Profuse apologies for not posting in ages. Sometimes this year, I’ve sat down thinking what interesting stuff to do, and not been able to sum anything up, except comment on the absurd products available in the supermarket. As an aside, who of you buys cheese in kilo blocks? They do here.
So we had a run of frivolous affair: a birthday party for Ferdinand and Sian; Queen’s Day, Ascension Day; Freedom Day and a Pentecost Festival. This country does pretty for its share of religious holidays, even though only about 3% of the population go to church on a Sunday.
Queen’s Day (Koninginnedag) was the late Queen Juliana’s birthday (30th April), and now every year a giant street party occurs in Amsterdam, with a flea market covering most of the centre in the morning, ever turning into a party atmosphere towards the evening. Boats littered the canals, with techno being the music of choice, rather surprisingly.
Freedom Day (Bevrijdingsdag) follows Remembrance Day (Dodeherdenkingsdag), which wasn’t quite so frivolous. As a flat, we attended the event in Dam Square, on the evening of 4th May, which I guess would be close to what happens at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday.
The next day, I forsook the opportunity to celebrate once more, and went to see the Ajax once again, who through a contrived system, must partake in the play-offs to gain the last Champions League spot. Their last game is on Sunday against FC Twente, and I know you’re all dying to know the result, so I’ll keep you posted…
Forgiven. I do, however buy in kilo blocks if I’m buying cheddar from Costco. It’s particularly tasty cheese, so mature it has those crystals in it.
Well those kilo blocks tend to be gone in a few days here. Five people and they all put cheese on their sandwiches!
Oh, and an aside, Queensday is on the birthday of queen Juliana, current queen Beatrix’s mother, not Wilhelmina, who is Juliana’s mother.