Welcome to Zaanstad - The Netherlands and to the 132nd edition of the Forum Song Contest (FSC). Welkom!
Theme: ‘The Netherlands: The inner Light of Flowers’
Winner FSC January 2020
Congratulations! ^^
The Host city for this FSC #132-edition is Zaanstad - The Netherlands, a city and municipality
in the province , of North Holland . It is situated northwest of the capital Amsterdam . Its main
centre and densest populated area is called Zaandam. It is part of the conurbation and metro-
politan area (the greater city region) of Amsterdam. It had a population of ca 156.000 in 2019.
The municipality of Zaanstad consists of the following towns, villages & districts: Assendelft,
Koog aan de Zaan, Krommenie (the first city in the world to have a solar bikepath (SolaRoad))
Westzaan, Wormerveer, Zaandam, Zaandijk. However, being surrounded by countryside & due
to its relatively protracted shape that follows river Zaan , a rural atmosphere is always nearby.
The river Zaan was originally a side arm of the IJ bay , and travels 13.5 kms through the muni
cipalities of Zaanstad & Wormerland north of Amsterdam from West-Knollendam in the north
to Zaandam in the south, where it empties into the IJ. The river also runs past Zaanse Schans
a village with historic windmills (incl. De Bonte Hen) and houses. It’s a major tourist attraction
During the Dutch 'Golden Age' in the 17th century , the Zaan district was dotted with windmills
with a variety of functions , and is often considered to be one of the world's first industrialized
areas. Joining an already considerable number of flour mills were, for example from 1592 "wo
od mills" for sawing wood , and from 1600 "hemp mills" for extracting fibers from flax & hemp.
Also from 1601 oil mills for crushing oil-bearing seeds & " paint mills " producing dyes & paint
and shortly after paper mills for the production of paper. By the mid-17th century, approx. 900
windmills could be found along the river, some of them still preserved, specially in the Zaanse
Schans. The Zaan district (around Zaandam) is still heavily industrialized with many factories.
A number of major Dutch companies , like Ahold & Verkade , were founded in the Zaan district
The dialect spoken in the Zaan area, is known as Zaans . Zaans is one of the oldest dialects in
the country. The dialect has similarities to the West Frisian dialect (further north). A Zaans phr
ase now used throughout The Netherlands, is "doeg” or "doei", a colloquial term for "goodbye".
The French impressionist painter , Claude Monet , stayed in Zaanstad in the summer of 1871,
& produced a series of 24 paintings of the Zaan district , writing to his friend, Camille Pissarro
( a Danish-French Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist painter ) that, "there is enough here to
paint for an entire lifetime." He returned to the Zaan district to paint during visits in later years.
‘The Netherlands: The inner Light of Flowers’
‘The History of the Dutch tulip’
The Netherlands is famous for its beautiful flower bulb fields that do give colour to the typical
Dutch landscape . The best-known Dutch flower, is the tulip . In 1593 , the first tulip in the Neth
erlands could be admired in the Hortus Botanicus in Leiden. Today, youth can enjoy the vast fi
elds of tulip , and other bulb flowers , in the Bollenstreek , the Noordoostpolder , and the North
Holland regions . And at Keukenhof , where over 7 million flowering bulbs , can be admired, ev
ery year . The Netherlands is also famous , as the largest flower exporter in the world. The We
stland region & Aalsmeer ('flower capital of the world') are the heart of the intern. flower trade.
While tulips may be very popular in The Netherlands, it must be noted that they didn’t originate
in these parts. They are believed to have originated from the Tien Shan mountain ranges in cen
tral Asia and had already been cultivated by gardeners in the Ottoman Empire for decades. Tul
ips were rare & exotic plants , and Western Europe soon became fascinated with them as soon
as they were brought in. They were officially introduced in the Netherlands at the end of the six
teenth century . Although it is unknown who first brought the tulip to Northwestern Europe , the
most widely accepted story is that it was Oghier Ghislain de Busbecq, who was Emperor Ferdin
and 1’s ambassador to Suleyman the Magnificent ( Sultan of the Ottoman Empire 1520 -1566 )
This was the same time a Flemish botanist, by the name of Carolus Clusius was made the dir
ector of the Hortus Botanicus in Leiden . He was hired by the University of Leiden to research
medicinal plants . During his time there, his friend, Ogier Ghiselain de Busbecq, who had seen
the beautiful tulip flowers growing in the palace gardens, of Suleyman the Magnificent , decid
ed to send him a few for his garden in Leiden . This was the start of the bulb fields in Holland.
Dutch flowers , and especially tulips , have indeed become part of the culture, and soul of The
Netherlands , and many people around the world , associate this nation with beautiful flowers,
as well as windmills . There is serenity and beauty, in a flower that you hold in your hand , and
if you look carefully , perhaps you'll also feel the inner Light of Flowers, the energy from within
The Zaans Museum' s a museum located at the Zaanse Schans. It opened in 1998 to preserve
and protect the heritage of the Zaan area. In 2009 the museum was extended with an addition
of the Verkade Experience. In 2016 , the Zaans Museum opened 3 locations, with living history
at the Zaanse Schans: the Cooperage (barrels-craft) the Jisper House and the Weaver’s House
Another annex of the Zaans Museum is the Tsar Peter House . An historical building, it is best
known as the place , where Tsar Peter 1 of Russia , resided in 1697 during his Grand Embassy.
The building was constructed in 1632 . Peter wanted to learn more , about the Dutch shipbuild
ing industry and used this and other knowledge to further growth and modernization in Russia
The Zaans museum houses cultural-historical and regional collections examining the resident
ial and industrial culture. The museum is both physically connected with the Zaanse Schans &
connected in terms of its ex.hibits . It sets itself the objective, of offering extra depth to tourist
visits to the Zaanse Schans by linking the nation image with the factual history of Zaan region.
A notable sight in Zaanstad (in Zaandam) is the Hotel Inntel (Villa Palladio design) . It is a spe
ctacular colourful -and original- architectural building that catches the eye. It is situated in the
centre . It is 40 meters high & is part of a major urban renewal project in the region . The hotel
has a spectacular façade , which is, in fact, formed by a varied stack of wooden Zaan houses.
Transportation in the region is often done by train , and there are several railway stations in Za
anstad, like Koog aan de Zaan (opened in 1869, on the Den Helder - Amsterdam railway betwe
en Zaandam and Uitgeest) , Krommenie - Assendelft , & Zaandam Railway Station (main). Sea
travel by boat is also an option , while the nearest airport , is one situated outside Amsterdam.
The Zaanstad region also has a rich Jewish history. The first Jewish community formed in the
city , came about around the beginning of the 19 th century . They built a synagogue where - in
addition to services- it also housed a Jewish school. Most of them found careers as shopkeep
ers, merchants and craftsmen. Most of Zaanstads Jews were persecuted by Germans in WW2
While Zaanstad may not be as well known , or, as sought out as a tourist destination , as other
Dutch cities it does still , nonetheless , attract its share of tourists . These are usually, the type
who are looking to combine culture, nature , & the beauty of rural Netherlands with the service
of a town and city , but without the noise & 'buzz', often found in the Netherlands’ larger cities.
Notable people from Zaanstad are : Pieter Jansz. Saenredam (1597-ca.1665, a painter of the
Dutch 'Golden Age') , Christiaan Eijkman (1858-1930 , physician and professor of physiology),
Aafje Heynis (1924-2015, well known contralto opera singer) and Ronald Koeman (born 1963,
famous Dutch footballer and manager of the Netherlands national football team since 2018.)
The Netherlands! 
)
I already have my winner - I have listened already apporx. 30 times to the song! 
Performer of “Obsessed” is a Norwegian-Lithuanian collaboration, the multi-talented Norwegian singer-songwriter Ina Wroldsen and the talented Lithuanian DJ/Producer Dynoro. For more information and promotion of the entry (including lyrics in English) please check out the FSC Norway-thread and/or the FSC Promotions-thread! Hope you’ll enjoy it!
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