Secrets and lists of the Dutch

After all my whining about my country, it is time for a list of good things about The Netherlands:
- Everything is clean
- Bread
- Political multi-party system
- People have a tendency to say what they mean
- Things that should be legal are legal
- Supermarkets (especially the one around my corner)
- Road signs are blue
- The waiters are so rude you never have to tip them
- Our prime minister is weird, but his name isn't George



Say it loud, Dutch and proud:
- Senseo coffee machine
- Philips
- Heineken
- Gouda cheese
- Vincent van Gogh
- Mexx
- Paul Verhoeven
- Ayaan Hirsi Ali

And the secrets of the Dutch (you know who you are...):
- We love neigbouring Belgium: we get to ridicule the Belgians (positive social comparison enhances our self-esteem) and at the same time spend our days off in its major cities, shopping and going out.
- Though we seem extremely tolerant, we're really not. We just don't give a shit about whatever the hell you're doing.
- We don't really know that many languages. Collectively, we do: 50% of us study German, the other half French, and a few fanatics do Spanish. We hope you won't find out that way.
- It is NOT common for Dutch people to visit the red light district. (It IS common to visit coffee shops)
- The real reason why we have a royal family is that we can all party on our national day off: Koninginnedag, April 30th.
- Nobody put his finger in the hole of any dike. Really.

Finally, a list of my own:
Photography = looking harder
Writing = peace of mind
Entrepreneurship = passion, control, and agression
Sleep = possible heaven
Being gay = just different numerically
Light = horizon
Coffee = ritual
Maastricht = playtime