I've done VWO and HBO. VWO was indeed a bit long - motivation was a slowly declining curve, heh. In the end, it wasn't so bad, and I'm glad I finished it. HBO was better though: more practical, not too long. I even kinda miss the amount of spare time I had during those years.
I'm currently in touch with some Chinese students. All of them are doing a second study here in Holland. Maybe it's not so that Asians are simply smarter, but they do seem to have a more study-oriented culture. It's fun though: they practice their English with me and I learn Chinese from them.
So yeah, who needs a Berlin wall if you have a Great Wall already?