Sandcastle's Dream: Dutch and Sinterklaas

I fell in love with a Dutch Man... and so I am suppose to be half Dutch! So I am suppose to learn about the Dutch Language, Culture, history etc... trust me this is hell alot of work! I am not complaining but I wonder why these Dutchie makes life so difficult! *Cry*

If ever I want to marry to a dutch man.... I have to first learn and pass the Dutch Language Examination and has to be endorsed by the embassy! OMG.. I have to declare the Dutch Language is probably the most difficult language in the world just as bad as Chinese which I failed ... big time. Again I am not complaining... just nagging! haha.. I will make it... If I want to... I know I can... so for a start lets do the common greetings *yawns*

Goedemorgen which means Good Morning

Goedemiddag which means Good Afternoon

Goedenavond which means Good Evening

Ok be nice... I know these are too simple for a big brain like mine but I am trying!

And then.... I learn from love that they were celebrating some kind of "Sinterklaas" which is similar to Xmas like exchanging gifts but no its not xmas. Its a typical dutch tradition

Who was this Sinterklaas?

At the start, Sinterklaas was a real person. He was born in the 4th century in Myra, Asia Minor, where he became a bishop as a grown man. Little else is known about him—except that he loved children.

A story is told about Sinterklaas to illustrate this point. It is said that three little boys dined at a restaurant and, after eating their fill, informed the innkeeper that they could not pay their bill. To exact payment, the innkeeper chopped them up into little bits and cooked them in a stew.
Nicholas heard about the awful deed and came to the inn to find the boys boiling away in the pot. He told the innkeeper that if he, Nicholas, could find one little piece of each boy that was good, he would perform a miracle and bring them him back to life. Now, what child does not have at least one little piece of good in him? And, so Sinterklaas returned the boys to life and took them into his care.

There is also the story of the three poor sisters. They were the beautiful daughters of a poor peasant. The first was very blonde, the second had raven black hair, and the third wore auburn tresses. When they grew up they fell in love with three pleasant young men. But the sisters could not get married because they had no dowry. That made them very sad. One night, as Sinterklaas was out riding, he looked through a window and saw three lovely, but sad sisters. And he heard why they could not marry the young men of their choice. He went back to his palace and gave the Grumpus three little bags. In each were a hundred golden ducats. He asked the Grumpus to drop the little bags into the girls' shoes, and an hour later they were rich. They married the three nice young men and lived happily ever after!

To this day children leave a carrot in their shoes hoping to attract Sinterklaas' attention and reward. Since then Sinterklaas (or St. Nicholas as he is also known) has become known as the patron saint of unwed maidens.

And so, the day I arrived in Holland 6th December 2010... was a day after Sinterklaas... my love bought me so many little gifts and I enjoyed every bit opening the little pressies... opening pressie is always a kid thing and once again I feel like a kid! Love it!!