Walk around a typical Dutch neighborhood and you’ll notice that the curtains are open all the time. As a nosy student passing by I would always take a cheeky peek — the kind that yearns to understand and learn, but still avoids any sort of eye contact.
The homeowners near the university college campus in Utrecht have impeccable taste in interior design. Decorations and books neatly arranged, dinner table perfectly centered with the chandelier and candles. Sometimes you’ll see a lively dinner party (gezellig!). But more often than not you’ll just see someone reading the paper or watching television. Those mundane activities people do when they’re alone or at their most comfortable — all of that is on public display.
(but even then it would be rude to stare)