Tweet23-12-2010 om 12:00 by Amanda Potter

I am always amused by the different ways people perceive and handle snow. Growing up in Vermont, a mere hour from the Canadian border, I’m very use to the white stuff being piled in large heaps and accompanied by lots of ice. Snow pants, thick gloves, and heavy coats have always played an important role in my wardrobe (sometimes to the exclusion of warm weather clothing for climates much hotter than my own). Sturdy boots and careful strides keep me on my feet when it’s icy out.



My two winters here in the Maastricht have been quite mild in comparison, in my mind, but apparently have actually been more severe than usual. November snow is quite unusual and, at least for the first snow-fall or two, seemed to have people scrambling to keep their cars and bikes on the roads. I’ve been surprised by the amount of trouble airports are having this year. One of the tough parts of this unusual snow is that the temperature hovers around 0 degrees, making it switch easily between snow and rain. Every time the temperature drops, the rain or melt water refreezes into some of the slickest surfaces I’ve ever dealt with. Sidewalks often don’t get cleared, so you’ve got to walk carefully.

Bikes are the other wrinkle in the snowy Maastricht landscape that I never saw in Vermont. Vermont is a hilly place. It’s pretty tough to take a bike up or down winding hill roads when they are covered in ice and snow. In Maastricht, on the other hand, people have barely been slowed down. Scooter riders are taking things extra slow, but bikers just take the corners more carefully with a turn of the front wheel instead leaning into the bend. Slippery accidents do happen, but less that you’d expect. I’ve even managed to stay upright on my bike this year. Mostly.

And of course the cold, wintery weather also heralds in that most typical of Dutch pastimes, ice skating. We skate in Vermont, but tend to be more interesting in skiing. I haven’t been upright on blades in several years and certainly not on specially prepared rings like the two in Maastricht for the Magical Maastricht holiday fair. The Meuse river doesn’t freeze solid any more (20 years ago it would), but you can still try out skating near the water at the covered ring next to the old city bridge.



Had enough of the wintery mix outside? Well warming up inside certainly is similar between my home and adopted countries. Hot chocolate, warm cider, and sweets are the perfect end to a day out in the cold. The spice gluhwijn available in the Netherlands adds extra holiday charm to the end of my day. If 5 centimeters of snow is “a lot”, then I hope it keeps snowing. I’ve got more snowmen to build.

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