5 ways the Netherlands is better than the UK according to a Brit | DutchReview

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I landed in Amsterdam Schiphol glittery-eyed and raring for a new start in a beautiful new city. Since then, the Netherlands has hugely bettered England on a few fronts — here are five of the most significant.

Of course, I miss pints being the standard unit of beer measurement, and as a West Country girl, I miss vintage-matured cheddar cheese and ice-cold cider. But that’s about it.

And so: flip the UK the finger, side-saddle the back of my fifty euro bike, and let me pedal you furiously through just some of the pros, advantages, and utter gifts that come with the Dutch lifestyle.

Exhibit A: Bikes, bikes and more bikes

Cycling is top of most lists when it comes to the advantages of living in the Netherlands.

I used to have a bike in Liverpool (a hideously heavy thing I had to hunch over like Gollum to ride), which sat neglected and unused for a full year.

Why? Because cycling in UK cities is like a hellish nightmare on wheels.

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READ MORE | 19 things the Dutch did to make cycling easy and attractive

If you’re not risking death by car bonnet, you’re tackling heinously steep hills which bully you into getting off and pushing, the ultimate walk of shame.

You also arrive at your destination dripping with sweat and looking like you’ve just jumped out of a plane.

But not here. In Amsterdam, you swan around in your work attire, never breaking a sweat unless you cycle over a bridge. Perhaps you even sneakily catch up with a friend on WhatsApp as you traverse a busy crossroad. You own that road.

Cars and pedestrians are second-class citizens, mere peasants to you. You’re in charge, and you get drunk on that pedal power.

Exhibit B: Liberal drug laws

Now, we’re getting a bit stereotypical here but it’s worth acknowledging!

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Despite marijuana being sold in a regulated environment via coffee shops, there are no 13-year-old kids huffing weed and whizzing around delivering to customers on their Halfords mountain bikes. This scene is certainly prevalent in the UK.

People in the lowlands are given an inch and — generally — don’t take too much. Nor do they drink too much — the British “lad’s holidays” are probably more responsible for any significant alcohol consumption in the Dutch capital.

Exhibit C: Fried bar snacks

Forget scampy fries and pork scratchings, or the packet of salt and vinegar crisps torn open on the table for all to share: Holland wins this one.

How? Bitterballen. In case you’re unfamiliar, I’d describe bitterballen as scotch eggs, minus the egg, with whizzed-up stew in its place.

Sure, it sounds slightly foul, but that’s part of their lore. As well as inevitably burning your mouth with the first bite.

Check out a demonstration of the enigma of this fried favourite. 👇

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Exhibit D: Refreshing Dutch honesty

The British are renowned for their, ahem, “politeness”.

What this really means is inwardly seething when someone pushes in front of them in a queue but resolving to audibly tut and sigh instead of telling you straight-up how they feel about it.

A busy and rude commuter could barge them at 100mph but they’ll be the ones to cry wildly, “Oh, I’m so sorry!”, despite being the innocent victim of a businessman-rhino attack.

However endearing I might find this painfully polite aspect of British culture, nothing beats Dutch directness. They say what they feel, and they feel what they say! And what a breath of fresh air it is!

So there you have it, this is one Brit’s recount of the best improvements expat life in the Netherlands has to offer. This list probably looks different depending on your experiences, and your taste for salty fried snacks or straight-talking Dutchies. 😉

What did we miss? What are your favourite things about the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments below!

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