xxii Passports. HOLLAND.
hotels in England more than those in other parts of the continent.
The usual charge for a bedroom is 1-11/2 A- , breakfast (plain)
70-80 cents, table d'hote 21/2-3 fl., attendance 1/2 fl- — Luncheon
is generally taken at 1, dinner at 5 or 6 o'clock. Although, as a
ftation, the Dutch are enlightened and well-educated, the class
with whom the traveller comes in contact will perhaps impress him
unfavourably; but quite as much real comfort and civility will be
met with in Holland as in any other part of the continent.
Fees at museums, churches, etc., should not exceed 2 fl. per
day. Hotel expenses amount to 7-8 fl. daily, and travelling and
other expenses to 4-5 fl. , so that the total cost of a tour in Hol¬
land will be 13-15 fl. a day. The 'voyageur en garcon' may
reduce his expenditure to one half of this sum by breakfasting at
the cafe's, dining at unpretending restaurants, and avoiding the
more expensive hotels. It may also be remarked that the steam¬
boats on the canals, the Rhine, Meuse, Yssel, etc., afford a cheaper,
and often pleasanter mode of travelling than the railways.
III. Passports, Custom House.
Passports may be dispensed with in Holland, as in Belgium,
but the traveller had better be provided with one if he contemplates
a prolonged tour.
Customhouse. All new articles, especially if not wearing-
apparel , are liable to pay duty according to their value, which
must be declared beforehand. New articles not previously declared
are liable to confiscation.
IV. Language.
A slight acquaintance with the Dutch language will contribute
greatly to the instruction and enjoyment afforded by a tour in
Holland. German, however, is very generally understood, and
English and French are spoken at all the best hotels and other prin¬
cipal resorts of travellers. Those who have a knowledge of German,
Danish, or Swedish will recognise the identity of the roots of the
great majority of the words in these languages with those of the
Dutch. The language, which may be described as a Lower Frank-
ish dialect, and which existed in a written form as early as the
13th century, developed its individuality more strongly during the
wars of independence of the 17th century. It is expressive and
highly cultivated, and free from the somewhat vague and ungram-
matical character which stamps Flemish as a mere patois. Like
other languages of purely Teutonic origin, it has admitted a consid¬
erable number of Romanic words to the rights of citizenship :
thus, kantoor (comptoir) , kwartier (quartier), katoen (coton),
kastrol (casserole), rekwest (requete), gids (guide), etc. Words of
foreign origin , however, have been imported from motives of coiit
venience or fashion, rather than absolute necessity. The language
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