Europeans work fewer hours, for more money, than ever before. What do they do with all that time off? In the cold, gray north they watch television: Denmark now has 386 sets for every 1000 people, Germany 385—40% more than in 1970. In sunny Spain they eat out: 14% of household spending, the largest share in the community, goes on restaurants, cafes and hotels—not counting alcoholic drinks. Europeans everywhere watch football. One European in there is interested in football, a quarter in tennis and getting more so. As long ago as 1980, the most recent year for which comparable figures exist, nine-tenths of Europe's households had a refrigerator(except in Ireland and Portugal). Ownership of washing machines varied more: 87% of Dutch had one, but only 58% of Danes. Ownership of dishwashers was stuck at 3% in Britain in 1980, but rising fast in France: up from 13% in 1980 to 22% in 1985. In Holland 95% of households bad a telephone in 1985, in Italy only 72%. Above all, the newly rich Europeans go on holiday. In 1985, 56% of them went away at least once. As anyone who has tried to spread a towel on a Mediterranean beach in high summer can confirm, 34% of them took their main holidays in August and another 28% in July. For peace(if not sun), try February or November, when only 1% of Europeans take their main holiday. One European in three took holidays abroad. These, not surprisingly, are mostly northerners. Half of Europe's holidaymakers head for the seaside. But in Holland marginally more people prefer a holiday in the countryside to a week on the beach. So there are some differences left. We know from the first paragraph that north Europeans spend their spare time ______.