Holland, ik mis je!

I haven’t been that many places in the world – yet. But the places I have visited have been really pretty and I’ve basically fallen in love with each one of them. Especially The Netherlands.

I think the reason why I like that country so much is because it is totally different from Norway. The biggest difference must be that it is completley flat. There are no mountains whatsoever. And the only up-hills I could see while I was there was when we were cycling out from a tunnel under the road. I wouldn’t call it an up-hill, but my friend Marije really struggled to catch her breath getting out of there. Almost all of the trees in Holland has been cut down a long time ago because there are so many people living there. They have literaly used every inch of their country to live on. Except out in the countryside, there you can find big, green fields where horses, rabbits, sheep and cows run freely. And it’s so pretty.

The houses are also quite different from the ones in Norway. The Norwegian houses are made mostly out of wood. The Dutch houses are made out of bricks and I love it! Yes, they do all look the same, but the charm about that is that in order to find the way back to your own house (lol) you need a house that stands out a bit. So the front doors and front garders are all very personal and stylish. I think a house should represent the people that live there and if they all have different doors then it really does.

I can’t even begin to describe the people. Up here we are only five million people spread out on a very large piece of land. It is also very cold here, so half the year we just stay in our own houses, minding our own business and hanging out with our closest friends and family. That is why Norwegian people can be a bit hard to get to know at first. And talking to strange people on the street or sitting next to someone on the bus is something that Norwegians just don’t do. At least in my town they don’t (I did notice it’s a bit more friendly in Oslo, though). But in Holland they are close to 17 million people on this very little piece of land. So they will have to be more friendly I’d say. Random people you have never seen before says hello to you went you walk past them with your dog. Which is really nice, I think! And the people who are working in shops and restaurants are also very nice.

If I should point out one place in The Netherlands for you to visit it should be Sneek in Friesland and the area around. It is so pretty! Sure, Amsterdam is nice too, but it is so crowded and warm. Up North you have the wind, the open land and the friendly local people. They also have their own language up there, Fries, (don’t worry, they still speak Dutch and English) and it is all crazy to listen to! Hindeloopen is also a pretty place. It’s by the ocean, the houses are super charming and they have a really nice marked where I once found a polaroid camera.

It’s been two years since I last visited The Netherlands, but I would love to go there again soon. Maybe next summer?

Do you have a country that you really liked when you went there? Have you ever been to The Netherlands? If yes, where?