Picture of Skater and windmill: typical scene near Schoonhoven (Skating on ice, Netherlands)

Skating near a windmill in the Lopikerwaard near Schoonhoven

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When the waters freeze, the Dutch get crazy, get out their skates and explore the country over the frozen rivers and lakes. They live on the ice for as long as it lasts.
The culture around skating on natural ice culture consists of many things. There is always the concern of \"wakken\", or openings in the ice, often marked by branches or tape. Many stretches of ice are being cleaned regularly, so it is clear where one can skate. Skaters often have to go \"klunen\": covering a distance where skating is not possible by walking on their skates. You can then see skaters clumsily walking on the public roads - a funny sight. Then there are the inevitable \"koek en zopies\": places on the ice where you can get hot chocolate, pea soup, or other small drinks and snacks to get some strength for the next stretch of skating. All the while, the atmosphere between skaters is very friendly: complete strangers talk to each other, help each other, and there is a common sense of enjoying skating.
Read more about: Natural Ice pastime

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