Snow, ice and wind

Snow, ice, cold… It is known for something regular in the Netherlands. Funny enough, it isn’t, actually.

The first time this winter, when the snow came. There felt five centimeter snow in one night, the morning after it, it became ten centimeter. In a country that had a lot of snow back in the history, you would expect that we have some kind of plan so a normal life can continue. No chance…


That one day, and the entire week following, started a mess that was incredible. Trains didn’t ride on time, or they didn’t came at all. “The weather is too bad.” The persons that had to deliver the mail during that weather became almost allergic for the whining of the public transport. And they kept whining. Trains kept being delayed, busses didn’t even come and at the train stations like Utrecht Central Station, people kept waiting and waiting while it was getting colder and colder.

People, friends and family, actually called me to tell me that if I had to take the train, that I should call someone that I wasn’t coming to school or whatever kind of appointment. My dad called me with the question if he had to pick me up somewhere. He forgot that IF I was in Utrecht, he would never be able to pick me up within an hour, just because of the traffic jam there was.


In the harbours are the boats frozen solid. People are walking on the ice that was part of the IJsselmeer. And there are actual chances of another ‘Elfstedentocht’ (a big ice skating event. People are crossing eleven cities in Friesland, gaining a stamp at every city). People want the ‘good’ things of winter like ice skating and soft snow that makes the cities seem all sweet and stuff. But they don’t want the cold and the icy wind.
The Netherlands and snow, once they were each other’s friends. But now the regular Dutchmen curses the ice that keeps the country in its grasp. If it’s up to a lot of people, ‘King Winter’ will packs its bags tomorrow and go back to the North Pole.