The Netherlands

The Netherlands is a great country to visit all year round. It is known for its long history of culture and trade, and also in more recent times for its controversial stand on such subjects as soft drugs, prostitution and same-sex marriage. But it is the diversity that makes it a fun place to visit, whether you are looking for a cultural, active or family vacation or just want to party with some friends.

U.S. citizens traveling to The Netherlands do not need a visa to enter the country. You will need a valid passport when entering the country or visiting any of the surrounding countries. If you are not sure if this applies to you or you have a different nationality, you can find out what you need at the website of The Netherlands Embassy.

The national language is Dutch but you will find most people in The Netherlands speak English fairly well.

You will find the most attractions in the western part of the country. The four largest cities Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht outline a region known as the Randstad, where 7.5 million of the 16 million inhabitants live. In this area people travel between the many towns and cities by car, bus and train. Within the urban areas it is also common to travel by metro, tram or bicycle.

Outside of the Randstad you enter an very different part of the country which is less populated and consists mainly of agriculture and of course the famous flower fields.

Public transportation reaches all parts of the country and The Netherlands is small enough to travel from one side of the country to the other within a few hours, as the table shows (sizes in square miles):

• New Jersey - 8,722
• Hawaii - 10,932
• The Netherlands - 15,963
• New York - 54,475
• California - 163,707

If you are planning a trip to The Netherlands it's a good idea to consider what the best season would be to visit, depending on the type of activities you're looking for.

The country has a moderate climate with cool summers and mild winters. The average temperature rises from 40F during the winter months to 72F in the summer. The coldest months are January and Febuary and the warmest July and August. Keep in mind however that these are average temperatures. Because of the infuence of the sea it is not unusual to see snow in the winter and many rainy days in the summer. Temperatures can drop considerally at night, so it's always recommended to bring warm clothes and an umbrella along.

The city of Amsterdam is a favorite of many visitors to The Netherlands and there's a good reason for it. Amsterdam is a mix of history and culture with modern lifestyle. While you walk along the many canals you can admire the seventeenth century architecture. But don't be surprised to find a hip lounge bar behind its doors. When visiting Amsterdam be sure to pick up an I Amsterdam Card, which gives you discounts on a lot of museums, attractions and restaurants.

Other cities worth visiting are The Hague which hosts many cultural events all year round or Rotterdam with one the worlds largest ports.

If you plan on visiting The Netherlands in the spring be sure to schedule a trip to the Keukenhof, the worlds largest exposition of flower bulbs and of course the famous Dutch tulip.

• Yes - Ja
• No - Nee
• Thank you - Dank u
• Thank you very much - Dank u wel
• You're welcome - Geen dank
• Please - Alstublieft
• Excuse me - Neemt u mij niet kwalijk
• Hello - Hallo
• Goodbye - Tot ziens
• Good morning - Goedemorgen
• Good afternoon - Goedemiddag
• Good evening - Goedenavond
• Good night - Goedenacht
• I do not understand - Ik begrijp u niet.
• Do you speak English? - Spreekt u Engels?
• I - Ik
• We - Wij
• You - Jij
• They - Zij
• What is your name? - Hoe heet je?
• Nice to meet you. - Leuk je te ontmoeten.
• How are you? - Hoe gaat het ermee?
• How much does this cost? - Hoeveel kost dit?
• I'll buy it. - Ik koop het.
• I am looking for ... - Ik zoek ...
• Do you have ... - Heeft u ...
• Open - Open
• Closed - Gesloten
• Postcard - Briefkaart
• Stamps - Postzegels
• Breakfast - Ontbijt
• Lunch - Lunch
• Dinner - Diner
• Vegetarian - Vegetarisch
• Cheers! - Proost!
• Please bring the bill - De rekening alstublieft
• Lunch - Lunch
• Dinner - Diner
• Where is ...? - Waar is ...?
• Ticket - Kaartje
• One ticket to ..., please. - Een kaartje naar ..., alstublieft
• Left - Links
• Right - Rechts
• Straight ahead - Rechtdoor
• Map - Kaart

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