Flood protection

For the past 2000 years, the inhabitants of the Netherlands have often had to cope with flood disasters. The name 'Netherlands' gives a clue to the problem: 'Nether' means 'low'. It literally means 'The Low Countries'. When a storm develops and the wind stirs up the waves, the Dutch coastal area can become flooded. The last time this happened on a large scale was just over fifty years ago. Almost 2000 people died following the flood disaster of 1953. This website describe why this disaster occurred, what exactly happened, and what was done afterwards to prevent it from happening again. (Photo: Rijkswaterstaat). Surf for more information to http://www.deltawerken.com/

Simple, banal, everyday scenes that make up Dutch daily life

Aan de dijk is a prepositional phrase in Dutch. You pronounce it phonetically as on duh dike. In a sentance, you would use it to refer to where something is located. For example, "Ravenstein is a little town located on the Maas dike." Ravenstein isn't physically on the dike, but rather located adjacent to the dike. Rachel James is American by birth, but have been living in the Netherlands since 1998. She makes a living as a portrait and lifestyle photographer. aandedijk.com is a website in which she documents the simple, banal, everyday scenes that make up Dutch daily life. Surf for more information to http://www.aandedijk.com/

Dutch post world war two buildigs

Some 100 post-WWII buildings are to be added to the roll call of listed monuments by cultural minister Ronald Plasterk. It is the first time monuments dating from the post-war reconstruction period have been designated as listed monuments.
If parliament agrees, then the Groothandelsgebouw in Rotterdam and the NS train station in Zutphen will be among those listed.
Not all the nominations are standard buildings however. Plasterk has also placed Hoogovens steel works in IJmuiden, the war memorial on the Dam in Amsterdam, the military graveyard in Bloemendaal and the radio telescope in Dwingeloo on his list.
There are also a remarkable number of churches, like the Adventkerk in Aerdenhout and the Church of the Resurrection, known to Amsterdammers as the 'coal scuttle', in Amsterdam-West.
A lot of churches were built in the post-war period in the hope they would provide a focus for social cohesion in new housing areas, architectural historian Anita Blom told Monday's Trouw. 'This became even more important during the Cold War as a counterbalance to communism,' she says. Source http://www.dutchnews.nl/

Rapsody "retro" yachts

Rapsody Yachts is building new classical fast sailing motor yachts for the very top segment of the market under the Rapsody-label. These "Retro"yachts answer to all the demands of modern yachting, but have a very nostalgic look. Quality time is our slogan; you will find all the luxury and comfort on board our yachts. Surf for more information to: www.rapsody.nl

Miffy

Miffy was born in 1955. The Bruna family was on holiday at the seaside resort "Egmond aan Zee". Their son was playing with his fabric toy bunny, father Dick was drawing as usual. Dick remembered the real pet bunnies he had when he was young and suddenly a bunny appeard on his sheet of drawing paper. For the first time there she was our Miffy. Surf for more information to http://www.miffy.com/

Lubberhuizen & Raaff

Lubberhuizen & Raaff - the only genuine distillery in the Netherlands - is situated on Waalbandijk in the old fire station at Varik, a beautiful rural village in the Betuwse region surrounded by orchards. There, Lubberhuizen & Raaff distil the best freshly harvested fruit - apples, pears, plums, cherries, raspberries, blackberries and blackcurrants - into eau de vie of the very highest quality. Unlike the usual factory method, in which industrial alcohol is mixed with essences and put on the market as liqueurs and other fruit alcohol, for L&R distilling is still a pure craft. Surf for more information to http://www.lubberhuizen-raaff.nl/

Greatest Rotterdammer

Champion boxer Bep van Klaveren, who died in 1992, has been named the greatest Rotterdammer in a city poll, winning nearly 33% of the vote. Van Klaveren won Olympic and European boxing medals. Philosopher Erasmus was second with 27% and murdered politician Pim Fortuyn third with nearly 12%. Some 74,000 people took part in the poll. Source: http://www.dutchnews.nl/