Orangesplaash featured on Travel Blogroll!

I received an email yesterday from Arlene at Travel Blogroll. The email stated that my expat blog Orangesplaash has made it into this week's "Featured Blogs" page on Travel Blogroll. This came as a Friday gift and I am so glad to be featured there. Thank you so much for all this love and recognition! To check it go here.

In the words of Arlene : "Featured Blogs is a weekly Friday post on the Travel Blogroll featuring favorite blogs from our network! We do this so we can share in the rich diversity of what The Travel Blogroll has to offer."

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New Feature - Monthly Poll!

It gives me great pleasure to share with all of you that with the beginning of a new month, Orangesplaash sees the addition of a feature - a monthly poll. A new poll will be put up every month, in the right hand side bar (as you can see now). Do take part in the polls so as to have your say and share your views.  The results of every poll will be analysed at the end of the month and I will be sharing it here with all of you.

So, lets get started with this month's poll! The poll question is "As an expat in the host country, have you ever subscribed to any expat newsletters/journals/magazines"? Vote for your answer in the side bar.

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Viking River Cruises - A Review!

Do you have the traveler's bug in you? Do you like visiting new places, exploring off-the beaten-paths? Travelling surely provides a wider perspective of the world and enriches the traveler with the knowledge of the various different cultures. And if you get a chance to take a river cruise to your destination, its like an added feather to the already brimming travelling hat.


Breathtaking landscapes, fresh air, serene waters and no traffic congestion has made river cruising a fast growing choice amongst the travelers today. River cruising is a unique and fascinating way to see some of the most exciting places of the world, particularly Europe since a lot of cities here have developed along the rivers. Cruising  provides a fresh perspective to the journey, is adventurous and philosophical at the same time. The Viking River Cruises established in 1997 offer all that and more. 


Viking River Cruises is the world's largest river cruise line. It has a fleet of vessels plying the waterways of Europe, Russia, Egypt and China. Scandinavian in design, the ships offer amenities like airy interiors, balconies, comfortable restaurants with regional and international menus and helpful staff. To top it all, guided  tours and excursions are provided at every destination city to help you travel like a local.


A plethora of destinations are available including Amsterdam, Munich, Budapest, Prague, Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Salzburg, Bucharest, Belgrade etc. The ships sail on some of the most scenic and gorgeous rivers offering magical river cruises like the Nile, Danube, Seine, Moselle, Elbe, Rhone, Volga, Yangtze and the Rhine River Cruise. 

On the other side, be aware that the average age of the passengers is around 50. Also, comparisons should not be made with the large ocean liners, Viking ships are smaller in size since they sail across the rivers.

So, when are you planning your next river cruise?


Note: This is a sponsored post. The views in the post are 100% mine.

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Greenwheels - Car Sharing in The Netherlands!

What if you are aware of a unique car-sharing option in The Netherlands, having the following salient features :

• You can rent a car for any duration of time - by the minute, the hour or the day.
• It gives you the freedom of choosing the car model - a small city car or a big family car.
• A completely environment friendly model, aimed at reducing the usage of private transportation, traffic congestion and parking issues.
• The reservation for the car is not limited to office hours, you can book it for any time of the day, 365 days a year.
• The pick up point for the cars are usually all over the city, often close to the points of public transport.

These can all be summed up to Greenwheels - the largest company that provides autodelen (car-sharing) services in the Netherlands. A simple but efficient mechanism ensures that you get the advantages of renting the car, for the required duration of time, at a low cost and without any hassles of maintainance.

In order to join the program, follow these simple steps:

• Register by filling up a form online.
• Deposit the joining fees (one time refundable amount of € 225).
• You will then get a Greenwheels membership card and pin number by post in a few days.
•  You are now a member and can reserve the car either online or by calling up the service center number.
• You can choose the car, the pick up spot and the duration. 
• You need to leave the car at the same spot - therefore, in essence, the reservation of the car, pick up and return is all self-service.

Note : This option of car-sharing is more useful in places where public transport, walking, cycling etc are the most convenient options for commuting and a car is required only sometimes for out-of-city trips, relocation etc. 

Greenwheels helps in avoiding the costs of car ownership like registration, depreciation, insurance, taxes, repair and maintenance but an hourly rate of renting the car along with the fuel cost has to be paid.

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Loyal and Lovely Blog Award!

This post has been on my mind for some time now - I know I am a bit late. But here's a huge thanks to my dearest friends Lopa from Life as it goes on and Sandra from Presépio com Vista para o Canal for bestowing this award on me and my blog.

This is a wonderful gesture on their part and since I am the recipient of this award - I am required to answer the following three questions. So, here it goes - 

1. Say why you made your blog and if you expected it to be popular at all.

The very basic reason for starting Orangesplaash was the desire to share. Being an expat in The Netherlands, each day brought with itself something to learn, understand and think upon. There was so much to experience first hand, so much to share that writing it all down someplace made sense. 

Being a writer and a voracious reader myself, it was only natural for me to start blogging in order to share my expat experiences and travel adventures with others. This gives me a lot of satisfaction too.

Luckily for us, we have had a smooth integration and documentation process here in The Netherlands and therefore, I wanted to share this positivity with others. 

On the way, I have come across some really wonderful people, fellow bloggers and my dear readers who have given this blog so much through their thoughtful comments and interactions. I have enjoyed every moment of this journey so far and thank all of them for making Orangesplaash what it is today! This blog stands for sharing and caring with a generous helping of positive attitude. 

2. State the exact date you started your blog.

The first post shows the date July 10, 2009 - Its been a year..a wonderful year! 

Happy Birthday Dear Blog!!

3. Nominate 5 loyal followers! 

At the time of writing, Orangesplaash has 75 followers and 110 RSS readers - so selecting just 5 out of them is really difficult. Particularly when I appreciate each and every one of them. 

But since the rules say so, here's my list in no particular order:

• Eber - From Argentina to Netherlands, for love!
• Sandra - Presépio com Vista para o Canal
• Lopa -  Life as it goes on 
• Isabella - A Touch of Dutch
• Stu - Invader_Stu
• Viajera - I'm Leaving on a jet plane
• Alison - A Flamingo in Utrecht
• Tiffany - Clogs and Tulips
• Anita - Castles Crowns and Cottages
• Droomvla - My HodgePodge
• Natalie - Tigscreations 

To all the nominated loyal followers - I am sure you would like to do this on your blog too! So go ahead and let me know when you have. 

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I Write Like Dan Brown!

"I Write Like" website has been the talk of the town these days (specially in the writer's community). This site is basically a "statistical analysis tool, which analyzes your word choice and writing style and compares them with those of the famous writers."


Finally, I decided to give it a go. And guess what? The website analysed my writing and declared that I write like Dan Brown!!

Ohh my God! Are the publishers out there listening?

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Here's some more - EALC Posts!

Check out the last few articles I wrote for Europe A la Carte. These are all on travel - providing Europe Travel Tips!

• Is the London Eye worth the ticket price? Are you confused after reading the not so good things about the London Eye. Is it simply an overpriced attraction? Click to find out my perspective.

• Olympia Park – A top Munich attraction : Olympics is a source of great pride and Olympics park in Munich upholds the legacy very well.

• Madurodam – The Netherlands in minature : This post details the mini world of Madurodam, capturing the whole of Netherlands at one place.

• Staying in Oberried am Brienzersee in the heart of the Swiss Alps : One of the best accommodation ideas if you are planning a getaway to Switzerland this summer!

• ING Europe Marathon, Luxembourg : Describes the fervor and zest during the ING Europe Marathon held in Luxembourg this May.

• Top 4 things to do in Rotterdam : If you are in Rotterdam, why not check out these 4 tips?

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Latest PocketCultures Posts

                                                     PhotoCredits

Here are some of my latest articles on PocketCultures. Hope you enjoy reading them.

• Rajasthani Sweets and Snacks : An introduction to the traditional sweets and snacks of Rajasthan. There is something for every food lover!
• Oranje fever in the Netherlands: Describes in detail the gripping environment in The Netherlands during the football world cup, particularly after the semi final win against Uruguay. 
• Flavor of the Indian Markets : Under the "Blogs of the World" section of PocketCultures, this post features an interesting blog - one that focuses on the traditional Indian Markets! 

Intrigued? Click on the above links to read the complete articles.

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Resources for Learning Dutch!

If you have been following this blog, you already are aware of my attempts at learning the language Dutch as documented in Dutch Learning Part I, II and III. Learning Dutch is both easy and tricky at the same time. Easy because a lot of words resemble their English counterparts and as soon as your learning picks up speed, you have the speed breaker in the form of all the "exceptions" that the Dutch language thrives on.

There is a wealth of resources available for all those who really want to learn the language and I have made a list of all such excellent and helpful Dutch learning resources here. Two websites that have helped me particularly in understanding and enhancing my learning efforts deserve special mention.

• The first one is the Dutch Grammar website - This site maintained by Bieneke Berendsen is a comprehensive and detailed source of information on Dutch Grammar with almost all its exceptions. Written in a free flowing lucid style, the site pays close attention to explaining the rules with examples. The site also has a handy toolkit on the left hand side and an option to print the entire grammar section in the form of an e-book. 

• The other one worth mentioning is the Fluent in 3 months website - This site offers "Unconventional language learning/hacking tips from Benny the Irish polyglot." With a deadline of 3 months every time, Benny sets out on his journey to learn a new language coupled with a strong mental attitude and positive thinking and provides tips, tricks, and short cuts to the readers on the way. 

These sites and many others have helped me get a hold on the Dutch language. There is still a long way to go and all I need to do is to keep the momentum going.

How about you? Have you come across any such useful sites you would like to share with all of us here? How has your learning process come about? Do you feel the lack of inspiration sometimes?

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And the FIFA World Cup 2010 Champions are Spain!!

What a match it was! Worthy of a final, strategically played and tightly executed - it was a high octane game. Yellow cards were the order of the day, with both the teams getting the taste a plenty. But the one team that rose to the occasion and played exceptionally well under the enormous pressure was Spain and therefore they deserved to win.

Spain win this world cup after losing their opening game to Switzerland. Thats a record.

Congratulations Spain. A great win!! 

Well played Netherlands. We still love you!

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FIFA World Cup 2010 Finale!!

The clock's ticking! As I write this, the final match for the world cup 2010 between The Netherlands and Spain will commence in full glory in about 20 minutes.

Living in The Netherlands, its but natural for us to root and cheer for the local team. Robbens are Sneijder are the favorites. The atmosphere here in Rotterdam is electrifying at the moment, with the heat anticipated to go up with every passing second. Here's my write up on the Oranje Fever in The Netherlands for PocketCultures. Orange is certainly the color of the season!!

Hup Holland Hup!!!

Image Courtesy - Digital Journal

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Its been a long wait!

Dear readers, excuse me for posting very few updates last month. Its been sometime that I have posted on this blog due to a host of reasons including family visit from India and busy work schedule.

I am sure this break has rejuvenated me in a way too and I will be posting a lot of interesting, thought provoking and useful posts on Orangesplaash in the days to come.

Here is a big thank you to all of you for being with this blog so far and loving it the way you all do!

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