And not just Holland, either (because I’m heading to Utrecht in a couple of weeks). There is more than one region included in The Netherlands, you know? Holland is just one of the regions: calling the nation “Holland” is like calling all of New England “Rhode Island.”
…Though it seems that the fact may possibly have slipped by some of my fellow New Yorkers. (How quickly we forget. And to think we were Nieuw Amsterdam once…)
Tourist guy #1: So what countries make up the Netherlands?
Guide: The Netherlands are one country. It’s also called Holland.
Tourist guy #1: Oh, yeah. Sorry. How about The Hague? Is that one of the countries in the Netherlands?
Guide: Ahhhhh.
Tourist guy #2: You’re all confused! It’s all about Benelux! That’s Holland, The Hague, and The Lux. They’re all sort of together in the EU.
Tourist #1: The EU?
Guide: …and right over there is Roosevelt Island.
Tourist #1: Oh, I’ve heard of that! Is that in New York or Brooklyn?
Ah dear. Somebody get me some frites, quick, and pass the mayo. (Or some herring would be nice. It’ll be the Queen’s Day at the end of the month: I wonder if any black-market “green herring” will be around yet?… She’s supposed to get the first catch, but it wouldn’t surprise me if somebody cheats a little…)
(Wow, the places casual Googling will take you. The second Netherlands National Herring-Eating Championship…)
