Life Without a Drive Through Lane

Life Without a Drive Through Lane

This morning I was reading an article on the web called “10 habits you should pick up from your grandmother”. It got me thinking about my grandma and how different life is for me than it was for her. 

But I also was thinking about the fact that she never learned how to drive. She walked everywhere she went. We lived in a small little town so things were pretty accessible by foot. She was a school cafeteria cook and walked every day to work and then walked across town to our home so she could babysit me after school. Friends and family would always give her a ride if she needed one but for the most part, she walked. Kind of Dutch… she didn’t ride a bike but yep she was outside living life.

Well, for the past few months I’ve been in the States. My oldest little one was getting married so I was busy being the MOB (mother of the bride). 

With all the little details and busy busy work, I slipped quickly back into my American ways. Let’s see… I need to get some candle holders (hmmmmmm I’d love a cold drink from Sonic! 

You know.. I’m all about the ice, ‘bout the ice,  ~ No treble!) Hey Mom.. where are we going to lunch today? 

Well… we’re busy.. better go to  some place quick. 

Besides being insanely unhealthy to dine out all the time, it’s expensive. The convenience factor is so over the top in America and yet so hard to pass up as you drive past. The blaring lights beckoning you from the roads to pull over to their restaurant or they pump the smell of something yummy into the air so as you drive past you smell French fries or bread! When we weren’t driving thru, we were parking really close. Oh and the parking is free (usually).

Living in The Netherlands is quite different. First of all, the amount of bikers here is just shocking. 

The Dutch are like the US postal service unofficial motto… "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night, stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." - Herodotus, 503 B.C. (Inscribed on the General Post Office facility on 33rd Street and 8th Avenue in New York City.) (Source: USPS). 

The Dutch bike through all weather. And if they’re not bike… they’re walking. If you are driving past any normal village, city or town during lunch hour you will see tons of people walking around enjoying their sandwich 

or whatever while they go for a walk. Just a great excuse to get out in the air and hopefully a little sun. Most of the Dutch that I know bring their lunch to work with them from home. It’s cost effective and fast to eat which gives them more time to walk around outside or get work done earlier so they can get home to be with their families. This is just a great way to live. 

I mean if you’re bloated down with your McDonald’s lunch or 

Life Without a Drive Through Lane

Taco Bell delight you’ll be overly stuffed and have a hard afternoon being productive for your company. I remember being a small child and walking home from school to have lunch at home. The meal or sandwich was prepared and eaten. Then there was plenty of extra time to take a small nap or even play outside before walking back to school. There should be more of this in adulthood… even the nap. Even if it’s a ten minute recharge.

When we do dine out in the city.. There is rarely a drive through. Sure there’s a McDonald’s but not our idea of a fun Friday night. So we drive to the centrum, pay to park and then have to walk several blocks to the restaurant.

 Walking back to the car at the end of the night is definitely a great way to burn off those calories after a meal. And those people that live closer to the centrum will usually bike into the centrum for dinner. You get to park your bike for free and much, much closer to the restaurant.

Living life without a drive through…. Sounds like a move in the right direction.