The Netherlands is still pretty much an old fashioned country. The shops all close at 6pm. The grocery stores usually stay open until 8pm. There is usually one evening a week that everything stays open until 9pm. Every holiday is a bank holiday and Sundays are still sacred. The sidewalks dont completely roll up though. The restaurants and bars are open on Sundays, holidays and until late in the evening. The bars can stay open until 2am if they choose and on Saturday night there is a 2/6 rule. The bars stay open until 6am but cannot let anyone in after 2.
We still have butchers and bakers. We have produce stores and fish markets. Cheese shops and various specialty stores. You will not find a Wal-mart here.
I know some of my friends remember things in the States being this way and I think they probably were even when I was young. Getting used to this way of life has been nice. It really isnt a rat race here.
One thing I remember hearing about in the States but never actually saw was the collecting of "green stamps". A practice that is long gone where you collected the stamps and could redeem them for items. That practice, or somithing similar still happens in the Netherlands and I love it!!
My favorite grocery store had a promotion recently where with every 10 euro spent you recieved a stamp. 15 stamps made a full card. A full card gets you about 75% off a really nice knife. The set has 5 knives, a steel, a knife block and a cutting board. I completed my set on the day I moved into my new place.
I didnt have to actually earn my stamps by buying all those groceries. A friend of mine saved hers for me and I was standing at checkout one day and the lady in front of me handed me about 45 out of her wallet. It was enough to complete my cards for my set and I have passed on any extras to someone who was standing in line behind me that could use them.
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