The Netherlands lie pretty far north, about the same latitude as Edmonton, Canada. Winters here are generally cold and dark, so it’s no surprise that the Dutch like to embrace warm things: wool sweaters, routine bike rides, fully nude saunas, and so on. These are essential in a country where some months are so frigid, people can actually skate over the frozen canals.
But one part of Dutch life never gets warm, no matter what you do or how long you wait: bathroom sinks. As confirmed by a blog post on the website Dutch Review, one of the many quirks of Holland is that bathroom faucets routinely pour only cold water. (Actually, the water is described as “freezing cold.”) For whatever reason, this is commonplace across the country; author Lyna Meyrer has no explanation for the peculiar plumbing, which affects both antique buildings and new construction alike. Even if you fastidiously manipulate the lever or knobs, warm water will never come out. If you’re already traveling to Amsterdam alone and have no one to compare notes with, rest assured that you’re not crazy.
Meanwhile, Meyrer asserts that Dutch sinks are also noticeably small, so you don’t even have much room to rinse your hands. This is a common observation across the Internet, making the whole restroom experience feel claustrophobic and spartan. Some have proposed, half-seriously, that the Dutch reputation for frugality has led to both miniature porcelain basins and disconnected water-heaters, but an exact explanation remains elusive.
A Dutch-style splash of cold water
