A Shed in France
The Dutch are completely obsessed with holidays. Nederlanders often head off to the slopes in Austria for a spot of skiing in the winter, squeeze in a nice European city break in the spring, followed by a hardcore car journey in the summer to a campsite somewhere in deepest France. They take their holidays very seriously here. It’s the first thing people will enquire about after being introduced to you. The British are obsessed with the weather while the Dutch discuss holidays. And if you don’t have at least one holiday planned, the locals will think you’re very odd and give you the cold shoulder. But how on earth can they afford all these holidays? Well, the month of May brings that wonderful Dutch institution: vakantiegeld (Holiday money). Basically, millions of Dutch workers suddenly get a welcome lump of extra cash just as the holiday season approaches. Brilliant. Except it’s not quite the free holiday bonus it initially sounds like. It’s an employment entitlemen...
