the Netherlands, a pretty cool country with its 'coffeeshop' or isn't it?

Netherlands
June 17, 2011 6:45pm CST
I am wondering what do you think Holland is like? Could you imagine living there? I am asking because the foreigners i spoke had the idea that we have coffeeshops everywhere and we were behind with everything (like we didnt have any mobilephones). That the only big city was Amsterdam. (all of which is not true) And if you have been there, what was your general impression about the country, the people.. Could you also mention where you live, always interesting to know! I am really curious about the responses!
3 responses
@Rick1950 (1575)
• Lima, Peru
18 Sep 11
I was in Holland at least three times but only for few days and many years ago. The first one I was in Maastricht which liked me. After that I visited to the port of Rotterdam which seemed a big city. Finally I was in Amsterdam where I stood in a hotel near of the main station. I remember have to visited the Van Gogh Museum and how much flowers had the houses. Most of the people used the bike to move from one place to another. Actually Holland is a modern and developed country with a very lively people.
• Netherlands
22 Sep 11
Amsterdam and Rotterdam are big cities. Maastricht is also big but it is located in a completely other part of the country. The attitude in Amsterdam and Rotterdam is totally different then Maastricht, which is located in the south. In the south people are more open in my opinion. I love Rotterdam, I never go to Amsterdam. Amsterdam has taken the idea of the capital a bit too far. Rotterdam is a pretty cool city. There are tons of things to do and see. e are brought up to ise the bike and in traffic in big cities this often is much quicker then using a car.
@Rick1950 (1575)
• Lima, Peru
22 Sep 11
Yeah, you're right in Maastricht people were open and friendly. I was there to the way to Belgium. In Rotterdam I was unfortunately only few hours and I haven't seen not much. But I liked very much the Van Gogh paintings in Amsterdam. I think I have seen also Rembrandt's paintings but I'm not sure. It was a long time ago that I was there.
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
19 Jun 11
When I was at university I was able to study in the Netherlands for one semester. I lived in Leevarden. It is a beautiful town with amazing architecture and pretty villages. I shared a student house with a Scottish girl, a Dutch girl, two German girls and an English guy. I had a bike and liked cycling to the university college and around for that local area. A few times I took my bike on trains and went to other places in the Netherlands like Rotterdam, Delft and Amsterdam. The Netherlands has a flat landscape so cycling is very popular by everyone it would seem. I tried learning Dutch but it proved difficult to practice. The Dutch are masters of foreign languages and if I asked in Dutch I got my reply in English. My German friends had their reply in German. Amsterdam has some coffee shops which I didn't go to and it also has a famous red light district. I live in England but studied in Wales. I like the Netherlands, it landscape and met some lovely Dutch people.
• Netherlands
21 Jun 11
Thanks Maximax8 for your beautifull response!
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
23 Jun 11
You are welcome.
@greenline (14838)
• Canada
18 Jun 11
I have been to Holland once, just once, and that was to Amsterdam only. Yes, indeed, I was very impressed with the country, the city, the people. Amsterdam is a beautiful city, and the people are very friendly. I took a boatride along the canal, and that was very enjoyable. I am looking forward to visiting again, and this time I would very much like to see other cities.
• Netherlands
19 Jun 11
Holland has much more to offer, wish you would come back and visit the south. If you think people in Amsterdam are nice you should see the south. We consider Amsterdam as one of the rudest cities... Glad to hear you had a positive experience! Have you also been to the redlight district ;) Some of the must sees of Amsterdam! When you ever come again, go see places like Eindhoven, 's Hertogenbosch, Rotterdam, Scheveningen..