It really does excist!

And it is just around the corner from where I live.

They do write it a bit different.

When I do not feel like going for a walk I jump on my bicycle and go on a trip against the wind. There is a reason for that, because I plan it in a way that on my way back I have the wind in my back. The last week I choose to take turns that are unknown to me. To explore parts of the region I live where I have never been before. It has brought me to many different beautifull places. Many of which I have to admit to my own shame I did not know they excisted. Like a region called Houwingaham, a lost village that went under water during the storm of 1509. Now it is a natural park and a place I will surely return this summer. So many places to visit, like a tourist in my own region, so little time. And on one of my bike trips I discovered the real country of the Dutch: Dutchland!

Houwingaham, the lost village.

filtered photo cc-by-sa @oaldamster

Turns out it is right next to the country I live in: Nederland. We are neighbours with open borders so it is quite easy for me to take a random turn and end up there. Now I wondered why a lot of people from all over the world referred to us, the Nederish {England-English, Schotland-Scottish, Ireland-Irish and thusly Nederland-Nederish} , as being Dutch. Even some of my fellow country people do so. The Dutch language, while we speak Nederlands, or Nederish, if you insist. Or Hollands, while I live in the province of Groningen. And I speak the Oaldamster language, althought language purists will state that it is a dialect. But no Gronings, or high Haarlemmer dikes dialect, as it is known to some. Complex? You bet ya. Because in Nederland we have two different provinces: Northern-Holland and Southern-Holland. They are in the western part of the country by the way...

Dutchland is actually Deutschland.

At school I have learned Dutch, or Deutsch, as it is actually written. It resembles Nederlands very much, like the word for excelent, in Dutch {Deutsch} that is: ausgezeignet, in Nederish: uitstekend. You see, almost the same. The British and Nederish have their royalty in common, they are, in fact, Dutch {Deutsch} by origin. We are all part of a bigger Saxon {the folk, not the metal band} family. Now, as I took a turn close to te border between Dutchland and Nederland, I ended up on my way to a village called Wymer and decided to look for Bunde. As I wanted to end up back in Nederland before darkness set in. One thing that hit me was that it looks different right away. It is clear right away, that I am in a different country. And even if I first claimed their language is almost the same, it is not. Some Nederlanders, or Nederish, find the Dutch language {Deutsch} even tougher than their own. And they are called Dutch. Confusing? Yes, it is!

The region of Lower Saxony, or Niedersachsen in Dutch, also have their own language. And strangly enough that has a lot in common with Oaldamster patty. They greet each other by saying "Moin" and in Oldambt we do so by saying: "Moi". And I do know for a fact that in Finland they do also say "Moi", when they greet each other. It is said that Oaldamster patty is a dialect of the Lower Saxony language, so I guess, in some way, I am Dutch. My family tree does tell that to be true, form my mothers side of the family we are Fishers. And for a part Mohlners, guess we are all one big family after all. It is kind of fun that I have Fishers as a part of my own family roots, because I dislike eating Fish. The smell already makes me feel sick. Anyway, my roots are part Dutch and part Nederish, also I think part La Chaim, from my Dad's part of the tree. But there is some confusion there in the 18th century of the family tree.

Yes, Dutchland is Germany!

For the Dutch people it is actually written in their own language as: Deutsch. And the reason the Nederlanders, or Nederish, got to be known as Dutch was by a mistake of the English in the 18th century. It all seems to get back to New York, the former New Amsterdam, in the United States of America. When one would have ask a German what language they speak they would say: "Deutsch". But to an English language speaking fellow human being it will sound like: "Dutch". A way to have it sound alike it would be something like : Doitsj and that still sounds a lot like... Dutch! So it all started with a misunderstanding many centuries ago. That made the Brittish think the Nederish were Dutch, while the actuall Deutsche were the Germans, as they still are today. So you'll not hear me claim to be Dutch, or speak it, even if I do kind of am allowed to by the roots of my family tree.

Is it important? No, it just makes up for a fun fact post, as I was asked to do a rubbish publication in a private chat a while ago. Actually it is true, that I was in D(e)ut(s)chland recently and it is close to where I live, only 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the border. It is easy to go there, no guards, no wall and some form there have jobs overhere and the other way around. So I guess free trade and open borders somehow made us live in peace after all. There is still competition though, in sports, not many will claim they are Dutch {Deutsch} overhere when Germany and Nederland have a soccer derby. Those who remember the worldcup final of 1974 in Munich {D(e)u(s)tch: Muenchen} where Germany won, will not do so anyway. So, no, we, the Nederish, are not the real Dutch, but our neighbouring country folk are. They are das Deutsche volk {EN: The Dutch People.}

Now please, do try to be funny and still call me Dutch in a reply... ;-p

Have a great day!

The D(e)ut(s)ch(e) {German} village of Tuebingen.

Photo cc0-lincensed, courtesy of Gaertringen at PixaBay.