"Look – we're going up!" Paul announced triumphantly.

We were driving through Friesland, in the northern part of the Netherlands, not far from the sea. Flat as far as the eye could see.

"That's strange," I thought, glancing at the navigation. And sure enough – within a few seconds, we had climbed from 5 metres below sea level to just 3 metres below sea level.

How relative everything is.

I switch on my Dutch life module. The language module is still active in my brain, because even back home in the Czech Republic, I daily use Dutch. 

 I think back on my turbulent life. I spent thirty years in this wonderful country. How much has it changed since I first set foot on its soil as a Dutch citizen?

It wasn't easy.

Let's start with elevation.

The first obstacle: alpine skiing was rather difficult to pursue here – at the time, it was my greatest passion. I couldn't imagine life without it. But even that could eventually be solved. After all, the Alps weren't really that far away, and with a Dutch passport? No problem.

The Netherlands in the early 1980s was a dream destination for many emigrants from the communist countries.. A well-functioning, wealthy country, with an advanced social welfare system and modern infrastructure. The people were hardworking, well educated and tolerant, and everyone spoke English – from the toilet cleaner to Her majesty the Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands. 

It was such a prosperous country that women didn't have to work. I remember that out of a population of 14 million, only 5.8 million people were employed, most of them men. That's roughly 41% of the population.

Back then, there was a joke going around:

"The only problem with the Netherlands is that the country has no problems."

In the 45 years since that historical moment, the Netherlands has come a long way.

Let's take a look.

At first glance, not much has changed. Or at least, that's what you might think when you return after many years and look around with the eyes of a visitor. The landscape is still as flat as a ruler, the shelves neatly lined with Dutch cheese , the small, charming houses looking like something out of a fairy tale, and the cattle – in the words of Karel Čapek *, "cows as dignified and noble as mevrouws, the very bovine aristocracy, pedigreed patricians among cows."

 But beneath this idyllic surface, trouble is brewing.  

• Flights are no longer running on schedule,
• farmers are protesting, 
• two opposing groups get into fights at children's Sinterklaas  ( Sint Nicholas) celebrations,
• schools celebrate the end of Ramadan,
• most thefts, assaults and arson cases remain unsolved,
• people cross the border to neighbouring countries for cheaper petrol,
• young people have little hope of finding a place of their own,

and the list goes on and on.

We're Going Up.  

But in the wrong direction. The numbers keep rising.  

While two extra metres on a Frisian road were a reason for celebration, in everyday life some numbers are beginning to rise in a much less cheerful direction.

Housing costs, energy bills and household expenses. And along with them, the worries of people who, until quite recently, had taken their standard of living for granted.

Let's look at it in more detail 

GREEN is MEAN 

I look outside. Yes, the grass really is greener here. And I see - the cows are happier too – Dutch cows can now graze outdoors. Those with access to pasture spend an average of around 150 days a year outside.

And since we're talking about the colour green…

I see Dutch flags all along the road – although you won't find any green in them. It's not because the Dutch have suddenly become as patriotic as the Americans. The flags are simply flying upside down.

This subtle visual symbol is how some Dutch farmers are protesting against the EU's green policies.

That policy was, after all, largely devised by a Dutchman, Frans Timmermans. (You're welcome.)

Put simply: the Netherlands has too many cows. They pee too much and fart too much – in other words, they produce too many "emissions" – so, in the name of combating climate change, their numbers need to be drastically reduced. 

What is rarely discussed, however, is what happens next. People will still eat milk and meat, and these products will have to be imported – often transported by truck from countries where environmental concerns are taken less seriously and animal welfare is far from being such a priority.

The plan announced in 2022 was indeed radical. According to estimates at the time, more than 11,000 farms could have been forced to close because of nitrogen-emission reductions, while another 18,000 would have had to significantly reduce their livestock numbers.

Sad indeed for a country with one of the finest agricultural sectors in the world.

As  you've  probably noticed, we're starting to go down.

The only thing going up is the number of problems we face today. 

ENERGY 

Not enough  

We carry on. The radio comes alive again with yet another advert telling us how to reduce energy waste. Advice on when to charge your electric car and reminders to keep your showers short are now part of everyday life.

With more than two million electric cars on Dutch roads, the question of when they can be charged has become a serious issue. The energy system relies heavily on renewable sources, so when the wind isn't blowing and the sun isn't shining much, things can get difficult. People even have an app on their phones telling them when they can use electricity.

Charging your electric car as soon as you get home from work – (who would do that anyway? Straight after work? Are you crazy?) – is strongly discouraged.

Energy prices fluctuate depending on the weather and the time of day.

Few people outside the Netherlands are aware that the north of the country holds enormous reserves of natural gas. The Groningen gas field was once one of the largest in Europe. After decades of extraction, problems emerged in the form of small earthquakes and cracked walls in people's homes. In 2024, gas production was finally brought to an end. The wells were sealed with concrete – just in case anyone ever got the idea of using them again.

The country – or rather, its politicians – decided to phase out natural gas as a conventional source of heating. Municipalities are gradually removing gas pipelines. People who had relied on gas heating for decades can no longer simply decide to stick with it. They have to find another solution, such as an expensive heat pump, and pay for a change they never chose themselves.

I remember how I spent my first two winters in the Netherlands freezing. I felt as if my bones were permanently frozen. Even back then, people were careful about using energy. But that was nothing compared with the current situation.

And yet today, when we want to warm ourselves up a little in the small rented house we're staying in at a holiday park, we have to wait for certain hours when the heating is switched on – mostly late in the morning and again in the evening. The standard room temperature is kept at no more than 16°C.

IIMMIGRATION  AND  LIFESTYLE

Just yesterday, we were enjoying beautiful autumn days in the heart of the Netherlands, right next to Hoge Veluwe National Park. It's a partly wooded landscape dotted with heathlands, with beautiful villages scattered around it. Villas alternate with horse stables and farms. In such surroundings, one might not expect to see veiled Arab women. And yet, there they are.

During our nine days in the Netherlands, we visited museums, parks, botanical gardens, zoos and many other interesting places. I was surprised by how few people with visibly different cultural backgrounds we encountered, even though millions of people with foreign roots have been born or settled in the Netherlands. According to the latest statistics, they account for around 17% of the population.

Many Muslim immigrants live within their own communities, and their way of life can differ considerably from that of the Dutch majority. Their everyday customs are influenced by religion and Islamic culture. Some also send part of their income to their families in their countries of origin rather than spending it in the Dutch economy. The money simply does not circulate here.

We stopped in a small town at HEMA, a popular Dutch shop selling all kinds of things for children, women and the home. At the checkout, I tried to ask a veiled young sales assistant something, but communication proved difficult. Another woman, dark-skinned, came over and simply looked at me in surprise when I asked her a question. Eventually, a young woman without a headscarf, also of Arab origin, came over and explained that her colleagues did not speak Dutch. So we switched to English.

I have to give these women credit, though. They have jobs, they are part of everyday Dutch life, and they are making an effort to participate in Dutch society. They are, however, more the exception than the rule.

POVERTY

The radio is reminding us once again about special offers on sanitary pads and toothpaste.

Did you know there are different kinds of poverty? What about hygiene poverty? Does that term mean anything to you? It does to the Dutch.

According to the latest survey*, one in five adults in the Netherlands is affected by so-called "verzorgingsarmoede" – hygiene poverty, meaning they cannot always afford basic personal hygiene products, such as toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant or sanitary pads.

Who would have thought forty years ago that one day poverty would be on the rise in Western Europe, while the Czech Republic would rank among the European countries with the lowest rate of people at risk of poverty? See the statistics below. The percentages shown for each country represent the share of people at risk of poverty.

The Dutch drugstore chain Kruidvat, together with the poverty relief foundation Stichting Armoedefonds, is drawing attention to the problem through campaigns on radio, television and billboards under the slogan "Samen in actie tegen verzorgingsarmoede" – "Together in action against hygiene poverty."

The campaign works on a 1+1+1 principle: when customers buy one product, they receive a second one free, while Kruidvat and its partners donate another identical product to people in need.

You may wonder how it is possible that, in one of the wealthiest countries in Europe, more and more people are falling into poverty.

I see several main reasons:

1. high taxes and social-security contributions on working people
2. expensive energy and unaffordable housing
3. the decline of Dutch agriculture and industry
4. cuts to, or growing pressure on, social services
5. high public spending related to migration, green policies, crime and support for Ukraine

The state needs ever more money to pursue its political agenda within the EU and, in my view, this leaves fewer and fewer resources available to ensure a good quality of life for its own citizens.

KRIMINALITA 

We drive past a fire station in the north of the Netherlands, where a large banner warns that the building is under camera surveillance.

The reason is simple: in recent months, criminal gangs have been breaking into unattended fire stations at night and stealing the heavy hydraulic rescue tools firefighters use to free victims trapped in cars after accidents. These tools can then be used during robberies to break into well-secured jewellery stores and other luxury businesses relatively easily.

In 2026 alone, there have already been 85 break-ins at fire stations.

And this brings us to the question of security.

Providing security for its citizens is becoming increasingly difficult in Western Europe, even though it is one of the fundamental responsibilities of any functioning state.

Alongside poverty and poorly managed immigration, the state is also facing new forms of crime such as organised crime, drug trafficking, the undermining of public institutions and cyberattacks.

The evening news at home increasingly begins with a list of where a bomb exploded during the night and which houses were set on fire.

Why would anyone do such a thing, you may ask? Imagine several rival drug gangs from countries such as Morocco and Albania fighting for control. Their influence has even reached into the justice system. In the Netherlands, this criminal network is commonly referred to as the Mocro Mafia **.

Every Monday after the evening news, Dutch television broadcasts a police programme ("Police Appeal"  ofwel Opsporing gezocht) showing security-camera footage of robberies, burglaries and bomb attacks. The police ask viewers to help identify the criminals.

In many of these recordings, the perpetrators are clearly visible. And judging by their appearance, many do not appear to be of Dutch or European origin.

I could go on about the challenges facing healthcare, education, care for the elderly, and many other areas.

But let's leave the problems aside for a moment. Despite everything I've written, the Netherlands is still a country I love – and, as is my custom, I'd rather end on an optimistic note.

 Despite all these new problems, the Netherlands will always have a special place in my heart.

The Dutch have grown very dear to me, and I wish them nothing but the best. 

JANA'S  TRAVEL  TIP

If you ever visit this wonderful country, make sure you enjoy some of the positive things the Netherlands has to offer.

Set aside a few hours to visit the huge INTRATUIN garden centre. It will instantly lift your spirits. It's enormous – almost like IKEA – and packed with an incredible variety of plants, flowers, things for the garden, home décor, pets and countless other little pleasures.

AND THE COLOURS!

You'll feel like Alice in Wonderland.

Zde  najdete pár  mých fotografií  z Holandska :    HOLLAND    

Vysvětlivky, zdroje :

*  CHUDOBA:  statistiky VIpsos I&O, který si nechaly zpracovat Kruidvat a Stichting Armoedefonds,  

** KRIMINALITA   Mocro Maffia  "Mocro" je nizozemský slangový výraz související s Marokem; Mocro Maffia je označení pro síť převážně marocko-nizozemských organizovaných zločineckých skupin, zejména zapojených do kokainu a násilné trestné činnosti. Její vliv zasáhl i nizozemský justiční systém.

 Například:

• Inez Weski, velmi známá nizozemská advokátka, byla v roce 2023 zatčena kvůli podezření, že předávala informace vůdci Mocro Maffie Ridouanu Taghimu. Sama obvinění odmítala. 
• Organizace zastrašovala právníky, soudce a novináře. Zavražděni byli například advokát Derk Wiersum a investigativní novinář Peter R. de Vries. 
• V případu Marengo byl Ridouan Taghi v roce 2024 odsouzen na doživotí za objednání několika vražd a pokusů o vraždu.  

NOTES AND SOURCES

*  Karel Čapek (1890–1938) was one of the most important Czech writers of the 20th century. He is known worldwide for coining the word "robot", which first appeared in his 1920 play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots). The word comes from the Slavic word "robota", meaning hard labour.

** CRIME – Mocro Mafia: "Mocro" is Dutch slang associated with Morocco. Mocro Mafia is a term used for a network of predominantly Moroccan-Dutch organised crime groups, particularly involved in cocaine trafficking and violent crime. Its influence has also reached into the Dutch justice system.

For example:

• Inez Weski, a prominent Dutch criminal defence lawyer, was arrested in 2023 on suspicion of passing information to Ridouan Taghi, a leader of the Mocro Mafia. She denied the allegations.

• The organisation has intimidated lawyers, judges and journalists. Among those murdered were lawyer Derk Wiersum and investigative journalist Peter R. de Vries.

• In the Marengo trial, Ridouan Taghi was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2024 for ordering several murders and attempted murders. 

Disclaimer: All photographs in this blog are my own and are protected by copyright ©.

Please do not use or reproduce them without my permission.

Photographs that have been created or edited with the help of AI are clearly marked.