Shamelessly taken from webbgirl et al.

[capecodgirl]

I've long been delighted and impressed that the people who read my journal originate from far and wide. What I'd love is for you to comment below, and tell me which region/country you are from. And I'd love if you could add to that one particular thing that makes your part of the world unique. It might be music, a TV show, a recipe, a landmark, a

Comments

[toomuchfandom]

Well, I'm from Den Helder, which is in the Netherlands in a province called Noord Holland *grin*

I basically live at the end of the world, as we're surrounded by 3 seas (North Sea, Wadden sea and the Ijsselmeer (well that used to be a sea!). There's a ferry going to the peninsula called Texel. The only way we can travel is down. Not up, not left, not right... well... sort of!

It's a dump. There's a lot of criminal activity around these parts, I live very close to the people from the Dutch Antillies who basically like to screw things up and they're so terribly anti-social. But I'm safe. I stay out of trouble and it's not like you get mugged on the streets.

I'm proud of the fact that even though we're a small country, our dumbass politicians are known to get world wide attention on the news. Our current news-worthy politician is Geert Wilders with his anti-Koran movie Fitna. Ayaan Hirshi Ali is another one. Oh, and don't forget, Pim Fortuyn, the polician who got shot a few years back. Fun thing is, the people here forget one important thing about being Dutch; Freedom of speech and opinion. These politicians have balls as they're not afraid of what other people might say or do.

And I hate politics. I don't understand it. I don't want to understand it, but it's entertaining.

What I love about my country is that we have fresh fish (herring is my favourite fish) and good mayonaise, and cheap cigarettes:D

More here, but I suppose you've already read that!

[capecodgirl]

My ancestry is actually Dutch (by way of Belgium). My maiden name is Vermynck.

European politics in general are much more rough and tumble than they are here.

I agree about freedom of speech and opinion. Personally I think that some people who get offended really need to develop a sense of humor.

[toomuchfandom]

Oh that's cool! And that's a typical Belgian surname too;) (We don't use the y much... the Belgians do. We use ij mostly.)

Oh it's a soap opera, really, European Politics *giggle*

[pigglet27]

My ancestry is Dutch as well! My last name gets lots of weird looks especially if I have to spell it after I've pronounced it...de Jongh.

My father was born in Rotterdam in the 1920's and had great stories about growing up in the city.

[capecodgirl]

Is it pronounced "deyoung"?

I'm amazed at the wide lifestyles and experiences that this little meme has produced.

[pigglet27]

Yep! Only someone who has knowledge of Dutch names (or german) get it right.