A Cultural Adventure!
In Dutch—Again! is a cultural and kayak journey rolled into one. As Payne tackles the famous Rhine River, dodging massive freighters and meeting nautical crises, he also makes side trips to visit windmills, church services, local craft and drama shows, and is invited into many homes, revealing remarkable qualities among the Dutch people.
Table of Contents
1. Attempting to Sleep in Amsterdam’s Park
2. Rediscovering Amsterdam
3. Lost
4. Putting Nazi Invaders in Their Places
5. Blocked by a Waterfall
6. Whirling Windmills of Art
7. Watermagic
8. The Challenge of Cycling
9. Proper Behavior on Trains
Excerpts & Sample Chapter
Attempting to Sleep in Amsterdam's Park
“In other words, for trying to sleep in this Amsterdam park, I was "in Dutch." Although not so common today, this expression was used all the time when I was young to denote a violation of the expectations of the elders who ruled our lives. It means, "In trouble, having triggered someone’s disapproval." A &auot;Dutch uncle," the dictionary says, is "one who admonishes sternly and bluntly." It is significant that this idea of proper social behavior connects to Holland. I don’t think we refer to any other nationality to describe a cultural norm. We don’t say, "She’s gone Bulgarian," or "He’s acting Philippine." But we do use "Dutch" to convey the idea of social strictness. Somehow, this cultural trait has been recognized as a quality of Holland, and has projected itself across the seas—and across time, for the expression "in Dutch" entered the English language several centuries ago.... Read More »”
Lost
“I continued my eager paddling, delighted to be making such a successful beginning to this long dreamed-of expedition. Perhaps this feeling of exhilaration and confidence played a role in the ridiculous mistake I made, but I think the explanation is even simpler. I assumed, as I said, that encountering the Ijssel was a no-brainer. I mean, how much planning does it take to find a 100-yard-wide river that joins another river? Any minute I expected to see the broad, bright Ijssel river stretching out at a 90-degree angle to the left, and I would simply turn into it.
I paddled and paddled, passing by the endless acres of cattails, watching flocks of crows circling in the gray skies above the swamp. Gradually, the feeling grew on me that I had paddled longer, and farther, than should have been necessary. The question began to repeat itself in my brain: Where the hell is the Ijssel? I should have reached it by now, but I couldn’t be sure. Since I had been going against a current, maybe I was making less progress up the river than I thought. The map indicated that the Ijssel branched soon after I went under the third highway bridge, but perhaps I was misreading the scale on the paper map I held in my lap, and that little 1/10th of an inch on the map actually represented 2 or 3 miles.... Read More »”
Watermagic
“...I came to what is called the "Brink," the tree- shaded plaza bordered by many restaurants with outdoor seating areas and their metal chairs and tables. In the center of the square stood a statue that confirmed my theory about the kind of person the Dutch choose to elevate and admire.
In the U.S., and most other countries, statues are erected to commemorate political and military offcials—presidents, senators, mayors, and generals. That is, we exalt those who direct governments and military forces.
Even in my first few days in the country, I began to sense that this was not the scale of values in Holland. In the plazas and parks, I seldom saw a statue of a political or military leader. Instead,... Read More »”