Hello. This is my 2nd fanfic, this time some facts about Netherlands. The facts are not original and they are based of some stereotypes of Dutch people (I am Dutch myself)
Facts about the Netherlands.
1. Netherlands loves the sun. As soon as one single sunbeam peeks through the clouds, you will find him smoking in his small garden.
2. Ever since he gained independence from Spain, Netherlands' relationship with Belgium became strained. For Luxembourg's sake they have tried several times to rebuild their friendship and act like normal siblings again, and they are on good terms with eachother now, but sometimes things are still a little awkward.
3. Netherlands drinks his coffee without milk and sugar, and drinks at least 4 cups a day.
4. Every week, the BeNeLux has dinner together, and they take turns in providing the food. This is Belgium's desperate attempt to bring their family together again.
5. Netherlands demands that their weekly 'family dinner' will take place at exactly 6 o'clock*, and he becomes upset if Belgium or Luxembourg is late.
6. Whenever it's Netherlands turn to host 'family dinner', he takes his siblings to IKEA**, because: "Het is daar zo lekker.. betaalbaar!" (It is so deliciously affordable there) This is why dinners at Netherlands' are the worst, but Belgium and Luxemburg just deal with it, because it is the only time in the week they see their brother.
7. Netherlands doesn't think he is cheap, he calls himself "budgetbewust" (Budget conscious)
8. Netherlands sends tullips to Canada every year, to thank him for protecting the Dutch royal family, and liberating his country in WWII.***
9. In contrast with what some other countries may think, Netherlands isn't high all the time. It's just his personality.
10. Netherlands always manages to shock other countries by saying exactly what he thinks.****
11. Netherlands owns a windmill which he uses to generate his own electricity.
12. Whenever Netherlands is feeling depressed, he will lock himself in his windmill, listen to André Hazes *****and eatknakworsten. (Canned sausages)
13. Netherlands is trying to write a long and awkward letter to Indonesia******, in which he apologizes for everything he's done. Until now, he's only got so for as: "Hallo"
14. Whenever Netherlands sees a cyclist when he is abroad, he will approach them, ask them if they are Dutch and if not, loudly criticise their way of cycling.
15. Whenever Netherlands sees a bike that isn't Dutch (for example a sports bicycle), he will throw said bike (+Cyclist) into Amsterdam's canals. When the unlucky (and soaked) cyclist furiously demands an explanation, he will simply reply with: "That is not what a bicycle is supposed to look like!"
16. Every evening, Netherlands spends three hours in front of the mirror trying to get the gel out of his hair.
17. Netherlands sees the Dutch bikes as national property and won't hesitate to steal your bike if you don't place a lock on it.
18. America once asked what gifts Belgium had gotten from Netherlands for christmas. Belgium replied that he didn't gave her anything but that he had made her a waffle made out of cardboard for Sinterklaas.******* Ever since then America thinks of Netherlands as a very poor 3rd world country, and has started several foundations with names as : "Help Netherlands afford a Christmas present for his little sister."
19. Netherlands' entire garden consists of tullips. Whenever a tullip dies he will become very depressed and lock himself in his windmill again.
20. Netherlands hides tiny bags of weed in the shoulder pads of his jacket.
21. Netherlands always has his national flag with him,so he can slam it in the face of oblivious tourists when they ask him if he's German.
22. Netherlands schedules all of his appointments in his dairy. He becomes upset whenever someone can't make it to an appointment because he will have to reorganise his whole dairy.
23. Netherlands hates it when people show up unexpected. He will simply slam the door in their faces. Belgium and Luxembourg learnt this the hard way.
24. Netherlands loves all things gratis (Free) Whenever he is in the supermarket and there is a plate of samples of something you can try for free, he always walks at least 20 times past said plate. He also was arrested at IKEA once, because he had taken all of their free pencils********.
25. Whenever it is World Cup time again , Netherlands will paint his whole house orange, fry some frikandellen en bitterballen, invite the whole neighbourhood to watch football together, and force Belgium and Luxembourg to come along too. Belgium and Luxembourg both fear the days Oranje has to play a game against one of their countries because if the Dutchies lose, they will be locked up in a room with angry Dutch people, including the country's personification.
* Most Dutch people do eat at 6 o'clock, including me and my family. I think we are the only country in the world with a national dinnertime LOL
** IKEA: Dutch people loooooooove IKEA. Oh no, not for the furniture, but for the food! Huh? The food? Yes, we Dutchies love to eat IKEA's ridiculously cheap food. If you go to a random Dutch IKEA somewhere between 9 AM and 11 AM, you will find half the country's population in there, eating IKEA's '1 euro breakfast'
*** This is an actual fact.
**** Dutch people are considered very blunt by foreigners, but we like to call ourselves: "Open"
***** Andre Hazes: I.. can't explain it. Just go and look him up, a lot of Dutch people like him.
****** Indonesia was once a colony of the Netherlands, and after WWII America told the Dutch to let Indonesia gain independance and stuff, but the Dutch wouldn't listen and tried to keep Indonesia by sending soldiers etc. If you are interested, go look it up.
******* Sinterklaas: Sinterklaas is a holiday in the Netherlands where an old man comes from Spain with a boat and lots of Zwarte Pieten and presents for all children in the Netherlands. Little children put their shoe next to the chimney, and Sinterklaas will get on the roof with his horse (Don't ask) or one of the pieten will come down the chimney to put a present in the shoe. Little children believe in Sinterklaas in the same way as children around the world believe in Santa Claus. And just as children who believe in Santa, Dutch children will once discover Sinterklaas doesn't really exist. And in the Netherlands you will then not put your shoe next to the cihmney anymore, but you will celebrate Sinterklaas in another way: you will make 'surprises' for eachother. People will write their name on a piece of paper, throw all the names together, and will randomly pick a piece of paper with someone elses name on it. Once you know who you will be making this surprise for, you grab some paper or cardboard or something like that, and you will create something you know that person likes (For example: for a football player, you can make a football) Then you will buy a cheap gift and put it in your surprise. Sometimes you also write a sarcastic poem in which you humorously point out the flaws of that person. I can understand that it sounds just like a creative way to hide the fact that we all buy cheap gifts for eachother, but Dutch people enjoy making 'surprises' for eachother.
******* IKEA pencils. Whenever I am at an IKEA I always make sure to grab at least 5 pencils. I mean come on, they are free!