It’s an exciting time to be Dutch. For the first time in three years, canals in the Netherlands have frozen over, meaning the people of Amsterdam can strap on their skates, Tara Lipinski around through the city, and eventually fall through the ice like Amy in Little Women. Because ijs niet overal goed (“the ice isn’t good everywhere”). One victim of the thin ice has gone viral; a man, wearing only a bathing suit and man bun, was filmed falling through the ice, being pulled back up by a rope, bowing, and then skating away. He was, presumably, never seen again.
Here’s the video:
#Amsterdam #ijsnietoveralgoed #keizersgracht pic.twitter.com/mhZAuCQ9x6
— Geertje (@ikkomuitdrenthe) February 14, 2021
Not all the falls were so chill. This compilation (which should have been set to “Ice Ice Baby”) shows a bunch of people having to be rescued from the frozen water via ladders, hockey sticks, and ropes. Their water-logged coats and pants seem to make the process a lot harder. Hmmm… Bathing Suit Dude had the right idea:
Last week the Netherlands had their first snowstorm in nearly a decade, “Storm Darcy.” Temperatures went down -5 degrees Celsius (23F), and the authorities declared a rare “code red” emergency. The prime minister, Mark Rutte, cautioned people to avoid skating since falls and injuries could clog up the hospital and spread more COVID-19. But the Dutch just couldn’t help themselves; emergency rooms were twice as busy this past weekend due to icy falls.
I wish I could still get excited about ice, snow, and freezing temperatures, but, alas, I’m a Canadian who hates skating (hurts my ankles), skiing (Sonny Bono), and basically anything that requires me to leave the warmth of my apartment. But if the Dutch feel compelled to enjoy their exciting new weather, may I suggest wearing a lifejacket? And perhaps a mask?
Pics: Twitter