"My impressions, observations & possibly biases ":
1. I endorse that only people more direct than Americans are: The Dutch.
2. Commercial and Entrepreneurial: From Trading Tulips in 18th Century, to constructing largest trading port: Rotterdam. Windmills, Dykes, Several Competing Global banks: ABN AMRO, ING, Fortis, Rabo. Large Corporations: Unilever, Sara Lee, Shell & Philips. It's all von dutch.
3. Liberal.. Left.. seemingly reckless but not: Gay Marriages, Coffee shops, Amsterdam's infamous red light district. It's all here. You will be surprised to see the number of tourists the latter two attract to NL from all over Europe, US and other parts of the world, adds to point 2..commercial.
4. Kunst Kitsch and Colours: Red shoes, orange jackets, green pants, pink shirts, yellow ties..and grey skies...all 'von dutch' You need to have a 'certain taste' to appreciate the Dutch fashion & colour sense. In many ways it seems an inverse of the very close meticulous french...adds to point 3.. liberal. (Kunst = Art)
5. Oude Kaas: There is great love for Dairy and cheese. Before the beef is made, we do take time out to take the milk. The love for dairy products is not only in various cheese types, but you can see it in Corporate Board Rooms, where milk is served with Lunch! (Kaas = Cheese)
6. Insightful: If you really want feedback and improvements, actually go to a Dutch. I am impressed at their ability to observe and bring 'insights'. Independent thoughts, critical and 90% senseful.
7. Let it loose: von dutch, friends are easygoing and welcoming if you know them. They come across simple, genuine and take themselves lightly (no big egos). The dutch humour does not mind laughing at oneself...important is that you need to take yourself lightly too.
8. Change the DJ! Well that's what i want when i am at any pub / club. The music changes every 59 seconds, and its not that the song and sound changes.. but evertything changes.. within 5 mins you can hear Bob Marley, J Lo, J Morrison, B Spears, ABBA, Eminem. Now read again and try to think how you'll shake to that!
9. For dutch India means: Development, Offshoring, Pink City, over promise, Elephants on street, 5 star hotel means 3 star,lot of people, beggars on street, NGOs, talkitive people, sun thus fun, still lot of people.
Can't fight those impressions.. that's just the way it is.