The Holland Times June 2022 by The Holland Times

Kickstart School

KSTA

OOL

DUTCH ENGLISH CHINESE 9.3

KIC

Language Training

ONLINE & FACE TO FACE

E!! FRE per spa new ats and xp ic for e plomat i d y the unit m com

YEARS

9.2

Centrally located in The Hague

kickstartschool.nl

CONTROLLED CIRCULATION | POSTBUS 2203 | 1500 GE ZAANDAM

JUNE 2022

Housing & Relocation

Fabrique des Lumières opens in Amsterdam

Number of semi-literate people is high

er 25 d in ov rite Feature s of your favo e episod te TV Shows rs ta te Real Es g House Hun includin onal! ti Interna

Check out www.27House.nl for more details and contact us for a FREE consultation or valuation – info@27House.nl

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 1

12-05-2022 10:04

The income tax return for EUR 390 incl VAT for regular private individuals

File online with BNC Tax Professionals

• Private tax return • Corporate tax services • M form Dutch tax return • Tax trouble shooters • 30% ruling in Dutch tax return

• Private tax return • Corporate tax services • FBAR • Foreign earned income exclusion • 30% ruling in US tax return

www.orangetax.com

www.bnctax.com

0023 Advertentie BNC - OTS.indd 3

THT1_2022 _CS.indd 2

23-12-2020 16:54 26-01-2022

20:33

JUNE 2022 | 3

Contents ere can find t e Holland i es The Holland Times is widely distributed for free, in the regions of Amsterdam, Amstelveen, Hoofddorp, Schiphol, Leiden, Delft, Den Haag, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven, Maastricht, Wassenaar and Enschede. ou can ﬁnd The olland Times at embassies and consulates, international organizations, internationally oriented companies, hospitals, medical clinics, sports clubs, international schools, housing companies, ﬁnancial services and banks, expatriate centers, restaurants, libraries, kindergartens, language schools, social clubs, movie houses and expat-oriented stores. And also at Kellys Expat Shopping in Amsterdam - The Hague - Wassenaar - Utrecht

Shortage of staff spells chaos at Schiphol Airport ack of trust in the rule of law grows in the Netherlands

ustainability less important for starters on the labour market o we feel like old normal’ is back

Beauty and the Beast: Amsterdam and its tourists Large terraces in Amsterdam no longer allowed

Number of semi-literate people in the Netherlands is high Rising prices in supermarkets

ake your home sustainable Five reasons why Tips to reduce gas usage

15 Investment opportunities in Ecuador in the tourism sector 17 Column 19 Spotlight on a contributor

ould you like to receive The Holland Times in your organization or become one of our distribution points?

21 Art & Culture

Please contact c.spraakman argomedia.nl

29 Tips

ark of oestdi k alace in aarn

27 Nice spots 31 Sport

COLOPHON The Holland Times is an independent, English language newspaper with Dutch news, published by Argo Special Media B.V.

Argo Special Media B.V. Postbus 2203 1500 GE Zaandam

The editors try to ensure the accuracy of all information contained within. However, mistakes and ommissions are possible. No rights may therefore be derived from material published.

Contributors Marla Thomson, Priyanka Sharma, John Mahnen, Nanda Jagusiak, Nicole Kerr, Molly Fitz, Zuzanna Kuffel, Mariana Mendoza González, Benjamin B.Roberts, Lorre Luther, Parul Sachdeva, Juan Álvarez Umbarila, Stephen Swai & Von Poll Real Estate Editor Roselaar Tekstadvies Visit our website for news updates: www.hollandtimes.nl

Would you like to receive The Holland Times in your organization or become one of our distribution points? Please contact c.spraakman@argomedia.nl Controlled circulation: international institutions, the diplomatic corps, and epicentres of the Netherlands’ international and expat community.

For all editorial information and suggestions, please contact us at: c.spraakman@argomedia.nl

The opinions of external authors in the Holland Times are published under personal title and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editors of the Holland Times.

Advertising and Inquiries Bert Versteeg 020-506 39 26 06-33 74 34 63 bert@hollandtimes.nl

All photos: Depositphotos Left photo cover: Hundertwasser, in the wake of the Vienna Secession’: © Culturespaces / Eric Spiller

Please send all advertising content to: traffic@argomedia.nl Distribution PostNL Design & Layout Caroline Spraakman

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 3

12-05-2022 10:22

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 4

10-05-2022 19:51

JUNE 2022 | 5

NATIONAL

Shortage of staff spells chaos at Schiphol Airport ‘Dear passengers, please fasten your seat belts as we are ready for departure.’ Many travelers did not get a chance to hear these famous words, as their flights were canceled due to the unannounced strike by KLM baggage and freight personnel at Schiphol airport on 23 April. The strike was a result of staff shortages creating chaos and delays at one of the busiest airports in the world.

Into the second week of the May school holiday, the long queues and large crowds at the airport continued, resulting in significant delays for travelers. The strike on 23 April started when ground staff, responsible for loading and unloading planes and bringing luggage to the baggage belts, received an email stating that their work would be partially outsourced to another handling agent. This was the last straw in an ongoing conflict between Schiphol and the ground staff over low pay, poor working conditions and no permanent contracts. According to KLM, labour shortages and a high levels of callouts are the reasons for its decision to outsource. The strike has now ended and unions are making endeavours to reach an agreement with KLM management. With the airport still suffering from staff shortages, the airport authority has called on various airlines to cancel flights in order to control the situation and prevent excessive crowds. Agreeing to the suggestion, KLM canceled

more than 40 fights, while other airlines such as Tui, Transavia and Corendon rerouted flights to other airports in the Netherlands. These initiatives act as a breather for the country’s largest airport, but the number of flight diversions is limited by various factors, including rules about noise pollution.

Despite the schedule changes, Schiphol has warned people to expect waiting times longer than usual, especially at the security check: due to staff shortage, only eight out of fourteen lanes are open on the busiest days of the year. Journalist Molly Quell from DutchNews shared her traveling experience: it took her 2 hours and 40 minutes to get through security, with the queue starting outside the terminal building. Flight cancellations just lead to more problems: many travelers are demanding a refund for Schiphol pouring cold water on their travel plans. Since the strike, over 1600 claims for damages, worth 1.3 million euros, have been received. The authorities believe this is the tip of the iceberg, as many more claims will be reported once travelers return from holiday. Mark Harbers, State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management, sees the problems at Schiphol as a serious issue, caused by staff shortage. This is in fact a common problem that is prevalent beyond the aviation sector and is not easily solved by throwing more money at

it. The Netherlands is experiencing staff scarcity in all sectors, with technology and IT, construction, teaching, healthcare, production and logistics being the worst hit. Adding fuel to the fire, a recent study revealed that 40% of staff in the logistics, retail, hospitality and healthcare sectors are considering quitting their jobs because they can’t get a permanent contract and are unhappy with their pay. Staff shortage is becoming a grave concern in the Netherlands. A record number of vacancies was reported last year: According to the Dutch Statistics Office (CBS), there were 105 vacancies per 100 unemployed. All these numbers are worrisome and

need to be tackled. There are many reasons for staffing issues, such as the prospering economy, changing industries, an aging population and overwhelmed staff. Experts believe that by emphasizing the value and importance of employees, planning for long-term recruiting and hiring, training current staff and utilizing automation, the issue can be addressed efficiently. Overcoming staff shortages is dependent on how companies treat and support their workers. Supporting staff is the key – all above-mentioned paths lead loyal staff, which in turn guarantees the country’s prosperity and development. Written by Parul Sachdeva

Lack of trust in the rule of law grows in the Netherlands

At least one-third of Dutch citizens believe the government would be justified in violating democratic norms to resolve pressing issues such as the climate crisis and housing shortage, according to a new report by the Verwey-Jonker Institute on a study into illiberalism in the Netherlands. Distrust in the government is not a new phenomenon in the Netherlands, but the trend appears to have been fueled by the Covid crisis and is particularly strong among those between 18 and 24 years old. Dutch citizens of all stripes appear to have illiberal tendencies. The study found no difference between progressive and conservative voters when it came to willingness to violate constitutional norms to solve complex social problems. Level of education completed doesn’t appear to impact the trend, with equal numbers of university and technical school graduates expressing opinions supportive of setting aside the rule of law. “While people think parliamentary democracy is the best form

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 5

of government, we also feel that politics is incapable of solving complex problems. As soon as we become very concerned about something, a fairly large group says that a strong leader is needed. Then we tend to embrace less liberal forms of government,” according to Ron van Wonderen, researcher at the Verwey-Jonker Institute and author of the report.

outside the rule of law. And something like the childcare benefit affair – a government that really does not uphold citizens’ fundamental rights, that has really knocked down confidence,” says Barbara Oomen, Professor of Sociology at Utrecht University. “The core of the rule of law is that the elected government must also comply with the law, and with fundamental rights,” she says.

The majority of Dutch citizens, over 90%, identify as having high confidence in the rule of law as a theoretical concept. Yet, 37% of the respondents in the study believe that “the government should do what the majority of the population wants, even if there are laws that prohibit it.” Over a third agreed with the statement “social problems should be solved quickly and efficiently, even if that means less attention is paid to the viewpoints and interests of different groups.”

The move towards illiberalism is a global trend, as nations across the globe, including the United States, Hungary and France, struggle with a rise in rejection of democratic norms. “You see it in other countries too. Look at how many voters in France voted for Le Pen, look at the unrest in Washington after the presidential election. Due to the increasing polarization, we are more and more inclined to move the pillars that uphold our rule of law,” says Leopold.

A substantial minority of the respondents, 35 %, believe the government should be able to ignore opposition parties in parliament when addressing major national issues such as immigration and the housing crisis. At least 20% of the population believes the cabinet should ignore both parliamentary opposition and judicial orders when these constitutional constraints make it difficult for the government to address pressing national issues efficiently. “To say that the opinion of others is less important, that judges or the opposition should sometimes be brushed aside, constitutes a serious rot in the pillars of our democracy,” says Ronald Leopold, director of the Anne Frank Foundation. This increase in distrust in the government has not occurred in a vacuum. Scholars identify the Dutch government’s repeated violation of democratic norms during the childcare benefit affair and the Covid crisis as instrumental in setting the stage for the growing rejection of democratic constitutional norms among citizens. “If you only look at Covid, many measures have been introduced

While setting aside the rule of law in the pursuit of efficiency in the resolution of pressing issues may be tempting, the approach comes with risks. “While something like that can work for you one time, it can work against you the next time,” suggests Oomen. Scholars emphasize the importance of the rule of law and respect for minority opinions in maintaining a peaceful society. “In our democratic system, there’s a reason why we take the wishes of minorities into account. It serves to maintain stability and prevent dissatisfaction,” says Willem Wagenaar, researcher at the Anne Frank Foundation. The study’s authors argue the trend is best addressed through more education, particularly given the dramatic rise in illiberalism among 18- to 24-year-olds. “We have to learn to live with people who are very different from us, also in political views. Our democracy offers the best protection to prevent history from repeating itself and some groups from being heard no more,” suggests Leopold. Written by Lorre Luther

12-05-2022 10:22

We provide worldwide moving services tailored to your requirements.

info@atlas-movers.com | +31 (0) 297 348 281 www.atlas-movers.com

The Relocation Professionals About us? Professional relocation company based in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The owner of the company is an expat herself and moved here 10 years ago. Why us? We don’t deal in problems we deal in solutions. Moving is in the top ten list of stressful life events. We know things don’t always go smoothly, we work to solve them quickly. How we work? One to one communication. Fast action and feedback. Competitive prices - no hidden costs. One offs or long term relocation projects our speciality. Get in touch? Call us to find out more on +31 (0) 23 549 2441 or; send an email to nadia@relocate-me.nl

Relocate Me BV Wilhelminastraat 35 2011 VJ Haarlem +31 235492441 www.relocate-me.nl

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 6

11-05-2022 11:10

JUNE 2022 | 7

NATIONAL

Sustainability less important for starters on the labour market The labour market has been rapidly changing in recent times, and workers’ priorities are constantly shifting along with the context. The Covid crisis, hybrid working and current political and economic events have created a new panorama for the workforce, especially now that the number of vacancies is higher that the number of jobseekers. The apparent challenge for employers is to pay attention to the younger workforce’s shifting priorities, and to align them to their own recruiting strategies. According to Dominique Hermans, CEO of Human Resource consultancy Randstad, the main priorities are a higher salaries and better work environment, outstripping other things like sustainability and how the job contributes to a better world. Hermans’ analysis points to a misalignment between what younger workers actually value most and what employers think their potential workers want. What Randstad concludes is that workers value salary and benefits firstly, work atmosphere secondly, and career opportunities in third place. And those newer priorities are being missed by employers, who, according to Randstad, put the emphasis on sustainability and purpose in their job offers. In a tight labour market, where job supply is surpassing demand, especially in sectors like tech, IT, construction and production, it is very important to effectively attract and retain a younger workforce. It is clear that in the current labour market potential employees seem to have the upper hand in negotiating with employers, and it

is up to the latter to become more attractive to young talent than the competition. For the second semester of 2021, it was calculated that for every 100 unemployed people in the Netherlands there were 106 open job positions available. For around 327,000 unemployed, Randstad has more than 400,000 open online vacancies, suggesting that jobseekers can be very critical about where they work. Labour data firm Intelligence Group reported that the supply of active job seekers has not been this low, and demand never this high in proportion, since it began measuring the market in 2003.

However, there is no absolute consensus on what starters on the labour market actually want, especially in regard to how their jobs might be meaningful to them and others. Career consultancy Qompas found that for 69% of surveyed students and labour market starters, it was somehow important or very important that their employer is “emphatically concerned with green initiatives and sustainability”, and thus the study advises recruiters and business to include information about sustainability initiatives on their websites. Furthermore, Qompas warns employers that an attractive financial picture is not by itself sufficient to attract and maintain young employers; instead, it is a sum of well-balanced and diverse proposals that have to be placed on the table. It is important that employers not only attract young talent in the first place, but have the ability to keep them in their companies for longer after hiring. Sustainability in this sense means keeping

employees engaged and motivated, especially in the current labour market, which is characterized by a higher degree of flexibility, since workers change jobs more easily. A meaningful job in several ways keeps the starting workforce more committed. But this does not only apply to younger starters on the labour market. It is also important for part-timers, a group that is currently larger than the unemployed (500,000 in comparison to 300,000), who could be potentially attracted to work more hours if favourable conditions are met. The same applies to immigrant workers, both “knowledge migrants” and refugees who can fill positions with lower qualifications. In this sense, Dominique Hermans from

Randstad supports plans by the European Commission to facilitate legal labour migration, to create a Smart Immigration Policy to help balance the labour market. Ultimately, employers and recruiters need to focus on the mobile priorities of the diverse sectors of the potential workforce, not only to the most important points, but as a sum of characteristics that accomplish a fulfilling life as an employee. And this attention must extend to the generation that is now reaching the labour market, who could have very different job priorities in accordance with what the future may present to them. Written by Juan Álvarez Umbarila

Do we feel like ‘old normal’ is back?

Visitors to bars and clubs around the Rembrandtplein in Amsterdam were clogging the streets, clouds of smoke appeared above the heads of the waiting masses, while the background sounded like a mix of techno, bass beats and carnival songs. What was happening in that busy corner was not much different from many other places in the country on the night of 25 February 2022, when the third stage of the three-part plan for reopening the Netherlands after to years of lockdowns and restrictions had arrived. No more 1,5-meter distance rule, no more face masks in public spaces, no need for the Covid certificate system through QR codes and the CoronaCheck app; the hospitality, events and culture industries no longer had to close their doors at 10 pm and the mandatory quarantine for those arriving the country was scrapped. But after years of getting used to constant restrictions to contain the pandemic, is everyone really able to feel as normal as before 2020? The year 2020 impacted everyone’s life around the globe, when what seemed to be a tragedy in Asia mercilessly extended, like wildfire, to the rest of the world. With death rates increasing by the minute and the health sector being overwhelmed, governments took action on the matter, as required in each country. One measure that seemed to

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 7

date from centuries ago spread as fast and equally as the virus: quarantine.

Isolated, and with the inability to live in normal social settings, society’s pace quickly shifted. Celebrities venerated before were now attacked online, as their attempts to show solidarity with others revealed the deep inequality of the conditions in which people had to endure their lockdowns. So-called ‘conspiracy theorists’ emerged through social media, spreading theories like ‘Plandemy’ and causing rifts between people. Organizations like UN Women shed

light on a problem on the rise: “Since the outbreak of Covid-19, emerging data and reports from those on the front lines have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has intensified.” Yet each individual reached for a sense of connection and belonging in new ways. The new TikTok platform was downloaded by ca. 113 million users worldwide in February 2020. Instagram accounts such as @tussenkunstenquarantaine quickly became popular virtual cultural spaces. Online shopping and food ordering became

more and more common with services like Picnic Online Supermarkt seeing a huge increase in customers, while others, like Gorillas and Flinck for fast delivery, jumped on the delivery bandwagon. “If you ask me, the old normal is no longer possible,” says Jorn Visser, a 25-year-old student from Utrecht: “Covid has brought a lot of misery but it has also forced us to be creative.” He cites his old job in the retail industry as an example: the store he was working in saw an increase in profit through online sales, while a decrease in actual traffic was happening. Many physical stores still offer online orders as well, and this won’t change back. Visser also recalls that being a student during the lockdown felt like living a ‘caged’ life: “Sleeping, eating, training and studying in a small room gave me an empty and uninspiring feeling. New impressions, for example by going for a walk and having conversations to criticize your own ideas, are essential to not get stuck in your own thoughts.” He finishes by reaffirming that, even now that quarantines are no longer necessary, he gets constant reminders that the ‘old normal’ is not back: many 1,5-meter distance warnings have remained in public spaces. And of course, working from home has by now become completely normal. Written by Mariana Mendoza González

12-05-2022 10:22

voor magazine The Holland Times 4-Housing & Relocation

Relocation Services Holland: a one-stop service provider for relocation and housing in The Netherlands RSH – short for Relocation Services Holland – has been in the business of relocating international employees to The Netherlands for nearly thirty years. Based in the Hague, the agency with a boutique approach, represents a broad variety of multinationals, small businesses as well as several non-profit organizations, offering destination services that include Immigration, Relocation and Housing Management.

The RSH client base consists of companies and multinationals operating in different industries, including IT, engineering/offshore, transportation & infrastructure, financial services and chemical industry. RSH also operates as a trusted partner for several non-profit organizations. The services lines supported by RSH:

RSH has been established in 1985 and is led by Veronique Haverhals, who has an extensive background in immigration law and real-estate. Together with her international team of professional relocation consultants specialized in realtor and housing , RSH ensures a high level of service. Over the years RSH has received many awards for its quality-driven approach, which is also reflected by the EuRA Quality seal and ISO 27001/9001 certifications. As a ‘one-stop’ relocation and housing services provider, RSH offers its in-house expertise from the start to the finish of the relocation process. Support is offered to both international companies as well as individuals ranging from organizing work and resident permits, VISA and BSN applications, opening bank accounts, munici-pality registration, housing/accommodation search to finding schooling and local international communities for employees’ families. A broad approach, in which the RSH team - several of them have lived and worked abroad as well - is highly committed to helping international assignees to adjust to a new culture and country. RSH HQ is situated in The Netherlands and covers most of The Netherlands.

Immigration The RSH Immigration Law Practice provides strategic counsel and customized solutions to help international businesses deal efficiently and effectively with their cross-border workforce in the Netherlands. Relocation From arrival to departure, RSH offers assistance in organizing and managing local regulations, insurances, taxes and setting up required registrations, among others. All that is needed to ensure a comfortable adjustment to a new culture and living. Housing Management RSH experienced housing consultants provide customized home search services without the use of external realtors. From temporary accommodation to short/long stay properties. RSH also provides housing management services, including all legal and organizational aspects. Curious to learn more about RSH and the services offered? Visit www.relocation-holland.nl or just give us a call via 0031 70 387 1715.

Relocating? Discover how your transfer can be a smooth experience…use the RAFTS® app! RAFTS® will make your journey into a breeze…

Embassy

Docs

Office

...using the RAFTS® app, all aspects of the journey will be taken care of, so you can focus on other important things!

Moving to a new country can be a bumpy ride...!

RAFTS® is a product of the Expat Center for The Netherlands to make the transfer to The Netherlands as efficient and intelligent as humanly possible. Call Expat Center or your HR department for information and/or access.

CALL THE EXPAT CENTER ON +31(0)20 4411426

info@expatcenter.nl • www.expatcenter.nl Fred. Roeskestraat 115 • 1076 EE Amsterdam

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 8

11-05-2022 11:24

JUNE 2022 | 9

NATIONAL

Beauty and the Beast: Amsterdam and its tourists

Amsterdam is often called the Venice of the North, and nowadays the city is becoming even more like its Italian namesake. Like Venice, Amsterdam is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site, has breath-taking canals and spectacular architecture, and features world-class museums with Rembrandts and Van Goghs. However, its beauty and popularity as a tourist destination come with a downside. Amsterdam’s historic city center, including its Red Light district, faces being turned into an amusement park with hordes of drunken tourists urinating in doorways and scattering litter on its streets and picturesque canals. To prevent further degeneration for the residents of

these neighborhoods, Amsterdam’s town council proposes draconian measures. Before Covid, in 2019, Amsterdam saw than 22 million tourists per year, a significant rise in number considering the city only had 5 million visitors in 2010. For a city of 905,000 inhabitants, that is a lot, and amounts to 24 tourists for every resident. With a return to pre-Covid normal, officials expect hordes of tourists, and primarily to the districts in Amsterdam’s center. Many local residents feel unsafe with the large numbers of visitors, especially the sex workers in the Red Light district, where flocks of drunken and/or stoned tourists disturb the peace.

Turnstiles Amsterdam’s major, Femke Halsema, and town council aim to implement a strict policy to make areas that are frequented by tourists more inhabitable, especially for the districts that receive the lion’s share of tourists, such as the historic city center and Red Light district. One innovation is introducing turnstiles for specific districts to limit the numbers of tourists. Of course, Halsema would rather not have to take such measures, but other cities across Europe, including Venice, are also introducing turnstiles to restrict and deter excessive numbers of visitors from entering specific districts all at the same time. Amsterdam’s policy also includes limiting the space allotted to outdoor cafés and restaurants, prohibiting the sale of alcohol from Thursday until Sunday after 4pm in some districts, and implementing a crowd-control policy in the Red Light district with one-way pedestrian traffic in certain alleys and small streets. Moreover, the city council has already decreased the number of permits for tourist-aimed shops and banned new hotels from busy touristic areas. Fewer coffeeshops The town council also proposes reducing the number of coffeeshops and implementing the sale of cannabis to only Dutch citizens, using an electronic system called i-criterium. This will reduce

the overall number of coffeeshops, as tourists can no longer visit them. However, according to an I&O Research report, 24% of tourists will still visit the city and hope to purchase cannabis either illegally or ask a local to buy it for them. The BCD, the Dutch Union of Cannabis Retailers, fervently opposes the mayor’s proposed regulation. They argue their clients do not disturb the peace, since most cannabis smokers become starry-eyed and quiet. A new study into tourist behaviour concludes that more regulation of visitors to coffeeshops will not reduce the number of tourists or reduce the amount of noise in the city’s center either. The same study indicates that many of the residents of Amsterdam believe that the consumption of alcohol causes more disturbance of the peace than the use of cannabis; it argues that a ban on alcohol in some areas of the city would be more effective. However, for the municipality, banning alcohol consumption is more difficult to regulate. Whatever the mayor and town council propose to curb the city from turning into an amusement park, it will not be popular among tourists or the many business owners who profit from tourists. Annually, tourists pump 8 billion euros in Amsterdam’s economy. It’s not easy being a beautiful city. Written by Benjamin B. Roberts

Large terraces in Amsterdam no longer allowed As crowding in Amsterdam’s Red Light district continues, Mayor Femke Halsema, in a letter to the Amsterdam City Council, has announced a slew of new restrictions aimed at reducing this. The restrictions that will be implemented will include, but are not limited to, catering establishments removing their terrace extensions, stricter alcohol bans, and crowd control, possibly with turnstiles.

Considering the recent Easter weekend, Halsema, in Het Parool newspaper, emphasized the great impact of tourism and the way it puts pressure on the city centre and surrounding areas. Halsema claims that the “critical limit” for disturbance caused by swarms of tourists has been reached. “King’s Day and Pride are exceptional days that belong to the capital, but the beautiful historic centre where people live should not be permanently used as an amusement park,” she says.

According to Het Parool, from this month onwards, catering establishments in the Red Light district and the Nieuwmarkt will have to reduce their terraces. They were allowed to expand their catering areas during the Covid pandemic in a move to help the severely impacted hospitality industry. This terrace extension was temporary, and the inconvenience that tourists are now causing must be considered. “The rapidly increasing number of visitors and the nuisance this entails put unacceptable pressure on public space and the quality of life in the Red Light district,” says Halsema. Alcohol prohibition and one-way traffic moves Additionally, a comprehensive alcohol sales prohibition will put in place, meaning no alcoholic beverages can be sold after 4 PM from Thursday through Sunday. Given the increasing number of visitors and tourists, the municipality of Amsterdam will implement greater crowd management with immediate effect. One-way traffic is being implemented in several alleys in the Red Light district, as was already the case during the pandemic. In this period, traffic support workers steered tourists in the right directions at the canal and alley ends. This one-way traffic system should result in visitor numbers to the area being reduced to 70% of the numbers seen in 2019. Additionally, the city is considering whether turnstiles could be installed here to let visitors enter and leave the Red Light district. Furthermore, drug dealers on the streets will be subjected to increased enforcement.

Amsterdam’s previous efforts to curb crowds In recent years, the city council has taken a number of steps to reduce and manage crowding. For instance, pub crawls and guided tours in the Red Light district are outlawed, and no alcohol may be consumed on the street.

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 9

However, these were not sufficient to reduce nuisance to an acceptable level. Halsema says she is still working on additional measures, that may include an even stricter alcohol sales ban and an earlier closure time for cafes, bars and entertainment venues. In addition, Halsema is working on implementing mediumand long-term initiatives to change the city centre’s economic structure and monoculture. Although the city council opposes it, the mayor supports a temporary coffee shop ban for tourists. This follows research that unveiled that 58% of foreign tourists visiting Amsterdam do so only for the purpose of consuming cannabis. The city is also looking for a new site for sex workers outside of the city centre, so that the Red Light district may be closed. According to Halsema, there is a shortlist of eight potential locations, which she will soon update the council on. “These steps require further elaboration, including the necessary police and enforcement capacity, logistical preparation and legal preparation,” explains Halsema. Additionally, some promotion agencies, such as amsterdam&partners, have published online information campaigns to boost awareness of “desired behaviour” by tourists visiting the city. Overall, Halsema says, the city cannot refuse people who want to visit, but it is working to increase cultural tourism and reduce nuisance for its residents.

Written by Nicole Kerr

11-05-2022 14:24

EXPAT MORTGAGES & INSURANCES [Citeer hier uw bron.]

FOR OVER 30 YEARS WE ARE HELPING EXPATS IN THE NETHERLANDS TO FIND THE BEST MORTGAGE SOLUTION BY PROVIDING A FULL SERVICE MORTGAGE ADVICE AND MEDIATION

Partners in Relocation Group (PIRGROUP) Immigration Solutions & Relocation Care With extra services: ✓ 30% tax-ruling

WE ARE INDEPENDENT, TRANSPARANT, TALK CLEAR AND CUSTOMIZED BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE BELIEVE IN.

✓ Permanent residence

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A HOME IN THE NETHERLANDS TRY OUR FREE CONSULTATION AND WE INFORM YOU WHAT YOUR POSSIBILITIES ARE.

✓ Dependant permits

WEBSITE EMAIL PHONE WHATSAPP

WWW.VFG-GROEP.NL INFO@VFG-GROEP.NL ++31 (0) 20 305 1 305 ++31 (0) 21 960 841

AMSTELVEENSEWEG 150-H 1075 XM AMSTERDAM

AFM register 12039805

✓ Dutch citizenship

We take it personal, we make it personal!

Chamber of Commerce 51488604

Info@pirgroup.com +31 (0)85 6204900 www.pirgroup.com

Dutch Real Estate Company is a full service, one-stop-shop real estate agent with many years of experience in the Dutch housing market. We aim to make buying, selling, renting property, investing in real estate and renovating a property as enjoyable and rewarding as possible, whilst challenging consumer expectations and setting the highest standards. It's possible to be successful and have fun in the process; a happy balance of competitiveness and great team spirit. Get in touch with us if you are looking to:

Sell - Buy - Rent - Buy-to-let - Renovate

Expat-friendly real estate brokers

Maasstraat 188 1079 BL Amsterdam +31(0)20-772 3460 info@dutchrealestatecompany.com

dutchrealestatecompany.com

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 10

11-05-2022 11:21

JUNE 2022 | 11

NATIONAL

Number of semi-literate people in the Netherlands is high What if I told you that 18% population of a developed nation is considered semiliterate at best? I am sure it will sound like an interesting fact but will probably be just that. But what if I told you that the country in question is none other than our beloved Netherlands, meaning that 2.5 million Dutch people, or 1 in every 6 people in the country, are considered semi-literate? I am sure this will get you sitting upright in your chairs. A person is considered semi-literate if they have difficulty reading, writing or doing simple arithmetic. These people often lack digital skills as well and have trouble operating a computer or a smartphone. More than 70% of the estimated 2.5 million semi-literate people are between 16 and 65 years of age. More than 1 million have difficulty with both language and arithmetic. Interestingly, 65% of these people are native Dutch speakers.

this is 37%. Even in those jobs, they require assistance with paperwork, navigating using GPS to reach a work location, etc. • Their inability to find work often lands them in poverty for extended periods, costing society € 95 million a year in benefits. • They have less grip on financial matters and often help in solving their debts. • Being unable to read about proper food and healthcare options, they are unable to properly care for themselves. As a result, semi-literate people visit their general practitioner more often and make more use of specialized care. They also have difficulty reading medication prescriptions and are more likely to take the wrong dosage. This ends up costing society € 257 million a year in healthcare.

• Children from such households are also at the risk of developing low literacy, as their parents can’t provide a positive environment and personal support for learning. Children get no assistance in completing school tasks and projects. By the time these children pass out of primary school, they have already developed delays in reading and mathematics. As they grow older, many actively dislike reading. What can be done? With over 6 million people reaching retirement age in the next few years, it is even more crucial than ever that we strengthen the numbers of our workforce. Therefore, the Dutch government has formulated a programme to reduce low literacy. It aims to help more people who

have Dutch as their native language, instead of focusing programmes only on non-native speakers. Furthermore, the government will invest in good-quality teaching material, and make it accessible to everyone. Basic skills expertise centers will be established. These will primarily function as training centers for teachers who will teach low-literate people. Furthermore, municipalities will receive approximately €60 million per year to offer courses in language, maths and digital skills. Every municipality should have the funds available to run these programmes by 2024. Companies are also encouraged to highlight the problem of semi-literacy in the workplace. If people are embarrassed of their inabilities, they should be encouraged to come forward so they can receive proper support and training. Employers will receive € 3 million each year to train their staff in basic workplace skills. Another subsidy program, called ‘Tel mee met Taal’ (‘Count along with language’), is scheduled to run until 2024. Under this program, the government is making an effort to ensure that everyone has sufficient language, maths and digital skills. The Ministries of Education, Culture and Science, Social Affairs and Employment, Health, Welfare and Sport and the Interior and Kingdom Relations are jointly implementing the program.

These people are unable to fully participate in society due to their limitations and this costs society as a whole hundreds of millions of euros each year. Reasons for this are: • Semi-literate people are unable to find a job or hold on to it. As digital skills have become essential in almost every workplace, it has become increasingly difficult for semi-literate people to find jobs. They only work in certain industries including as cleaners, in the construction industry or on production lines. For example, 40% of cleaners is semi-literate, in construction and on production lines

Written by Priyanka Sharma

Rising prices in supermarkets The prices of groceries in the supermarket have risen by more than 11.3 per cent in the last six months, research by GfK showed. At the end of August 2021, customers paid 100 euros for a shopping cart of 55 basic foodstuffs, which included bread, fruit, milk, cheese, chocolate sprinkles, wine and toothpaste. Last month, they were paying 111.30 euros for the same cart. An average family with two children spends 7,000 to 8,000 euros worth of groceries per year. The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) had previously estimated that groceries had become expensive by more than 6 per cent in the past three months. This was coupled with inflation of almost 10 per cent, the highest since 1976. This has caused the Dutch to become increasingly pessimistic about the economy; never before has consumer confidence plummeted like in the past month. The reason for the increase The rising prices are partly caused by the war in Ukraine and the resulting rising gas prices. Factories which make products and greenhouses where produce is grown are dealing with an increase in costs. Grain products are becoming more expensive due to high grain prices. Everything with a plug is becoming more expensive due to chip shortage, and everything that needs to be transported is becoming expensive due to the increased price of containers and transportation.

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 11

Where consumers are going Due to the price rise, supermarket house brands have gained ground, according to GfK’s consumer panel of 10,000 households. The market share of house brands has grown by 6 per cent since the beginning of the year, while the turnover of premium brands has fallen by 5 per cent. Consumers with incomes below 2,100 euros per month more often switch to cheaper brands. Consumers are also swarming cheap supermarkets like Aldo, Boni, Lidl, Dirk and Nettorama. These supermarkets have recorded a market share increase of 3 per cent. Consumers are also visiting different supermarkets more often looking for special offers. Striking is that even highincome consumers are now going to Aldi and Lidl for their groceries. On the other hand, the price rise are bad news for greengrocers, fishmongers and other specialty shops. While they experienced rapid growth during the Covid period as a result of the closure of the catering industry, they are now experiencing a massive decline in turnover. In March last year, fishmongers recorded a turnover increase of 30 per cent. In March this year, their sales have fallen by about 24 per cent. On the other hand, some specialty shops, such as bakeries and cheese shops, saw a growing turnover during the Covid pandemic, and are for the moment able to maintain the same high turnover.

When will prices fall? Prices are expected to continue rising, because consumers have yet to experience the full breadth of the increase. There is a delay in passing on the cost increase to consumer prices. For example, although the prices of coffee, pasta and meat have already increased, there is still an increase to be expected before consumers can start thinking about price reduction. Secondly, the price of gas will not drop much due to a lack of investment in the oil industry in recent years. The Head of Dutch economy at the Rabobank, Hugo Erken, is pessimistic: “The gas price may not drop that much at all, because the demand will remain high during the energy transition.”

supermarkets often compete against each other in so-called ‘supermarket wars’. What tends to happen is that they pass on price reductions to producers, instead of consumers – which of course is bad news for producers and may lead to them refusing to sell in the supermarket at all. The shipping industry is different: with limited competition in the transport sector, price rises are passed down to consumers. The good news is that prices will drop in an environment of high competition. The bad news is that raw materials and production costs will remain high for a long time to come. Written by Stephen Swai

It should also be remembered that the fall in prices of products varies depending on the product itself. “Products with fairly volatile price trends sometimes go and up down quickly,” said CBS Chief Economist Peter Hein van Mulligen. Products like potatoes and fruits experience rapid price changes. A better harvest quickly leads to more supply and falling prices, and vice versa. However, it is different when it comes to processed products, where price changes tend to be moderate over time. These become expensive less quickly and also cheaper less quickly compared to foodstuffs. Prices are also determined by how competitive the market is. Dutch

11-05-2022 14:04

At Kühler & Partners International Mental Health we provide psychological healthcare for Kids & Teens. We have a specialist team of child psychologists and a child psychiatrist, offering high quality care to children age 6-18 and their families. We are there to support children who experience psychological issues such as anxiety, depression, stress due to major life events, low conﬁdence and self-esteem, problems with attention, behaviour or emotion regulation. If these problems do not disappear by themselves and last too long, they may have an impact on different areas in the child’s life, such as family, friends and school. Therapy or counselling can help to ﬁnd a way forward. We work together with children and parent(s)/families towards a healthier and better personal wellbeing. After initial assessment, we offer individual therapy, parent- and family counselling. Our treatments are tailormade, short if possible and longer if needed. We are a multidisciplinary team of professionals with an international background.

If necessary or desirable, we advise or work together with schools.

Because sometimes you need a little guidance to ﬁnd your way.

Please contact us at +31 (0) 85 0660 500 Kühler & Partners International Mental Health | Kids & Teens Contact details +31 (0) 85 0660 500 info@internationalmentalhealth.nl

HOST AN AU PAIR

A HELPING HAND TO COMBINE YOUR WORK AND PRIVATE LIFE EASILY, HAVE PEACE AND STABILITY IN YOUR FAMILY AND GET TO LEARN ABOUT ANOTHER CULTURE.

FOR WHO

Clinics Amsterdam Den Haag

Expat Mental Health Coach & Counselor Specializing in working with Burnout, Depression, Anxiety, & Life Shifts

06 29 15 02 77

A FAMILY WITH OR WITHOUT CHILDREN? IT IS ALL POSSIBLE AS LONG AS YOU MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.

MORE INFORMATION?

T: (0)23 303 53 63 E: INFO@AUPAIREXCLUSIVE.NL WWW.AUPAIREXCLUSIVE.NL

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 12

10-05-2022 19:53

JUNE 2022 | 13

NATIONAL

Make your home sustainable: Five reasons why! Rising energy prices, the war in Ukraine and the preservation of Mother Earth. These are all reasons why more and more homeowners want to make their homes more sustainable. Making your home more sustainable does not have to be difficult or expensive, but how do you make the right choices when it comes to sustainable living? Structural engineer Martin van Dorp explains why making your home more sustainable is important, what you can do and what the benefits are. 1. Why should you make your home more sustainable, especially now? By insulating the house and, if possible, generating your own energy, you can significantly reduce your energy consumption. As a result, you are less dependent on external energy suppliers and your housing costs will be more stable and predictable. Insulating your home has even more advantages: maintenance costs are usually lower and living comfort improves. Martin: “A good humidity in the house is very important. Ideally this should be around 45-55%. It’s more pleasant than a damp and moldy house or a house that is too dry. A dry house has negative effects on your health. For example, you may experience dry, itchy skin, cracked lips, difficulty breathing or headaches.” 2. When we think of sustainability, we often think of saving on energy use. What else can you do to make your home more sustainable? Good insulation is the best start. A sustainable home cannot exist without good insulation. In addition

to good insulation, you can install a hybrid heating system, solar boiler or heat pump. You can also install sustainable lighting in and around your home; nowadays there are excellent (dimmable) LED lighting options. Martin: “If you would like to use solar panels, but this is not possible in your home, you can choose to participate in a solar panel field or a windmill – except when you are tied to a contract with your supplier. Participating in a solar panel field usually means you can no longer choose your energy supplier, as there is only one that owns the field. Another thing you can do to make your home more sustainable is to choose a sustainable (green) energy supplier. Tip: Don’t forget to schedule an annual call your current supplier and ask if they can make a better deal because you’re considering switching.” 3. How can you improve sustainability if you live in an apartment? If you live in an apartment, it is a good idea to have the entire building made more sustainable. Regular maintenance is usually included in the Long-Term Maintenance Plan (MJOP) of the Homeowners’ Association (VvE), but money should also be set aside to make the entire building more sustainable with major works. Martin: “Residents and VvE members may not immediately see the advantage of making the building more sustainable, but this is often due to a lack of knowledge. For example, point out to them the increase in the value of their apartment, increased living comfort, lower maintenance costs and a healthier living

4. What will the improvements cost and what will you save? And how much subsidy will you receive? This is difficult to say because it depends on how well insulated you house already is. To give an example: moving from single glass to HR++ is best, but also more expensive, because more windows need to be replaced. If you switch from (old) double glazing to HR++, this will cost less, but this adjustment also results in fewer energy savings. For subsidies, a number of terms and conditions apply; on average the subsidy is about 13%.

things in or around the house. The housing association or owner of the rental property has to pay for such improvement for the most part. Martin: “The insulation of the outer shell, installing a heat pump or solar panels are their responsibility. It is therefore important that the landlord gets something in return. You can make new agreements with your landlord about the rent or agree that you will move in a number of years, so that a higher rent can be set.” Fortunately, you can do some things yourself: live energy-efficiently, purchase more sustainable appliances such as a refrigerator or washing machine, use sustainable energy and recycle your waste.

5. Can you also make a rented house more sustainable? If so, how? As a tenant, it can be difficult to adjust

Written by Von Poll Real Estate www.von-poll.nl

environment. If you need help with this, contact a specialized company for advice.”

Tips to reduce gas usage Reducing our usage of natural gas has never been more important. The unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine has resulted in a plethora of sanctions from western nations, which have caused Russian president Vladimir Putin to threaten to turn off the gas pipeline, leaving western Europe in a deeper energy crisis than we were already in. Couple this with climate change and it’s not surprising that the Dutch government has pledged to be Russian-gas independent before the end of the year.

To reduce Europe’s current dependency on Russiansupplied natural gas, there are many things that each of us can do every day in our lives to do our part. Get a smart meter Some homes are already equipped, but if yours does not already have a smart meter, request one from your energy supplier. Smart meters allow you to see your daily energy usage, with most meters showing both usage and costs down to the hour. Since most Dutch customers pay a fixed amount to their energy companies, with a settlement for the actual usage only once a year, smart meters are invaluable to keep track of your spending on energy. Find electric alternatives Conversely to the US, electricity in the Netherlands is much, much cheaper than gas. So, where you can, use electrical appliances as much as possible. If you have a gas stove, invest in a portable electric stove top. It cost me about €1.15 to cook rice using gas; it was only about €0.08 using electricity. Wow! Even with an electric stove top, there are other electric appliances that cook much faster and use less energy. For example, instead of boiling water on a stove top (gas or electric) consider using an electric kettle. Other appliances

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 13

that use less energy than the stove and oven include: rice cookers, pizza ovens, air-fryers (this one is also great for healthier eating) and my personal favorite, contact grills. Just be conscious of buying too many appliances since they are not the easiest to dispose of, so only buy ones that you will actually use.

Heating our homes Fortunately, summer is just around the corner and now that it’s spring, the temperature is getting warmer. Still there are cool days and nights. For those times, throw on another blanket or sweatshirt. And in general, consider wearing layers. I actually wear many layers at home and even have a warm, bulky sweater that’s a size too big, that I can just throw on. Also consider getting some thermal

long johns or thermal fleece-lined leggings. So cozy! Take the time now to make sure your home is insulated as best as possible for the upcoming winter. Get draft stoppers for all doors and be sure that the weather stripping on exterior windows and doors is efficiently blocking outside air from getting in. There will be times where you will need to turn on the heat; for those times keep the thermostat to 19 Celsius (65 Fahrenheit) or less and keep the gas turned off at the radiator level and doors shut in empty rooms. Program the thermostat to turn off the heat 1-2 hours after everyone goes to bed and to turn on just before people get up in the morning. Heating water For heating water, some water heaters have a setting that only heats up water when it’s needed. It takes a bit more time for the hot water to actually come out of the faucet, but it keeps the water heater from constantly burning gas to heat water that isn’t being used, including at night. Also, keep your water heater at a lower temperature. You can do this gradually so it’s less of a cold surprise! Be sure to keep showers to 5 minutes or less and take as cold a shower as you can. I’ve even heard of people taking completely cold showers! I’m not there yet, but gone are the days of long, hot showers or baths. Only use cold water in the sink when washing up in the morning and never just let the hot water run. Even in the kitchen, consider using cold water to hand wash dishes. The most important thing is to be aware of your gas usage and consider alternatives. Every little bit will help while we adjust our daily lives to more sustainable energy sources. Written by Marla Thomson

12-05-2022 10:29

Help them discover their personal excellence at The International School of The Hague

• Student population with over 100 nationalities. • Well-established, highly successful IB Middle Years, Diploma and Career-related Programmes. • Extensive co-curricular clubs, arts and sports.

Admissions open for Secondary School

PASSIONATE ABOUT LEARNING

The International School Haarlem offers a positive learning environment where students (4-18 years) are encouraged to realise their full potential. Through internationally respected and recognised programmes we involve our students in meaningful learning. ISH is an IB World School for MYP and DP and, in addition offers the International Primary Curriculum to students in Haarlem and surrounding municipalities. INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HAARLEM www.internationalschoolhaarlem.nl Buitenrustlaan 9, 2012 BL Haarlem (Lower Primary)

Schreveliusstraat 27 2014 XP Haarlem (Upper Primary)

Junoplantsoen 58, 2024 RS Haarlem (Secondary)

Curious, connected and compassionate

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 14

11-05-2022 11:33

JUNE 2022 | 15

FOREIGN MATTERS

Investment opportunities in Ecuador in the tourism sector

The Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has the pleasure to share with the community of Dutch entrepreneurs and investors, as well as with the general public, important aspects of Ecuador as concerns the promotion of tourism, and current investment opportunities in the sector. Ecuador offers exceptional conditions and natural attractions, as well as comparative and competitive advantages promoted by the current Government of Ecuador, under its slogan: “More Ecuador in the World and more World in Ecuador”“Together we achieve it”. Ecuador – A Country of 4 Worlds Ecuador is a country that promotes investment in a responsible manner, stimulating long-term economic stability, as well as implementing incentives to attract new internal and external investments with a view to boost employment and enhance the local economy, as well as reactivate the tourism sector, which has been one of the most affected by the pandemic. International statistics and indicators that reflect the dynamics of the tourism sector worldwide place Ecuador among the most attractive destinations for tourism and investment. In the InterNations ranking, Ecuador is ranked 8th out of 59 countries in the Expat Insider 2021 Survey, among the best destinations for expats in 2021 (behind only Taiwan, Mexico, Costa Rica, Malaysia, Portugal, New Zealand, Australia). Ecuador also has one of the best performances on the Personal Finance Index (fifth). Approximately three in four expats (73%) are satisfied with their financial situation in Ecuador, compared to an average of 64% globally. Additionally, 91% describe disposable household income as ¨sufficient¨ or ¨more than sufficient¨ to cover their expenses, compared to the global average of 77%. These figures place Ecuador in third place in this factor, just behind India and Vietnam.

Official figures on the importance of tourism for Ecuador • Tourism accounts for more than 550,000 jobs in hospitality and in food services activities, which represents 7% of national employment. • Foreign Currency Income from Tourism in the III quarter of 2021 contributed more than 50% to the country’s service exports. • The contribution of tourism to Gross Fixed Capital Formation is estimated at 4% National. • Tourism in 2021 had a direct contribution of 1.3% to the GDP. • For every 10 foreign visitors, 1 salaried job is generated in the national economy. • The multiplier effect of employment is estimated at 2.2 Tourism investment opportunities The Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador has identified investment opportunities throughout the country, both continental and insular, and with this has prepared and made available a “portfolio of tourist investment opportunities”, together with a national digital map of the location of some of the most important investment options. This portfolio is classified into four investment lines for an approximate amount of 900 million U.S. Dollars. Its classification contains: • 23 projects, which contain viability studies and indicators. • 69 tourist infrastructures (hotels, tourist lodges, etc.) • 70 land and properties (properties with potential for tourism development such as land, buildings, etc.) • 4 entrepreneurship and innovation, new or innovative proposals that have been accompanied by the Ministry of Tourism.

Ecuador also ranks in the top 10 countries in the cost of living index (seventh), with 78% of expats rating this aspect of living abroad positively, compared to the global average of 48%. These indicators demonstrate that Ecuador is a friendly and attractive country for receptive tourism and investment in said sector, which, over the course of many years has benefited from the strengthening and development of important connectivity and basic infrastructure in the country. Through this, the enormous potential which exists has been confirmed, particularly as concerns the identification and formulation of opportunities to strengthen touristic infrastructure and services through sustainable investment in the immense biodiversity of Ecuador - ranging from its beaches, to its mountains and Amazonia, as well as in the Galapagos Islands.

This investment portfolio is digitized and can be easily accessed by scanning the following QR code or through the electronic portal of the Ministry of Tourism or the Embassy of Ecuador in the Netherlands. In the same way, the investment map prepared by the Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador is available and is constantly updated, being a tool that allows for the localization of current tourism investment projects. Why invest in Ecuador? • Dollarized economy: low inflation. • Economic, fiscal and political stability. • Policy of commercial openness to the world. • Generation of clean energy. • Developed infrastructure: first class airports, highways and ports. • Natural resources: water, agriculture, hydrocarbons, mining, etc. • Legal certainty: The ICSID Convention entered into force for Ecuador on February 14, 1986 and was signed again on June 21, 2021. • Qualified human talent. • Geographical and logistical advantage: short distances between the 4 regions of Ecuador. • Tax incentives. • Quality and accessible medical care.

Investment portfolio

Investment map

Gastronomic map

Benefits of investing in Ecuador

This new conceptualisation contemplates local social development, together with the generation of employment and the improvement of living conditions for the population in general, and particularly for those whom participate in the activities of the tourism sector, and would as such benefit from the resulting economic growth.

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 15

11-05-2022 09:55

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 16

10-05-2022 19:54

JUNE 2022 | 17

COLUMN

Rethinking the Ego Pop-psychology has banished the Ego and its accompanying traits to the wasteland of human behaviour. But what if this move is doing us more harm than good? I cannot tell you how many times during my early 20s older and wiser adults told me I needed to believe in myself more. I would nod along awkwardly and appreciatively, all the while thinking to myself how foolish they are; self-belief was useless for a budding psychoanalyst like me. Back then, trying to believe in myself felt like coming in last and still accepting an award for showing up. Not me, no sir; I am perfectly content sitting alone at home on my high horse as my hard-earned self-doubt, low self-esteem and evergrowing agoraphobia kept me locked inside. But there is something amiss here that goes beyond my own brand of mental anguish. How is it that my psyche – and that of many others I know – managed to convince ourselves that this kind of maddingly egotistic behaviour was, in fact, egoless? What is the Ego? Ego is a Latin word meaning ‘I’ derived from the Greek world Εγώ (Ego), which also means ‘I’. The Cambridge ictionary defines it as your idea or opinion of yourself, especially your feeling of your own importance and ability”. We generally understand the Ego as existing on a spectrum; you might say someone needs an ego boost because they feel insecure or are on an ‘ego trip’ when their self confidence could do with deflating. owever, the Ego takes on a new form when we move into the self-help genre of psychology. In that context, the Ego is usually depicted as an obstacle to happiness. Influenced by uddhist teachings, the Ego is often seen as an attachment we hold to a concept of ourselves. Attachments

bring suffering, and in the case of the Ego, it shackles us to cruel narratives about ourselves, unhealthy beliefs and ultimately resentments. All of this is well and good. However, we are using the word Ego as a placeholder for a much more complex process. The Ego as a mediator Sigmund Freud popularised the term Ego in his famous text The Ego and the Id (1923). Freud outlined his structural model of the mind that can metaphorically be understood as existing of three competing agents: the Ego (I), the Id (It) and the Superego (the over-I). The Id refers to our primitive and unconscious urges. These are self-centred, pleasure-seeking, and primal. The Superego refers to our self-observational and often critical capacity. The Ego, then, is the conscious thought process we have as a mediator between these two unconscious forces. A textbook example would be when you are sitting at a bar around 10 pm, and you know you need to work in the morning. There’s a battle in your mind between the pleasure-seeking Id that wants to stay and the sensible Superego that is already punishing you for not leaving at 8 pm; the Ego could be seen as the voice between those forces. So, when we speak of our Ego as how we perceive ourselves, a Freudian could argue we are really speaking about how peaceful or turbulent the relationship is between our sense of enjoyment and our sense of obligation. For example, if the Id and Superego are at war (e.g., you are trapped in a self-destructive -perfectionist cycle), your Ego can struggle to mediate and employs defence mechanisms as backup. In these moments, you might enter an ‘ego trip’

and become overly conﬁdent in your abilities. Arrogance can then function as a compromise; you defend yourself against the Superego’s harsh punishment and, as it is pleasurable to think highly of yourself, you can also satisfy the Id. The Ego as a paradox Of course, this is only one school of thought and a highly contested one at that. For example, Lacanian psychoanalysis elaborates upon the Freudian to argue that the Ego is not an agency-less mediator. Rather, due to various developmental factors, it is always striving for an illusionary sense of perfection or wholeness. For some, that will manifest as a job, a salary or a relationship status. For others, it shows itself as a paradox – our Egos lead us to search for an ‘Egoless’ state born of meditation and yoga. For others still, the Ego is the idea of being so self-aware and ‘tuned in’ that self-belief becomes something to scoff at. But, in any case, demonising the notion of Ego does more harm than good. Instead, when we speak of Ego, let’s try to remember we are speaking about defence mechanisms we employ to navigate inner conﬂicts. The Ego’s function is to mediate (albeit biasedly) that relationship. By focusing on it, we shoot the messenger, so to speak. Written by Molly Fitz

Modern Dutch Heroes: Johan Cruyff

It’s hard to imagine the Netherlands not being one of the top football (soccer) countries in the world. But before the late 60s, the Dutch football program had not won any significant titles or matches since before WWII, and the Eredivisie (the highest tier of football) was not much more than a group of semi-professional teams that entertained the local fans but didn’t make much of an impact beyond Dutch borders. That was until a young player from eastern Amsterdam began playing for the Amsterdambased Ajax team and began to transform the Dutch football program. Johan Cruyff entered the Ajax youth division when he was 10 years old and made his Eredivision debut when he was ust . Though the club finished last that year, the following years Cruyff’s influence began to show: Ajax won the national title the following several years, Cruyff was the highest scorer in two of those seasons and he was named Dutch footballer of the year three years in a row. Johan Cruyff went on to take Ajax and the national team to championship after championship and helped create the foundation for the international football powerhouse that it is today.

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 17

But the most remarkable part of Johan Cruyff’s story goes beyond the number of games, championships, titles and trophies. It’s how he played the game and how he transformed the way it was played. For Cruyff there was a difference between how you play the game (an athletic competition between two teams) and how the game is played (the philosophy behind the game and how that developed the team). Not only was he himself an outstanding footballer, but he introduced several revolutionary principles that transformed the sport – including ‘total football’, a method of playing where a player who moves out of his position is replaced by another player from their team to help maintain the team’s onﬁeld structure. This method of playing completely changed the Dutch football program and gave the national team the moniker ‘Clockwork Orange’ for their precision and teamwork. Then, during a 1974 World Cup group game against Sweden, Cruyff stunned the football world when he executed a fake-out against one of the Swedish defenders. Being heavily guarded by the Swedish player, Cruyff faked a pass, then in one ﬂuid motion drew the ball back behind his standing leg, turned around 180 degrees and dribbled off with the ball, much to the confusion of the Swedish defender. The simple but effective move was replayed the world over and since then has been one of the most popular dribble moves in soccer. To truly appreciate the Cruyff Turn, just do a quick YouTube search for ‘Johan Cruyff turn’. Other players throughout the years have replicated it, but none quite as well as its creator. In the 1960s and 1970s, Johan Cruyff was the face of Ajax, but in 1973, for a record-breaking 6 million guilders (equivalent to around $2 million

at the time), he signed with FC Barcelona. He immediately helped take the club to the national title for the first time since . uring his time at Barcelona, he also executed what has been named ‘the impossible goal’. In a game against Atlético Madrid, a Barcelona player took a goal shot, but the ball flew wide past the goal post. But Cruyff was there, leapt into the air and with the back of his heel kicked the ball back into the goal. It’s another display of his football artistry that can really only be appreciated by watching it (just search for ‘Cruyff impossible goal’ – you’ll be mesmerized!). Johan Cruyff played at Barcelona until 1978 and continued to play in the United States, came back to Ajax and the moved to Rotterdam-based Feyenoord (incidentally, the arch rivals of Ajax). He also went on to develop systems of player development for the youth academies at Ajax and Barcelona. These systems have become blueprints all over the world. In fact, it is said that if it weren’t for the youth academy at Barcelona, Messi might have been rejected as an underdeveloped youth. Cruyff also managed several teams, being regarded as one of the few players who was also a great coach. Sadly, Cruyff passed away in 2016 at the age of 68. In the Netherlands, his jersey number 14 will always be synonymous with Johan Cruyff and the Ajax stadium is now called the Johan Cruyff Arena. The world over, Johan Cruyff will be remembered as one of the greatest influencers in the game that ever lived. For having transformed the entire game of football in the Netherlands and all over the world, Johan Cruyff is truly a modern Dutch hero. Written by Marla Thomson

11-05-2022 09:53

STUD 0 APAR ENT TMEN TS

65% OF FUTURE

250

STUDENTS WILL HAVE A JOB THAT DOES NOT EXIST YET.

STUDENT APARTME N AVAILABL TS E

EDUCATION FOR A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD.

FUTURE-PROOF HBO+ BACHELORS BSc

Business Psychology

BSc

Creative Media

BSc

Digital Transformation Management

Scan to sign up

JOIN OUR OPEN DAY 18th OF JUNE 11:00-12:30

Universities of Applied Sciences

UNDER THE SPELL OF MOUNT

TREASURES FROM ANCIENT

ARMENIA

TILL OCTOBER 30 2022 | DRENTSMUSEUM.NL/EN MAIN SPONSOR

SPONSOR

SUBSIDY-PROVIDER

PATRONS

FINANCIER

IMMUNITY

INDEMNITY

PARTNERS

MEDIAPARTNER

HISTORY MUSEUM OF ARMENIA GSPublisherVersion 0.21.100.100

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 18

10-05-2022 19:54

JUNE 2022 | 19

INTERVIEW

Spotlight on a contributor known people who have made huge impacts on the country and the world. Other than that, I’m a political science nerd. I like to learn and write about Dutch politics and systems of government. Is writing a hobby or an aspiration for you? Do you write for your regular job or studies? Writing is hobby and a source of income for me. I’m currently writing a book on how Americans can get a two-year residence permit for the Netherlands (like I did) and an accompanying blog on getting acclimated. Who is your favourite writer? What genre do they write in? Or are they a journalist, scholar, etc.? My favorite writer of all time is Ernest Hemingway. For journalism, I really like Thomas Friedman, Paul Krugman and Charles Blow (all from the New ork Times . If you like non ﬁction with a hint of Tom Clancy/James Bond woven in, I recommend From Beirut to Jerusalem by Thomas Friedman.

What is your name and where are you from? My name is Marla Thomson and I come from Boston, Massachusetts, in the US. What is your business or what do you do? (i.e. study, internship, etc.) I am a freelance writer, editor and publisher. I am also dipping my toes into (very light) forex trading. en as t e first ti e yo ere in t e Was it fun? Was it an adventure? ow, the ﬁrst time I was in the Netherlands I think I was 13 on a Girl Scouts trip. We stayed in a hotel very close to the Red Light District in Amsterdam. That was a shock! We visited the Anne Frank ouse this was back when it was still just another house on the Prinsengracht and you walked through the front door just like you were walking into a house. We also visited Madame Tussauds which was really cool for a bunch of 13-year-olds. How long have you been writing for The Holland Times? I’ve been writing for over four years. I actually started writing when I was still living in the US.

at do yo li e best abo t t e et erlands Living here is easy, pleasant and always surprising. The country is beautiful with a rich and interesting history. And just about every aspect of living has wonderment literally everything from water management to music festivals to how they celebrate holidays to how things just ‘work’ here. And everyone (for the most part) always says nice things about everything. at do yo li e least abo t t e et erlands The Dutch aren’t the best bakers. The good thing is that most of the bread in the bakeries and grocery stores is made and baked fresh, with fresh ingredients and not a lot of additives or junk ingredients. But still it seems they bake their baked goods at too high temperatures, because bread, cakes and pastries are a little on the dry side. Maybe that’s why the Dutch drink more coffee than any other nationality in the world! What do you recommend a new expat or visitor to see ere in t e et erlands Of course Amsterdam and some of the other well-known places, but beyond that I really recommend people visiting the coast. The Dutch coast is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world (this is per National Geographic, not just my bias!). Not only the sea and the beach, but all along the coast are the dunes that help protect the land eastward from getting ﬂooded since a lot of the Netherlands is below sea level). If you visit the coast from Noordwijk up to Egmond,

you’re also in the tulip region, if you’re visiting in last March to early May. Best kept secret in your city? I’m hoping to ﬁnd out I ust moved to The ague two months ago, so I’m still learning all the hidden gems and things ‘off the beaten path’. I previously lived in Noordwijk, where the best kept secret there is that Freddy Heineken is buried in the village cemetery. His family still has an estate there complete with a eineken green roof. I also think that Noordwijk’s beach is a little under the radar since it’s between Zandvoort and Scheveningen, but for me it’s better. It has fewer people (except in June and July) and not being near any industrial port areas, you get more nature views and walks. The Noordwijk beach has also been awarded the ‘Blue Beach’ designation year after year, meaning it meets high eco-friendliness, cleanliness and safety standards so perfect for the family. oo ing bac at do yo is yo ne be ore yo oved to t e et erlands I wish I would have gotten my Dutch driver license when I ﬁrst got here. Americans have 60 or 90 days to change over their US license to avoid the long and expensive process of getting a driver’s license here. With corona hitting ten months after I moved here, it would have been nice to be able to rent a car during those months to travel around. What are one-two things you recommend to ne e at ere in t e et erlands Remember that this is not the country where you came from. People do the same things here as they do in your home country, just a little different. People also talk about ‘Dutch directness’, but honestly I haven’t experienced it. Even if you do, just try to have fun with it and remember that Dutch people almost never mean anything negative. And learn the word ‘lekker’! They use it for so much here food, the weather, a cozy sweater, a tasty dish, so much! Interview by Marla Thomson

What attracted you to be a contributor to The Holland Times? I knew I was moving to the Netherlands, so I started contacting expat publications to see if they had writing opportunities. The Holland Times said they did and the rest is media history! What is the best thing about writing for an expat magazine with such a wide circulation? I really like sharing all the things that I love about the Netherlands and helping other expats out with living here and understanding how things work. It also great that the readers aren’t only from the US and UK, so it’s fun to write for a broader English-speaking audience as well. Do your friends/family in your home country read your articles? My parents try but they are older and don’t have a computer, much less navigate the internet to read the Holland Times. I do share work with my friends and on social media. What subject is your favourite to write about? Recently I’ve been writing a series on Modern Dutch Heroes. After living here for several years, I’m starting to learn more about the lesser-

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 19

The beach at Noordwijk aan Zee

11-05-2022 10:52

HOUSING WITH A 360 DEGREE VIEW OVER AMSTERDAM An amazing view with Amsterdam on your doorsteps. Before you lies the beautiful skyline of Historic Amsterdam, you see an array of watercraft on the IJ and be surrounded by the hotspots in the trendy north. Convenient: you are closer to the historical center than most residents in the southern, western and eastern districts of Amsterdam. 122 apartments divided over two slender towers, with mostly 2 bedrooms and, with living areas ranging from 33m2 to 107m2. Current estimated delivery date is end of June. For more information and registration, visit the website.

360 degrees amsterdam.com UPPMÄRK +31 (0)85 303 2852 info@uppmark.com

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 20

VAN DER LINDEN +31 (0)20 571 2702 verhuur@vanderlinden.nl

10-05-2022 19:54

JUNE 2022 | 21

ART & CULTURE

Fabrique des Lumières in Amsterdam

Gustav Klimt, Gold in Motion’: © Culturespaces / Eric Spiller

Amsterdam’s Westergasfabriek was built in 1885 by the Imperial Continental Gas Association, but in 1967 the building was given a new lease of life and became a cultural hub to be enjoyed by everyone in the city. It is located in Westerpark, just a ten-minute walk from the oldest part of Amsterdam. The Fabrique des Lumières started in Paris in 2018 with the opening of Atelier des Lumières, created by Culturespaces. This digital immersive art center attracted more than three million visitors, with digitized works by artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Gustav Klimt and Salvador Dalí. On 22 April 2022, the Fabrique des Lumières opened in Westergasfabriek, stretching across 2,800 m2. The exhibitions will be suitable for visitors of all ages and will be specially designed to complement the venue’s unique architecture, with its seventeen-metre-high walls. Alongside the immersive exhibitions focusing on classical and modern artists, an additional space will provide a backdrop for exhibiting contemporary works of art. 2022 Exhibition Programme Gustav Klimt – “Gold in Motion” To mark its opening, the Fabrique des Lumières will explore a century of Viennese painting and offer a one-of-a-kind look at the works of Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) and his successors through a plethora of portraits, landscapes, nudes, colours and golds. Klimt was the driving force behind the Vienna Secession, a movement that sought

Gustav Klimt, Gold in Motion’: © Culturespaces / Eric Spiller

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 21

to shake up European art, paving the way for contemporary painting. The golden hues and decorative motifs symbolise this artistic revolution. Visitors will be invited to cast their eyes over large-format masterpieces, such as Klimt’s iconic work The Kiss, and will be immersed in the Imperial Vienna of the late nineteenth century. Created by Gianfranco Iannuzzi, Renato Gatto and Massimiliano Siccardi, with music by Luca Longobardi. Hundertwasser – “In the Wake of the Vienna Secession” Created by Gianfranco Iannuzzi, Renato Gatto and Massimiliano Siccardi, the exhibition “Hundertwasser: In the Wake of the Vienna Secession” immerses visitors in the work of Viennese artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928 – 2000). A painter and architect, he followed in the footsteps of the Vienna Secession movement that had started several decades earlier. He breathed new life into art and was heavily inﬂuenced by the artistic revolution instigated by Klimt. His paintings and architectural work, which are deeply imbued with respect for both mankind and nature, draw on the source of life and the elements. Like Gustav Klimt, Hundertwasser abandoned perspective, instead opting for a succession of planes. He turned his back on straight lines, preferring more expressive strokes that gave rise to irregular forms.

In the contemporary creations studio: “Journey” “Journey” is an experimental journey exploring the birth of photons, one of the primary elements of light. This exhibition accompanies photons on their journey through each layer of the eye (iris, vitreous humour, optical nerve, etc.) until they eventually reach the neurons and are converted into electrical signals. It describes the process by which photons are transformed into a form of energy that is perceptible by the brain. A contemporary creation by the Nohlab production studio. In the contemporary creations studio: “Memories” The human brain has inﬁnitely more powerful recording capacity than any computer, but memory is selective: it sorts, selects and keeps only what it considers potentially useful. The exhibition “Memories” makes the visitor think about the immensity of the world and the place we occupy in it. In total immersion in a ﬂow of images and information, everyone is free to retain in memory a little of what constitutes the essence of this enchanted interlude. By Spectre Lab, a multidisciplinary creative studio created in 2014 by Marc Vidal, Jérôme Sérane and Philippe Granier. All exhibitions run until 31 December 2022. Info & tickets: www.fabrique-lumieres.com

Hundertwasser, in the wake of the Vienna Secession’: © Culturespaces / Eric Spiller

12-05-2022 10:23

l a t n e r y r u x u L in s t n e m t r a p a m a d r e t Ams

The freedom of renting Aan het IJ Properties in the new, green neighbourhood Aan het IJ, in the north of Amsterdam, are available for rent. One of the buildings is The Twins, a beautiful building next to a small-scale shopping street and a spacious park. The Twins is under construction. You’ll have the opportunity to move in very soon, in July 2022. The Twins offers many luxuries. Renters gain access to a fully equipped apartment, which boast a decadent kitchen, toilet and bathroom. Unique in the design of The Twins are the ‘green walls’.

Beautiful, vertical gardens along the various balcony walls. The solution for more greenery in the city. The communal courtyard garden is decorated with special trees and modern water mirrors. Here you can quietly read a book or have a drink with a friend or one of the neighbors. The offering ranges from 2, 3 and 4 room apartments from approximately 70 to 105 m2 in size. Parking spaces are offered with limited availability. Interested? For more information and rental prices visit our website:

aanhetij.com THT4_2022 _CS.indd 22

11-05-2022 13:16

ART & CULTURE

JUNE 2022 | 23

Under the spell of Mount Ararat in Drents Museum

After a two-year delay because of Covid, Drents Museum is going to present the impressive history and culture of Armenia in its international archaeological exhibition “Under the spell of Mount Ararat – Treasures from ancient Armenia” from 11 May until 30 October 2022. The more than 5000 metres high Mount Ararat – the national symbol of Armenia – plays an essential part in this story. The approximately 160 valuable archaeological exhibits, many of which have never before been on show in the Netherlands, will take visitors on a journey through the fascinating earliest history of Armenia. Tickets can be bought online at tickets.drentsmuseum.nl.

Magnificent objects Various highlights from the History Museum of Armenia in Yerevan will be on show in Assen. Gold and silver ornaments and beakers, weapons, earthenware pots and bronze ﬁgurines in the shape of animals and warriors will immerse visitors in Armenia’s rich history.The objects cover an immeasurably long period – from around half a million years ago, when early humans roamed the area that is now Armenia as huntergatherers, to the arrival of Christianity during the reign of king Trdat III (AD 287-330). The focus of the exhibition is the Bronze Age and the period of the kingdom of Urartu (3400-600 BC), which are represented by objects that were found in rich burials beneath large mounds (kurgans) and in the fortress cities of Erebuni and Teishebaini.

– from goats, chamois and red deer to lions, wolves, snakes and birds, and even a tapir. Some of these animals played important parts in the Armenians’ world of thought. The red deer, for example, symbolises the sun while the lion stands for power and authority. A lot of attention is paid to these animals, resulting in a mythical atmosphere in the exhibition’s design created by Perspekt Studio’s, which was also responsible for the award-winning design of the exhibition Iran – Cradle of civilisation in 2018.

Noah’s Ark Mount Ararat rises up at the centre of the exhibition. Although it lies in Turkey instead of Armenia, this famous sacred mountain is inextricably linked to the small republic in the South Caucasus. One of the highlights of the exhibition is a relic containing a piece of wood from Noah’s Ark, which is said to have landed on ount Ararat after the great ﬂood. According to traditional Armenian history, Hayk, the founding father of the Armenians, was a descendant of Noah’s son Japheth. The Armenians themselves

Animal motifs A remarkably large number of the displayed earthenware and metal objects are decorated with a wide variety of representations of animals

therefore call their country Hayastan.

Tradition of unique archaeological collections The past decades, Drents Museum has acquired an impressive reputation for attracting unique archaeological collections of unknown cultures to Assen. After countries such as China (The Terracotta Army of Xi’an, 2008), Georgia (Gold from Georgia, 2010), Guatemala (The Maya – Rulers of the Rainforest, 2016) and Iran (Iran – Cradle of civilisation, 2018) the focus is now on Armenia. 11 May till 30 October 2022 Open: Tuesday till Sunday 10.00 - 18.00 For more information and tickets: www.drentsmuseum.nl/en

Gold bowl on a small hollow foot, 2100-1800 BC, found in a burial at Vanadzor, © History Museum of Armenia, Yerevan, 2022

Holland Festival is celebrating its 75-year existence with a varied programme Holland Festival is the largest international performing arts festival of the Netherlands and one of the oldest festivals of Europe. This year, the olland Festival has existed for seventy five years. International connection has been a major aim of the Holland Festival since 1947, and this is, in fact, the reason why it was founded shortly after the war. The need for the connecting power of art is now, especially in these current times, felt particularly strongly again. For seventy five years, the festival has shown live performing arts from all over the world that would not have been featured in the Netherlands otherwise: from theatre, dance, music, musical theatre and opera to multidisciplinary forms, and crossovers with visual art, digital art, photography and film. It has worked with associate artists since 2019. This year, these are the French-Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo (1960) and the German theatre director Nicolas Stemann (1968). New and recent work from both will be featured. Their professional networks and broad fields of interest will find their way into the programme as well. On Friday 3 June the festival will kick off in Royal Theatre Carré with the festive concert Mother Nature by Angélique Kidjo, with guest artists such as Jeangu Macrooy, Yemi Alade and Blue Lab Beats. Last month Kidjo received the Grammy Award 2022 Best World Music for her latest album Mother Nature, which effortlessly fuses West African traditions with North American influences like R , funk and azz. emand a is breathtaking musical theatre about love, betrayal and the injustices of slavery. Drawing inspiration from her ancestors, her family and Africa’s

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 23

resilience, Kidjo tells a story that is a wake-up call to her audience. Finally, Kidjo sings in Ifé about creation myths from Benin in her native language of Yoruba to music by minimal-composer Philip Glass. An evening in The Concertgebouw that brings music styles and cultures together, from baroque and jazz to minimal and chansons. From the German theatre director Nicolas Stemann three works will be presented. Kein Licht (2011/2012/2017), based on a text by Nobel Prize winner Elfriede Jelinek, is a pessimistic but at the same time humorously neurotic opera that dispenses with our faith in technology. In the tragicomic play Der Besuch der alten Dame, originally written for a cast of thirty actors, only two actors play all the roles in a story about guilt and punishment. Featured as well is Contreenquêtes, in which Stemann stages the imaginary encounter between the main characters from two novels, one written by the French Albert Camus and the other by the Algerian Kamel Daoud.

focus on the value and vulnerability of nature, and there is attention for energy efﬁcient production. ustainability also underlies the reﬂection on, and making space for perspectives that were not heard or seen often enough throughout history. The Holland Festival is for everyone. Holland Festival 3 – 26 June, Amsterdam Info & tickets: www.hollandfestival.nl

In this festival edition, there will be special attention for two current and relevant areas of focus: climate and representation. In 2022’s inspiring and surprising programme, some great international collaborations have been realised, and signiﬁcant bridges are built between genres and cultures. Besides familiar festival names like Heiner Goebbels, Ben Frost, Tiago Rodriques, Sami Yusuf, Mary Finsterer, Robin de Raaff, Philippe Manoury, Trajal Harrell and Abd Al Malik, there are also plenty of new names to discover, like directors Wu Tsang and Christopher Rüping and singers Zeynab Abib and Wallen. Many artists

12-05-2022 10:23

Book your free financial health check today What we can help you with: • Long or Short term savings plans

Do you need to save for a future goal or objective? Whether this is saving for your retirement, buying a new house or putting some money aside for your children’s education, we can give you advice on what is the best type of savings plan for you based on your own personal circumstances and objectives. It could also just be the case that you have spare money left at the end of each month and you would like to make it work harder for you - In either case, we can help.

• Money to invest?

Do you have money in the bank effectively “doing nothing” and earning very little interest? We can help you build an investment portfolio and strategy that is in line with your personal attitude to risk to ensure that it is best placed to reach your investment goals in the given timeframe.

Lisa P - “Luke has been my financial adviser for quite a few years and I am happy to recommend him to my friends and family if they ever need financial advice.” • Existing Investment portfolios?

Are your existing Investment portfolios or pension plans just not performing in line with your expectations? High charges and fees, poor investment selection and management or a lack of contact from your current Financial Advisor? These are some of the typical reasons why your investments do not perform as you

first expected and a very good reason why you should speak to us so that we can review them for you at no initial cost. Investments need to be adapted as your circumstances change and therefore by doing nothing, you will only make matters worse.

• Planning for your Retirement?

Are you confident that you will have enough funds to live comfortably when you retire? We offer a full ‘Retirement Planning’ review and analysis of your current financial position to ensure that you are on track to be able to retire when and where you want to; not where you are forced to because you did not look at this sooner. If we find any kind of shortfall in your existing arrangements, we are there to help you bridge this gap in time to enjoy the Retirement that you deserve.

• Do you have UK or International Pensions Plans?

Do you have UK or International pensions from previous employment that you don’t know what to do with? We can review these pensions to ensure that they are still suited to your own personal circumstances and offer advice and solutions if there is a more appropriate vehicle or even tax jurisdiction that they could be transferred to.

• Connected to the United States and have nowhere to go?

Investment options are now extremely limited for US connected individuals due to FATCA. We can offer

solutions that are US Tax Friendly and reduce your reporting obligations however, these structures are only really viable for those looking to invest above 200,000 USD. We also have long term partnerships with companies that can offer Health and Life Insurance, Mortgage and Protection advice in addition to Tax Planning services who specialise in International planning.

Chris T - “Luke has made the reorganisation of my pension relatively easy and stress free.” • Why choose Blacktower Financial Management (Intl) Ltd?

• Locally based advisors that can either meet you personally or over Skype/Zoom should you prefer to do things digitally. • We offer consultations at no initial cost and any future charges and fees are completely transparent before you make any decisions. • No client is either too small or too big, we’re always happy to help. • Over 30 years in business and physically staffed offices throughout Europe, the UK, United States and Cayman Islands (and more to follow) • Fully MiFiD and IDD licensed and regulated to work in all jurisdictions with Global Indemnity Insurance which covers all of our client recommendations.

For confidence in your financial future, get in touch today: luke.hunt@blacktowerfm.com | 0031 - 708002098 | www.blacktowerfm.com

Luke David Hunt (Associate Director)

Blacktower Financial Management (Intl) Ltd

Having spent 13 years in International Financial Planning with the last 8 of those being in The Netherlands, Luke has built himself an exceptional reputation in the market for providing clear, informative and transparent financial advice. Luke services clients of many nationalities and ranging from senior level executives to small scale business owners; this brings the experience and knowledge to give the best advice in a multitude of circumstances - His client recommendations are testimony to the long term relationships that he has built over the years and the successes that they have had.

De Haagsche Zwann Schenkkade 50 2595 AR, Den Haag The Netherlands +31 70 800 2098 luke.hunt@blacktowerfm.com

Blacktower Financial Management (International) Limited is licensed by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission. Licence Number 3647. (MiFID & IDD licenced)

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 24

11-05-2022 11:16

JUNE 2022 | 25

ART & CULTURE

Contemporary Art Exhibition “Voorlopers / Pioneers” in the Park of Soestdijk Palace in Baarn art and culture, heritage and history. We really want to surprise and engage the visitors.” The park of Palace Soestdijk is part of Landgoed Paleis Soestdijk, which will be a platform for Dutch innovations in the future in which sustainability and heritage retention plays an important role for future generations. Before the restoration starts in 2023, Palace Soestdijk organizes the exhibition ‘Voorlopers’. The images exhibition invites a broad and diverse audience to discover the park through art, and encourages them to give new meaning to the park. After the restoration and renovation, the palace and estate will be opened to the public in 2025. Art of today - the artworks show the multidisciplinary ambition of Voorlopers with a varied and inviting picture of contemporary art, so in addition to ‘real’ sculptures by renowned pioneer Joep van Lieshout / Atelier van Lieshout and Modern Classic sculpture (with sustainable reuse / recycling of material). From Ivan Cremer, there will be a lot of work and installations specially made or adapted for the park with current themes which will appeal to a younger audience as well.

Maja Meijewith her husband Ton Meijer

From May 13 to August 5, the park of Soestdijk Palace is open to the public with the sculpture exhibition: ‘Voorlopers’. Visitors are introduced to contemporary art that offers new stories and perspectives. Contemporary artists, with established as well as new talent, depict current themes such as innovation and (bio) technology and design, sustainability and recycling, but they also tackle the changing meaning of heritage. All this brought together in the unique natural and historic location of the Paleis Soestdijk estate. Art in the park The park garden of Paleis Soestdijk – a 19th-century design by Zocher – with its many vistas, 17th-century avenue structure and many monuments on the estate, is the perfect setting for a unique exhibition. The public explores the park through works of art that engage in an extended, interactive, extensive, in-depth or cheerful conversation about nature culture in the Netherlands, the history and future of the park, and the possibilities of new sustainable developments, with and in nature. Forecasts (Voorlopers) Curator Marieanne de Rooij presents fifteen artists living and educated in the Netherlands, artists who are innovative and visionary. In short: artists who are truly avant garde or ‘Voorlopers’, who love pioneering and research; their artistic beginnings therefore fit in well with the innovations destined for Soestdijk / Made by Holland. The artworks display a diverse selection of contemporary art, the public discover work and installations specially made for the park in the fields of bio-design, sound art, robotics, video art, and eco-(part) design.

Innovation and sustainability, bio-design and technology, for example from Bob Hendrikx, (in addition to the ‘Living Coffin’, Hendrikx presents new work, the ‘living couch’, a transparent couch filled with living green and red algae from the Soestdijk park pond, which cleanses and purifies the air as visitors sit on it); Lennart Lahuis with water / steam poetry, sound art of Cecilia Bengtsson, Robotics art by Bram Ellens, Sci-fi video art with ‘The Revolutions That Did (not) Happen’ van Silvia Martes, and circular (part) design-art by Birgit Verwer. You can experience Interaction, participation and nature at the Aquatheek van Groenewoud / Bui with water from far and near, at Zeger Reyers who, using the dilapidated tennis court, creates a ‘Lawn Tennis’ nature maze. Furthermore, there is a chair installation by Iliada Charalalambous, which invites the public to park conversations on personal or political-social topics and Marjan Laaper’s video work ‘Encounter’ which confronts from a high vantage point in the public ream with our un-Natural (Dutch) nature experience and Buroldr’s listening route with water theme for the park. Ingrid Molk creates a fairy tale diorama for the Princess playhouse in the sports park about a perfect queen-clone. Birgit

Verwer, through the partial design principle of designer Enzo Mari, creates a new sustainable work, a variant on the typical The Hague ‘lice bench’, ‘Final Rehearsal’. Kids and young people: David Bade organises for the exhibition a special work-in-progress education learning project for youth from the local area. The project, “throw a different bow,” gives an old sailboat a new future during the exhibition period. And Ingrid Mol makes a map colouring page - also the information for the routing of the exhibition - for children. Participating artists atelier van Lieshout (AVL), David Bade, Cecilia Bengtsson, Burroldr, Iliada Charalalambous, Ivan Cremer, Bram Ellens, Groenewoud / Buij, Bob Hendrikx, Marjan Laaper, Silvia Martes, Ingrid Mol, Zeger Reyers, Lennart Lahuis and Birgit Verwer. Palace Soestdijk: Landgoed Paleis Soestdijk had been closed since 1971 and was inhabited until 2004 by the late Queen Juliana and late Prince Bernhard. Very famous to the elderly was the yearly flower parade on Queen’s day (Koninginnedag) on 30 April. On the platform in front of the house, Queen Juliana, Prince Bernard, children and grandchildren were waving to the Parade of Dutch people. For years, this was shown on Dutch television. In 2015, the government decided to sell the palace and estate. The Meyer-Bergman Heritage Group owned it after an extensive selection procedure in December 2017. For the last four years, they worked on the development of the destination plan. In February 2022, the zoning plan was adopted by the Baarn City Council and as a result there is green light for the restoration and re-use of the estate. The expectation is that the restoration can start early 2023. Palace Soestdijk is at the start of a new phase at its more than 350 years anniversary. The estate will be thoroughly restored and prepared for a new destination in the coming years. In 2025 the new Soestdijk Palace opens Made by Holland: an inspiring platform, stage and landing place for innovative and entrepreneurial Netherlands. With temporary exhibitions, lectures, congresses and educational offerings, the Dutch solutions will soon be presented to the public. Maya Meijer-Bergmans is together with her husband Ton Meijer owner of the Meyer-Bergman group (MBE) that gives historical heritage a new future. After the successful Westergasfabriek site in Amsterdam, MBE just opened an exhibition “Vorm aan de Vecht” a former convent at Estate Doornburgh (www.buitenplaatsdoornburgh.nl) and are now working on Soestdijk Palace, which is giving new meaning with the Made by Holland concept. (info: Made by Holland, www.paleissoestdijk.nl). Written by Nanda Jagusiak-Monteiro The Soestdijk park can be visited from 13 May to 5 August 2022. More information and tickets via www.paleissoestdijk.nl.

The exhibition is curated by exhibition maker Marie Jeanne de Rooij, in collaboration with Maya MeijerBergmans, historian and owner of Paleis Soestdijk. In the past, De Rooij and Maya Meijer have jointly organised very successful and original sculpture exhibitions, The Hague Sculpture, at the Lange Voorhout in The Hague. Maya Meijer-Bergmans: “With a fresh and current look at contemporary and new outdoor art, Voorlopers presents new stories, experiences and perspectives for the park of Paleis Soestdijk in a unique historical location. It is an art event for a wide audience: young and old, lovers of nature,

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 25

12-05-2022 10:24

inter perfonational amst rming ar ts erda m

info & holla tickets ndfe stiva l.nl

MOTHER NATURE

BOLODJO PLUS

CIRCULUS/CORO

L’OLIVIER

Angélique Kidjo, Yemi Alade, Zeynab Abib, Blue Lab Beats, Jeangu Macrooy

Zeynab Abib et son Groupe

Robin de Raaff, Luciano Berio, Matthias Pintscher, Ralph van Raat

Abd Al Malik, Wallen

Music that connects people from all over the world to each other and with the earth. 3 – 4 June, Carré

CONTREENQUÊTES Nicolas Stemann, Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne A theatrical exploration of The Stranger by Albert Camus. 14 – 15 June, ITA

A mix of traditional African rhythms, singing and dancing with electronic (modern) sounds. 7 June, Muziekgebouw

YEMANDJA Angélique Kidjo, Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Naïma Hebrail Kidjo, Kerry James Marshall Breathtaking musical theatre about love, betrayal and the injustices of slavery. 16 – 18 June, ITA

A HOUSE OF CALL. DER BESUCH MY IMAGINARY DER ALTEN DAME Nicolas Stemann, Friedrich NOTEBOOK Dürrenmatt, Schauspielhaus Heiner Goebbels, Ensemble Modern Orchestra

Director Goebbels collected audio fragments, that form the basis of the concert piece. 18 June, The Concertgebouw

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 26

Piano concert with orchestra and choir – world premiere 10 June, Gashouder/Westergas

MOBY DICK; OR THE WHALE Wu Tsang / Moved by the Motion, Caroline Shaw, Schauspielhaus Zürich Herman Melville’s classic adapted into a silent film with live string orchestra. 17 – 18 June, Muziekgebouw

Rapper and singer looking for justice and brotherhood, with the music of legendary Fairouz as inspiration. 11 – 12 June, Muziekgebouw

IFÉ Angélique Kidjo & guests, Amsterdam Sinfonietta Encounter between Africa and Western classics, from baroque and jazz to minimal and chansons. 24 June, The Concertgebouw

DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN

KEIN LICHT. (2011/2012/2017)

Zürich

Christopher Rüping, Necati Öziri, Black Cracker, Schauspielhaus Zürich

Philippe Manoury, Nicolas Stemann, Elfriede Jelinek, Opéra Comique

A tragicomic play about the line between justice and revenge. 10 – 12 June, ITA

Surprising, up-to-date, hip theatre adaptation of Wagner’s opera. 21 – 22 June, ITA

Pessimistic but also humorously neurotic opera that dispenses with our faith in technology. 24 – 26 June, Muziekgebouw

11-05-2022 11:16

JUNE 2022 | 27

NICE SPOTS

Genteel hotel in Voorburg Central Park is open again! SVH Master host Joey de Kruijf and partner Tamara Holwerda have used the past lockdown to upgrade the rooms of the boutique hotel in this historic national monument in the green area of Voorburg. The design by Jeroen Smeele of Smeele Design exudes a Parisian atmosphere: classical colours and materials and romantic details and allure that match the ambiance of the monumental building. The fourteen rooms and suites with a view of the garden or the park with deer are spacious and, due to the use of sustainable and natural materials and the luxurious Hästens beds, attractive and comfortable. Chefs Tim ood and ette ettema offer a ﬁne dining experience using seasonal ingredients in the restaurant of the same name. Central Park was awarded the Best of Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator in 2021 for the distinctive wine list with more than ﬁne wines. www.centralparkvoorburg.com

Breda @theBeach Breda is – not yet – by the sea, but you can still immerse yourself in beachy vibes this summer. Insight Beach Summerclub Breda has opened its doors at the Galderse Meren this spring. At this pop-up resort, enjoy a day of sun, beach and lounging in an exclusive setting close to the city. The beach club with luxurious cabanas and lounge beds also offers a covered Mediterranean terrace, DJs that provide the right summer soundtrack, a swimming pool, jacuzzis (book your own VIP jacuzzi with cabana) and even bohemian glamping. We recommend it as a summer hotspot to en oy the sun all day long without having to ueue in trafﬁc and to party during one of the summer events on the calendar. www.insightbeach.nl

Exceptional views into the Royal Waiting Room

As a courtly city, The Hague has many special historical monuments and palaces. The Noordeinde Palace, the Royal Stables, the Binnenhof and the Cabinet of the King are well-known to many, but the Royal Waiting Room is a real hidden gem. During the festive opening in 1893, Princess Wilhelmina and Queen Regent Emma called it a ‘jewel for the residence’. Times have changed, but the royal family still uses the waiting room complex, which consists of various rooms located in the left part of the Den Haag HS station building. Until 26 June you can view this hidden gem during an exclusive guided tour. Other royal sights can be discovered during a free walk of 3.4 kilometers along sixteen special locations in the historic city center: koninklijkeroute.nl. www.denhaag.com/nl/agenda/openstelling-koninklijke-wachtkamer

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 27

11-05-2022 10:33

Yes! Let’s find your house! Hi Expat-Extraordinair

RELOCATING TO THE EINDHOVEN AREA? DO IT THE BIG5 WAY! think big, think Big5

Big5 Relocations is a young and dynamic independent organisation with a wide personal and professional network in the Eindhoven region. We oﬀer a personalised approach of relocation services including home&school search, pre-assignment visit of the Eindhoven region and settling-in, through our experienced and professional relocation consultants. www.big5relo.com | servicedesk@big5relo.com | +31 (0) 40 235 15 05

Buying or selling a house is one of the most exciting challenges to take on in your life. As the Expat-Extraordinair that you are, you’re not afraid to take the plunge. We are so happy you chose us to take this step together. We know what challenges arise when you’re relocating to a new city or country. Your Dutch Home is not just another real estate agency, but your boutique real estate agency. It means having a dedicated agent and short lines of communication. We believe that this is the best way to fulfill your wishes and needs. There’s no place like home, so let’s make sure we find yours. How to get in touch with us As your real estate agent, we’ll guide you through the property buying and selling process from the beginning to the end. In the next few days, we will contact you and we’ll be going through the following steps of the process. +31 850 580 030 yourdutchhome.com

REAL ESTATE EXPERTS FOR EXPATS REAL EXPERTS FOR EXPATS With more than 30ESTATE years of experience and consisting of a team of dedicated professionals, De Vries Robbé Real Estate Agents specializes in rentals and sales of houses and REAL ESTATE EXPERTS FOR With more than 30 years of experience and and consisting of a teamEXPATS of dedicated professiapartments in The Hague the surrounding areas.

onals, De Vries Robbé Real Estate Agents specializes in rentals and sales of houses and With more than apartments 30 years of experience andand consisting of a teamareas. of dedicated professiinin The the surrounding Our team will welcome you ourHague beautiful new office at the corner of the Frederikonals, De Vries Robbé Real Estate Agents specializes in rentals and sales of houses and straat and the Javastraat. apartments and theoffice surrounding areas. of the FrederikOur team will welcome youin inThe our Hague beautiful new at the corner straat and the Javastraat. Our team will welcome you in our beautiful new office at the corner of the Frederikstraat and the Javastraat.

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 28

info@furniturelease.nl

11-05-2022 11:17

JUNE 2022 | 29

TIPS expo |

netﬂix |

Théo van Rysselberghe | Rumspringa | an uplifting viewing you need in current times Singer Laren Rumspringa is a rite of passage used by some Amish communities. In direct translation it means “jumping” or “hopping around”. In the recent German movie Rumspringa, distributed by Netflix, Jacob, a young Amish, embarks on a journey to Berlin for his rite of passage. It is a “coming of age” story told in a fresh way. It is also a story about building true friendship in spite of cultural differences. In addition to this, Rumspringa shows how relationships can shape who we are. The colours in the movie and the way it is filmed make for pleasant viewing. Rumspringa starts with peaceful images of nature, which are contradicted by the images of noisy and busy Berlin. The movie raises questions about one’s relationship to nature and technology, but does not give a simple answer. Some solutions, for instance a zipper, make life easier, yet some make it more complicated. The Amish are portrayed as an example for living a slow, ecologically sustainable lifestyle, in peace with nature, with no emissions and no waste. That is definitely what the modern world should follow as the doomsday clock is ticking.

Singer Laren pays tribute to the Belgian ‘modernist’ Théo van Rysselberghe (1862-1926) in its exhibition Painter of the Sun. He was a master of depicting light and colour in the late Impressionist school. Following the example of Georges Seurat, he worked in the pointillist style. His extensive oeuvre consists of portraits, sun-drenched landscapes and coastal views, preferably on the Côte d’Azur, as well as female nudes and ﬂower still lifes. In 1888, while traveling in Morocco, he discovered the abundant sunlight and colours that would mark his work since. In his pointillism, he inspired Dutch artists such as Jan Toorop, with whom he exhibited in Brussels. After 1900, Van Rysselberghe started to paint more loosely, increasingly showing reﬂections of his feelings. For museum director Jan Rudolph de Lorm, the highlight is the ‘Le ruban écarlate’: ‘The way in which the viewer’s eye is drawn into the space via the mirror, the light on the skin; it’s beautifully done and bears witness to the enormous pleasure that Van Rysselberghe had in painting.’ 17 May to 4 September singerlaren.nl

The Amish are not only eco-friendly, but also conservative. Rumspringa shows the clash between conservatism and liberalism. An Amish person in Berlin might be a bit of a hardcore example, yet this binary is becoming more and more visible in Western Europe. While progressivism is undoubtedly the dominating trend, there are still orthodox religious families among us. What is good in the movie is that it does not value one side of the binary over the other. Instead, it quite optimistically shows that it is possible for two opposing ideas about life to meet and respect each other. The Amish protagonist represents a culture that is completely unfamiliar to Alf and Bo, the two young men he meets in Berlin. Yet they take him into their house and introduce him to the modern world. They don’t just make him adapt to fast-paced German life, but step by step integrate him into it. The story of the bond between Alf, Jacob and Bo is especially relevant nowadays, as Europe is welcoming millions of Ukrainian refugees. The ﬁlm is a call to be compassionate, open and accepting towards immigrants representing other cultures. It offers uplifting viewing for these difﬁcult times. Written by Zuzanna Kuffel

Pick up a free copy of the Holland Times at Kellys Expat Shopping! In Amsterdam, The Hague, Wassenaar & Utrecht THT4_2022 _CS.indd 29

12-05-2022 10:28

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY AT CAESAR FITNESS + SPA RESORT

Get fit and allow yourself some time to relax With 5000 m2 of wellness, health and fitness in the heart of the city of The Hague. At Caesar Fitness + Spa Resort you have everything under one roof. Our luxury resort is located on the Mauritskade.

Our motto at Caesar Fitness + Spa resort is: “Your body is your temple”. We help you take care of your body as well as your mind. We are more than a gym. Our top priority is for our members to be able to train in a safe and healthy environment. We offer you an environment with a state of the art ventilation system. This ventilation system constantly brings in fresh outdoor air filtered through glass filters so our members and guests breathe in fresh and clear air. For an optimal balance between body and mind, you can visit our Body & Mind studio where we give different types of yoga classes. You can always find the right class to fit your lifestyle and needs. Members can relax in the Spa & Wellness area. You can go swimming in our fantastic pool or enjoy a variety of saunas, hamam and whirlpool. At Caesar, we also pay attention to the outer wellness when taking care of our bodies. Our beauty center offers a wide range of massages, high quality facials and other beauty treatments. Did you also know that we recently opened our KidsClub where young children from 3 months to 4 years old are cared for while their parents enjoy their visit at Caesar? Children up to 8 years old are even welcome to come and play on weekends and during school holidays. Our facilities are brought together at one place to offer maximum comfort to our members. Do you want to experience what a membership at Caesar Fitness + Spa Resort entails? Come visit our club and we will show you all the benefits of our membership.

JOIN US NOW!

For more information visit our website www.caesar-denhaag.nl. We are looking forward to getting to know you soon and to give you a free tour of our facilities.

MAURITSKADE 10 | DEN HAAG | T 070 820 99 10 | WWW.CAESAR-DENHAAG.NL

FURNITURE

ARCHITECTURE

Welcome in the House of Beauty

DECORATION UPHOLSTERY

Tour of Beauty Your Beauty - Our Devotion

mas interieur the ultimate way of modern living visit us at:

Frederikstraat 565 2514 LR Den Haag

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 30

T 070 345 09 03 winkel@masinterieur.nl www.masinterieur.nl

Hooistraat 7 2514 BM Den Haag T: 070-362.31.63 E: info@tourofbeauty.nl www.tourofbeauty.nl

accredited by the Dutch Central Interior Design Industry Association

10-05-2022 19:56

JUNE 2022 | 31

SPORT

The return of wintersport draws the dutch back to the mountains

The recent May school vacations in the Netherlands also brought down the curtain on the first post Covid-19 winter sport season. Since the après-ski bars of Austria where one of the first true hotspots of the pandemic back in 2020, it seemed fitting to check back in the European winter sport destinations to see how these popular snow destinations have rebounded in the first season since the virus stilled the ski lifts and shuttered the hotels. Certainly, one the most pandemic-impacted industries, it begged the question as to whether the past nightmarish seasons could be put behind and lure the Dutch skier and snowboarder back to the summit. The Dutch have long been ardent enthusiasts of winter sport and the school vacations in particular are moment of mass exodus from the low countries to the mountainous regions. Coupled with the need to make a second trip to the snow to join up with mates and it is easy to understand why it can be maddening to track down people in this country while the ski lifts are in operation. Some of the earliest Covid-19 infections in the Netherlands were brought back from the standingroom-only apres-ski bars of Austria. A more recent wave of Delta variant infections was also traced back to skiers who had found their way back to the Austrian Alps in early 2022. Eventually, even Delta yielded and triple- boostered winter sports enthusiasts slowly but surely packed up skis, boot and peanut butter en route to Europe’s beckoning slopes. The resorts were only too keen to welcome the yellow registration invasion and bottles of disinfectant were strategically placed at any conceivable point of human contact.

of the Delta variant melted away. With restrictions such as mandatory quarantines melting away, bookings from the Netherlands to Austria, France and Switzerland were nearly hot enough to melt the snow as the Dutch and NLbased expats looked to get away and strap on their skis and snowboards for a return to near normalcy. While the Covid-19 impacted ski seasons will feel similar to a mountain schnapps induced hangover, the 2022 season did signal a return to established order as the traffic to the popular ski destinations rebounded and in some cases surged. Austria, the traditional #1 destination, accounting for some 60% of the market, once again saw the reservation ledgers swell with Dutch names and the tourist bureaux of France and Switzerland reported similar results. As expected, the overall numbers were down in comparison to pre Covid-19 figures, but the trend indicated that the demand for winter sport holidays will recover fully as early as next season. Perhaps no better display of the resilience of the Dutch winter sport market was the end-of-season Dutch Week in the Savoy region of France. Val Thorens, which many of us have been mispronouncing all our lives (the ‘s’ is not

silent), was host to yet another edition of the venerable party / ski vacation week entitled “Dutch Week”, complete with appropriate musical entertainment and plenty of beer to keep the revelers moving long after the ski lifts have come to a halt. The Dutch Weeks have become a fixture and are now offered annually at several locations throughout the popular European winter sport areas. Solid booking numbers are already being reported for the 2022-23 season which opens later this year. To be sure, the has been significant damage despite government support. In the French town of Moûtiers (bonus points for pronouncing it correctly), which is at the base of the climb into one of the Savoy’s most popular winter destinations, shuttered shop windows indicated that the pesky bug had taken its toll. Sales of local cheese, sausage and pricey wine had taken a hit. However, if the Dutch have anything to say about the matter, the winter demand for croissants, beer and fondue will not suffer in the long run…look out below! Written by John Mahnen

While swooshing down the slopes would seem to be the perfect recreational sport to practice in the times of an airborne plague, the reality is that a great deal of time is spent in close proximity to others whether it be a gondola hoisting skiers to the top of Alpine run or the crowdedto-the-gills pub in a ski village. So skiing did not get the pass that sports such as cycling or golf did. Most of the demand for winter sport vacations remained penned up until March as the restrictions put in place to stem the tide

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 31

12-05-2022 10:33

Looking for help organizing your kid’s afternoons?

We would love to have your child at our after school care. From building huts outside to playing an exciting game: while you are working or having some me-time, your child is having fun with friends.

Find a Partou location near you and register your child www.partou.nl/find

22 0119 Advertentie Holland Times_Partou_bso.indd 1

THT4_2022 _CS.indd 32

19-1-2022 12:24:05

11-05-2022 11:17

The Holland Times June 2022

Articles inside

Sport

Nice spots

Shortage of staff spells chaos at Schiphol Airport

ark of oestdi k alace in aarn

Column

Investment opportunities in Ecuador in the tourism sector

Beauty and the Beast: Amsterdam and its tourists Large terraces in Amsterdam no longer allowed

ake your home sustainable Five reasons why

JUNE 2022

ustainability less important for starters on the labour market o we feel like old normal’ is back