How Do People Live in the Netherlands?

Koko

Owlo, I brought something really special today! It is a postcard from my cousin Finn.

Owlo

How wonderful, Koko! Where does your cousin Finn live?

Koko

He lives in the Netherlands! He sent me a card with a big windmill on it. It looks so different from here.

Owlo

What a lovely card. The Netherlands is truly a remarkable country. Have you ever asked Finn what life is like over there?

Koko

No, but I really want to know! What is life actually like in the Netherlands?

Owlo

Great question, Koko. Let us find out together. I am sure I have some books about the Netherlands right here in the library.

Koko

Wow, look at all these books about different countries! This place is like a whole world inside one room.

Owlo

Exactly. Here, this book is all about the Netherlands. Did you know the Netherlands is a very small country? It could fit inside our country almost twelve times.

Koko

That tiny! But how does everyone fit? There cannot possibly be enough space for everyone.

Owlo

That is precisely what makes the Dutch so clever, Koko. The Netherlands has lots of water, rivers, and even the sea. And yet nearly seventeen million people call it home.

Koko

That is so many people for such a tiny piece of land! But how do they actually manage that?

Owlo

They drained pieces of land to create new ground. That means they pumped the water away and turned it into dry land. This kind of land is called a polder.

Koko

A polder? So they just removed all the water and said, this is our land now? That is actually pretty brave.

Owlo

Very brave, and very clever too. Some polders actually sit below sea level. That means the ground is lower than the water in the sea right beside it.

Koko

That sounds a little bit scary, honestly. How do they stop all that water from flooding in?

Owlo

With dykes. A dyke is a tall wall made of earth or stone that holds the water back. And those big windmills on your postcard also helped pump water away in the old days.

Koko

So the windmills are not just pretty, they actually did really important work! I had absolutely no idea about that.

Owlo

Exactly right. They are beautiful and useful. These days machines do that job, but the windmills still stand as a reminder of the past.

Koko

Owlo, how do people actually get around in the Netherlands? Do they use cars?

Owlo

Many people ride bicycles! The Netherlands actually has more bikes than people. There are special cycle paths running through every city and village.

Koko

More bikes than people! Then there must be bicycles parked absolutely everywhere you look.

Owlo

Indeed, near train stations and in city centres you can see hundreds of bikes parked side by side. Cycling is completely normal there, for young and old alike.

Koko

That actually sounds really lovely. Just cycling through the city. What kind of food do they eat there?

Owlo

The Netherlands is famous for its cheese, such as Gouda and Edam. Those names are also cities in the Netherlands. They also eat lots of potatoes, vegetables, and herring, which is a type of small fish.

Koko

Eating a little fish as a snack? That sounds quite unusual. But cheese, now that I understand. I absolutely love cheese.

Owlo

The Dutch love cheese too. They have been making it for hundreds of years. They also sell their cheese to countries all around the world.

Koko

So the people of the Netherlands are super clever with water, they cycle everywhere, and they make delicious cheese. It really is a very special country.

Owlo

They are also known for their tulips. Those are colourful flowers that bloom everywhere in springtime. The fields look just like a rainbow lying on the ground.

Koko

A rainbow on the ground, what an absolutely beautiful picture. I want to ask Finn to send me a photo of the tulip fields.

Owlo

That sounds like a wonderful idea. Shall I help you write a letter back to Finn?

Koko

Yes please! But first I want to remember everything I learned today. Can I do a quick summary?

Koko

Okay, so the Netherlands is a small country with lots and lots of people. They cleverly drained land from the water, and that land is called a polder. Dykes and windmills keep the water out. Everyone cycles there, even grandmas and grandpas. They are crazy about cheese. In spring, everything turns yellow, red, and purple with tulips. And my cousin Finn lives in that amazing country, so he is actually pretty special.

Owlo

That was a wonderful summary, Koko. And do you know what else is special? You are a little bit smarter now than you were this morning.

Koko

Next time I want to learn what the Dutch language sounds like. I also want to know why Dutch people are so good at speaking other languages. Finn already speaks a little English, and I think that is really impressive.

Owlo

That is a very fine topic for next time. We will write that letter to Finn together shortly. And who knows, maybe you will even write part of it in Dutch.