Thanks Friction. I'll do that but I just remembered an old pal of mine who's actually Dutch royalty. He's a very famous comic book illustrator and one of the original artists in the old Heavy Metal comic book.

He lives in NY and is a kickass rockabilly/rock singer/guitarist.

It's really weird how for some reason I feel this urge to go to Holland. It's like a salmon going back to spawn or something.

I've gotta go home and talk to kin and friends and see who's where and then hop a flight to see what's up over there. I think I'm already in their artist's registry already. ( I think my memory is coming back! )

Hoorn (NH) here :thumbsup

Greg as an American who has spent quite a bit of time in Amsterdam I do understand your desire to visit and move.

The Netherlands is a wonderful place with some of the best educated enjoyable people I have ever met anyplace.

Visit and then live your dream. I know I am going back next month for at least a week and I wish I could make it permanent.

Well, saterday we're going to the 'ring' in germany with our bikes. We gonna try to see a glimpse from the F1 cars.

We leave from Mc Donalds Geleen. So anyone with a bike from the Netherlands near Limburg, come join us.

Wow Probono! Thanks for the info! For some weird reason I have this huge urge to visit the Netherlands. I also had a strong urge to go back east and visit Penn Dutch country. I think what it is is I grew up in a predominantly Dutch community with it's culture all around me. Plus having som Dutch ancestors.

I have to deal with a family tragedy at present but that should get handled soon and then I'll make way for the Netherlands proper.

Somehow I feel like it's a place I wanna be part of. ( If I can behave myself )

So how's the living there? Any spots to visit? I have friends all over Scandinavia and they're all encouraging me to visit. I need to handle business first though. As having taken art history in college I know I'll have a ball just checking out the art alone.

Any customs I need be aware of? ( there was that time in Australia a friend told me where one of his crew didn't want to drink at the bar and told the bartender 'no!' and turned his glass upside down and next thing he knew he was lying on the floor. Seems there's a custom down under that if you turn your glass upside down that means you're willing to fight everyone in the bar. )

" Any customs I need be aware of? ( there was that time in Australia a friend told me where one of his crew didn't want to drink at the bar and told the bartender 'no!' and turned his glass upside down and next thing he knew he was lying on the floor. Seems there's a custom down under that if you turn your glass upside down that means you're willing to fight everyone in the bar. )"

a wonderful book to read is The UnDutchables

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

I second that :thumbsup

But the short version; Be nice, don't ask people what their income is (I believe that's normal in the US?) and be careful with our minorities. Some of em have itchy fingers, we're working on the problem :)

Minorities? What minorities? From where? Itchy fingers? Like they are pickpockets or carry guns?

check this out...this might help you where to go.

there are the nicest places in Netherlands


http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/11c22/

:thumbsup

Wow! Thanks! Is that your site? I signed up already!

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that's all. I don't think the Netherlands is a real place, just a big crack house. :winkwink:

LOL!

There are many special rules for artist, you can even get funding.
Tax works completely different for foreigners it all depends on
what you make. But there are many tax exempts and tax cuts for
expats.

The Netherlands is a very modern country, We don't wear wooden
shoes anymore, we do not work in windmills anymore, we are not
stuck with our thumbs in "Dikes" to prevent the sea flooding our
country anymore.

If you're an artist The Netherlands should be good, we have great
museams and many legendary artists. Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Huygens, Jan Steen, etc, etc the list is endless.

High Speed internet access is available anywhere you go in The
Netherlands. Public services are the amongst the best anywhere
in the world. In fact they are too good.

Softdrugs are legal, they can be bought just about anywhere.
The Netherlands is famous as a very liberal country. A lot of
people are suprised about its freedom. Unless you try to abuse it
you will notice that it's a very relaxed place to be.

DynaMite

Thanks DynaSpain! I can see why taxes are so high because you get service second to none. It's not like being taxed it's more like making a sound investment.

I don't do drugs so I'm not worried there.

I've been getting many emails from people in the Netherlands already and I'll have to dig through my old emails to find people I had contacted over there.

I'm not going to expatriate, just see what the advantages are. So far I like everything across the board.

That's a good sign.

The only way I would submit for funding is if I could teach art. I can take anyone who can walk and chew bubblegum and get them started in art with no prob.

Long as there's great food and a good night's sleep to be had I'm there!

( also gotta be chicks who don't nag you to death ).

How the helll can you do that, while the TT is this weekend in Assen?

Well mostly ppl from Turkey and Moroc ppl... Funny accident again here. I went last monday with Quashe to Middelburg(place in Zeeland) and we were by car. Then in a small street, some moroc ppl in an old BMW(that's how you recognise them:)) wanna drive backwards, and they didn't see me....So I used the claxon, and they said well go back then! Lol so I went a lil backwards, but they wanted my to drive backwards to the street as well, funny guys, so I didn't then they came out the car, and wanted to fight...Funny guys

But overall, you wouldn't notice to many of these accidents, overall Dutch ppl are very tolerant....If you are serious about moving, why not go to the Dutch Consulaat in your own country?

Andre

LOL, are there days when you *don't* get into fights with Moroccan drivers?

Also, Greg, it's not a real big deal but some parts of Amsterdam can be pretty violent was all I'm saying. You don't have to worry about guns in Holland, hardly anyone has one except for the really bad guys. But you won't run into any of those.

Just don't insult anyone's momma and you should be fine :glugglug

YEah no idea why they pick me:-) Just bad luck maybe....But we could handle the guys in Middelburg:)

Andre