I've worked in Holland for 18 months, and lived and worked in Germany for 2 and a half years. Since then we've spent a great deal of time on holiday in France + Spain.
The Dutch are ace, both socially + to work with- Just the Best
I have to say, slight cultural differences aside, my experiences have all been positive. The Dutch are nails tho.
I have to admit to having a soft spot for the Dutch.
Not that I have met many here in Oz over the years, in fact I met more people in NZ with Dutch surnames.
I have met and socialised with many young Dutch folk during our travels in Holland and around the globe though and what
impressed me about them was their command of the English language and they seemed to have experienced
a very good education and were very " worldly ".
Also, their government had worked out many moons ago that prohibition didn't work unlike Australia where our
governments have sat on their hands and allowed the criminal and bikie element to thrive and make fortunes.
I well remember the very first time my wife and I went into a " coffee shop " in Amsterdam and I asked for a menu.
I took it to the window facing table that my wife had chosen and was gobsmacked when I sat down and opened it.
Hash and weed were the only products on it.
After eyeing up the other customers, I noticed several youngish people playing pool and laughing and giggling and openly
tugging on a joint.
I couldn't help but think to myself how cool is this? no aggro, only smiling and welcoming faces.
My local, back in those days was the Bondi Astra hotel and I witnessed many guys being carried out after playing pool
but it was the alcohol that triggered the fights.
Oh if only we had " coffee shops " to play pool instead of pubs, there would be many more young men walking around scar free.
