What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the Netherlands? Is it the wide variety of cheese? Or maybe the colorful tulips? What about the scenic windmills?

The truth is, an ancient symbol of this nation that is oh so Dutch is their famous wooden shoes. It is still under debate whether these wooden shoes originated from France or the Netherlands. Nevertheless, the Dutch held tight to them, and made them their own. Despite the fact that these wooden shoes, or clogs, are not widely worn anymore in the Netherlands, the majority still believe that it is part of the Dutch’s everyday attire. This used to be the case many years ago. Clogs were crafted out of wood and worn by peasants, both males and females. The coverage and protection provided were perfect for people working in mining, farming and construction. And who can forget the Dutch climate. The clogs were practical especially in the countryside where the ground tended to get soggy due to the long periods of rainfall. The oldest clog was found in Rotterdam and dates back to the 13^th century. It is exhibited in the collection of the Rotterdam museum . Nowadays, with a modernized Holland, the demand for clogs declined. I mean, who wants to walk on wooden shoes anyways when there is the promise of “walking on clouds”. The latter definitely sounds more appealing.