9 Reasons to Love the Netherlands

[gusl]

Everyday, I like this country more, even though I won't be there for another month and a half.

Taken from http://www.hiptravelguide.com/amsterdam/php/index.php

Bikes
Holland is one of the flattest countries on the planet, making it ideal for bicycling. The Dutch have far more bicycles than automobiles. Everywhere you go in Holland you'll see people getting around by bike. In Holland bikes are given a status accorded few modes of transportation. Bike paths exist next to every major road through the countryside into the center of the big cities. You can explore all of Holland by bike if you choose. For the Dutch it is not just a recreational sport, it is a primary means of transport to work, school, even the market.


Crime
The Dutch have discovered the amazing truth that if you don't make criminals out of people for personal vices, they won't be compelled to break more serious laws or be violent to keep their vices secret .


Individuality
However, I discovered what was really holding up the line was that every Dutch person was buying their own ticket! Not only is it rare for the Dutch to treat their friends, but they seem reluctant to give others money to buy the tickets. This is the origin of the phrase 'Dutch Treat'. In addition after each purchase, the Dutch must count their change and the remaining guilders in their purse. And so wait we must!


People are Cultured
Most Dutch in the cities speak English very well.
Dutch is similar to German, but it seems more Dutch can speak and understand German than the other way around. In fact the Dutch are some of the most multi-lingual people on the planet. English, German, French, Indonesian and Spanish are some of their second and third or fourth languages. Dutch immigration has added Moroccan, Turkish and Chinese to the language mix. Thanks to tourism and their history of trade, the Dutch have always had an easy time with languages.


TV
Dutch programming not only allows free speech, but also free expression of the human body including full nudity, sexuality and discussions of things that would make Americans cringe with embarrassment or fume with anger. I've seen penises ejaculating, cameras going in and out of pussies, guests disrobing on talk shows, people in the street pulling down their pants and getting spanked, all in prime time on public stations.


Business
Netherlands Ranked #1 As Business Location
The 'Economist Intelligence Unit', a British based think-tank, released their latest business environment rankings. The ranking indicates the attractiveness of operating conditions for companies in 60 countries and compares the likely environment for the coming 5 years with the previous 5 years. The Netherlands has surpassed the United States as having the most favorable business climate.


Sex
The Dutch have a much more liberal attitude towards sex than just about any other country.
Like most northern European countries, the Dutch view sex and love as two very different things. Sex is something to be experienced spontaneously without expectations or hang-ups. Sexual relationships can coexist with loving ones. But that doesn't rule out jealousy. Of course every society has its prudes, but in a place like Holland, they are a minority and often considered "country folk".


Tolerance
Today Holland is a rare refuge in a world of conformity and intolerance. Many of today's persecuted minorities have found a warm welcome in Holland. These include gays, drug activists, political activists, etc.


Parks and Beaches
Besides bicycling, horseback riding and walking, the Dutch love to picnic or just lay out in the grass. If the day is sunny and warm, you can watch them peel off their clothes until they are partially or totally naked (yes, in public). Football (soccer) is the national sport and any field or grassy area is a likely spot for practice or a game.

Comments

[easwaran.livejournal.com]

I've long thought of the Netherlands as a great destination, or place to live. I had been hoping to get a Fulbright to do logic at the Universiteit van Amsterdam for the past year, but that didn't work out. I still have plans to go there in future.

But recently Canada has been getting my attention, though you remind me that the Netherlands beats Canada in several of these issues.

Re:

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

Did you realize that I'm going there precisely to study logic at UvA? Speaking of Canada, I knew a Canadian there by the name of Raj Singh.

[easwaran.livejournal.com]

I figured that's probably what you were doing, given the logic interest. The Fulbright seemed like the only funding option available to me as a non-EU, non-developing-nation citizen. So I never really considered what it's program would be like as opposed to the Berkeley or CMU ones.

[xuande.livejournal.com]

Apparently their new prime minister, Jan Peter Balkenende, (who looks a lot like Harry Potter) is trying to change a lot of that. I can't find any recent news about him, but according to what I've read about him he's against gay marriage, euthanasia, abortion, and soft drugs, and for censorship and limited immigration. Not sure where he stands on the sex industry, though.