TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLE DIARIES

Vacationing is an entrenched culture here in Europe, most especially with the northern Europeans, where they would travel at least 2x a year outside of their home country to unwind and enjoy life. For the Dutch, it is as anomalous as committing the most corporal sin on earth if you don’t go on holiday. Dutch labor law (I think it’s also with most EU lands) demands employers to give 1 month salary/holiday pay (+ a minimum 26 vacation days) to its employees every year, something like a 13th month pay that we usually receive in the Philippines, but here it is given on May, just right in time for summer. So after a REALLY BUSY 2003, we decided to take some days off, with great timing, during the meanest time of the year – January 1 (entrance of 2004). Yes I will spell it out for you, during N-E-W-Y-E-A-R! Whilst everyone was busy popping champagnes, lighting firecrackers, and greeting each other to the tune of proost (cheers), we, with our luggage at 2AM, went heading to the airport...