Author Archives: Home Strange Home

I always had a soft spot for The Netherlands.  Little did I know, by a twist of fate, I would begin 2011 with a new life in Holland.  And so I created this blog to share with the world my … Continue reading →

Today is a very sad day. It’s my last day living in the Netherlands. I know I’ve been going away and coming back a lot, but this time it’s for good. Please don’t cry! It has been such a pleasure … Continue reading →

While other countries are preparing for the approach of the Christmas season, Holland can enjoy a shorter wait for the Sinterklaas Season. In mid-November, Saint Nicholas (the basis for the North American figure Santa Claus) will arrive in the Netherlands by … Continue reading →

Despite the moaning of many Dutch people (many of whom haven’t experienced the joy of engineering works on the London Underground), I find public transport in the Netherlands to be of an excellent standard. As someone who doesn’t like the … Continue reading →

I think every single Dutch person has a story about how their bike was stolen. Or every person who has ever owned a bicycle in Holland for that matter. I have the distinction of having “my” bicycle stolen before I’d … Continue reading →

In many European countries, it’s popular for men to set up local football leagues with their co-workers, peers, and/or neighbours and play regular matches in the evenings and on the weekends. In Holland, I’ve noticed that it’s often the women … Continue reading →

I previously blogged about our local red light district in Utrecht, conveniently located next to the supermarket where we do our regular shopping. Well, it turns out there is another red light district in Utrecht, and this one is… on boats. Canals … Continue reading →

Beer is a central part of Dutch culture and socialization and I’ve been meaning to write about it for ages. But seeing as I don’t drink beer myself, I didn’t have much to say. So I asked my husband, a … Continue reading →

Winter is coming – the skies have turned grey, the temperature has dropped, and I’ve retrieved my winter coat from the back of the closet. But it’s not all bad news – along with the cold weather come Dutch winter … Continue reading →

The international image of the United Kingdom is closely tied with the British Monarchy; the British royal family are worldwide celebrities. But few people know that the Netherlands is also a constitutional monarchy (since 1815) and the Dutch have their … Continue reading →