For both interviews, while I took trains and planes for most of the way, the last part of the connection was always by taxi. The Swiss taxi drivers were very friendly but not very talkative. The dutch drivers were more talkative, especially the last driver (who was also the only woman taxi driver).
The last trip, my driver took some back roads, primarily to avoid traffic, and because it was apparently shorter (although I have no concrete way judging that). The trip through the back roads was also interesting because it was suburbia - she pointed out schools, different types of houses and the last, soon to be demolished, factory in the centre of Eindhoven. It was also very enlightening because it gave me an idea of what it can to rent or buy property in The Netherlands; and her opinions on why there are more renters than buyers in the property market, even though it is cheaper to buy. Apparently, it is much harder to get a mortgage, so it is difficult to finance a purchase, so even though rent could be higher than mortgage repayments, it is easier to rent than to buy.
Obviously, the dutch banks were not exposed to mortgage credit crisis in the local market ...
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