| Index | Last | Var.(%) |
|---|---|---|
| BEL 20 | 2119.3 | 0.50 |
| DAX | 5252.45 | 1.50 |
| IBEX 30 | 10726.8 | 0.59 |
| CAC 40 | 3377.59 | 1.40 |
| FTSE 100 | 4564.5 | 0.79 |
| AEX | 276.85 | 0.95 |
| DJIA | 9096.72 | -0.13 |
| Nasdaq | 1975.51 | 0.39 |
| FTSE MIB | 20341.67 | 1.65 |
| TSX Composite | 10570.54 | -1.74 |
| ASX | 4148.9 | -0.60 |
| Hang seng | 20135.5 | -2.37 |
| Straits Times | 0.00 | |
| ISEQ 20 | 442.48 | 0.27 |
On Sunday I decided that, since half of Holland would be heading for the beach, we'd make another plan. My children persuaded me otherwise, so I called a couple of friends with four wheels to see if they'd join us in seeking out a secluded seaside spot. No joy.
Without a car, the best place we could head to was the beach at Wijk-aan-Zee. It's around half an hour by train from Amsterdam to Beverwijk. From there you catch a bus (no 78), and within ten minutes you're at the beach.
We arrived around 15:30 just as many people, mostly families, were heading home.
I nursed any tension built up over the week from the comfort of a sun-bed. The lady renting out sun-shades, beds and windbreaks gave to me for half-price, horrified that I was prepared to pay the full five euros for the remaining two hours of rental time.
Both children complained about the sand getting everywhere. I explained that this was because we were on a sandy beach. They ran down towards the sea and were back within three minutes having cut their feet on the sharp little bits of razor and clam shell lying on a ribbon of wet sand preceding the sea.
After examining the cuts and reassuring them that sea-water is a natural antiseptic, they recovered rapidly and joined up with some kids collecting crabs and jelly-fish eggs from shallow pools of warm, murky water.
By 17:17 the beach was nearly empty and the view from my beach-bed to the sea was unbroken. A soft breeze had struck up and I finally smelt the sea – that tangy 'seaweedy' smell that moves down from the nostrils and leaves a taste of salt in your mouth.
I thought about ice-cream and wondered, considering that the Dutch produce such a profusion of quality dairy products, why they hadn't developed the production of ice-cream into an art-form like the Italians.
I remember reading that ice-cream was probably first introduced into Europe through Sicily and Venice by Marco Polo, who had brought it back from China (the recipe I imagine, as the substance would surely have melted).
Here’s a current guide to health insurance, doctors, dentists and pharmacies.
Lost in the Dutch immigration system? Look no further than this guide compiled for our Survival Guide 2009.
Some basic facts and figures about living and working in the Netherlands.
The challenges and benefits of the maternity system in the Netherlands and how it differs to other countries.
General rating:



Rate article:



Add my rating