The Netherlands

It's been a while since I last posted anything and it's also been weeks since I came back home from The Netherlands.

There are so many fun stories that I want to share but will most likely do it as days progresses or when I am not too lazy and tired from doing random sensible and senseless stuff.

Applying for a Schengen Visa to The Netherlands is easy if you're equipped with all the documents necessary for your application. As for me, I was blessed to be invited by my boyfriend but going there on your own is also easy (I did that 7 years ago for Sweden). The worst part though is waiting for the results. Sometimes, no matter how ready you are, some things are just not meant to happen - I got really blessed and was able to fly last February of this year. For more details, check http://www.vfsglobal.com/netherlands/philippines/know_your_visa_type.html

The weather. I went there on a winter but didn't get a dose of snow unlike the northern parts of Holland or other northern parts of Europe. Since my boyfriend lives in the south (close to Belgium's border), snow is less than it used to - most likely because of climate change but it was ok. I love the colder weather but a not too cold one is also nice. Now, as we speak it is summer and it's too warm and for a tropical island girl to say that - it's really warm. The warmest I've experienced there was 22 degrees and it was hot. But the Dutch loves the sun - sunny days means outdoor biking, basking in the sun or hanging out in restaurants with balcony and having some beer.

The environment - the people. I love the simplicity of life in Holland. The people are very organized and law abiding. It's one of the many countries I've been that doesn't give a damn about your existence not unless you go nuts out of the blue. They simply don't care about what you wear, what you have (because believe it or not - what you can buy - the rest can buy, well except of course for a yacht) - but everyone and everything else equal. 

The people loves the sun, they love their coffees, their beers, their wines and their abundant supply of dairies. Food can be a bit expensive but it's top quality - never did I once wash ground beef before cooking there - and never did I see full of dirt potatoes - you pay for quality and I really love that. And I forgot - they love fries paired with snacks (processed meat, seasoned and deep fried), they love walking in the forest and chilling in parks - they love dogs and they love football. And above all else - they love quality time with family, home cooked meals, actie aka sales, freshly baked breads and most of them can speak English (they're very diverse because of education programs and companies offering jobs to foreigners and learning the language is not that hard also) - not to mention Dutch people are known to be the tallest race in mankind. I am indeed lucky to have found a place that made loving it/them so easy.

 Beach in Haamstede

Fries with snacks 

One of the many parks you can find in Eindhoven Netherlands - Anne Frankplantsoen

They do stuff on their own. Grocery baggers are no nos, yes to reusable bag and yes to debit cards and if I may - they offer second hand stuffs from clothes, furnitures and everything else. In short, people are educated to live in a minimalist but comfortable lifestyle without having to depend on others for help. They are self sufficient and internet is super fast that downloading only takes a few seconds. Commuting (bus/ trains/ taxis in the form of Mercedes Benz and other branded cars) and paid parking can be very expensive, including movie tickets and snacks as well as massages and salon trips but the best part are Market Days - sellers gather with respective stalls selling their own produce from fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, dairies and even clothes. I love that kind of atmosphere in villages and even in their big cities with fabrics all over for lesser prices. I love it.

Market Day

And of course it's not Holland if not for the bicycles and windmills. Everyone in The Netherlands knows how to bike - at a young age they were taught by parents and in villages - in Holland as a whole biking the number one means of commuting. Windmills are also very iconic - in every road or villages, there is always one which dates back way back. They are either functional or just there - an icon that has witness history.

Outside an apartment/ building in Eindhoven Netherlands

Windmill, just a few blocks from where my boyfriend lives

Fast forward to now, I love The Netherlands. The climate can be a bit unpredictable at times but it's love for nature preservation, equality and simplicity of life is what makes up the entire orange country - not to mention - I love shopping for home necessities in various home depots. All of these and the fact that my second family away from home is there - my boyfriend, our succulents and his family. I am grateful that I got to experienced the Dutch hospitality. Dank je wel. Ik heb geniet. Tot zien!