Yesterday, April 30, was Koninginnedag (Queen's Day/Dia da Rainha), a national holiday of the Koninkrijk der Nederlander (Kingdom of The Netherlands/ Reino dos Países Baixos).
As usual, people went to the streets in the four countries of the kingdom,
(Aruba, Curaçao, The Netherlands and Sint Maarten) dressing in orange, the colour of the ruling Dutch Royal House, the House of Orange-Nassau.
The Orange dynasty was established as a result of the marriage of Hendrik III of Nassau-Breda from Germany and Claudia of Châlon-Orange from French Burgundy in 1515.
Hendrick's nephew, William, de Zwijger (William, the Silent/Guilherme, o Taciturno) was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648.
The present Kingdom was established in 1815, after the Napoleon's defeat in 1813. Some years later, Belgium seceded from the Kingdom (1830) and Luxembourg ended its personal union with the Netherlands (1890).
It's tradition of this national day to participate at the flea market. In each street, we find people trying to sell the result of their spring cleaning: toys, books, clothes, shoes, china, name it. This is the only day of the year that the Dutch government permits sales on the street without the payment of value added tax.
Yesterday, we saw second-hand articles quite in good condition and brand new too (they were never used as they had the plastic covers yet). As a pro-recycling person, I like this kind of second-hand market.
A friend of mine was once in Bussum, a whealthy area, and he bought by a couple of euro very nice toys for his child.
Look! What a very creative manner of selling old books. ;-)
We enjoyed our Queen's Day very much. :-)
The terraces were like this...
People were singing 70's hits like ABBA and others.
These ladies were singing "Le Freak ". Suddenly, I remembered my childhood...;-)
Meanwhile, Queen Beatrix was, as usual, visiting two places of the kingdom. This year, she went to Weert and Thorn, in Limburg.
I think this is a very good way to promote the tourism in the country, specially the less known towns and cities. I never heard about the Planetarium in Franeker (Friesland) until the Queen was there in 2008.
This is the promotion film about Thorn and Weert.You will be able to see the typical Thorn white houses and the Weert horses, as well as the traditional clothes and the monuments of both places.
Queen's Day is celebrated on the 30th April, Queen Juliana's birthday (1909), as a choice of Her Majesty, Queen Beatrix, not only as a tribute to the former Queen, but also because the weather is better this time of the year.
Have a nice week! Stay well! :-)
As usual, people went to the streets in the four countries of the kingdom,
(Aruba, Curaçao, The Netherlands and Sint Maarten) dressing in orange, the colour of the ruling Dutch Royal House, the House of Orange-Nassau.
 |
| From Koninginnedag 2011 |
The Orange dynasty was established as a result of the marriage of Hendrik III of Nassau-Breda from Germany and Claudia of Châlon-Orange from French Burgundy in 1515.
 |
| From Koninginnedag 2011 |
Hendrick's nephew, William, de Zwijger (William, the Silent/Guilherme, o Taciturno) was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648.
The present Kingdom was established in 1815, after the Napoleon's defeat in 1813. Some years later, Belgium seceded from the Kingdom (1830) and Luxembourg ended its personal union with the Netherlands (1890).
 |
| From Koninginnedag 2011 |
It's tradition of this national day to participate at the flea market. In each street, we find people trying to sell the result of their spring cleaning: toys, books, clothes, shoes, china, name it. This is the only day of the year that the Dutch government permits sales on the street without the payment of value added tax.
 |
| From Koninginnedag 2011 |
Yesterday, we saw second-hand articles quite in good condition and brand new too (they were never used as they had the plastic covers yet). As a pro-recycling person, I like this kind of second-hand market.
 |
| From Koninginnedag 2011 |
A friend of mine was once in Bussum, a whealthy area, and he bought by a couple of euro very nice toys for his child.
 |
| From Koninginnedag 2011 |
 |
| From Koninginnedag 2011 |
Look! What a very creative manner of selling old books. ;-)
 |
| From Koninginnedag 2011 |
We enjoyed our Queen's Day very much. :-)
The terraces were like this...
 |
| From Koninginnedag 2011 |
People were singing 70's hits like ABBA and others.
 |
| From Koninginnedag 2011 |
These ladies were singing "Le Freak ". Suddenly, I remembered my childhood...;-)
Meanwhile, Queen Beatrix was, as usual, visiting two places of the kingdom. This year, she went to Weert and Thorn, in Limburg.
I think this is a very good way to promote the tourism in the country, specially the less known towns and cities. I never heard about the Planetarium in Franeker (Friesland) until the Queen was there in 2008.
This is the promotion film about Thorn and Weert.You will be able to see the typical Thorn white houses and the Weert horses, as well as the traditional clothes and the monuments of both places.
Queen's Day is celebrated on the 30th April, Queen Juliana's birthday (1909), as a choice of Her Majesty, Queen Beatrix, not only as a tribute to the former Queen, but also because the weather is better this time of the year.
Have a nice week! Stay well! :-)
7 comments:
I LOVE IT!!! I TOTALLY LOVE HEARING WHAT IS GOING ON OUT THERE, IN DUTCH!!! Thank you Sandra....Anita
Que interessante. Gostei muito de aprender. Bj!
Great explanation of what Queen's Day is, and a bit of historic background there, daarbij ;) I stand corrected when I said that I don't ever want to buy or look at the stuff they sell at these flee markets - I like buying 2nd hand books when they're in good condition, of course!
Sandra, só me resta dar-te os parabéns por esta bela reportagem e sublinhar que não me teria importado de comemorar o Dia da Rainha em qualquer um dos países assinalados :)))))
Beijinhos e boa semana!
Obrigada a todas! :-)
Beijinhos!!
To achando que vou vender uns brinquedos e roupinhas antigas das crianças por lá ano que vem. Acho que dá para ganhar uma graninha $$$, hahaha !
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