Vacances in Europe Part 3

Please let me continue a series of short essay on vacation...since last summer.

What the normal Europeans do at the destination of the vacation? It seems most of them prefers to stay at one place, rather than leaping from one sightseeing place to other every day ( just like many Japanese do..). But not all of them just relax, eat, drink and sleep whole day long. They go quite actively to the fields, enjoying cycling, trekking, canoeing etc.

On the highways, such as Autobahn in Germany, we can see many cars, especially with Dutch license number, tow trailers and heading Southwards. They bring almost all the foods and drinks from home, and seldomly do shopping or go restaurants at the destination … the famous “Dutch” style of vacation.

We should know that right to take long summer vacation was basically a privilege only for the rich or for artists who are not engaged in everyday business before WWII. Fast postwar economic growth (10+% in 50’ and 60’in most of European countries), and enhancement of social welfare for workers that went in tandem has made European Vacances possible. At a Belgian subsidiary that I served as top , 35± days paid holidays are given to employee with more than 20 year length of service (including years in different company). This is normal.

As I wrote in the essay last year, long summer vacation is a kind of social consensus in Europe. There is no difference in the condition between companies or kind of business they are engaged.

I hope such style of vacation will gradually prevail in my own country (Japan). Otherwise, The level of social welfare will not improve, and may cause problem in hiring talented people from other countries.

A snapshot of Mediterranean Sun in the coast nearby Tel Aviv. Israel is also a popular place for vacation both in Summer and in Winter.