Queens Day: Everybody and Everything Else

The month of May is slipping by me like a slimy raw herring (Dutch delicacy, I highly recommend). Time flies when you're having fun/ celebrating national holidays, showing guests around the city and trying to study for upcoming exams. I guess I should begin by rewinding all the way back to the 30th of April, the biggest date on the Dutch calendar: Queen's Day!

My super cool neighbours Pip and Ren hosted a Koninginnendag (queen's day) brunch out the front of our containers. A nutritious/delicious start to what was a loooong day.

Billy joined me form Paris and bravely donned some orange for the occasion (Fun Fact: people wear orange because it's the colour of the Royal Family: the House of Orange-Nassau. Not because it's a universally unflattering hue).

Just me chillin' with queen Bea (not to be confused with queen Bey who I saw the week earlier) and the new queen Maxima and king Willem Alexander (does anybody else think he looks a smidge like a young Bert Newton?!)

What was happening in town you ask? Every canal was clogged with boats (we commandeered a house boat for a bit) and the streets, ALL the streets were packed shoulder to shoulder with bewildered tourists and crazy Dutchies...

like this guy. He's like a frumpy Winnie the Pooh.

It got sunny for a little while early in May and, for the first time since I've moved in, the world around my containers was green. I utilised the UV goodness and took a day trip down to Lisse, to see the world famous Keukenhof tulip fields. 

My Belgian friend Christina came along and we frolicked in the flowers beds. 

Pretty much the next day the sun slunk back into hibernation and I haven't seen it again since. I DID get to see Caitlin and Alex though, fresh from their Berlin adventures.

CJ and Alex outside my Uni Campus on Oudezijds Achterburgwal. Quite the mouthful. So were these bad boys... 

Rhubarb and berry crumble at De Laatste Kruimel. Do swing by if you're ever in the 'dam. I've taken all my visitors there so far.

 LOVE ME.

Cafe-hopping led to the usual guilt spiral that comes from being more committed to the Dutch confectionary scene than the cultural one. As an antidote we decided to swing the by the recently reopened Van Gogh Museum (literally opened about 10 days before we went). It was amaze.

Pip's head looking at Van Gogh's head. 

Annnnnd afterwards we went to the Food Festival in Westerpark, because it had been about four hours since our last snack. After spotting the suspicious "My Little Pony Burger" I didn't actually end up eating anything.

I waved goodbye to Caitlin and Alex on Monday and look what the cat dragged in on Tuesday... Sam!

I was so happy to see him I decorated the man in rhinestones.  Don't worry, he was too jet lagged to go out in public anyway.

That night we cycled off to my life drawing class. I'm proud to say I'm not improving in the slightest. The ride to class is a pretty one though 'cause the canal belts light up at night.

And yesterday (we're finally catching up the present!) I took old Samuel to sample the famous raw herring. So far it's received positive reviews from both him an Billy, but then, everything tastes better when it comes with a Dutch toothpick flag. Speaking of flags, I'm off to a Eurovision party tonight- I'm disproportionately excited. All the Europeans think I'm unhinged.

And today Sam and I went to explore the piers behind the containers in between bouts of rain. All in all it's been a marvellous three weeks (I've barely spent a day without a visitor). Here's hoping the weather FINALLY gets better and the good company continues, ja?