The name Frisii for the people living on the southern coast of the North Sea is old. Very old. It dates from the Late Antiquity. Today we call them Frisians. Roman and Greek historians and bureaucrats have written down the tribe’s name of this Germanic or Celtic people in many texts. Almost two millennia ago.Continue reading “A severe case of inattentional blindness: the Frisian tribe’s name”
Tag Archives: dikes
From Patriot to Insurgent: John Fries and the tax rebellions
On Facebook page ‘Frisian Americans‘ the question popped up what role certain Frisians played in the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania in 1794. We checked, and the short answer is: none. The Whiskey Rebellion was a revolt of the so-called Pennsylvania Dutch farmers resisting the taxation of whiskey. It was crushed, without ice, by the youngContinue reading “From Patriot to Insurgent: John Fries and the tax rebellions”
Come to rescue the Rolling Sheep
Hiking needs careful preparation, including personal safety. What do you put in your First Aid Kit? Do you possess basic first aid skills to manage an accident? Unless you go wondering on your own on the Wadden Sea mudflats, being on the Frisia Coast Trail help is never far away. Therefore, provided you have aContinue reading “Come to rescue the Rolling Sheep”
Out of averting the inevitable a community was born
March 25, 2020 today. The COVID-19 pandemic is climbing towards its second peak. Uncertainty of how destructive the pandemic is going to be in the long run. How many family members and loved ones will it take? A phenomenon of chaos and destruction that confronts us with the limitations of an engineered world. Some peopleContinue reading “Out of averting the inevitable a community was born”
Hero of Haarlem: a dragon in disguise?
It was a Yankee by the name Mary Mapes Dodge who wrote ‘Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates. A story of life in Holland’. The book was published in New York in 1865. It is about poor, 15-year-old Hans and his sister Gretel. Gretel wins the Silver Skates. The price for winning an ice skatingContinue reading “Hero of Haarlem: a dragon in disguise?”
Beacons of Nordfriesland
Nordfriesland or North Frisia. The western coast and islands of region Schleswig. Stretching from the Danish town Tønder in the north, to the river Eider in the south. A broad strip of land by the sea, together with fifteen islands and Hallig-islands in front of it. It is here where a specific celebration of bonfiresContinue reading “Beacons of Nordfriesland”
Bil. A wasteland of non-integrated migrants?
This is the story of the reclamation of the former Middelzee in the Netherlands. The Middle Sea was a shallow inland sea that used to cut present-day province Friesland into two. Separating from each other the ancient pagi ‘districts’ Westrachia, present-day Westergo, and Austrachia, present-day Oostergo. Hence its name Middelzee ‘middle-sea’. It was a processContinue reading “Bil. A wasteland of non-integrated migrants?”
Another brick in the wall
Who has not dined at least once in an ’80s Chinese restaurant that carried the name ‘The Great Wall’? At least you have been at one for a take-away. Oh, yes you do! Besides the big orange and white goldfish, of course, also a painting of the magnificent wall gliding through remote mountains of theContinue reading “Another brick in the wall”
Half a million deaths. A forgotten North Sea disaster…
Did you know that between 328,770 and 502,190 people lost their lives around the North Sea? On the flip side: millions of possible casualties have been prevented succesfully. For now at least… Half a million casualties is a lot. How could we forget about such a huge number? Did nobody notice? Did nobody mention? ItContinue reading “Half a million deaths. A forgotten North Sea disaster…”
The mother of all dikes
Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to get down and dirty. Nope, this article is not about lesbians. This dike is not made of flesh and bones, but it is made of dirt, dung and, ok probably ‘bones‘. This dike is actually an old Route 66. A dike is an artificial slope to regulate waterContinue reading “The mother of all dikes”
Frisia Coast Trail 