# Netherlands - Doesn't Look Very Popular.....



## MeFeinMcCabe (Mar 28, 2009)

Going by the threads on this forum.

Was thinking of stopping off in the summer on the way up to Northern Germany, maybe at Edam or Volendam, then again up beside the border.

Have stayed at Arnhem, Utrecht, Valkenberg and a few other places before but found the campsites really expensive

The Dutch in themselves are not a welcoming bunch. I know that might be a generalisation but that's what I have found over the years on my travels. 

Mind you the cycling paths and network is a big bonus and it's flat unless of course you have cycled up the Cauberg.

Is it worth the effort to stop a few days or just batter on in Germany


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Oh dear, this does not sound like the Dutch to me, all those that I have met up with are very sociable and helpful, but like many others, they do like to practise their English.:wink2::wink2:

cabby


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## acctutor (Oct 3, 2009)

Hi,

Personally, we find the Dutch some of the friendliest of all the European peoples. We are off in May to spend 7 weeks pootling around the country, spending most of the time on the Western side.

All the best.

Bill & Patsy


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

We will be attending the Nuenen engine show next month, and it will be our 7th trip over there.

Great folks to be with, always friendly, especially the older people, but we've always had good experiences there.

Our youngest cycled round Holland with a small tent to live in, he wild camped but found plenty of places to stop for the night.

Our best experience was last year when we had to take Rita to Nijmegen University Hospital late one evening with severe stomach pains. The A&E staff were really excellent, no other word for it, and one of the nurses was the daughter in law of our hosts at the engine show, unbeknown to us.

Peter


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

I couldn't agree more. I have always found the Dutch to be unfailingly friendly and for the younger folk well conversant in English. Some of the 70+'s especially the women may not be so fluent in English. 

On the subject of the cost of camping, my experience was that a campsite I stayed at near Zandvoort in the May holidays some years ago was very expensive but there are many ACSI sites at reasonable rates out of season.

The quality of life is excellent/


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## MeFeinMcCabe (Mar 28, 2009)

Thinking of staying at Campsite Strandbad Edam. Anyone been recently?


Do like a site beside the water


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Interesting fact :-

The Netherlands diaspora is greater than those who actually live there.


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## Yaxley (Jul 25, 2008)

Dont know where you got the impression that the Dutch are not a welcoming lot.
Our experience throughout Europe has been the opposite.
Because nobody(almost) can speak Dutch they all speak English and we are struck by how friendly they are when we meet them on aires and campsites
Ian


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## Nethernut (Jun 4, 2008)

There are also a great many Aires in the Netherlands now. Worth looking at Camperstop Europe.


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Other than tulip fields to visit ...............what else.....windmills?


No proper scenery as such............***** don't compare with alpes.


tony


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## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

We have spent a lot of time in the Netherlands and like everyone else met many a Dutch couple on sites through out Europe. I was of the opinion every campsite in Europe had to have at least one Dutch Customer at all times  They seem to be everywhere. We find them the friendliest of all European Cousins and the fact most speak very good English is an added bonus. We also use the Aires when available and as good a standard as Germany.


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## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

GEMMY said:


> Other than tulip fields to visit ...............what else.....windmills?
> 
> No proper scenery as such............***** don't compare with alpes.
> 
> tony


A very personal choice of what interests you. The bigger cities have lots to see and no one can deny Amsterdam has a lot to look at :nerd:


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We too found the Dutch people delightful

They went out of their way to help and advise us

Amsterdam is fantastic and the scenery around Holland especially on the islands is brilliant, the ***** fascinating 

It's also flat, a bonus to those of us with old joints!!
Although remember when cycling in Holland the wind is always against you, you don't see all those electric bikes around for no reason

The weather though is very similar to Britain, which can be a disadvantage
I've never seen the tulips in bloom, I'd love to though

Aldra


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

aldra said:


> I've never seen the tulips in bloom, I'd love to though
> Aldra


When I was in the film and TV industry I went on a recce trip to Holland in the spring and just as the flowers were out.

It is a big industry in Holland and spectacular to see.

The film we were supplying equipment for was 'A Bridge Too Far'.

Peter


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## H1-GBV (Feb 28, 2006)

"You've got Dutch numberplates, so you must speak good English" is a phrase I have used on several occasions and it is usually true. It works as a good ice-breaker and all of my questions/problems have been answered with a smile and good information. Negotiating the Amsterdam Metro was made much easier by just speaking to the nearest person, who almost invariably spoke English. Add to that, we have been welcomed into many people's homes in the Netherlands, so perhaps you have been unlucky.

We had a lovely tour of Netherlands and North Germany in October, staying at a few "Havens" (Marinas), found via CamperStop. For a maximum of €15 (£11!) we had excellent views over lakes/harbours, EHU, limitless hot water for showers/washing up. Other nights were spent on "carpark" style aires, often for free. Lunch stops were again guided by CamperStop: we looked out for places with EHU and usually we found at least one outlet with enough credit to boil the kettle foc!

Enjoy - Gordon


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

"***** don't compare with alpes"

Some mixed metaphor*e*s hidden in that simple statement.


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## Solwaybuggier (Mar 4, 2008)

About 15 years ago we had a trailer tent - one summer in SW France we had the bright idea that as there were so many Dutch people there, why didn't we go to the Netherlands next year - surely it would be almost empty?
We did, and no, it most certainly wasn't empty!!
But we had a great time, and the people were very friendly. The main frustration was that, as I can speak a little Dutch, I thought I'd try it out occasionally - almost impossible! Oh, and one site we stayed on had what they described as Nachtspelen (Night Games) one night - why they thought arranging for large groups of kids and youths to rampage around the site at 3 in the morning was a good idea is beyond me! If anyone was thinking of going to Camping De Krakeling in Zeist, near Utrecht, you've been warned!


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

pippin said:


> "***** don't compare with alpes"
> 
> Some mixed metaphor*e*s hidden in that simple statement.


*Alpes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia*

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/*Alpes*https://www.google.co.uk/search?sou...ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGHP_en-GBGB569GB569&q=alpes#
Cached

_*Alpes*_ (French for "Alps") may refer to: Geography[edit]. _*Alpes*_-de-Haute-Provence (formerly Basses-_*Alpes*_), a French department in the south of France ...

N'est pas 0

tony


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Tony

It ALL depends on your interpretation of **** :wink2: :kiss::kiss:!!!!


I for one have never yet met a Dutch person who wasn't the epitome of "a nice person" 

One of the friendliest races of people on the planet. Shame about the neighbours to the East !!!

Andy


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Mrplodd said:


> Tony
> 
> It ALL depends on your interpretation of **** :wink2: :kiss::kiss:!!!!
> 
> ...


Ploddy, I have never interpreted a "****" or stuck my 'finger in one' please refer yourself to Pippins early reply :surprise:

tony0


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Mrplodd said:


> Tony
> 
> It ALL depends on your interpretation of **** :wink2: :kiss::kiss:!!!!
> 
> ...


Watch it Andy!

The Polish neighbours 'to the East' are very friendly.

I also reckon the British, Dutch and Polish(with a bit of encouragement and participation from Norwegians, Finns and Danes) combined could sort out most countries in Europe.

[Anecdote - 1970ish We contacted Schipol(Amsterdam) approach and were welcomed with a cheery 'Good Morning Bealine 567, cleared to Spykeboor FL 100.', immediately followed by a call from 'Lufthansa 439' and a curt response from Schipol - '439 - Standby!'

Only my impression, but from the voice I thought the ATC controller might have been a Dutch Air Force pilot in his early years]

I could tell similar stories about the French - and the Scottish ATC, who closed down to flights at 1630.

Things have changed, but rightly or wrongly, the Dutch youth still find some Germans a bit 'brash', and even if they understand German will answer in English.

I never speak to a Dutch person in German - nor a Polish person.

And then we come to the DNA of the Greeks and Turks - and so it goes on.

And as for the Cornish, Welsh - and 'dis-gruntled' from Tunbridge Wells? - well Gawd Help Us.

You Englanders, please enjoy your tea and cakes, being an hour ahead we can quaff a glass of wine.

Sebastipol Szwerzckin


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## MeFeinMcCabe (Mar 28, 2009)

I think you mean disgusted from Tunbridge Wells. Anyway I come from good stock myself, Irish mother, American father and I'm a Glaswegian with an English wife so can usually get on with most folk but would appear I must have been unlucky the couple of dozen or so times I have come in close contact with our Dutch friends

Will give it another go in the summer and looking forward to Edam and Volendam, not been there in years.

Always fancied the Friesan Islands as well, Texel looks good


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I did a couple of weeks at Adobe Software HQ in Amsterdam once many years ago. I enjoyed it so much I cried when I left.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

_tant pis_


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## delawaredandy (Oct 12, 2012)

MeFeinMcCabe said:


> I think you mean disgusted from Tunbridge Wells. Anyway I come from good stock myself, Irish mother, American father and I'm a Glaswegian with an English wife so can usually get on with most folk but would appear I must have been unlucky the couple of dozen or so times I have come in close contact with our Dutch friends
> 
> Will give it another go in the summer and looking forward to Edam and Volendam, not been there in years.
> 
> Always fancied the Friesan Islands as well, Texel looks good


Christ if you was a dog, you would be a mongrel.

M


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Nowt wrong with a mongrel 

Wish I'd got one 

Rather than the MHF hound from hell

But then again

Aldra


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## scept1c (May 10, 2005)

I've just spotted this thread and want to add my opinion which thankfully is similar to most of the others posting on the topic.

We have found the Dutch people to be extremely friendly at the many campsites and Aires throughout Europe and also in Holland. The Dutch travel everywhere, a lot more than other European nations in my experience and many times we have shared wine and beer with them. Most of them speak very good English.

We have visited the country many times and apart from Amsterdam and Rotterdam we also really liked Alkmaar and recommend visiting on the cheese market day. There is an ACSI site on the edge of town.

Up north the small town of Dokkum is very picturesque and it has an ACSI discounted campsite less than 5 minutes walk from the town centre.

The Naval museum with ships and a submarine at Den Helder is an excellent place to visit and there's an Aire with wifi and good toilets and showers just outside the museum costing a few euros per night. We will go there again if we're in the area, the staff mostly Dutch ex servicemen and women were friendly and very keen to explain and demonstrate the exhibits. In that region there is the big **** which runs for about 32 Km across the Ijsselmeer / Zuiderzee inlet. I believe it was closed last year for upgrading and I don't know if it has been reopened yet, to drive across it puts the Millau viaduct to shame, it's an amazing feat of engineering.

Now I'm not into flowers and was nonplussed by the Tulips from Amsterdam song but a couple of years ago we came across some of the Tulip fields by accident and all the colours were a sight to behold. 

No doubt about it, I'll be back.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Ah then you haven't been to Keukenhof... AWESOME display - only till 19 May approx.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Ill do a bit of racial stereotyping here just for fun. I also like the Dutch but why do they drive around everywhere in Europe at 25 km/h? It cant just be me who has noticed it.


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## H1-GBV (Feb 28, 2006)

I've added a blog of our travels round north Netherlands & north Germany (2015) if anyone is interested - Gordon


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## MeFeinMcCabe (Mar 28, 2009)

H1-GBV said:


> I've added a blog of our travels round north Netherlands & north Germany (2015) if anyone is interested - Gordon


Gordon, do you have a link to your blog please? Or am I missing something obvious?

Cheers


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

We are staying at Arnhem in the summer for a couple of nights so we can visit the Bridge area/museum etc. Looking forward to it.:smile2:

In our travels we have found the Dutch to be fine people. The company I worked for was taken over by a Dutch company and I worked directly for the owning company for a number of years, making a few visit there on business too. Nice friendly folks as far as I can make out.

Northern Italy did seem to be like the mini Netherlands last summer though: the place was awash with Dutch :smile2:

Graham :smile2:


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## H1-GBV (Feb 28, 2006)

MeFeinMcCabe said:


> Gordon, do you have a link to your blog please? Or am I missing something obvious?
> 
> Cheers


This was my first blog on here, so I never thought about making an easy link.

Try this:

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/blog-display-jid-2410.html

(Alternatively, look on the old home page for discussions/blogs

Gordon


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

The only problem with that particular country is what to call it and the inhabitants without offending them. Very difficult!

_Holland_ is just two provinces (of 12) of what is correctly named the _Netherlands_.

Calling the people _Dutch_ is even trickier as it originally referred to all the low Germanic peoples.

However we have no suitable alternative in English.

They themselves use the term _Nederlander_.

_Tot siens_!


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

pippin said:


> The only problem with that particular country is what to call it and the inhabitants without offending them. Very difficult!
> 
> _Holland_ is just two provinces (of 12) of what is correctly named the _Netherlands_.
> 
> ...


We chatted to a family up near the Stelvio Pass last summer who hailed from The Netherlands and discussed this exact issue. They were happy to be called Dutch and accepted the situation regarding Holland etc and knew it caused confusion.

Nice family: husband, wife, 8 yo lad and a 14 yo lad who were all off the next day at sparrow fart to cycle up the Stelvio Pass :surprise::surprise::surprise:

We were merely going to do it in our MH :grin2:

I was gutted for them as when we got there it was closed due to [pidgin Italian translation mode on] " a goat on the road" [pidgin Italian translation off]. Well that's what it sounded like when I spoke with an Italian copper anyway...:grin2:

Graham :smile2:


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## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

It's always been our favourite European country because of the people!
Always had France at the other end of the scale:wink2:


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## MeFeinMcCabe (Mar 28, 2009)

EJB said:


> It's always been our favourite European country because of the people!
> Always had France at the other end of the scale:wink2:


It's strange because I think the French are brilliant, maybe it's an Auld Alliance thing, anyway each to their own and take people as you find them


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## Leffe NL (Jul 14, 2015)

pippin said:


> The only problem with that particular country is what to call it and the inhabitants without offending them. Very difficult!
> 
> _Holland_ is just two provinces (of 12) of what is correctly named the _Netherlands_.
> 
> ...


True, unless it's soccer, then they insist on Holland (hup hup) :wink2:


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## Leffe NL (Jul 14, 2015)

GMJ said:


> We chatted to a family up near the Stelvio Pass last summer who hailed from The Netherlands and discussed this exact issue. They were happy to be called Dutch and accepted the situation regarding Holland etc and knew it caused confusion.:


Well they've no ground to stand on... "we" are all "English"; the English (of course), Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish and Republican of Ireland, all of us... English to the Dutchies :wink2:


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Leffe NL said:


> Well they've no ground to stand on... "we" are all "English"; the English (of course), Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish and Republican of Ireland, all of us... English to the Dutchies :wink2:


We were OK as they were aware of Wales



Graham :smile2:


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## Leffe NL (Jul 14, 2015)

GMJ said:


> OK as they were aware of Wales
> 
> 
> 
> Graham :smile2:


They've heard of you in Zealand.... New Zealand >

(Too soon Graham?)


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Leffe NL said:


> They've heard of you in Zealand.... New Zealand >
> 
> (Too soon Graham?)












Graham









PS To be fair we did OK-ish tbh :smile2:


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## Leffe NL (Jul 14, 2015)

GMJ said:


> Graham
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Same old story for us all I'm afraid Graham... looking good, looking goooood, hold on lads..... 10 mins to go, ballz. The Blackness up everything, speed, skill, accuracy and intensity in this period.

Your problem (and I've said this for a few years) is not your players, it's Gatland. He's done a good job; got you great 6N results, but Gatland-ball is not effective down south. To win their he needs to have plans B & C and he only has plan A. I really think that Wales should say "Thanks Warren, seriously, thanks a million, but we've got to move on".


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Leffe NL said:


> Your problem (and I've said this for a few years) is not your players, it's Gatland. He's done a good job; got you great 6N results, but Gatland-ball is not effective down south. To win their he needs to have plans B & C and he only has plan A. I really think that Wales should say "Thanks Warren, seriously, thanks a million, but we've got to move on".


I have said similar for a couple of years now but to be fair it has been different in the 2 tests so far. They have approached then with the freedom of play that we know they can do. They have thrown the ball around and scored some cracking tries as a result. In parts its the best I have seen us play for many a year. We have out flanked the Kiwis for a few tries by running them around /across the park

I am hoping they now build upon this so that we don't just revert back to 'Warrenball'.

Graham :smile2:


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## MeFeinMcCabe (Mar 28, 2009)

Gave the Netherlands a miss but the Dutch all over France thankfully they never ventured into Switzerland or Liechtenstein


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

The site we stayed on recently near Arnhem was one of the nicest - if not the nicest - sites we have ever stayed on. The owners were really friendly and the site itself was really picturesque: surrounded by woods; on the edge of national park areas; a few minutes from town; a good shop with fresh bread; several restaurants nearby....

The site didn't cram folks in either and was reminiscent of an old fashioned British site where the caravans etc were around the edge of each field/area and the middle was free for the kids to play etc. Don't get me wrong by 9.00pm latest, the site was dead quiet and remained so until 8.00am!

I couldn't rate it highly enough...

http://www.campingwarnsborn.nl/en/

Graham :smile2:


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## Chas17 (May 1, 2005)

GMJ said:


> The site we stayed on recently near Arnhem was one of the nicest - if not the nicest - sites we have ever stayed on. The owners were really friendly and the site itself was really picturesque: surrounded by woods; on the edge of national park areas; a few minutes from town; a good shop with fresh bread; several restaurants nearby....
> 
> The site didn't cram folks in either and was reminiscent of an old fashioned British site where the caravans etc were around the edge of each field/area and the middle was free for the kids to play etc. Don't get me wrong by 9.00pm latest, the site was dead quiet and remained so until 8.00am!
> 
> ...


Thank you, just what the doctor ordered. I'm visiting the Reichswald Military Cemetery in a couple of weeks and have been looking for somewhere handy to stay for two nights. Camping Warnsborn sounds ideal. Less than an hour away, nice people and surroundings and good dog walking.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

...and also, despite there being a number of young kids there it was deathly quiet from 9.00pm to at least 8.00am! I was surprised...very surprised!

I think its because they had loads for the kids to do so they were tired by the end of the day. They have all the walks/woods etc but also play areas and what appeared to be free loans of go karts, bikes etc for the young uns. We thought this was a good idea...

Graham :smile2:


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