Schiermonnikoog - Our New Favorite Place in The Netherlands | Amsterdam Travel Vlog

We love living in Amsterdam, but sometimes you just want to get away… Luckily there is a whole chain of charming islands just of the west coast of The Netherlands that are perfect for a quick weekend getaway!
In this episode, we take our first trip to Schiermonnikoog, and ended up loving it! Its an island of only 1000 permanent residents, so you definitely can have some space to yourself.
We seek out lighthouses, friendly cats and of course some sweet treats to eat!
#amsterdam #amsterdamvlog #Schiermonnikoog #frisianislands #amsterdamtravel #netherlands #expatsinamsterdam #travelvlog
✼ Would be cool to see you over here ✼
Instagram - / nateandkatrina
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✼ ABOUT US ✼
We are Nate and Katrina, two American expats living in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and traveling as much as we can to see what there is to see!
We balance a busy career and grad school while we explore Europe and beyond. We would love to visit every country in Europe while we live here, and definitely keep a list of our global “must visit” destinations.
We probably won’t look or sound like many other travel vlogs out there! We really want to give you a true view of us and how we travel and explore the world. Lots of food, definitely some jokes, and probably some swearing…. Hope you enjoy taking these trips with us!
00:00 Schiermonnikoog Island
01:58 Exploring the Island
02:18 The Red Lighthouse
04:34 The White Lighthouse
06:06 Exploring the Town
07:19 Nate and The Town Cat
07:44 Dinner at The Tox Bar
08:49 Sunset Ride to the Beach
11:18 Desserts on the Beach
13:32 Why It's Hard to Learn Dutch
21:55 Sneak Peek of Part 2

[@GmulderMedia]

nice video when I was little I went on holiday to Schiermonikoog every summer with my parents. now that I have children of my own. We often go there when the children are free from school and sometimes good friends come along, we have a permanent holiday home there now.

[@markuserikssen]

Welcome to Friesland! You two are so funny! Just a fun fact: As I live near the islands on the mainland, I had a few classmates from Schiermonnikoog who took the ferry to the mainland to study almost every day, and then they went back during the evening. All in all, it would take them more than 2 hours from door to door. These students usually have family/friends on mainland, in case they can't go back home due to storms (which happen a lot during fall). Once they go to university, they have to leave the island. Also, since the houses on the islands are extremely expensive compared to the mainland, many young people can't afford staying there anyway. Also, if you like Schiermonnikoog, you should definitely visit Ameland, the island next to it. It's bigger, has several cute villages and a lighthouse that you can actually visit (the view is amazing!). It's more touristy though, but still worth it. Just book the ferry in advance. Also, you should check out some of the Elfsteden (11 cities) on the mainland of Friesland. Dokkum and Hindeloopen are very pretty, just to name a few.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

That all makes total sense. Ameland was our other choice, but accommodations for this particular weekend worked better here. We really enjoyed the whole trip and vibe of the island, and can’t wait to go back! Thanks for saying hi!

[@ChrisRedfield--]

Are there snakes in The Netherlands? Yes the adder(viper) en de ringslang(Barred grass snake).

[@evertros949]

Funny you 2! Eat the sweet treats... Yes Schiermonnikoog you never forget. With his old history. Great vid about a island we going for the vacation. Thanks.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@arentvanderveen109]

Looking forward to part two!

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Sunday! (Hopefully!) 🫠

[@herrmumm]

In zwei Wochen sind wir auch wieder da. Wir kommen seit 1967. Einfach der schönste Flecken Erde.

[@kyra_1706]

Hahaha! also something funny the cat nate met is called bailey very friendly cat and well known around the people that live here!

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Awww that’s so cool! It was a very friendly cat. Nate is always making animal friends wherever he goes. 😂 Thanks for watching!

[@kyra_1706]

heyhey! greeting from schiermonnikoog!! I loved that yall visited! most people don't even know schiermonnikoog exists!

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

We loved this island! It was so quaint and we had a great visit. You live in a very beautiful place! ☺️ Thanks for watching!

[@bartlucassen9145]

Loved your vid, so funny!

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Thanks! We appreciate the comment! N&K

[@anne-liekeberloo9237]

You should also try Texel!

[@nunna_urbusiness8288]

Been there. Rent old school. Beautiful bike trail awesome

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

It’s a really nice place! Thanks for checking in!

[@linad644]

I come to Schiermonnikoog all my life and I always believed the white lighthouse wasn't actually a lighthouse but a water tower?

[@j.b.vanbommel2785]

There still is an active marine traffic control centre up in the red tower. I have been traffic leader up there for abt 18 months and had the best ever view over the island and the sea. I still love this beautiful island.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

It’s really amazing there! We loved it too!

[@wokkie78]

Nice video!! I came here since i was a baby in 78. And m ywife also became a fan of the island. its our place to relax a few long weekends per year. But its actually on the north coast of the country, not the west.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Upon looking at some maps... yep. Definitely North! It was really a great trip for us. We look forward to going back and also seeing other islands. Thanks for watching the vlog!

[@lindad2535]

I'm Dutch and I love Schiermonnikoog. The little cookies in the box are typical Frysian. Friese Duumkes. Cookies with an sugar anise taste. Also an frysian deliacy is called oranjekoek. The rest of the things you bought are not typical Frysian or Dutch

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

We want to come back someday! Thanks for checking out the video!

[@henkvisscher4379]

The American word cookies (biscuits in English) comes from the Dutch word koekjes. Less than 5% of the American words is related to Dutch. Words from Jan en Kees, who lived in New Amsterdam/New York and the rest of the inhabitants of the later USA called Yankees.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Great info! Thanks for watching the video!

[@marcopolitical7571]

Favorite island? Already been to the other Frisian islands (Vlieland !, Ameland, Terschelling)? There is also some tiny islands that are Uninhabited. The most known is probably Rottumerplaat. Fun fact: unless you’re a biologist, it’s forbidden to enter this island. Another more funny fact: there is actually a street on the island to the observatory. It’s named Marten Toonder pad ( yep, the term street is a bit exaggerated, path is more appropriate). Marten Toonder was an absolute brilliant cartoonist who died at 93 in 2005. He invented completely new words and therefore he solely influenced the Dutch language. An example is denkraam. Literally it would translate to “think window”. But that doesn’t do justice to the word i and it’s meaning. So I prefer to translate it more precise to “ thinking frame “. You can say about someone who is intelligent/ smart that he or she has a big thinking frame ( hij of zij heeft een groot denkraam ). To Americans: Marten Toonder is like the intellectual and more adventurous version of Walt Disney. Martens drawing style is more artistically ( you might see resemblance with the style of Rembrandt van Rijn, because of the use of lights and shadows) The style of his most known cartoon Tom Puss and Olivier B Bumble (Tom poes en Olivier B Bommel) is that the stories are almost as well crafted as the drawings. I guess that’s one of the reasons why Marten didn’t use text balloons in every image. The main story text is right under each image. That gave Marten more room to tell a story. Hmmm did I digress here 🙄🤓 I’m sure some of his work is been translated to English. But I did not dig into that yet. And yup 😎🤓 I already digressed

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Awesome info. We are planning to visit all the islands we can! Thanks for checking out the video!

[@janklaassen6404]

Hey, you guys ever considered the Efteling? Some say it's better than Disneyland. It's a realistic style fairytale family park. 90% is nature and everything is heavily themed making it a magical place to be. It looks beautiful. The dark rides are excellent, the fairytale forest is famous and the rollercoasters are not too extreme. It's 70 years old and a huge place. Compared to Disney not too expensive at 48 euro pp.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Yeah! It’s on our list for sure. Nate has been once before and really wants us to do a video there.

[@janklaassen6404]

@@nateandkatrinadotheworld Excellent. Well, no rush, just making you aware it exists. I really enjoy the vibe in your video's. You guys make a great couple. Keep it up.

[@Yochemm]

I think you didn't saw a rabbit but an "Haas". These are bigger, have more power and are stronger than a rabbit. And there are snakes in The Netherlands, but not in great numbers.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

That was probably it. Thanks for watching!

[@mennovanrij9334]

You were ahead of CNN's January '24 article about 'hidden island gems' all over Europe. Schiermonnikoog is on the list! I think your videos of Schiermonnikoog covered it nicely. (Funny enough, I know an island in Florida that has the same 'travel by boat only, no cars allowed' character + a large part of the island being a nature reserve). A suggestion for 2024 in Friesland: go the the Sneekweek... Europe's biggest inshore sailing event. Or better: take a sailing course in Friesland and stay the following week for the Sneekweek. That will include all: comments on the weather, and only Dutch. No way a sailing instructor is gonna learn you the sailing terms in English!

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

We saw that article - who knew?! That’s a good idea for a future video. Thanks for watching!

[@kcvriess]

The place I was born and raised.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

It is such a beautiful place to grow up! Thanks for watching!

[@ceesgeudeker9920]

v.d. in a name is the abbrevation of: van de or van der

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Ahh, that makes sense. Thanks for the info!

[@janmango4692]

1) "Dûmkes" mean "little thumbs" in Frisian. 2. Your pronounciation of "koek" could get you in a lot of trouble when ordered in more shady parts of town. Any town. 3. The lady in the chariot: it's called a "sjees". This was a traditional Frisian way to get around before space travel.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

All good info! Thanks for watching!

[@elsestelema6273]

@@nateandkatrinadotheworldand the horse is a pure bred friesian

[@jf6395]

looked like a dutch whoopy pie

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Haha, yes it did! Thanks for watching!

[@maplelafe7671]

KZbin translation says Sherman and Coke instead Schiermonnikoog 😅😅😊

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

😂 That’s probably how we sound saying it!

[@urbandiscount]

Don't despise the Tox Bar!

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

They were great to us! Good food too!

[@gerrygrouwe70]

Schiiiiiirmonkoog 😅😅😅

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

Points for trying? 🫠

[@RealConstructor]

@@nateandkatrinadotheworldIt was a very nice try. The last three syllables were correct, but the first syllable was way off. It is pronounced as sheer but add a guttural g between the s and h.

[@marcopolitical7571]

Making fun off is also part of the language. Any language actually. People do that all over the planet. Just take it in and see the joke of it. If they really would meant it as mean to you personally than they wouldn’t say it while walking away from you.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

We get that… it came off pretty mean. Oh well!

[@elskooi1843]

Schiermonnikoog is the one Wadden Island that is part of the province of Groningen 😉

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

🤨

[@Bluf24]

She is lying. Schiermonnikoog is Frisian! @@nateandkatrinadotheworld

[@JelmerStienstra]

The ferry leaves from Groningen (try to pronounce that 🤪) but the island is in Fryslân. Although part of it was in Groningen because the island is moving slowly eastwards. But a few years ago we Frisians got gifted the Groningen part

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

We’ve actually been to Groningen as an overnight trip a few years back. Still can’t really pronounce it! 🤣 Thanks for watching!

[@Dutchbelg3]

Stair-on-ice pronounce this and you're pretty close to Steranijs. How can stuff from a Dutch bakery be OLD? And you like American processed food better than Bakery stuff? Or did you buy it from a supermarket? What were the expirydates on the packages? You will find a lot of spices in Dutch traditional food because this was imported from Indonesia in the medieval times. Cinnamon , cloves, ginger, steranijs etc etc are now common ingredients in Dutch food.

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

All makes sense. No, these pastries were at the grocery store…. So not all that fresh. Definitely not fans of processed stuff. Thanks for checking out the vlog!

[@davidc.w.2908]

It took a year but you finally found a Dutch cheese you don’t like: the one with whiskey 🤢

[@user-xi6nk4xs4s]

You didn't make it easy on yourself going to this Island. Must be hell to pronounce for an English speaker. Already picking up on you Frisian? ;o)

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

We just want to be able to ask for tap water and our check in Dutch… will the Frisian for the experts… 😁

[@iwanplomp9966]

Dutch ding dong?

[@johnveerkamp1501]

Dutch is close to English. What are you talking about. difficult !!

[@r.a.h7682]

Are we getting a tier list of all the islands!

[@nateandkatrinadotheworld]

We like this idea!