Dutch roots

Today we visited the Vanderbilt Mansion. This is a beautiful estate, surrounded by a park, gardens and a very nice view on the Hudson river. The mansion is huge, and was apparently quite modest compared to other mansions built by the family. Our visit perfectly matched in terms of timing, because I just finished reading The island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto. Again, a must-read for all of you who are into NYC or the US. It opened my eyes to the many Dutch influences in American culture, ranging from the words 'cookies' (from koekjes) and 'coleslaw' (koolsla) to the cultural melting pot NYC is famous for and the existence of state attorneys and of course Santaclaus. The Dutch also brought some famous names, like the Vanderbilts and Roosevelts.