Netherlands
The Netherlands is one of the parliamentary democratic countries that lives under the constitutional monarchy, and takes Amsterdam as its capital, and the Netherlands is characterized by being low and flat, and it includes large areas of canals, lakes and rivers, in addition to the presence of large areas of .reclaimed land - which are barren lands that have become agricultural
tulip fields
The Netherlands is a leading country in the field of international flower marketing; This is due to the large number of its products of plants, flowers, ornamental trees, and flowering bulbs of tulips, as more than three-quarters of the flowering bulbs traded around the world come from the Netherlands, and most of them are from tulips, where Holland is characterized by tulips. Special, in addition to various types of flowers such as hydrangeas, which are called Hydrangea, Dutch roses, and Crocus, which grow in abundance due to the favorable climate.
Colorful flowers of various types are widely spread in the Netherlands, especially in the period that ranges from mid-March to mid-May, where the flowers of Holland during that period can be compared to a vast sea of flowers that alternate in bloom, beginning with saffron blossoms in The middle of March, followed by the flowering of daffodils, tulips, and finally the tulips blooming and continues from mid-April to mid-May, and during that period everyone can enjoy the colorful fields of beautiful tulips by hiking or using bicycles .
The Netherlands includes the Keukenhof Garden, which is similar to a paradise of beautiful colors, and is called at the popular level the Garden of Europe, and is famous for its many flowers, especially the distinctive multi-colored tulips, and it is a suitable place for tourism.
Dutch cheese
The Netherlands is famous for its cheese production. It has a long history of producing different types of cheese such as goat cheese and farmer cheese such as Leiden cheese, and they are readily available in most Dutch stores. The most common types of cheese in the Netherlands are:
(Gouda Chesse), which is one of the most traded and most popular types of cheese in the Netherlands. It is a yellow cheese made from cow’s milk, and there are several forms, such as: fresh (Jong) cheese, which is creamy and smooth cheese, and (Belegen) cheese (stored for a certain period) It is a cheese with a sharp flavor.
Edam Cheese, originally from the city of Edam, is a famous cheese with its round shape and covered with a red rind.
Dutch water channels
The Netherlands is famous for its water canals, and the presence of these canals is one of the best things in the Netherlands. They are major attractions for tourists, especially the waterways in Amsterdam. The Netherlands includes about 165 water canals, the most famous of which are:
(Herengracht)
(Prinsengracht)
(Keizersgracht)
These canals cover about 100 km around the area, and together they form concentric belts known as the canal belt (Grachtengordel) in the center of Amsterdam, and the presence of this belt was a major reason for the fame of the city of Amsterdam and why it was called the Venice of the North
Amsterdam canals originated during the seventeenth century when the Dutch Golden Age began, when the Netherlands was enjoying a prosperous economic situation, and now shops around Amsterdam sell prints showing the old canal system of the Netherlands, in addition to the presence of maps of the old city with its water systems in most bookstores and tourist sites.
Windmills
The Netherlands has more than 1,000 windmills in its various regions, making it one of the most famous landmarks in the Netherlands and the most attractive to tourists. Of these, nearly 600 windmills formed the first industrial area in the world. The 5 largest windmills in the world are located in the city center ( Schiedam) in the Netherlands, where the height of the windmills reaches more than 40 meters, and most of the windmills in the Netherlands are located between the cities of (Rotterdam) and (Dordrecht), and the village of (Kinderdijk), contains many windmills that date back to the eighteenth century The nineteen mills located in it, specifically in the lands (Polders) - which are lands reclaimed from the sea - won the first prize in beauty, and it became one of the most wonderful places in the Netherlands, and it can be said that it is a masterpiece of the ideal Dutch landscape.
blue pottery
The city of Delft in the Netherlands is famous for the production of blue porcelain, by modifying the blue and white porcelain of Chinese origin, and after improving it, a new type of material is formed called Delft Blue Pottery, which was used in the past by the nobles and the ruling class. The royal factory for the manufacture of blue ceramics was established in 1653 AD, and it is the only factory that still exists since the seventeenth century, and until now the Netherlands continues to manufacture unique blue ceramics using traditional manual methods.
Bike riding
The Netherlands is characterized by its scenic beauty, which can be enjoyed by cycling in the open air, so there are very large bicycles in it, and it is remarkable that the number of bicycles exceeds the number of people in the Netherlands, as more than three quarters of the trips made by the Dutch They use bicycles as a means of transportation, and there are some cities that are famous for their love for bicycles, such as the cities (The Hague) and (Amsterdam), and cycling is an important part of Dutch culture, as it is a suitable way to get to know the Netherlands, so the state has created dedicated bike paths Aerodynamic extends for more than 35,000 km.
Many tall
The Netherlands is famous for the height of its citizens, as the Dutch are the tallest people in the world, with an average height of 184 cm for men, and 171 cm for Dutch women. As the largest man in Rotterdam, an example of tallness in the Netherlands, with a length of about 229.87 cm, he is the second tallest Dutch man after (Albert Johan Kramer).
traditional dress in the netherlands
In the Netherlands, there is a distinctive traditional dress made of the best types of fabric and cloth, and it is worn on special occasions and days, as follows:
The traditional dress for men: woolen trousers with a set of silver buttons on the upper front, a shirt and a jacket, and a hat whose shape and design vary according to the region.
Traditional dress for women: a long skirt, some of which are drawn with lines and others without lines, a blouse or jacket with long or short sleeves, and an apron, and a piece can be added to be placed on the shoulder such as a shawl or an embroidered scarf, and the dress also includes hats that differ according to the region.
Wooden shoes are a part of Dutch traditional dress, and have been adopted as traditional shoes for hundreds of years in the Netherlands for both men and women. The oldest clogs dating back to the thirteenth century were found in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and they are very similar to the clogs that are still made in Holland in these The days, as they are made in order to sell them to tourists as pieces and souvenirs that they keep in their homes, most Dutch people no longer wear those clogs, and there is no possibility to see anyone wearing them on the street, except that some farmers wear them sometimes, or some people may wear them In some remote villages such as Staphorst and Bunschoten, people in those villages still wear traditional dress.
Famous foods in the Netherlands
The Netherlands is famous for many dishes, including the following:
Dutch Pea Soup : Dutch people love soup in general, and Dutch soup soup is one of the traditional dishes that are available in different flavors and shapes, as it can be prepared in the form of broth soup, or it may be somewhat creamy It is served next to a slice of bread, or a piece of smoked sausage, for example, and is often prepared in the winter, as it activates the body and provides it with great energy, and tourists can get it and eat it while wandering around the Dutch cities, especially in cold weather, as it is available in most restaurants in the Netherlands.
Hutspot : is a traditional food that was prepared on the third of October in the city of Leiden to celebrate its victory over the Spaniards in 1574 AD. It is a dish of colored mashed potatoes, served alongside white bread, or (Herring), or alongside a piece of beef, or Dutch meatballs, and sometimes it is cooked with carrots, which adds some sweetness to the dish.
Fried dough balls: (Oliebollen - dough balls), is a traditional Christmas and New Year's dish in the Netherlands. It is sold in kiosks distributed in the streets, especially during celebrations.
Gevulde Speculaas : The Dutch love cookies of all kinds, soft, salty, or sweet, with or without chocolate. And coriander, nutmeg, cloves with sweet almond paste, which gives it a rich and sweet taste, and is prepared in the form of squares or small slices, and sold in the markets at different times of the year, especially the beginning of December.
Stroopwafels : is a traditional and popular dish in the Netherlands, and its origins go back to the city of Gauda, which is a mixture of cookies and caramel, and it is eaten while warm next to a cup of tea or coffee, and it is a suitable dish during travel or trips in the open air, and it is spread in all markets It is one of the best gifts that can be brought back from a trip.
Dutch people's customs
There are some customs that characterize the Dutch people, which are part of their culture, and the following is a mention of those customs:
Greetings in the Netherlands: The method of shaking hands with a head nod is the common greeting among the Dutch people, and the most important things related to the Dutch greeting are:
Kissing the cheeks three times alternately between family members, in addition to shaking hands.
It is important to take the hands out of the pockets when shaking hands. When shaking hands with the right hand, the left hand is supposed to be outside the pocket.
The most common Dutch greeting phrases are: Hoe gaat het? (How are you) and Alles goed (Is everything OK?).
Addressing a person to someone by his surname and last name, and he can be addressed by his first name if he is invited to do so.
When entering a room with a group of people, introduce the person by saying his first and last name, and shaking hands with everyone in the room.
Direct eye contact during discussions, during which criticism is expected.
Respect for appointments: Respecting and appreciating time is an important thing in Dutch culture, and children are usually taught to respect time since childhood, as they are helped in the primary stages on how to create schedules to organize their work within specific times.
Divide the time for different activities, everything has a specific time, time to eat, time to work, time to visit others, and so on.
A person who is late for an appointment without providing a legitimate excuse, or without prior notification of the delay, is considered impolite.
Gifts: When visiting in the Netherlands, it is recommended to bring a gift, such as a bouquet of flowers, chocolates, or a book. Here are some things related to bringing and receiving gifts:
Do not give white lilies or chrysanthemums as gifts, as these two types of flowers are given at the time of mourning.
In Dutch culture, gifts are usually opened when received in front of the person who brought them.
Do not give lavish or expensive gifts, as they often make the recipient feel a little uncomfortable.
