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My name is Mika,and I'm 10 years old.I live in the city of Haarlem.

TRANSLATED:

Haarlem is a lovely citywith lots of typical,old Dutch buildings.So it may look old-fashionedbut it's very nice living here.

The River Spaarneruns through Haarlemand it connects tothe North Sea Canal.You can't miss the river. It ispart of Haarlem and the city life.

I'd say Haarlem isfull of creative people.It's a pretty relaxed place withplenty of music, arts and dance.I love dance,especially street dancing.It's really fun to dance with friendsbecause with different kinds of musicwe make the dance.I like street dancing a lot becauseit's really cool but also different.

I love going shopping or stoppingoff for something yummy to eat.Have you tried Oliebol?This is something typically Dutch.Oliebol are delicious,warm and also very sweet.I'd like to show youa great cheese shopwe have in the centre of Haarlem.My dad and I reallylove Dutch cheese.Thank you. Mmm!

SPEAKS DUTCH

Our favourite cheese can betranslated to Englishas "old cheese".I love old cheesebecause it's a bit sharp and crumbly.This is a typical Dutch cheese.

You probably know Haarlem isreally famous for its flowers,especially tulips.My mother's favouritetulips are the pink ones.I can't show you anyblossoming tulip fieldsbut I can show you somethinginteresting about the bulbs.Because now it is bulb planting time.In spring, all these fieldswill be covered in flowers.Rob is a flower and bulb grower.

TRANSLATED:This iswhere the tulips are.And over there, under the greenery,we've planted the daffodils.Rob plants thousands of bulbsout in the fields.He plants 20 million bulbs a year!Lex is his son, and he also wants tobe a bulb and flower grower.This family specialisesin hyacinths, daffodils,crocuses and, of course, tulips!

Let's see if we can find a tulip.They are buried quite deep.Yes, they are about10 centimetres deep.In March, April, that iswhen they will flower.This is time for their winter sleep.It is also when the flowers have timeto grow inside the bulbs.In the winter, some of the bulbsare planted by hand in peat.

The hyacinths are a bigpart of their business.You probably recognisethe Delft blue hyacinth.I think the bulbs looka bit like red onions!

That is my grandfather.These are all hyacinth bulbs.They have to make surethe roots are planted correctly.This is so the flowers growstraight and not crooked.

My mum likes planting daffodiland crocus bulbs in our garden.She also plants them in the winter.I think it's a real shamethat I can't show you the beautifulflowers when they come out.

But I can show you my greatnew pony.His name is Billyand I just got him a few weeks ago.It was a huge surpriseand I was very happy.I love Billy because he's braveand cute and sweetand small and fat.I'd don't need many words with Billybecause when you have a thought,horses can read your mind.So, when you're sadthen your pony is sad.But when you're happy,your pony is also happy.

HAPPY MUSIC