May 23, 2006
The definition of irony is......................
...NOT going to Koninginnedag celebrations (held on April 30th)in Melbourne because it was raining!
Yes, you heard me. They celebrate Koninginnedag in Melbourne now. This is apparently a recent phenomena, beginning last year with the first public celebrations in order to mark Beatrix's Jubilee. 40,000 people turned up,(I didn't even know there were that many Dutch people in Melbourne!) and it was deemed such a success it was decided to hazard another year of Oranje and gezelligheid at Federation Square. We were strangely fascinated, much in the same way as with terrible car accidents; you want to look but are afraid of what you might see. Being brave we had decided we'd have to go see it for ourselves.
Shame then about the weather. When the day dawned cold, grey and drizzly, (JUST like the Netherlands) we chickened out and decided to stay at home instead. Not very Dutch after all! Still, looks like they had fun without us.
Bizarrely, the world record for clog dancing was achieved and sanctioned by the Guiness Book of Records. Here in Melbourne! What next I ask you?
Posted by Faith