Discover the Essence of Holland

No country in Europe has a more universally recognized image than the Netherlands. Windmills, tulips, wooden shoes, and the tall elegant houses lining Amsterdam's canals define the world's perception of the country called Holland. Today, this old-fashioned view coexists with an ultramodern Dutch sensibility seen in cutting-edge architecture (especially in Rotterdam, home of world-class architect Rem Koolhaas), beautifully designed home furnishings, and contemporary art, often displayed next to timeless Dutch Master paintings in museums and galleries.

That's backdrop. In the foreground of this small, meticulously kept country is a quality seen throughout daily life. The Dutch even have a word for it—gezellig, which roughly translates as cozy and convivial.

Epitomizing this warmth, informal bars called "brown cafés" are ubiquitous, taking their name from the natural woods of their aged interiors. Richly hued Oriental rugs often cover tabletops. Once considered too valuable for floors by the thrifty Dutch, fine handmade carpets are used on tables, an age-old custom that has endured. These gathering spots are good places to sample Dutch friendliness along with local beer and genever, the Dutch version of gin (made with barley malt for a very different-some say acquired-taste).

An imperious denizen at one of Amsterdam's "Brown Cafés"

The sweet life is also found in the mouth-watering desserts, often long lists of them, in bakeries, coffee shops, and restaurants. The Dutch love their sweets, and, indeed, they are something special. Even humble hot chocolate is served with ceremony, with dark or milk chocolate pieces melted in hot milk and served with freshly whipped cream on the side. What could be more typical of life-enhancing gezellig than such Dutch treats?

Apple cake, with a cake-like crust and rich apple filling, is a favorite throughout the Netherlands. This apple cake, though, we felt was the best, at Winkel's in Amsterdam. 

Even Amsterdam's airport terminals feed the spirit of gezellig. Cafés at Schiphol International are located just yards from the arrival gates. Why not sit down for a coffee, hot chocolate, snack, or delicious piece of Dutch apple cake while waiting for disembarking passengers? Also at Schiphol, a grand flower shop overflows with blooms, bulbs, plants, and creative floral accessories. Yes, you can find a few windmill-shaped vases, miniature wooden shoes, or other such tchotchkes, but the offerings are generally more interesting than those available at most airport concessions.

They may be in hats and coats, but even the children like being outdoors, here at Winkel's, eating their famous apple cake in Amsterdam's Noordermarkt in Amsterdam's Jordaan neighborhood.

Hollanders understand the power of the sweet gesture, and are said to buy more flowers than anyone on earth-not surprising since they also cultivate more blossoms than any other country. No matter the hour, it's nearly impossible to walk down a city or village street without running into a local carrying a beautifully wrapped bouquet.

Throughout Hollands' cities and towns, flower stands are everywhere. The country produces more flowers than any other country and is especially known for tulips. (

At the heart of gezellig is a sense of homey comfort. It was in the 17th century that the Dutch originated the idea of home as we know it today. Architect Witold Rybczynski, author of Home: A Short History of an Idea (1986), explains that the Dutch were the creators of the small, single-family house, because they had a thriving middle class before other European countries, giving them the resources to focus on domestic comfort. "The Dutch loved their homes," writes Rybczynski. "They brought together the meanings of house and of household, of dwelling and of refuge, of ownership and of affection."

Thus, the Dutch are practiced in terms of hospitality—food, drink, and flowers are just the beginning. With typical polite helpfulness, they welcome visitors. Nearly everyone speaks English as well as Dutch, and often French or German. "We're a country of just 16 million people, so who's going to learn Dutch?" says a sociable waitress, fluent in three languages and studying Spanish "for fun."

All of this amazes visitors, whosee the Dutch socializing, eating, and drinking and wonder how they manage it. Such nurturing is "necessary for our emotional survival," says a busy hotelier, mother, and wife. "Winters are long and dark, and sustenance must go far beyond the physical." As for calorie-counting, Hollanders are among the tallest people on earth-average height for men is 6-foot-1 to 6-foot-2-and surprisingly trim.

A favorite means of transportation

"It's our walking and bicycle riding," confides the Dutch woman. "We work off calories so we can sit down with friends and eat while also having a laugh."

Holland-a third the size of California and half of that reclaimed from the sea-is accepted as the popular name for the entire country, although technically it refers to the coastal regions around Amsterdam. Culture is as ubiquitous as fine food and flowers. The country's happily split personality is shown in the strong thread of domesticity that permeates everyday life and exists side by side with an avant-garde spirit that celebrates bold, contemporary ideas, another of Holland's major exports.

And those bold ideas are often very practical. During last year's worldwide floods and water-related disasters, the Dutch went their way, continuing research on floating buildings, gardens, and other developments that can survive extreme water conditions. Hollanders have centuries of practice, symbolized by the mythic story of a determined boy with his finger in the dike, and they contribute some of today's best thinking about surviving nature's caprices.

This year, Holland will glory in another part of its past with a 12-month-long celebration marking the 400th anniversary of Rembrandt van Rijn's birth. His works, painted during Holland's Golden Age in the 17th century, will be seen in museums, in Rembrandt's remarkably well-preserved birthplace, and in neighborhoods where he grew up and worked.

The European Fine Arts Fair (TEFAF), one of Europe's liveliest and most successful art and antiques fairs, takes place in March in the lively town of Maastricht, situated in South Holland, within sight of the borders of both Germany and Belgium.

And every year, the Dutch host one of Europe's largest and most prestigious and successful art and antiques fairs, The European Fine Arts Fair (TEFAF). Each March, dealers, museum curators, and art lovers from around the world gather to see museum-quality pieces, all for sale. The show enlivens the already spirited town of Maastricht, Holland's oldest city, recently in the news as the European Union's birthplace. Dutch connoisseurship is seen here in million-dollar paintings, sculpture, and antiques. Educated, well-dressed consumers throng the aisles, taking it all in. TEFAF is the place to see the best of everything from just about everywhere.

At TEFAF, Maastricht gallery owner Robert Noortman shows art in a spacious and centrally located space that befits his stature as a show cofounder and leading art dealer. He displays art ranging in price from $2,500 to $45 million, the cost for a recently sold Rembrandt. To celebrate TEFAF, this elegant man throws an annual party at his castle for a few hundred special friends. "I couldn't change the menu even if I wanted to," he says. "Guests tell me they want the same Dutch-style food every year."

Elegant and urbane, arts dealer Robert Noortman displays costly art at TEFAF, the art and antiques fair he co-founded.

Noortman says Holland has always combined sophistication with homey pleasure. (Indeed, he and his wife, Angelique, personally prepare some of the food for the popular party.)

"Our country is so small, we share an intellectual closeness to all the world. We're a land of plenty, and plenty of tolerance, and because of that, we've always looked outward," says Noortman. "There's no place on earth quite like the Netherlands," he adds. "And gezellig is a big part of who we are. A nice way to live, ya?"