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Monday, December 6
Today, the two chambers
of Parliament came together for a joint session in commemoration of
the queen's father, prince Bernhard. He died last Wednesday at an age
of 93. Earlier this year (March 20th) his wife, former queen Juliana
died.
The prince was a controversial figure since it came out
in 1976 that he'd received money from Lockheed. But in the last years
of his life he regained the sympathy of the people for his softened
character and his non-conformistic opinions and lifestyle. From shallow
royal gigolo he'd become a charming wise old fart.
Parliament will be closed until his burial on Saturday, in the city
of Delft.
Bernhard's death and all
the news surrounding his death come as a relief, a welcome distraction
to the Netherlands. The country is still in shock after the violent
death of filmmaker Theo van Gogh a month ago. While the majority is
calling for action against religious intolerance and the decline of
tolerance, nonviolence and non-secularity, the mainly left-wing media,
MP's and the conservative Dutch government alike are doing everything
they can to please the introverted and thus highly criticized muslem
minority.
Not the family house of the mourning family of mister Van Gogh got a
visit by the queen and prime minister two weeks ago, but Dutch mosques
did. And a few days later not intolerance or anti-terror measurements
were debated in parliament, but whether or not to limit free speech
and making it easier to persecute religious offense. It has become a
weird country here.
Saturday, December 19
Back in the Netherlands
again: Oleta Adams (
)
in concert. It's our second concert within a week, and although the
audience in Amsterdam isn't half as enthusiastic as the people in Breda
in the south of the Netherlands a week ago, the artist and the company
of our friends José and Matthijs make up for a lot. We go home
fully energized. What a voice and what a wonderful personality.
Wednesday, December 22
The German city of Köln
()
is famous for it's many Christmas markets. Although after a day of shopping
we've only seen two of them, it turns out to be a very productive day
after all. We've bought lots of goodies, have eaten many German sausages
and on top of that met with this really nice Kölner Bube:
Stephane.
Friday, December 24
An ordinary Christmas
Eve after such a turbulent year! The living room looks ready, but the
kitchen is still a mess: JG is busy making ice cream for tomorrow's
family dinner.
Boxing Day will be for the three of us alone. Watching some old movies,
listening to some music, cuddling up with the cats on our laps in front
of the fire place. But first we'll have to visit Minutian's father this
afternoon, who is celibrating his 86th birthday today.