Nijmegen Local Customs

You can see the gentleman in the photo preparing our Pomme Fritje...this should be the national food if it is not and maybe even on the flag, we found it EVERYWHERE, just like those golden arches in the USofA.
It is prepared by making like French Fries (or Freedom Fries), after the potatoes are cut, you then place them in boiling oil, partially cook them, then remove them and let drain...when you want to have a plate, you just put them back in the boiling oil and cook till done. They are eaten with mayonnaise and other sauces. You will see it as a fast food, being eaten on the streets from a paper cone and we saw many a person with a touch of mayonnaise on their nose or fingers...(yes, including US ;O))

If you want to score some points in Nijmegen ask for the song in the local café where the locals come.

or try to sing it....... you will have friends for your life.

Al mot ik krupen......
op blote voeten goan... etc etc

Search the internet for the text yourself. One must take an effort to bond with the locals.

The 'true and remarkable legend of Mariken van Nieumeghen, who lived with the devil for seven years, probably written between 1485 and 1510. A young woman comes to Nijmegen, buy some things for her uncle. Done that it is to late to go home. She is not welcome at her aunt's and sadly she leaves the town. There she meet up with the devil, who introduces himself as Moenen. She leaves with him to Antwerp to live a live full of laughter, drinking etc. She feels the urge to go back to Nijmegen and see her family after a few years. Than she sees a play that sinces can be forgiven by God and she leaves in a monastery to pray. In the end God and the people forgive her.

Since a long time Nijmegen is well known for it's four Days Walking March. At the time of the March another event takes place called
the Zomerfeesten. This is probably the best time to visit Nijmegen if you like lots of people, drinking, music etc.

Well I know I will definately walk no 40 km for four days. I like to watch along the route with a cold beer in my hand!

On the 30th of April, Holland celebrates the Queen's day. A national holiday, traditionally on the Queen's birthday, but adopted on the 30th April since 1981.

If you visit Nijmegen on such a day (or the day after) you will hear music (concerts) at different places, see a lot of people in the street, discussing and drinking beer, and find the emblematic ORANGE colour everywhere.

The orange colour, emblematic for the Netherlands, is particularly present on the Queen's day (30th April). Balloons, clothing, hair, doors, toilets! ... That colour is also well represented in the fashion shops, expressing one of the colour trends of this year 2005.

The origin of that colour as royal or national pride comes from the royal family Nassau, "House of Orange". The dutch flag used to be orange-white-bleu (or red due to the difficulty to have a stable orange colour by then). In 1937, the orange was definitely replaced by red in the flag.

This is suppossed to be the Queen's birthday cake, although people make it at home and its sold every two feet in Nijmegen, every 2 inches in the bigger cities. Delicious phyllo top and bottom, very light middle of whipped egg whites and milk. I ate 2! They're really light I swear :)

There is one event in Nijmegen that will make a visit to this town absolutely worth while. It is the International Four Days Marches (vierdaagse) in Nijmegen. This is such a happening, over 20.000 people have entered for this years march. It will be the 85th march and will be from 17th Juli until 20th Juli. I have never been to see this march, but I have seen it on tv. This is something I really would love to see for myself. The atmosphere in Nijmegen must be amazing during these days. You can find more information about the march on this website : http://www.4daagse.nl/