Post Tagged with "The Netherlands"

Portugal abroad: a historical journey through Europe

Today Portugal celebrates Our Lady of Conception’s Day. She was proclaimed the godmother and Queen of Portugal on March, 25, 1646, by the Portuguese King D. Joao IV, during the Independence Restoration wars (1640-1668) and after sixty years of Spanish rule (1580-1640). The kings of Portugal have never worn the Portuguese Crown again. The Portuguese monarchy ended in 1910.

In this post we’ll explore some historical traces of Portugal around Europe.

Zamora (Spain): birth of the Portuguese nation

The 5th of October 1143, in Zamora, in the Kingdom of Castilla y Leon (Castile and León) a treaty was signed between the King of León and Castile, Alfonso VII, and the King of Portugal, Afonso Henriques. By this treaty, Portugal became an independent country and the oldest European nation. Last summer vacation, on my way to Portugal, I visited Zamora Cathedral, where the treaty was signed and my country, legally, was born. As you may guess, it was a very special moment for me.

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Rotterdam's Open Market

One place that showcases the multi-cultural outlook of Rotterdam is the open market (open markt) situated in Binnenrotte, next to the Blaak railway station. Every Tuesday and Saturday, the Dutch as well as the city’s expat population head towards the market for their weekly shopping.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, anyone?

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Winter, Spring, Autumn, Monsoon

Over the last month we’ve been posting photos with the theme seasons. Today’s the last day, so since we had so many great entries, here’s a quick tour of seasons around the world.

The theme for October is local transport, so if you want to join in, get out and snap some photos of transport in your part of the world.

Spring cherry blossom in Switzerland. Photo by keepps
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Do You Speak Dutch?

English is widely spoken in the Netherlands, but since Dutch is the official language, knowing a few basic Dutch expressions will go a long way in ensuring a smoother visit and better integration.

Check out these basic Dutch expressions that will help you ask the right question to the right person :

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Patat Frites: a popular Dutch snack

If you are in The Netherlands, your chances of not bumping into any road side stall/vending points selling the world famous “Patat Frites” is very small – nearly zero probability. Also known as the “Vlaamse Frites“, the traditional Dutch fries consist of long, thick potato fingers.

Photo credit

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Congratulations Spain!

Yesterday, Marta wrote that Spain was dreaming of victory in tonight’s World Cup final against The Netherlands. Now, that dream has come true. Congratulations to everybody who is celebrating tonight.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our World Cup 2010 updates. Thanks Carla, Ana, Arwa and Marta for showing us a bit of the World Cup celebrations in different parts of the world. Here’s hoping that in four years time we’ll be bringing updates from even more countries!