteerd!" and the 3 mandatory kissed!

Apple Crumble Pie

Limburgse Vlaai

7685 frames of sunny Holland

Today I came across this nice time lapse video shoot in Holland. Amazing how beautiful and warm the honey colored light is, especially for a country that people imagine has a permanent rain cloud above. But what do they know?

Dutch Indian Summer

Summer in the Netherlands in the middle of October, that something special (even more if t's the warmest weekend of October since 1921!). So this special weekend deserved also a special plan: a visit to Den Haag!

Objective of the trip was visiting the Japanese Garden in Clingendael Estate, open only for two weeks in October, when the autumn colors create the most amazing visual painting. But why not also go to Scheveningen for probably the last good beach day this year?

Dutch House at the entrance of the Clingendael Estate

Japanese Garden - reflection

Japanese element 

Crossing the bridge

Hollandse Tuin 

Scheveningem

3D Street Art

Sun & Sand

Animal Planet

During summer I was discovering the nice forests around Breda, unaltered in any way, where you can still feel the smell of grass, trees and enjoy a quite walk or bike ride.

But who would have thought that just 30 min a bike ride from my house, I would discover a bit more than just a forest?

In an Arizona like landscape, munching but otherwise motionless, were nothing else than bisons (yes, that exact animal that you would expect to find in a reservation). Just 2 meters away from me. That's actually what I love about this country, that despite having the highest density per square km and being highly industrialized, you can still fine a few km from the cities places like this. 

Not to make it too long, definite it's worth making a visit to the Dorst forest!

Holland loves haring

There is no doubt about it. Even if the season for Hollandse Nieuwe (Holland's New, the name given to the young herring that is usually fished between May & July, when it's getting fatter and it's yummiest) is long gone, you can still find in the middle of Amsterdam the easily recognizable  kiosk with the Dutch flag and the unmistakable traditional dish. 

Definitely a must do in Holland*, served with onion and eaten by its tale. Don't forget to say "lekker" at the end!

 

*Most probably once, as unless you are Dutch or into strange tasting, silvery grey and slippery things, there's a slim chance you will do it twice,

 However Dutchies love it so much, that they also get their kids to start eating it since an early age -- and really, how can kids know better at that age?

The day I started to like Amsterdam

Unusual as it may sound, Amsterdam was never my cup of tea. Until today, when in a lazy Sunday morning, with the September sun warmly filtering its rays through the green-brown-orange & reddish leaves, the city of canals showed me it's charms.

Random canal view

It is actually the first time that I went alone in A'dam (the abbreviation commonly used by its inhabitants), without friends coming to visit, so there was no pressure to check all the turistic landmarks. So I took it easy, alongside the canals, which much to my surprise were not invaded by turists (at least that's why I thought until reaching Anne Frank's Huis, where the was a queue of aprox. 25m at 11 AM).

But I could't let that spoil my good mood, so I went to my favorite brunch place, Bagels & Beans, for a delicious bagel, a flavor-full cappuccino & and people watching.The day continued in the same relaxed way, with shopping, museum-seeing and wandering around, just enjoying the vibrant atmosphere, trendy people, cool boats and amazing reflection on the dark brick houses in the canal green waters.

Favourite brunch

Amsterdam's Museum was ok, with a few nice movies about the city during different areas of it's development, but I would not say it's worth paying the 11 EUR entrance (but if you have a Museumkaart, then why not?). However, although I didn't try it, the Mokum Cafe in the inner courtyard of the museum looked quite nice, and taking into account the many people occupying the tables, I assume food should be good as well.

Cafe Mokum

The other one I saw was Van Gogh's Museum, where I got to meet Vincent. I am not really into art (though I'd like to know more about it), but I enjoyed the cosy museum displaying more than 90% of the painter's works of art and also getting to know more about his short but full life. Apparently on Fridays the museum opens its doors for hip events, like workshops or DJ evenings. Definitely a must try at some point!That was about the cultural part, but my favorite part was still rambling along the streets (I especially liked Negen Straatjes Area & Museumplein) and tasting the local life. Proof of that below ;)