Sint Jansklooster Flower Parade

Sint Jansklooster Flower Parade is an annual flower parade in Sint Jansklooster, Overijssel, held on the third Friday of August. 

The event, which started in 1968, attracts tens of thousands of visitors with twelve impressive floats decorated with millions of dahlias, reaching heights of up to ten meters. 

The parade includes an afternoon parade and an illuminated evening parade, followed by a festival on Saturday where the floats can be admired. 

Since 2000, it has been a theatrical parade with moving elements, music, and choreography. 

The event, recognized as UNESCO Intangible Heritage in 2021, won the title of Best Public Event in the Netherlands in 2023. 

Volunteers from the village of 2,500, organized by the Christian Orange Association, create the creations, which take months of preparation.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Tram

A tram is a rail-based public transport system primarily used in cities for passenger transport. 

It runs on road tracks, often electrically powered via overhead lines, and offers an efficient, environmentally friendly way to transport large groups of people. 

Trams have a higher capacity than buses but are more flexible than trains. 

In the Netherlands, trams operate in cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Tying the Angisa and Making the Koto

Tying the Angisa: The angisa is a traditional Afro-Surinamese headscarf, often 90x90 cm, which is starched to a stiff core with cassava gum. 

The tying process begins with a diagonal fold into a triangle, followed by a firm 3 cm border along the forehead. 

Various tying styles, such as "Feda" (anger) or "Paw-tere" (peacock's tail), carry symbolic meanings and serve as a secret language of communication about mood or social messages. 

The cloth is secured with pins and can be put on and taken off like a hat. 

Making the Koto: The koto is the traditional festive costume of Afro-Surinamese women, developed after 1879 due to Dutch dress codes. 

It consists of a long skirt (with a kotobere pleat), an embroidered white shirt (empi), a lined jacket (jaki) with folded ribbons, and a shawl (toepoeskinpangi). 

The koto, often worn with an angisa, reflects identity and is often worn during Keti Koti. 

Its making requires craftsmanship, with attention to pleats, embroidery, and sturdy fabrics.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

South Dakota

South Dakota, nicknamed the "Mount Rushmore State," is a state in the north-central United States, part of the Great Plains. 

It is named after the Dakota Sioux tribe and has an area of ​​199,729 km², making it the 17th largest state. Pierre is the capital, and Sioux Falls is the largest city (population approximately 213,900). 

The Missouri River divides the state into the "East River" (fertile agriculture) and the "West River" (ranching and tourism). 

Major attractions include Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park, and the Black Hills. 

The economy relies on agriculture, tourism, mining, and healthcare. 

The state has a rich Sioux history and nine recognized indigenous tribes. 

The climate is continental with four distinct seasons.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Short Track Harness Race in Stompwijk

The short track harness race in Stompwijk is a unique and historic equestrian event, held on the only grass track in the Netherlands, behind the church on Doctor van Noortstraat. 

It takes place on the third Monday of July as the closing event of the four-day Stompwijk Horse Days. This event, organized by the Nooit Gedacht Foundation since 1909, attracts nationally renowned drivers and horses. 

In a knockout system, 24 horses trot in pairs over a course of 295-310 meters, with the horse that wins two legs first advancing. 

The grass track, the atmospheric floral ambiance, and the enthusiastic crowd make it special. 

In 2014, it was designated an intangible cultural heritage site. 

The event combines sport, tradition, and a village festival with a fair and other activities.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Solihull

Solihull is a prosperous market town and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. 

It is located 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Birmingham and has a population of approximately 123,000 (according to recent estimates). 

The town is known for its historic charm, such as the 15th-century St. Alphege Church, and modern attractions like the Touchwood shopping centre. 

It is an economically strong region with a high average income, good schools, and a mix of urban and rural areas, including the picturesque Meriden Gap. 

Solihull has excellent connections to Birmingham and London via the M42 and train stations such as Solihull and Birmingham International. 

It is also home to Birmingham Airport and the National Exhibition Centre (NEC).

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Chaam Eight

The Chaam Eight is the oldest and most famous Dutch cycling criterium, held annually in Chaam, North Brabant, on the Wednesday after the Tour de France. 

Started in 1933, it attracts professional and amateur cyclists, with a course shaped like a figure eight. 

The 85th edition in 2025 saw Jonathan Milan win the professional race in a thrilling sprint. 

In addition to the professional race, there are races for women, juniors, and amateurs, plus a retro race with classic bicycles. 

The Night of Chaam, a large street party, takes place the evening before. 

The event, organized by the Chaam Eight Foundation, attracts around 20,000 visitors and has been on the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Netherlands since 2014.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Sorrel

Sorrel (Rumex) is a genus of perennial plants in the knotweed family, commonly found in the Netherlands in grasslands, roadsides, and on nutrient-rich, moist soil. 

Well-known species include common sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and curly dock (Rumex crispus). 

The plants have long, lance-shaped leaves and small, reddish-green flowers in panicles. 

Sorrel is edible, with a sour taste due to oxalic acid, and is sometimes used in salads or soups. 

However, it is poisonous in large quantities. 

Ecologically, sorrel provides food for insects, such as the caterpillars of the small copper butterfly. In agriculture, it is often considered a weed.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Old Limburg Shooting Club Festival

The Old Limburg Shooting Club Festival (OLS), also known as "D'n Auwe Limburger," is an annual folk festival held on the first Sunday of July in the Dutch and Belgian provinces of Limburg. 

Approximately 135-160 shooting clubs (approximately 10,000 members) participate in a colorful parade, music competitions, drills, and flag-waving. 

The highlight is the shooting competition, in which teams of six shooters use heavy rifles to shoot "bölkes" (wooden blocks) from a 14-meter-high mast. 

The winning shooting club organizes the OLS the following year and receives "De Um," a bronze trophy. The festival, which has existed since 1876 and has been called OLS since 1906, attracts approximately 30,000-40,000 spectators and is recognized as intangible cultural heritage.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Taihu

Taihu pigs are a Chinese pig breed from the Taihu Valley (around Lake Taihu, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai). 

They have a large head, wrinkled black skin, large drooping ears, and high fertility (an average of 14 piglets per litter). 

The breed has four main types: Meishan, Fengjing, Jiaxing Black, and Erhualian. 

They grow slowly, but their meat is juicy and marbled, prized in China and Japan. 

Due to their diet (high in roughage), they can be calcium deficient. 

Taihu pigs are also used in crossbreeding and research because of their disease resistance and reproductive potential. 

They have been distributed to countries such as the US, the UK, and Japan.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/