Oranje boven!

I haven't really felt homesick since I moved to London -Holland just isn't that far away- but today I am feeling a bit melancholic. For the first time in years I can't join in the wonderful madness of Queen's day in Amsterdam. I am neither very patriotic nor a big fan of the monarchy but I do love Koninginnedag. I love strolling through the Vondelpark and seeing all the kids with their tiny screechy instruments, the egg races and all sorts of bizarre games. I love the organised chaos of the boat parade and I generally just love the whole party atmosphere that takes over the city. It's 'gezellig'!

To soften the blow of having to miss all of this this year, on Saturday I went to the London Holland House event sporting a bright orange top. Everybody with Dutch blood running in their veins and living in London was probably there. It was really weird being in a place where so many people were dressed in orange and speaking Dutch...while being in London. As one might expect it was quite a cliched event. (pictures!). Obviously there was a Volendammer herring cart, a stroopwafel vendor, dutch cheese girls, flowers and of course Heineken. There was even a guy making clogs, something I have never seen on any Queen's day before! Amazingly enough I even ran into a familiar face from the lab. It was fun but it can in no way match the real thing.

So today I am feeling a bit sad knowing I'm missing out on all this. I have put on my white trousers and a blue shirt and varnished my toe nails bright red so in my own subtle way I'm still keeping up our national colours. Next year I will definitely try to be there again. I hope all of you in Holland are having a great time today. Happy Queen's day!