'I think the spirit of engineering is ingrained in the Dutch psyche'

'I’m a fair weather cyclist - if it’s raining we take the car'

'After 22 years here, I'm no longer as materialistic as I used to be'

'Beware of speculaas spread. That stuff is addictive'

'I love being on time, I love structure and I love organisation'

'The very first Dutch word I think I ever learned was belasting'

'In a weird way, this is the closest I’ve come to really feeling at home'

'I feel most Dutch when I check the special offers in the supermarket'

'It’s hard to beat pottering about in a boat in Giethorn on a sunny day'

'The Calvinist drive to downplay success is pervasive'