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Antony Ranger's Travel Blog

Antony Ranger's Travel Blog
The adventures, sites, sounds and tastes of Europe whilst I'm living in The Netherlands.

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Articles

Op je fiets (On your bike)
2007-09-15 10:40:00
The entire time I've been living here we have only used the car once to go somewhere local. Hey it was a rainy night and we felt like curries (Mmmm, oh how we miss Sages). We literally go everywhere by bike and why not? The steepest street is up a bridge over the river. Fietspaden (cycle ways) are footpaths especially for bikes and scooters. At major intersections they have their own traffic lights but normally bikes have the right of way. This is pretty scary at first deliberately biking into the path of an oncoming car but they stop. Glad I'm not coming from Holland to New Zealand. Nijmegen is a student town so there are a lot of young people but its also home to many older people and disabled (I can't remember the current politically correct term). They are just as quick on the fietspaden with their supercharged mobility scooters. Maybe Top Gear should do an episode of them. I wonder how many scooter vs. car accidents there are. The local constabulary often patrol the stre...
More About: Bike

Food, glorious food
2007-09-09 10:36:00
Kaas and brood (Cheese and bread) is the staple here for breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner. Unlike New Zealand the supermarkets are considerably smaller with the local Albert Hein XL (which everyone comments "how great it is to have a large supermarket") is only slightly larger than the local 4 Square. Due to the small size of these establishments the selection is somewhat limited. For example, you can reach to both ends of the cereal section without moving a foot. This is quite unlike the 50 metre isle 2 stories high at the Pak N Save next door with 100 different types of cereal. Where this is "turned on it's head" (opposite for Dutchy's) is the Drop (Dutch licorice) isle. Unlike myself in Kiwiland who drives to the supermarket next door buys huge amount of food to last me a month, the Dutch go daily to buy what they need for that day and perhaps breakfast the next day. This may seem inconvenient but I don't know how I could fit my normally load on the ...
More About: Food

A litre of petrol...
2007-09-08 10:26:00
In Holland petrol is €1.56 per litre whilst in New Zealand it's about the same but in New Zealand dollars. That's about half the price so count yourself lucky kiwis. Petrol is so expensive on the motorways that they don't even advertise the prices. At the smaller stations some unmanned you just use your cash point card and are played ads on a TV screen at the pump as you fill up. One of the guys in my Dutch class, Ali comes from Iran and recently petrol has increased from 3 euro cents per litre to 8 euro cents per litre in the last few years. Most people in Holland use bikes to get around or public transport. Of course if you live you live in one place and work in another town off the main rail links people still drive. Every morning the news shows a map of Holland with all the traffic jams shown in red and measuring hundreds of kilometres. In winter it can be up to 800kms which is more than double the height of the country!

Double Dutch
2007-09-01 10:26:00
In Holland it means using two different types of contraceptive but I've ways know it as something that is confusing ("This is all double Dutch "). Learning Dutch has been both good fun and hard. Good fun because its learning something new and talk in a different language but difficult because everyone speaks English and you never know the exact words to say in Dutch. I can't exactly have a conversation with Renate after a hard days work "Hallo Renate, Ik ben Antony", its more like "ok, and so the person's foot has rotted away because they weren't taking their medication correctly. Everyone in the Dutch class were there learning Dutch for themselves rather than having to learn it as part of living in Holland. We came from a wide area including Estonia, Bosnia, Iran, Iraq, Romania, Thailand, Turkey, Colombia and of our me from New Zealand. Our tutor Peter did a great job although I can imagine the frustration at times. We took a couple of trips to help u...
More About: Double

The Dutch Wedding as a day guest
2007-08-25 10:23:00
It was a lovely summer morning and we needed to drive to Enschede to be there for 9:30am. If you're a day guest the Dutch wedding starts very early. We started with tea, coffee and cake at the bride and groom's apartment with the rest of the day guests everyone dressed up for the big day. Hubert (the groom) was safely staying at his family's place but soon arrived to pickup Corine and together welcomed the day guests. It was then a short walk from their apartment across the centre to the city council building whilst Hubert drove Corine in the wedding car. The city council is the official marriage in the eyes of the government. Photos were taken in the large halls before moving upstairs into the small chapel like room where the ceremony took place and the marriage certificate was signed. Afterwards we headed outside and around the corner to a lovely old Catholic church where we were treated to a traditional Catholic wedding with the lighting of the candles and communion. No so ...
More About: Wedding , Guest , The Dutch

Mmmmm, bier
2007-08-25 09:45:00
I've always been a fan of Grolsch bier although back in my student days it was a bit expensive for a student budget. Unlike Heineken, Grolsch remains brewed and bottled in The Netherlands and shipped out the New Zealand in its natural form even though the bottles have lost their ceramic cap. Now that I'm here it's the perfect opportunity to try all the delights on offer including the huge variety of European beers. Unlike the supermarkets in New Zealand you can buy single bottles (or mini-kegs) rather than by the six pack or dozen. This makes sampling the large selection even easier. Last October I discovered a little known (even amongst the Dutch) named Grolsch Weizen (Wheat even though I thought it meant White). I declare it my current favourite beer. From the first moment the wire rips the neck seal and the ceramic top pops with a little cloud of gas escaping you know something special has begun. As you pour its amber contents into a glass the fine froth reaches back up the gl...
More About: Bier

Microsoft Surface
2007-08-25 09:40:00
Despite the name, Microsoft Surface is extremely cool and will revolutionise where and how we interact with computers. This is a real product that you can buy today for lots of money. Enough talking, go to the Microsoft Surface site, look and the videos then watch the one below for a actual non-marketing real-world demo.

Farewell Nan, we will miss you
2007-08-16 20:14:00
Just before heading to Slovenia for a weeks holiday I rang my grandfather in New Zealand to wish him a happy birthday. It was anything but, Nan wasn't doing well and he didn't expect her to last much longer. A day later and after 86 wonderful years she left us. For as long as I can remember, she has always been a part of my life spending large amounts of time together when I was younger, for this I consider myself very lucky. I was her first grandson and first generation New Zealander in the family. I am grateful for the family bond and values passed down the generations and will continue this myself with my children and grandchildren. Without her I would not be the person I am today. We found it difficult being on holiday at such a time and wished we could be there with everyone. Back in New Zealand there is great family support and the mountain walking in Slovenia gave me ample time to reflect on her life and what she meant to us. It was a bea...
More About: Miss , Farewell , Miss You

Interesting facts about Holland
2007-08-14 20:14:00
The drinking age is only 16 so I haven't been asked for ID. Soft drugs and only soft drugs like Marijuana and Magic Mushrooms are legal in Holland and can only be sold at licensed coffee shops. You can however grow your own. What's going to happen next year when the smoking ban is introduced? Prostitution is legal but you must be at least 18 years old and you must be at least 16 to participate. Why do Dutchies like orange so much? It's the name of the royal family "House of Orange". Tulips don't actually come from Holland. They come from Turkey just like the Kiwifruit is actually from China (the Chinese Gooseberry). They do however grow and sell the most. Some people still wear clogs and dress in the old "Milk maid" outfits. Of course this isn't everyday people walking down the street on the way to work but older more traditional communities (not just the tourist towns). Holland has the highest population density in Europe with over 493 people per square kilometer. Netherlands ...
More About: Interesting , Facts

The mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee
2007-08-13 20:14:00
When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes". The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effecti...
More About: Coffee , Cups

Goodnight Kiwi
2007-08-03 22:51:00
Probably more appropriate for my last days here but here it is both the original and directors cut. For those who have never seen, this clip was played at the end of the TV coverage for the evening in New Zealand before 24hour TV coverage was the norm.
More About: Kiwi

Vierdaagse (Four day walk)
2007-07-21 20:17:00
Every year at this time Nijmegen hosts its biggest event on the years calendar. Much like the Tour de France but on foot, in Nijmegen, and only for four days. People flock here from all over the world to join in for the week of walking and parties with over 42,000 people participating in the walking and everyone else joining in on the fun. Everyone can join in with people as young as 12 and as old as 90 walking 40kms every day for 4 days in a row. If you want there is even a 50km/day walk. This year 63 counties were represented including New Zealand. Some Dutchies do it every year as a sort of holiday with the record being 66 times (that's over 10,000kms which is like walking half way to New Zealand in 264 days). Every day there is a different walk each taking a different route out of the city and back in later in the day. The streets are lined with seating and some people even reserve spots early by padlocking their couches and chairs to trees in the days ...
More About: Walk

Prague (Praag, Praha), Czech Republic
2007-07-09 22:36:00
I've been wanting to visit Prague for a long time ever since I first saw pictures of the Gothic city covered in snow in winter. Well it wasn't winter but the city is just as spectacular and a lot more vibrant that I had imagined.It is one of the nicest cities I have been too with beautiful buildings, castles, churches, culture and history. Prague is real mixture of all the architecture styles from Gothic, Renaissance and all the other styles I know nothing about. It is spit down the middle by the river Vltava/Moldau and high up on the hill is Prague Castle, housing its own cathedral which is one of over 250 churches in the city.Our first excursion was to the Terezin not your usual holiday spot. The town was turned into a Jewish Ghetto/Concentration Camp and nearby prison fortress close to the German border. No one was gassed at Terezin but the conditions were pretty harsh with the Jewish leaders deciding the fate of the citizens as the trains left bound for Auschwitz. Built in 178...
More About: Czech Republic , Czech Rep , Republic , Czech

The Dutch Stag Night (Vrijgezellenfeest)
2007-07-04 21:47:00
Corine and Hubert will be getting married on the 20th June so it is only fair they get one last night of freedom. Whilst the girls made necklaces and ate Gourmetten the boys headed out of town for an afternoon of fun and adventure. It started with a Canadian Canoe trip down a river joining two nearby towns. We caught a ride to the start and jumped in our boats. Everyone wanted to avoid being in the same boat as Hubert just in case he was targeted so at the end only Hubert, Pascal and I were left. We finally launched our vessel after the others giving them a head start. Slowly we caught up to the other boats and after a brief tussle managed to pass each without capsizing. Some of the bridges were so low that you have to lay down in the canoe or hit your head. Other obstacles included mini waterfalls and getting stuck in the reeds. As we approached the last part of our journey, we stumbled across some children and educated them in river warfare. We concluded the session by indica...
More About: Night , Dutch , The Dutch , The D , Zell

Guernsey and Sark
2007-06-29 21:49:00
Whilst in the UK we took a short side trip to Guernsey to visit my uncle Clive. It's only a small Island just of Normandy a world away from the UK and one of the worlds financial centre's although you wouldn't know it to look. Part of the British commonwealth its neither part of the UK or the EU and this I guess is for tax reasons. For such a small island Guernsey has a rich history dating back to the stone age 5000BC, the Roman Empire, through the middle ages, Napoleonic wars and even during World War II. It was actually part of the Norman conquest of England back in 1066. During our stay Clive showed us around the key spots and we even had time to swim in the English channel although it was very fresh. Much of the natural landscape reminded me of the New Zealand's east coast but the narrow streets, old buildings and walls were of a European village. On Guernsey we took a day trip to the Isle of Sark not too far away in terms of the boat ride but quite ...

Only a four needed for a century
2007-06-28 21:33:00
Ryan Air needs to be seen to be believed and for 20 euro return to the London I'm not complaining. Everything is extra including priority seating and putting your luggage in the hold. It's literally a race to grab a seat as you don't have an allocated seat. Onboard the plane the seats are plastic and don't even have seat pockets. The safety instructions are printed on the headrest of the seat in front of you. Advertising lines every overhead locker as they even sell lottery tickets and rail passes on the planes. The worst part is the landing which the pilots are still trying to master. I was last in the UK five years ago when my brother got married so it was about time I went back especially being so close. It was my grandmothers birthday on my fathers side and Nan was turning 96 and just as cheeky as she probably was as a young lass. Just imagine what those eyes have seen from 2 world wars, countries coming and going like the tides and of course space exploration and new techn...
More About: Century

For real?
2007-06-26 22:17:00
Strange but true, a New Zealand couple decided to name their child to be 4real. For some reason the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages decided this wasn't appropriate. I guessed there must have been rules for names but never really thought about it. Along with numbers, a name cannot be Satan, Adolf Hitler or other offensive names. I can probably guess this was the talking point of the country for a good few days making a change from the usual politics. read more
More About: Real

The Kiwi's are the next America's Cup challenger
2007-06-06 20:15:00
Congratulations to the New Zealand America's Cup team for taking the Louis Vuitton Cup 5 zip over Luna Rossa. They needed to win 5 of the 9 races but in the closest race of the finals, the New Zealand team won their 5th race in a row by a mere 22 seconds. It was a bit of a challenge to get a live feed and most are pay-per-view services. TVNZ's Desktop TV service requires viewers to be in New Zealand which didn't help (anyone know a free NZ proxy server?). In the end I was able to listen to the race on www.americascup.com. For those who don't know the America's Cup is a rich mans sailing race which also happens to be the oldest sporting cup still in use in the world. Since it started in 1851 the cup has been fraught with controversy but the yanks managed to hold onto it until 1995 briefly losing it to Australia in 1983. We lost the last defense with our boat almost sinking to Switzerland's Alinghi (a land locked country). Most of the previous Kiwi team had jumped ship...
More About: Allen , Halle , Challenger

The Big Donor Show was worth watching
2007-06-01 22:02:00
Follow up to my previous post The Big Dono r Show . It's all over. The show was aired this evening starting with all the news headlines across the world and a montage of the networks founder Bart de Graaf. Bart was on dialysis for 13 years before having a kidney transplant. Before he died in his 30s his founded BNN (Bart Nederland Network) with fun shows. The audience was filled with transplant survivors and they covered the donor crisis in the Netherlands. The number of donors is actually decreasing whilst more than 200 people die a year waiting for organs. Most European countries have a policy where you are a donor unless you opt-out but Holland has an opt-in policy. Lisa (the donor) firstly selected from 25 compatible recipients removing those over 50, the very young and both smokers and ex-smokers. From there she whittled the list down to 3 possibilities who appeared on the show. She then asked the possible recipients questions about how they live and what they would do after the...
More About: Worth , Watching , Wort

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