To the people of the Netherlands (how much, home, purchasing)

[bellringer]

Hello people of the Netherlands! A couple of questions. How do you all feel about American tourists? What if they're Texans? I'm both and I have always wanted to visit. Does it help if I have A Dutch last name, even if my people have not lived there since the 60's. 1660's that is. Has anyone been to the van Gogh museum? And how was it? Van Gogh is my favorite painter. Thank you for any and all responses! Bellringer

[bellringer]

Is there anyone out there from the Netherlands? I was on a plane home from Vegas and I talked to a really nice man who travelled extensively. I asked him of all the places he had been, which countries had the friendliest people. He only named two. His first response was The Netherlands. His second was Nepal.

[irman]

Originally Posted by bellringer

Hello people of the Netherlands! A couple of questions. How do you all feel about American tourists? What if they're Texans? I'm both and I have always wanted to visit. Does it help if I have A Dutch last name, even if my people have not lived there since the 60's. 1660's that is. Has anyone been to the van Gogh museum? And how was it? Van Gogh is my favorite painter. Thank you for any and all responses! Bellringer

Look at it this way.
1 - Do not ever belittle anybody anywhere.
2 - Always show interest in the Host country and its people, FIRST, and then ... maybe ... talk about what you have at home.
3 - People are interesting subjects and they tend to react the way you do !!!
--- You behave like a snob, they will be a snob to you.
4 - Even if you do not know any Dutch, ask people how do you pronounce *this or that* and then make an honest try to learn.
5 - Since you have a *Dutch* last name, find out where it comes from.

Just some Texan humor for you ....
This Texan is going around in Europe and he meets this Dutch farmer.
The Texan asks him how big his property is and the proud Dutch farmer points to a stream in the distance and then to a row of trees in another direction and says, *that is how much ground I have*.
Upon which the Texan says:
Wow, the piece of land I have, It take two days in my car to drive around the property ... !!!
The Dutch farmer looks at him and then dryly says:
I used to have an old car like that also ......

Anyway, there is a lot to see and experience in Holland especially if you can figure out where your ancestry is coming from.
Lots of musea and culture to see.
Also, please do not forget to take the time to sit at any roadside cafe and truly enjoy some extraordinary pancakes and torts. Nothing in the world beats that .... Of course a nice glass of cold Pils or wine in addition to that.

LBNL, are you sure it is 1660 and not maybe 1860 ?

[j_k_k]

If you succeed in correctly pronouncing 'Schiphol' then you're a better person than I. When I try to say it, I sound like I'm trying to blow out all the candles on my birthday cake.

[irman]

Originally Posted by j_k_k

If you succeed in correctly pronouncing 'Schiphol' then you're a better person than I. When I try to say it, I sound like I'm trying to blow out all the candles on my birthday cake.

Uhuh .... that is one of those sounds typical Americans have a heck of a time with, to pronounce.
Actually very easy, if you know where to place your tongue against your palate.

Try this ....
Place the back of your tongue against your palate and try to get rid of any flem (sp?) you have, without placing an *r* or a *k* in the sound. Do it with very little force and you WILL almost be able to pronounce the *s ch* sound ...

Now once you *master* that, ask any Swede to clearly translate the following into Swedish and then try to repeat ...
"Seven hundred seventy thousand sailors are singing on a ship"

Haff phun .....

[bellringer]

Thank you irman

I was being serious. We have a genealogist in the family. It was the 1660's. My folks have a book about the family, I'll have to check it out again. Funny joke!

[irman]

Originally Posted by bellringer

Thank you irman

I was being serious. We have a genealogist in the family. It was the 1660's. My folks have a book about the family, I'll have to check it out again. Funny joke!

OK, No arguments there. !!

Just seemed so early since there really was not that big of an exodus until later.

The 17th century in Europe was called the *Golden Age*, due to a lot of cultural things happening there. Before that, the time was called the dark ages ....

So with your genealogy info, it would be really nice to find some posterity of your ancestry there.

LBNL, your location says Tucson, yet you say Texan ..... what gives ???

[Annie28]

Originally Posted by bellringer

Hello people of the Netherlands! A couple of questions. How do you all feel about American tourists? What if they're Texans? I'm both and I have always wanted to visit. Does it help if I have A Dutch last name, even if my people have not lived there since the 60's. 1660's that is. Has anyone been to the van Gogh museum? And how was it? Van Gogh is my favorite painter. Thank you for any and all responses! Bellringer

Hallo!

Most Dutch people have no problems with American tourists, as long as they don't stand in the middle of the bike lanes. If you mention you are from Texas, you may get a sarcastic remark about George Bush/"Who shot JR?"/Walker Texas Ranger, but it's all in good fun.

The Van Gogh museum is great, just try to go at an off hour to avoid the massive crowds. You can spend hours in there. Depending on how long you will be in Amsterdam, I would recommend purchasing the IAMsterdam Card. It gives you free transportation on city trams/busses, free entrance to many museums (Van Gogh, Rijsmuseum), discounts on other attractions and free gifts at various Amsterdam businesses.

I would highly recommend getting out of Amsterdam and seeing other Dutch cities as well. Haarlem, Delft, Utrecht, Den Haag are all lovely cities within 30-45 minutes from Amsterdam.

Veel plezier!

[bellringer]

Annie28-Thank You! My town is "bike friendly," so I will not have a problem with that one. I was kind of teasing about being a Texan. I mean, I am one, but that was more of an ice breaker. Jokes about our former president do not bother me. Or any jokes, for that matter. Especially, if they are funny! He is not revered by many, even in his own country. Have you ever seen "Saturday Night Live?" I would love to see the Van Gogh museum.

irman-I do live in Tucson at the moment. My mother was sick, and I moved to Tucson from San Antonio, Tx. I hope to get back there someday.

Dank Je!

[Annie28]

Originally Posted by bellringer

Annie28-Thank You! My town is "bike friendly," so I will not have a problem with that one. I was kind of teasing about being a Texan. I mean, I am one, but that was more of an ice breaker. Jokes about our former president do not bother me. Or any jokes, for that matter. Especially, if they are funny! He is not revered by many, even in his own country. Have you ever seen "Saturday Night Live?" I would love to see the Van Gogh museum.

irman-I do live in Tucson at the moment. My mother was sick, and I moved to Tucson from San Antonio, Tx. I hope to get back there someday.

Dank Je!

No problem! I'm a Texan/Dutch hybrid mix, so I feel like I can offer some pretty sound advice

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Graag gedaan!