typically.nl

Nederland ain’t no Japan, but our train service is fairly decent. People like to complain about it, but on the whole trains are plentiful, punctual and reasonably clean. And the graphic design is unique.

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… which means ‘cheeseheads’. All Nederlanders except my brother in law are cheeseheads, and boy is it true. We eat a lotta cheese. But then again the French do as well.

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Drugs are bad for you m’kaaay? That’s why they’re legal in Nederland! Well, not quite legal. Illegal, in fact. But there is something to say for this ‘gray area’ (or gedoogzone). We have a very low number of potheads, compared to other European countries for instance. Still, the scene is surrounded by some dos and don’ts.

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When it comes to money, the Dutch are on top of their game. It really doesn’t matter how you present your valuables, a Nederlander will find a way to monetize it. And make a nice profit in the process. Read the rest of this entry »

For a decidedly rude society, the ‘three kisses’ greeting is an odd component. Or maybe it isn’t, and is it a result of said behaviour. A smoke-screen, hiding all too blatant unfriendlyness. It is true though: all Dutch people kiss three times when meeting and greeting. Read the rest of this entry »

So you have managed to score a date with a Nederlander or even a couple of them. A quest lies ahead: surviving the first encounter with these Nederthals who–alledgedly–only serve one cookie and shoo you out the door at 8PM.

This is only partially true. Read the rest of this entry »