BREUKELEN, THE NETHERLANDS — We asked our friends from the old country what they thought when they heard the words “Brooklyn, New York.” Here is what the Dutchman on the street told us:
“It’s great. I’ve been there twice. I love the big houses and the small houses. Of course, this was 44 years ago. The Brooklyn Bridge was very nice, but I don’t remember anything else special. I do wish we could import Brooklyn Brewery beer here.” Dik van ‘t Hoff
The Brooklyn Paper / Gersh Kuntzman
“It’s very nice because all of you in Brooklyn are my brothers. But when I try to picture Brooklyn in my mind, I see a church, a bar, a town square and people laughing and singing and dancing and being happy.” Bep van ‘t Hoff
The Brooklyn Paper / Gersh Kuntzman
“I think it is a big place in New York. But I have a positive feeling about it. I have a positive view of America and Americans in general.” Pieter Hoogveldt
The Brooklyn Paper / Gersh Kuntzman
“My first thought is of the Brooklyn Bridge, which is very impressive. But I never went to Brooklyn when I went to New York because it’s not a very hip part of the city. I visited Harlem and was so amazed. But Brooklyn — I didn’t think it was the place to be.” Han Lyre
The Brooklyn Paper / Gersh Kuntzman
“I think of Brooklyn as a suburb of here! But I do have a positive feeling about Brooklyn because of all the Dutch names, like Utrecht.” Gerard Prakke
The Brooklyn Paper / Gersh Kuntzman
“I always thought of it as its own community. I didn’t know it was part of New York City.” Dick Seegers
The Brooklyn Paper / Gersh Kuntzman
“I know about the history of how we landed there and how we gave you Peter Stuyvesant. But Brooklyn, all I know is that it is a part of New York. I’d like to go to New York, but not really Brooklyn because New York has more to see.” Peter van der Meer