Every Dutch town has certain crowded streets in the evening, because to walk up and down after dinner is the national form of recreation.

There are in the large cities a few theatres and music halls, and in the smaller, concerts in the summer; but for the most part the streets and the cafes are the great attraction.

Each town has one street above all others which is frequented in this way.

At The Hague it is the Lange Pooten, running into Spui Straat; at Amsterdam it is Kalverstraat.
Dutch shops are not very interesting, and the book-shops in particular are a disappointment.

This is because it is not a reading people.