The Dutch

[Fragony]

We had them on France, America, Germany or just about everything, but you would almost forget about that tiny little country called the Netherlands, which despite it's tiny size can be quite the subject of both disgust and admiration. We do things different here in many ways. Maybe the dutch are more subject to generalisations then the other european country's but something is wrong. There is us being soddom&gommora and there is us being boring calvinists, some consider us to be very friendly and some consider us to be very rude, we don't really have a solid label and that is starting to sting. At least the french are hated, the flemmish get mocked, and the germans are german. How would you non-dutchies define our tiny little space on this clay grown tall.

[LittleGrizzly]

hmm, well over here in the UK, weed is instantly the first thing that comes to mind when anyone mentions netherlands, prostitution is another.....

All in all when i think of nethlands i tend to think of very relaxed attitudes towards social issues, basically a bunch of cool people with a progressive attitude...

[rvg]

Just like the U.S. the Netherlands fought to overthrow the shackles of an oppressive monarchy ruling their country from a faraway place, and succeeded in securing their independence and religious freedom.

[Fragony]

Just like the U.S. the Netherlands fought to overthrow the shackles of an oppressive monarchy ruling their country from a faraway place, and succeeded in securing their independence and religious freedom.

That's a rather modern point of view, it wasn't odd to the dutch to be governed by a spanish king, no such things as 'country's' at that time. The father of King Phillip II we had so much trouble with was actually born in what is now the Netherlands.

[rvg]

That's a rather modern point of view, it wasn't odd to the dutch to be governed by a spanish king, no such things as 'country's' at that time. The father of King Phillip II we had so much trouble with was actually born in what is now the Netherlands.

Just like the American colonists were loyal subjects of the British crown until the good old King George decided that he could mistreat and disrespect us.

[LittleGrizzly]

Well protection aint free ya know

Wasn't it parliment that set the taxes rather than the king ? (unsure)

[rvg]

Well protection aint free ya know

Wasn't it parliment that set the taxes rather than the king ? (unsure)

Either way. I'm gonna try to help keep this thred Dutch: Levees, Windmills, Tulips, Drugs, Hookers == good stuff.

[Louis VI the Fat]

How would you non-dutchies define our tiny little space on this clay grown tall.

It's great! Friendly people, gorgeous women, good beer! I especially loved Tivoli, Carlsberg and the Little Mermaid statue!

[yesdachi]

When I hear “Dutch” I think of our Dutch, the ones in Holland, MI. – they are cheep, simple meat and potato eaters, of giant proportion, and a bit arrogant and egotistical, the Dutch genome seems to generate the largest people on the planet.

To think outside my monkeysphere, when I hear “Dutch” I think of loose sex and drug laws and this quote…
Nigel Powers: All right Goldmember. Don't play the laughing boy. There's only two things I hate in this world. People who are intolerant of other people's cultures and the Dutch.

[Fragony]

It's great! Friendly people, gorgeous women, good beer! I especially loved Tivoli, Carlsberg and the Little Mermaid statue!

Oh damn you. Tivoli is great by the way especially that rollercoaster that looks like a bee, I mean you can look into peoples houses!

[Rhyfelwyr]

Two types of ideas come to mind when I think of the Netherlands.

On the one hand there's Amsterdam, with the prostitution, drugs, very pro-EU, and very liberal and obsessed with being green. A progressive image to some.

Then on the other hand there's the windmills, little wooden shoes, lots of flowers and canals, a nice picturesque setting in general.

Oh yeah, plus lots of really bright orange!

[Vladimir]

...are (as the host of Top Gear put it) the coolest race on earth.

[AlexanderSextus]

Just like the U.S. the Netherlands fought to overthrow the shackles of an oppressive monarchy ruling their country from a faraway place, and succeeded in securing their independence and religious freedom.

That, and the fact that they respected people's freedom of choice to do what they want with their own bodies'. In short, the greatest nation on earth. And that is coming from an american.

I want to move there.

[Martok]

All in all when i think of nethlands i tend to think of very relaxed attitudes towards social issues, basically a bunch of cool people with a progressive attitude...

Two types of ideas come to mind when I think of the Netherlands.

On the one hand there's Amsterdam, with the prostitution, drugs, very pro-EU, and very liberal and obsessed with being green. A progressive image to some.

Then on the other hand there's the windmills, little wooden shoes, lots of flowers and canals, a nice picturesque setting in general.

These two gentlemen have pretty much summed up my feelings on -- and view of -- the Netherlands and her people. Progressive, yet also charmingly quaint.

[Ser Clegane]

Great country - always had a good time there - relaxed and friendly people. I really like to work with colleagues in the Netherlands (direct and to the point they are).

Gping to Amsterdam or Utrecht has always been a great time (which reminds me that we really have to visit some friends again this spring - looking forward to our favourite Appelbollen(?) in Utrecht)

The rivalry between the Dutch and Germans tends to be very overated - I think we became great neighbours over the last decades

[Hosakawa Tito]

Apart from what has already been mentioned I have always admired the Dutch business acumen. Tulip Mania immediately springs to mind, and of course, buying Manhattan for $24 dollars in shiny trinkets.

[King Henry V]

The Dutch summed up in one minute.
In addition to what has been said above, I would also include the Dutch reputation for being stingy buggers.

[Vladimir]

The Dutch summed up in one minute.
In addition to what has been said above, I would also include the Dutch reputation for being stingy buggers.

Sweet! Look what I found: http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=OGqX-t...ature=featured

[Sarmatian]

It's great! Friendly people, gorgeous women, good beer! I especially loved Tivoli, Carlsberg and the Little Mermaid statue!

Isn't Carlsberg Danish beer?

On topic - weed, sex, riotous living, more sex and weed, liberal, more sex and weed, good beer and more sex and weed...

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

How would you non-dutchies define our tiny little space on this clay grown tall.

Clogs. Clogs and cannabis.

[Peasant Phill]

Isn't Carlsberg Danish beer?

On topic - weed, sex, riotous living, more sex and weed, liberal, more sex and weed, good beer and more sex and weed...

So is the little mermaid statue. Oh louis you joker you.

On topic - weed, sex, riotous living, more sex and weed, liberal, more sex and weed, mediocre beer and more sex and weed.

Hey somebody had to say it. In the land of the blind, the cyclops is king.

But yeah, the Netherlands is a pretty sweet country.

[JR-]

the fact that is most prominent is that you have a Royal Marines and that they train with ours, so the Dutch Armed Forces cacn't be all bad. :)

[InsaneApache]

Just like the American colonists were loyal subjects of the British crown until the good old King George decided that he could mistreat and disrespect us.

It's good to see that the 230 year old spin is still effective.

As for the Dutchys, I like them. In the the 80s I had a very good friend who moved back to Aalsmeer when his marriage broke up. In fact he was the roundabout reason I got into computers. We used to play chess on sundays and when he went 'home' I bought a rubber mat Spectrum so that I could carry on playing chess.

One shock I had was when I stayed at his house one night and he asked me if I'd like some ham and eggs for brekky. It was ham and eggs but not what I was expecting, it was boiled ham.

Oh clogs, windmills and tulips spring to mind as well as hashish and tarts. What a country!

[Husar]

I have a very good friend who is dutch, we also have a lot in common, I always call him Papa...

Anyway, I think the dutch are very nice people etc, as has been said already.
They're also my team of choice in FIFA 09 although I might have chosen a somewhat older cadre, but the dutch are also a good football team for me that deserved to win cups often but then let everybody down and stopped playing for some reason. Maybe they're just humble.

[Kralizec]

The Dutch? Drug-addled millers with wooden shoes, mostly.

[LittleGrizzly]

They realise that as a small nation it would be awfully embaressing for the other football powers if the dutch won something, humble, putting others first... is there no end to dutch virtues...

[Mete Han]

We had them on France, America, Germany or just about everything, but you would almost forget about that tiny little country called the Netherlands, which despite it's tiny size can be quite the subject of both disgust and admiration. We do things different here in many ways. Maybe the dutch are more subject to generalisations then the other european country's but something is wrong. There is us being soddom&gommora and there is us being boring calvinists, some consider us to be very friendly and some consider us to be very rude, we don't really have a solid label and that is starting to sting. At least the french are hated, the flemmish get mocked, and the germans are german. How would you non-dutchies define our tiny little space on this clay grown tall.

great people, very beautiful women.

[Alexanderofmacedon]

In the USA the common thought is simply: weed.

I think a bit differently of a culture with interesting historical roots, an interestingly different, yet similar culture to those around them. I find it would be a nice place to live and intend to visit this summer.

[Fragony]

I really like to work with colleagues in the Netherlands (direct and to the point they are).

Often mistaken with rudeness, just dutch working ethics. It is expected from you that you work your of. Always hated having to call foreign contacts; enough with the pleasantries already.

[seireikhaan]

The Dutch?

Hmm...

Four things pop into my mind right away:

1) Weed.

2) Hookers.

3) Tulips


And, of course, 4) Fragony