Flowers and gardening
One of the most popular images of the Netherlands is naturally the plants and flowers. On the many flower markets, you can buy bulbs at prices lower than in France. However, these markets have become very touristy and commercial over the years. You will find your happiness there with magnets in the shape of hooves or tulips which will make their small effect on your refrigerator
For real "bulbiculture" shopping, you can visit garden centers, Intratuin and Tuincentrum Osdorp are references near Amsterdam
If you want to stay in the city and splurge on garden center items, you can visit Dille&Kamille, a den of decorative perdition (see below) that has a very cute garden center section. Otherwise, don't hesitate, for the pleasure of your eyes, to go to florists, you will get great ideas, and why not bring back some dried flowers in your luggage ?
Sweet and savory: delicacies not to be missed
The Netherlands is not known for its gastronomy, but a visit to this country will be a real pleasure for the gourmets. We advise you to visit the local supermarket. French people living in the country regularly complain about their modest size, but visitors will appreciate the compactness and the local products. We invite you to go to the cheese and fish section: smoked eel, gouda cheese and hard goat cheese will make your eyes water. Don't forget the sweets section with the "hagelslag", the chocolate chips that children (and their parents) love. Don't forget the famous "dropjes", the licorice stars of the country, sweet or salty, the versions are multiple, beware of addiction! For a real choice in cheese, go to real cheese shops like Kaaskamer van de Jordaan or Tromp in Amsterdam. They will give you real professional advice and your cheeses will be vacuum-packed for optimal conservation.
Decoration: "gezelligheid" above all!
A quick walk through any city or even village in the country will show you that the Dutch have a taste for staging their interiors, delicate fabrics, well arranged vases, candles and carefully chosen tablecloths: warmth and coziness are at the heart of the country's home choices. Dutch design is practical and functional, with the occasional touch of madness. To discover it, go to Moooi in Amsterdam, which presents, in a majestic setting, numerous creations by designer Marcel Wanders. For those who want to indulge themselves, a visit to the Royal Delft Porcelain is a must, you are sure to find the item of your dreams with historical quality. For the more common brands, Hema always does the trick, of course. But our favorite is Dille&Kamille with its over-the-top selection of soaps, accessories, linens, small furniture, candles and tableware. You won't leave empty-handed.
