Easter Break to Wonderful Netherlands (荷蘭)

The Easter Break is from 8 to 23 April this year. I traveled to three countries outside the UK. They have become part of my blogs in this April, and because there are too many things I can write, I add some words whenever I think of.

4月8-23日歐洲放耶穌復活節,我走訪荷比法,接下來會在BLOG中介紹,太多要寫,想到就會加一點

Netherlands (荷蘭)*****+1

The saying goes, ‘God created the Earth, but the Dutch created Holland.’, which means there are more and more things waiting to experience in Amsterdam than the Van Gogh museum, windmills and tulip gardens. 

有句荷諺“上帝創造地球,荷人創造荷蘭”,荷蘭填土造地,人口是台灣3/4,國土是台灣的5/4 (約1.125倍多),相對於德法卻是小而精美,從車票到門票,每1個小地方都看得出用心及優秀,除了知名的梵谷,風車及鬱金香,荷蘭有許多事物值得參觀學習

The most amazing thing is they are very good at making use of every possible transportation systems to cross all the lands.

最令人讚嘆的是,他們妥善運用各式交通工具往來河道及陸地,我每天跟著許多上班族坐免費渡輪往返ClinkNoord Hostel

My everyday ferry

I took  the canal cruise 

Pedestrians, bikes, motorcycles, cars, trams, boats, ferries, cruises and trains are all well-organised and well-functioned; no one is in a hurry to push the button to cause unnecessary unpleasantness; everyone watched out carefully for the traffic situation to ensure safe passing. As I asked a woman riding her bike about the phenomenon of hundreds of millions of bikes here, she confidently answered, ‘yes, this is where we live.’

行人,腳踏車,偶而看見的摩託車,觀光三輪車,汽車,火車,渡輪,電車全都良好運轉,沒有柵欄,沒有人按喇叭造成不必要的不舒服,各自專注交通安全,優秀!曾經臺灣大量出口自行車,被封為'自行車王國',但真正高密度使用的'腳踏車王國'是荷蘭!

With pretty-pictured scenery and environment-friendly living spaces, walking in Amsterdam is physically and mentally enjoyable. 
優美的街道,環保的生活空間,走在路上不只身心愉快,

On the other hand, it also make me feel knowledgeable by visiting numerous museums in this city to nurture my mind. I visited more than 10 within two days with my Amsterdam city card! And each one has its unique design inside,such as Diamond Museum.

另外,荷蘭是博物館很多的國家,所以也滋養了我的腦袋知識,2天內我參觀了超過10間博物館,各家都有獨特的設計,例如鑽石博物館。

A diamond skull

A diamond tennis racket

Cheese may directly contribute to the Dutch’s height, they are so tall and strong. Many steakhouses surround the red light district, and pancake is one of popular snacks.

拜起司及牛排之賜,荷蘭人高又壯,路上很多人超過200公分,煎餅餅乾也很流行

cheese biscuit

pancake biscuit

I believe that they are smart enough to know how to self-discipline themselves so that they sometimes can be crazy enough to have fun, which only belongs to human beings' enjoyment. For example, sex workers displayed on the red light district; marijuana can be legally sold in the ‘coffees shop’; extremely-sports games like bungee-jumping beds offered at the Dam square which are just located opposite to the Jesus statue. Felling sinful or beyond the god?

在很有秩序的另一面,我相信他們夠聰明且自律性高,所以公然在大霸廣場耶穌受難雕像正後方,集中經營紅燈區及合法賣大麻('coffee shop'不賣純coffee,是賣大麻產品),又在大霸廣場正對面設置摩天輪及極限彈跳床遊戲,而這些都是只屬於人類的享樂

sex workers are displaying and waiting inside the red windows 

The red light district

大霸廣場中的耶穌基督受難像

coffee shop

They even build the Noah's Ark according to the bible story (one of my favourite stories) to manifest the strength of 'the man of God'.

從高中起第1次讀到便喜愛的聖經故事之一是諾亞方舟,荷蘭人甚至打造諾亞方舟展現神人的力度,稱許他們為’神人’並不為過. 

It is in Rotterdam City

Orange is their iconic national colour, which can be often seen from candle jars put on the open-air dining tables. No need to say diverse tulips blooming here in April.

橘色是國色可以到處在露天餐桌上的燭台看到,1個國家也可以從國色上共享團結,多好啊!

One thing necessary to know in the Dutch history is, in 1602, the Dutch East India Company was set up to make the world's largest commercial enterprise of the 17th century, and they were successful traders with advanced fleets to span the oceans and accumulate great fortune for this country. 
值得一提的是,17世紀,偉大的黃金時代,荷蘭人成立東印度公司以船隻艦隊行遍各洲,從那時起打造出他們的國家財富.而早期國王聘請1位有名設計師規劃出現代Amsterdam的運河都市圖--1個國家的偉大是有跡可尋的.

當年全荷蘭最富有的家族圖像

地標:I Love Amsterdam

I have longing for visiting this country not only because the Dutch once came to rule Taiwan in 1624 to 1662, earlier than Chinese emigrate from China, but because I once received the Dutch ambassador in Tainan— my hometown before many times, he always said that, ‘this is my city!’ Now I really understand why he say so, Tainan is also a canal city which makes he feel like home.

我一直想到荷蘭看看,不只因中國人大量移居台灣前,荷蘭人早就來台灣統治38年, 而且因為我曾在台南接待荷蘭大使胡浩德多次, 和他一起在台南吃海鮮, 帶他的親友團玩台南景點,現在我明白為什麼大使每次來到台南直呼這是他的城市, 因為台南也是運河城市.

Also, Rotterdam City is also a place to see its modern designed building.

除了首都啊姆外,到了鹿特丹看設計感建築也令人眼睛發亮!

Cube Houses, 方塊屋

Shopping Market

Inside the market:food and eating

Rotterdam Central Station

Another story written before之前故事寫在這裡: Trace the Dutch footprints in Eco Tour 台南生態之旅追尋古荷蘭遺跡

Overall, I totally agree with President Kuo, denoting that being a small state, we have to learn from Netherlands and make the world become our stage of development. 
總而言之,我同意鴻海郭董事長所言, 即使身為小國,我們應該向荷蘭學習,把世界當作發展的舞台.