Thursday 26 March 2015

The Netherlands; or how to demolish ones legacy



As we speak the reburial of King Richard III is taking place in Leicester. Unfortunately it is not being aired on any channel we can receive so as a lover of history I cannot watch it live. I have said it to several people over the last days that I find this remarkable but all I get as a comment is that they don't get what all the fuss is about; just some bones and who's to say it is that one king anyway? Dutch people are getting more and more on my nerves I have to say. They don't care about anything anymore. Not their own legacy and certainly not others. Who cares right? Tear it all down! Demolish every old building because the maintenance is too expensive. Insult your own King because you think he gets paid too much, who cares? Complain because your government wants to put windmills 20 km out of the coast and have more green energy that way.

Why would you mind wind turbines at sea if you get a better, cleaner Earth?

Complaining is all that they can do. If it isn't about the weather (a Dutchman's favourite subject) than it's about politics (next favourite) or worse 'the foreigners that are with too many'. Compaining is all they do these days. But when they can go cast their vote they don't because they think it's no use or they don't feel like going. You can't complain if you don't vote!


 people in a queue for Richard III 

More and more I feel like I'm living in the wrong country.
British people have (in my eyes) still a feeling of belonging, of their legacy. Look what happened over the last couple of days when King Richard III was being brought to Leicester Cathedral; loads of people were in queues standing waiting (in queue!! Try to make the Dutch stand in a queue I dare you!) for hours to pay their respects for a 530 old dead king! Would the Dutch do that? I don't think so! They know nothing of their own history! I have to admit, I know more of the British history than of my own Dutch one. Why? It's not being taught properly for one (all about WWII which is fine but should not be the only subject in history) and it interest me more.

There used to be 600 from the 9000 windmills in Holland here in the Zaanse Schans but now only 12 are perserved

I'm so annoyed by the reactions of indifference of most Dutch people when you talk about history, or things that concern your own country. They just don't give a damn anymore. If you see how it's done in Britain that for example Prince Charles is so involved in the enviroment and organic farming. Charles has sought to raise world awareness of the dangers facing the natural environment, such as climate change. I know our King has done his bit with the water manegement but still, 'we' don't care enough! Our enviroment, our legacy is being broken down. In the UK they protect it by ways of the National Trust and other organisations. Here they want to build it all or break it down. Preserve it for posterity? Why would you want to do that? In my own town there's hardly an old building to be found, all broken down.



I know this is a very negative blog with a very negative view on my fellow countrymen. There are of course good things about them, I'm probably in one of those moods where I'm just fed up with all the negativity they send out. So don't mind me, find out for yourself. There are lots of lovely things still here to see especcialy in Spring with all the Tulip fields in full bloom.

© KH

6 comments:

Unknown said...

lovely blog !!!!

Daan said...

true, but Brits have a tendency to whine and whinge about their own legacies and history as much as the Dutch... of course there's more of a historical awareness and they do a heck of a lot more to maintain and preserve their older buildings and land, but that's the middle classes, the 'rich' and the 'well to do'... poorer people couldn't give a sh*t... they hate everything that reminds them of the Ruling Classes, they who keep them under, who stay rich on their back's...

and i feel torn between the two - on the one hand i totally love the National Trust and the hard work they do and the wonderful gems of history i can still go look at, but i also feel very dubious of a lot of the folks that want to Conserve a Ye Olde Britain that doesn't really exist... ...

Gattina said...

I think you are right ! My DIL is Dutch and we are often in Amsterdam.

Kati said...

Thanks Saskia

Daan I agree but I think even the poorer people wouldn't be happy if they would demolish their legacy as they're doing here.
And you know what? I love that 'ye old Britain'. ;)

Thanks Gattina so you've experienced it yourself somewhat.

Daan said...

yeah, whatever, but i think you're underestimating the massive class divide that makes Britain the country is had become...

Kati said...

No I don't think I do, it's the same as here I suppose. I've heard from my English friends anyway.