Why This Dutch City Deserves More Love 🇳🇱

Rediscovering My Hometown in the Netherlands | Exploring Enschede 🇳🇱

Enschede, the city where I was born and raised, went to school, and kicked my first football. A place full of family memories and lifelong friendships. This year, Enschede also happens to celebrate its 700th anniversary, so what better time to revisit my hometown?

In this vlog, I take you through some local spots, enjoy traditional Dutch food, spend quality time with family and friends, and join in the festive spirit of this special celebration. Come along as I rediscover Enschede, a city with deep roots in textiles, history, and culture.

📍 Have you been to Enschede? Let me know your favorite spots in the comments!

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#food #travel #vlog #enschede #nederland #thenetherlands #네덜란드 #荷蘭 #荷兰 #オランダ #belanda #enschede700

Enschede the place where I was born and raised. Where I went to school and where I first set foot on a football field. The place where I spent time 
with family and where I made friendships for life. A city with history in textiles also happens to celebrate its 700th birthday this year. So, it’s a good excuse to enjoy some of the food and another reason to party in Enschede. Join me on my return to my hometown. With a population of 162,317 people as of January 2025, Enschede ranks as the 17th largest city in the Netherlands. Situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands, it’s very close to the border with Germany. And that is exactly the border I crossed to return to my hometown this time. Here 
we see Enschede on the map with the German border directly beside it to the 
east. Coming by train from Germany was, Coming by train from Germany was, shall we say, a little challenging. I got stuck just before crossing the border. But in the end, it didn’t 
matter. My friends were here. There they are! Let’s go to the Netherlands. Back in the Netherlands. At this point, I still wasn’t actually 
in Enschede yet. Bye. See you. So after breakfast, it was time to head there. And how better than on a bike, something we really enjoy doing here in the Netherlands. 
So yeah, I’m cycling to my hometown and we’re almost crossing the border from Glanerbrug to Enschede. Glanerbrug sits right on the border with Germany. From here, Enschede is just a quick bike ride away – about 10 to 15 minutes. On my way home, I passed my old 
football club and stopped for a quick look. And guess what? A 
surprise was waiting. This can’t be possible. Literally. Literally a 
coincidence. Excuse me, sir. Hello. My chance to play some football again. Oh, pass me the ball. Pass me the ball. Yeah. Oh. Oh. Okay. Cross it. Cross it. Yeah. I’ll cross it. Yeah. Oh. [Applause] Yeah. Nice man. Tubanters. Yeah. Come on Rembo. Don’t be so stiff. Go deep, deeo, deep. Nice. Yeah. After coffee and some reminiscing, it was finally time to see my family again. We had a lot of catching up to do. Yeah. Back to my friends now. Yes, these guys. Time to show you a simple but very tasty traditional Dutch breakfast. I might be a little biased, but even supermarket bread here is really good. And this topping, peanut butter with Dutch chocolate sprinkles called hagelslag, just might be my favorite. Delicious, but not very filling, which is 
perfect since today is a laid-back day. Oh, wait. My brother put me to work. But at least I get Dutch style Chinese food. Nasi, which is fried rice and chicken saté, 
heavily influenced by Indonesian flavors. Yo. Yo. Look at this. I figured 
you were filming. Hello, welcome. Thank you. Let’s explore Enschede’s city center together with my friends. Every Saturday and Tuesday, you can visit the local market. I would love to explore more of this market in a possible future vlog. But now we’re heading to the oude markt or old market. And on the way we pass the city hall. The old market forms the historic heart of Enschede, a city that was granted its city rights in 
1325. And just like many other European cities, Enschede used to be surrounded by defensive walls, gates, and a moat. Well, we arrived at 
the old market, but we’re not complete yet. Hey boys, who are we going to meet? We are going to meet big ol’ Thomas. Thomas. Well, John and Kok Kin are already here. Now we are waiting for Thomas. There he is. Sir! For lunch we went to a familiar 
spot for us, a cafe called Sam Sam. Though Enschede has plenty of food options, this 
time we decided to head to a different place. Johhny boy, where are we going? Germany. Germany? Okay. Thomas, are you excited? Absolutely. Yes? 
Kok kin? Absolutely. Yeah. They are all coming here, so I guess it will be quiet here. So, yes, 
for dinner we head across the border to Gronau. Where are we now? We are at Extrablatt. 
Extrablatt. Near Enschede, just across the border. [Regional Twents Dialect]
Oh, your Twents is good. So we are in Germany? Germany, yes. And what will we eat? 
I think a nice little bratwurst. A nice little bratwurst. What do you want? Or just a 
schnitzel. It all sounds good. Let’s see. I like this one the most but it’s not enough. 
Good one, right? Isn’t that sweet potato? Cheers. Cheers. Wait a second. Let me take one too. 
Because, yeah, I’m out with the ladies. Since we’re in Germany, let’s stay on the topic 
Germany for a bit. We’re in the Netherlands, right? Yeah, we’re in the Netherlands. 
Oh be careful, a bumblebee. We’re in the Netherlands and we’re in Germany. Wait. We’re in the Netherlands. And we’re in Germany, right? So yeah, since 
it’s so close, it’s not uncommon for people from Enschede to cross the border frequently, whether 
for daily activities or just a bit of amusement. Where are we? Where we are? Ter Huurne. 
Ter Huurne. Are we in Germany or in the Netherlands. Germany. If I am 
correct, we are right at the border. At the border. Okay. And we are 
more than welcome here, right? Here we go! Yes. What did I say again? Amusement. Well, we survived. Fortunately. All right, let’s go back to the Netherlands. 
Well, where are we going? Chickies. Chickies. Kippie. Chickies. This is Kippie, a well-known 
Dutch chain specializing in grilled chicken and ready-made meals. It started in Delft in 
the 1970s and can now be found all over the Netherlands. That my friend also really 
likes this place is pretty obvious. Mmm. What do we see there in the distance? 
We see the Grolsch Veste. We’ll cross the Twente canal and then we’ll 
see the pride of the Enschede. FC Twente, the local professional 
football club and pride of the city. It was formed in 1965 and Twente 
won its first league title in 2010. Twente Enschede. Kufo olé. Kufo olé. We head to Hengelo, a small town bordering 
Enschede in the north. This will also be the location for an epic dart game. Hey, 
remember me? But first, we will enjoy some of the nearby nature. Come on, come on. If 
the Nuriverse doesn’t find this adventurous, then I don’t know what is. It’s very 
adventurous. Everything for the views. Nice. Oh no. Oh no. Here we go. Parkour, parkour. Hey. Yeah. 
Act normal. Act normal. Hey. The anticipation for the dart game has 
been building. And now it’s finally happening. Ladies and gentlemen, this game is played first to 
one leg. First leg Thomas to throw first. Game on. Yeah. Come on. Come on. Yeah. 
Really nice. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, come on. Get in there. Let’s just forget that ever happened. What’s for 
dinner? Bamischijf. Nope. Pizza and beer it is. I may have lost the dart match, but 
it’s all good. Let’s head back to Enschede and take a little trip down memory lane. Right here you can see the Alpha Tower. 
Completed in 2008, it rises 101m with 29 floors, making it the tallest building in 
both Enschede and the entire province of Overijssel. Here we have the casino. And 
if your gambling gives you a headache, the hospital is right across the street. Then the 
library. This library opened in 1982 and people of all ages come here to borrow books. The library 
also organizes all kinds of courses to help locals develop new skills. While I was there, I had to 
look up some books from my childhood memories. And speaking of books, this is Willem Wilmink, a famous author from Enschede, 
after whom this theater was named. Back at the old market, it’s impossible to miss 
the iconic grote kerk or big church. The church was originally built in the 13th century and 
has been restored multiple times over the years. Okay, so I’ve ended up back at Sam Sam again. So, let’s head inside for a coffee and that 
slice of apple pie I spotted here last time. After a quick view of the St. Jakobus Church, I 
pass by a couple of my old schools. Standing in front of my old primary school here, the 
gym I remember going to as a little kid, middle school, where I met most of my 
friends with whom I studied, stressed, but also laughed in these places. Then the 
house where I spent most of my childhood, where I would play on this playground and where 
my dreams came to life, kicking a ball on the grass or against the wall. Also the house where 
I lived the latter part of my time in Enschede. And the local park, where ducks gather and 
where statues tell stories of past tragedies. All of this here in Enschede, the 
place where I was born and raised. But now, let’s eat something traditionally 
Dutch. I stopped by the local snack bar or cafeteria and brought food home. 
So, what do we have? First patat, also known as French fries. And alongside 
them, a few classic Dutch snacks. A bamischijf, a frikandel, a kipcorn, and a berehap, 
which translates to bear bite. Of course, we need sauces too, like mayonnaise. You can 
get it separate or served on top of the fries. This is the bamischijf. Crispy on the 
outside with a filling of spiced noodles. Then we have the beer hop, a fried 
meatball sliced and covered in a peanut sauce. Here’s the frikandel, a 
skinless minced meat sausage. And finally, the kipcorn, a crispy fried chicken 
snack shaped like a thin corn dog. Here. Hey friend. Cheers. Cheers. Okay guys. We’re heading to the city center. 
Lovely, lovely. For sure. How long has it been? Way too long. Yes, absolutely. A reunion. A reunion of the O-Zone. [Singing] And of all days, it’s Bölke 
open-air today. Now, David, what does Enschedemean to you and what do 
you recommend people do when they visit? Enschede is the place where I was born and raised. 
I’ve got all my friends here and most of my family lives here too. Conveniently nearby. A typical 
Enschede experience is visiting the market on a Saturday morning. I highly recommend trying 
a kibbeling, or another type of fried fish. I gladly invite you to come to Enschede, see 
what it has to offer, and enjoy your time here. See you! [Music]
Here he is. Ocheltje. Welcome to Saliba Water Park. For sure. That’s it. Look 
at it. Nuri! Wave please. Hi. Yeah. Today I’m with my friends in the Netherlands. 
Yeah, and? And? You are the vlogger. Welcome in my home. Look at this food. Oh! Look 
at this fly. Welcome in the Netherlands. What do we have today? In the beautiful city of Enschede. 
Yeah. We have a waffle with… Zip your waffle! A waffle with chicken and truffle mayonnaise. 
Yeah. And lots of hummus. And a fly. Okay. So, is this real authentic Dutch food or? It’s a 
little bit of both worlds. Asian, Dutch, Arabic. Yeah, it’s a special occasion. Nuri is 
here in the Netherlands and we want to do something special with the boys because we see 
each other once in a year. Yeah. So, uh it’s good to have you here and welcome. Thank you. Let’s 
enjoy. Let’s enjoy the meal. All right. Cheers. Cheers. Explanation. What do we see? Yeah. Yeah. 
What is this? Earth apples. Potatoes. Potatoes with cheese. Yeah. And truffle mayo and uh 
a little bit uh…Monica in my life! [Music] This is the chicken and waffle. 
And uh uh this is avocado. To the good health of everyone! Cheers to all 
the people at home who are watching us…die a painful death. I’m just kidding. I’m just kidding. Take a 
drink with us or die or die. Cheers. Cheers. [Music] We had a lot of food, but there’s 
always room for some dessert. Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream. Icy, icy. Lick it good. We are here at Van der Poel. Founded 
in 1925. They started selling ice cream in 1945 and have won multiple national titles including 
best ice cream parlor in the Netherlands. Lick it good! Cheers! The old market, even more stunning at 
night. Especially when the weather’s good, people flock to these terraces to relax 
and do some people watching. Before we go, let’s have one more meal. Here at 
Shivani’s, a Surinamese restaurant, we’re having roti kipfilet speciaal. Soft roti 
bread served with curry–seasoned chicken breast, tender chunks of potato, and long beans 
called kouseband. Everything is drenched in a rich savory curry sauce, making for 
a satisfying, juicy, and flavorful dish. And now it’s time to go. But I can 
look back on a truly fantastic time. Starting the days with breakfast from 
my childhood memories, indulging in traditional snacks and sweet desserts, eating 
foods that I don’t often get to eat anymore, and riding a bike through my 
hometown as if I were a tourist. Surrounded by beautiful nature, running into 
familiar faces, spending quality time with family and friends, being silly, competitive, 
and celebrating every moment together. Thank you to everyone who made me feel so at home again. 
I’ve got to go now, but I’ll see you again soon.