Niederländischen Tulpen?

I have sent this card to Tobias in Kornwestheim, Germany. I used my best German, which is very bad actually, to write something about the Tulips on the card. They are typical Dutch, just like wooden shoes. Originally they come from Turkey. The Viennese ambassador from Turkey brought them to Europe in the 16e century.

This is the message I got from Tobias when he received my card:

"Hallo Michelle,
vielen herzlichen Dank für deine Karte!
Ich habe mich sehr gefreut:)
Happy postcrossing:)
Tobias"

“Hello Michelle,
Thank you very much for your card!
I was very happy :)
Happy Postcrossing :)
Tobias”

Winged Feet

I’m sorry that I didn’t updated for such a long time. I was very busy the last week. It wasn’t because of school this time, no, it was freezing. Dutch people become crazy when it is freezing. Freezing means frozen water, which means ice skating! Ice skating till it gets dark and then going home to eat Stamppot and watch the news about de Elfstedentocht  (the Eleven Cities Ice Skating tour)It’s hard to explain but the whole country was depressed when we heard there won’t be a Elfstedentocht this year because the ice wasn’t good enough. The last one was in 1997 which I can’t remember. (You can click on the words 'Stamppot' and 'Elfstedentocht' to read a very funny English article about it)

Winter landscape with iceskaters from Hendrick Avercamp. Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

When I’m on my Winged feet, my ice skates, I love my country so much. It’s so beautiful to almost fly on the ditches and rivers trough the nature or on the canals in the cities. Below some pictures of the Dutch people which are “schaatsen”, ice skating.

Schaatspret Skating Fun in the Dutch polder

Keizersgracht race Amsterdam

From now on I’m trying to upload more often.

Storks and Cauliflower

Last Thursday have sent this card to Anna in Russia. (are all Russian girls named Anna?) She wrote on her Postcrossing profile that she likes colourful cards. I think this one is colourful.

You can see a stork with a baby in his mouth. I wrote about the Dutch traditions to tell little children that they were found in the cauliflower or that they are brought by a stork.

I love stork tradition. You can see storks everywhere when there is a new born in a house. Do you have traditions like this in your country as well?