Queens Day

If ever you plan to visit Holland, let it be on April the 30th, when we, the Dutch, celebrate the birthday of our queen, Beatrix of Orange. We do this in style. Most famous, or maybe I should say notorious, is the ‘orange market’. This is where we gather all our junk, and schlep it to the streets, where we try and sell it to other people who have also dragged their junk to the market. You basically end up buying each others junk, while drinking copious amounts of alcohol and hanging out with your friends, while kids play all sorts of games. Four Dutch girls on a fence

As ‘Dutch in exile’, we’ve got to miss our Queen’s Birthday Bash in Holland, so the Dutch gathered today somewhere in the foothills south of Beirut, and had their own Queens Day Celebration. It was pretty good, kids had lots of fun. Games for the smaller kids, and soccer for the older. Some of the rather 'Dutch' things to do on that day is 'zakkelopen'. You get into a bag (this one's the bag of Sinterklaas. Kids didn't notice though) and hop a certain track.

Another game is 'hang the laundry'. Yes, I know, odd indeed, and I do not know here it originates.There is the 'bucket walking' contest (must be related to the fact that we are partially below sea level).

A very popular one is the 'koek happen', although the 'koek' was replaced with marshmallows. That specific kind of koek is hard to find in Beirut.
There's the 'crown decoration' (see result on H 's head) and 'walk the egg', and they replaced the egg with a clementine. Bit safer, I assume. There were more games, but I think you got the idea now.
We gathered enough Dutch Boys to organize a real soccer match. This was only part of the team.
These are 'soccer moms'.
We spent the afternoon hanging out around the soccer field, and the atmosphere was great. Michele, Joke, Tineke and Helene (hope I am not forgetting anyone), thank you for a wonderful and well-planned event. Good job ladies! It was much appreciated.

And then here one for the 'inburgerings cursus' (or 'integration into Dutch society 101'): How can

you spot a Dutch man? The black, calf-length socks under a pair of shorts.