Canals, lakes, still waters are part of the landscape of the Netherlands and during cold winters when temperatures hit below 0C for several days they freeze. Our habitats forms us and I’d like to believe that because of this SKATING WAS BORN in this country.
There is no need to introduce this but the national sport in the Netherlands is SKATING (schaatsen).
During cold winters in the country when canals and lakes are frozen lots of locals come out with their skates. Some come out with their old wooden skates even. It’s such a beautiful scenery when people are out skating and enjoying. It is festive and there is so much camaraderie amongst strangers. It is infectious.
Last week I was out with Blondine and we talked about the skating trend in the country. She said, ‘Every native Dutch knows how to skate. We learn this from our oma and opa.’
She is actually right. Most Dutch people that do not know how to skate (or bike for that matter) are those with foreign or minority backgrounds.
Visit Period: February 2012
Destination: Amsterdam Cenrtrum (North Holland), The Netherlands
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