We didn't even know there was such a thing as Kings Day. We found out well after we had booked our bike and sail. Long after we had booked our lodging.
But here we are and today was Kings Day, which is the birthday of a King... who liked orange.
According to Google, "King's Day is the Dutch national holiday celebrating the King's birthday on 27 April. If 27 April falls on a Sunday, King's Day is celebrated on the previous day."
Even before we left our motel room we could hear the thum thum thum of music as boat after boat loaded with bouncing, orange-clad celebrators cruised by in the canal below us.
I learned that about 700,000 people visit the city for the event. When I asked locals where we should go to participate, they told us it is everywhere in the city. I didn't believe them. I mapped our route to go see where we catch our sail boat on Sunday. And then we would walk to city center.
We passed this tiny car and Steve noticed it was locked to the fence.
Our boat was already in town being cleaned for our trip!
Here (below) are links to some videos from our experiences today.
Our first encounter with the crowds was in a park where people of all ages and races had their junk on a blanket or folding table to sell.
Video 1, the open market.
We walked several blocks and there were vendors selling beer, desserts, food, and old clothes and new clothes. DJs and bands and bongos and rappers.
Video 2, the crowds get tight in all directions.
Video 3, Canal Boats.
This pooch reminded me of our friend Christy's dog, Foster.
A bird was sitting on a nest in a tire floating on the canal. With all the hubbub around her/him, it stayed on the nest.
We were really enjoying ourselves.
It was 4:00 or so when routed us back to our room via some tourist stops.
I remembered posing in front of this sign with Jennifer and David when I came to Amsterdam in 2019. Thanks again to Mari Towle for arranging that trip!
We walked by the
King's castle and wondered how old the tiles were. A search says about 1768 ish?
Steve says we did 8.5 miles today. All of them full of orange revelers.
As I finish writing this at nine pm in our room, the thum thum thum of music continues to come up from the canal and streets below us. It will be interesting to see at what time it stops.
I messed up the email that is supposed to send the link to this blog out to all the subscribers. (Subscribing is free, thank goodness!) So I am trying to time my publishing for the next day so folks won't receive two in one email which tends to confuse folks.
We will see how it goes. One day at a time.
Tomorrow is Sunday and we start our bike and sail in the afternoon. In the morning we are visiting the Holocaust museum. Another full day of learning and fun.
it looks like you found your orange gear to wear, too, so you fit right in. Looks like fun to me. Thanks for posting.
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