An ueber-Dutch image – knotwilgen, green grass, blue sky, and those clouds made famous by any number of Dutch Masters. Sometimes reality beats imagination. We are a nation of pollarded trees, straight lines and tight countours – all under sea level, of course.

I’m reading up on the Netherlands seen through strangers eyes: interesting expat litt.  The question they pose is: how to be Dutch?  To be commented on shortly.