Many people from all walks of life travel to the Netherlands every year. Many don't know Holland from Friesland from Gelderland before they get there and many still don't after they leave. What do most people expect when coming to the Netherlands for the first time? Amsterdam and all it's delights is the place where so many guilty pleasures are legal. The coffee shops where one can purchase and consume marijuana are a tourist attraction of sorts. The wild discos and other marvelous nightlife, outdoor cafes with the best beer in the world crosses one's mind, perhaps? Delicious, exotic snacks like frikandel and kroketten. It's a tourists dream! Virtually everything is in English and everyone speaks English. Just party on man!

Is this the REAL 'Holland'? If one never leaves Amsterdam they may be hard pressed to find out. On my first visit to the country last summer one of the first things I remember seeing from the car on the way from Eindhoven Airport, were the endless sea of deep green pastures strewn with black and white dairy cows. I commented on how happy the cows looked in that rich environment. I got the immediate feeling that this was a country that had a deep respect for nature.

Of course then there was the flat land stretching as far as the eye can see. Coming out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA (a.k.a. The land of vertical hills), it was a welcomed change.

My first image of the country was not that of Amsterdam. I was fortunate enough to be spirited into the heart of the Netherlands. As many of you already know, driving for 2 hours in the Netherlands means that you are at the other end of the country just about. I had the privilege of staying in a small town in a private home. People seemed very laid back and very much focused on their home life. One of the first motto of Dutch life I learnt was work very hard but play even harder.

So much was focused around home-life and no one really seemed like they were in a hurry despite the fact that the Dutch are notorious for being punctual. It was refreshing to see so many bakeries and butcheries and fishmongers after years of buying everything from a mega supermarket. In my opinion the people seemed content for the most part. Focused on their daily tasks. I do remember the cheerful fishmonger (vishandel in Dutch) who had the pleasure of watching me try to eat a herring for the first time. For those of you who don't know, the traditional Dutch way to eat a herring is raw with onions. The head, guts and scales are removed of course, so then you hold it by the tail over your mouth and take a huge bite. Much to my companion's and the vishandel's amusement, I could not quite handle it. It tasted ok but was a bit too slimy for me. That was neither the first nor last Dutch food that I was obliged to try but that was probably the least to my liking.

Of course this little town in Gelderland had the typical narrow streets that are all too common is much of Europe. During this first visit, it was the middle of summer and the atmosphere was mainly festive with people everywhere. Outdoor living seemed to be a priority. Virtually every café and bar had outdoor seating and on any given afternoon people would leisurely sip greet beer and watch their surroundings. I fell for the café lifestyle. I love to sit outside and feel like I have all the time in the world. I admired how despite having a very hard days work, many people took time out for themselves.

While some were sipping Grolsch, Heineken or Dommelsh at an outdoor café, others were in their homes preparing for dinner. While riding through the neighborhoods I admired how open the houses were. One could see people preparing and sitting down to dinner as if by clockwork but not at all by stress. I could almost here the words "Eet Smakeelijk" (Bon Appetite, Enjoy your meal), ring like an echo throughout the town. Although so many were sitting down to eat at around the same time there were some stragglers on their bicycles heading home.

Bicycles. An integral part of the real Dutch experience. Something that one will even find evident if they stay around Amsterdam. It makes logical sense considering that the land is flat. I was in admiration of the accommodating bicycle paths everywhere. It was cool to see whole families on bikes. I must admit that some Americans may be surprised to see that the Dutch do not really find bike helmets that necessary. I personally think that reducing the complexity of things makes it more desirable. One does not "dress" a certain way to go cycling in the Netherlands. A bike is a mode of transportation not an object of recreation. It does explain why one tends to see less obesity there than in the States.

Lots more to come concerning language, lifestyle, race, culture from my point of view...