Tape, pavements and all things orange
The sun is shining, the trees are coming out in leaf. But the most certain sign that spring is here in the Netherlands came when I was cycling home from the office on Tuesday. Beside the road was the first bit of tape I have seen this year. It was stuck down cordoning off an area for 'bewoners' (residents). Anywhere else this might signify someone trying to save their parking space.
But here it means Queens Day is coming. No, not a gay pride march but a shameless excuse for a huge street party on April 30. Being as the Dutch are not really ones for exuberant excess it's a sight to behold to see the streets and canals fill with orange clad revellers milling between the best beer/music/food spots and attempting to find the shortest toilet queues. Apparently is supposed to be the celebration of some royals birthday but essentially it is a day to do what you wouldn't be seen dead doing for the rest of the year, well not during the day anyway. Now where did I leave my inflatable orange crown from last year?
