Koninginnedag (Queen's Day) - 30 April 2008

[TLLK]

Originally Posted by lucien

I know..grin...I followed the "live report" on the BRMB,like you did...
Fun report by that guy living at that canal,what's his name again?
Could use a funny character like him here.

LOL! I'm on the West Coast of the U.S, so by the time I tuned into Today (alerted by Marlene at the BRMB) it was time for President Bush's press conference. Alas, I had to make do with the videos on the show's website.

[Marengo]

Ok, you probably saw a little decorations from his footage already too? The streetlights are decorated with Orange balloons. But this is a more quiet part I think, a flea market only for children here. Rembrandsplein and Leidseplein are completely covered with Orange balloons, banners and such (as are other parts of the center).

---

Some pictures of the preparations:

Staff of the Dutch embassy in Berlin handing out tulips

The court pond (of parlament, in The Hague) with Orange water

Makkum is sweeping the street

A stand-in Queen in Makkum with the Frisian flag in the background

Kids practising

More kids in Orange

Utrecht already celebrates

Rehearsal of a play in Franeker

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Marengo

That would be me :). He was wearing ghastly trousers btw, orange ones.
Anyway,it was fun to watch from the window, and to keep it related to Queensday... he was peddling on the Canal of the Prince (Prinsengracht) and he interviewed people on the terrace of cafe 'De Prins' (the prince).

Very funny to watch the bystanders, the obligatory angry cyclist who gets annoyed that he has to step of the bike, as there was a crowd, and several ladies who got their prams stuck in the camera wires.

Now...did he say anything about Queensday... to try to get in on topic again .

Oh I knew that,was just wondering if TLLK was whom I thought/think she is.....and to her reply,oh well.....


Oh according to Joris at the BRMB,Twan Huys was in NOVA and did mention it all yes.Nice guy,Twan.

[TLLK]

Lucien-I read the BRMB, but I have yet to join in the discussions there. When I read the board this morning, that is how I found about Lauer's visit. Enjoy Queensday tomorrow.

[Aurora810]

Oh darn, I had no idea that Matt Lauer was in the Netherlands. I'll have to go watch the show's video's on their site. As always I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

[lucien]

Originally Posted by TLLK

Lucien-I read the BRMB, but I have yet to join in the discussions there. When I read the board this morning, that is how I found about Lauer's visit. Enjoy Queensday tomorrow.

Oh I see,thank you!It was fun wasn't it?Short,but fun.
Especially with Marengo's comment while hanging out of his window.
Maybe there's a shot of that curly headed man in Matt's program too!?

[Marengo]

No, I wasn't in the programme, I was able to watch it on the NBC website though.

This was the info they had on Queensday:

Queen’s Day
I'm very, very, very, very curious about Queen's Day. It's the day after the show, but if this legend is to be believed, the city itself will shut down, law and order as we know it will cease to exist, and Amsterdam and its proud citizenry will devolve into a sea of orange and debauchery, the likes of which the Western world hasn't seen since the liberation of Paris.
The people from the city have scared the pants off us about this. They've even said that they cannot guarantee that our bus is going to be able to leave our hotel and get to the airport. That's crazy talk. They've offered the idea of SENDING US A BOAT to get us out of the center of the city and to a place where a bus can get to us, guaranteed. Are you kidding me?
As far as the holiday goes, Koninginnedag (Queen's Day) is actually the birthday of the current queen's mother, Juliana; the current queen is Beatrix (Queen Bea?). On that day the city shuts down, and the whole place becomes an open-air flea market where people stake out space to sell their (tawdry?) wares.
Everyone wears orange and drinks, well, a lot. I've heard it described as everything from their Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Mardi Gras all rolled into one. Everyone's out in the streets, but it's also a celebration for families, and a way to welcome the sun back to this northern clime. The population of the city of 700,000 swells to 2 million, evidently.
The other thing is that apparently the craziness starts the afternoon/night before. The closest thing I can compare it to is the night before Thanksgiving in Massachusetts. For young 20- and 30-somethings, it's probably the single biggest going-out night of the year, and you end up at The Hibernian, drinking beer out of a plastic cup and thinking about punching A. J. Reilly for the time he ditched you at Obe's house and took off with the car when the cops came and you had to walk all the way to your cousin's house, sleep on the porch and explain to your parents, aunt and uncle why you were there in the morning. That jerk.

Today show

--

The RF has arrived in Makkum, a lot of pink (HM, Máxima, Laurentien and Anita and WA's tie). Mabel is wearing a miniskirt and dark lipstick, Marilene more of her interchangeble Pauw outfits and Aimee in yellow. Can't understand anything of the mayor, he is talking Frisian.

None of the smaller royals/van Vollenhovens of course, as one of the gossip magazines was already screaming last week ('Why does Máxima hide her daughters')

A lot of agricultural stuff in Makkum.

[princess leonor]

Happy Queensday everyone!!! Does somebody know if we can see the whole thing live on the internet in some way?
Oh wait, never mind, already found it. Everyone who want to see the whole event check out this site: NOSJOURNAAL - Koninginnedag 2008
I love Maxima's pink outfit, she looks great, too bad the Queen is in pink as well though!

[Paty]

Thanks Princess leonor!!!!!!
ANP Beeldbank

[princess leonor]

hahah, they tried to get Q Beatrix to dance the salsa (she didn't get much further than 2 steps), but Maxima refused
Too bad she didn’t just dance a bit, would have loved it. Princess Anita did dance though, she’s great

[prinsesbeagle]

I can understand Maxima refused. The dancing thing is getting old. They need to come up with something new.

[Marengo]

I agree, and salsa isn't really Argentinian anyway.

The interviews with the public are great though, all these quiet/rough Frisians... the reporter has to ask and ask and ask before they say anything.

Reporter: Did the Prince say anything to you?
Boy: No.
Reporter: Did you like meeting the prince
Boy: No, not at all!

Nice that Margriet sticks with HM btw, as the younger generation is all behind, giving hands and talking to the public.

[Paty]

Where they go now?

[Marengo]

To Franeker, which should be in 20 minutes or so. In the mean time the NOS will show the news and their yearly poll about the monarchy.

[Marengo]

Dancing Queen I

Dancing Queen II

A man in rags

A lady offered 3 knitted sweaters in the pattern of the Frisian flag to WA and Máxima for their daughters.

[Paty]

I love Amiee outfit!!!
William and Maxima are goin to Skating on ice!!!!!

[emilieweber2004]

pics from PPE
http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=30-04-2008%20Queensday

[princess leonor]

Originally Posted by Paty

I love Amiee outfit!!!
William and Maxima are goin to Skating on ice!!!!!

That's great I also love Aimee's outfit!

[Marengo]

Poor Friso looks as if he is getting tortured (his usual expression).

Máxima got a scouting tie, as she is the patron of scouting Netherlands. I was surprised she didn't slip on the 'ice', considering she was in a skirt!

I saw somebody in the public with a bow for princess Mabel, don't know if she was able to hand it over.

HM lost the blanket, the outfit under it is actually quite nice.

His Hotness

The Queen and the monk

Having fun

Two hats

[msleiman]

Originally Posted by princess leonor

hahah, they tried to get Q Beatrix to dance the salsa (she didn't get much further than 2 steps), but Maxima refused
Too bad she didn’t just dance a bit, would have loved it. Princess Anita did dance though, she’s great

I sorry but I do not understand the salsa thing? Why would they dance salsa, maybe I am missing something?! How long have they being doing that??