Koninginnedag (Queens Birthday)

Yesterday was the day that all of Holland and it’s far-flung ex-pat populations celebrated the Queen’s birthday. This is always a day when national pride and tearful flag waving reaches fever pitch for the Dutch, although to be honest they really don’t need much encouragement to don bright orange clothes, silly hats and boas to indulge in a bit of ‘orange fever’ at any time of year. The absolute over-the-top hysterical climax is whenever football is involved, but Queens Birthday is also a favourite day for cloggies at home and abroad.
This year of course we’re here in Singapore and as in often the case with ex-pat populations, the cloggies here seem to be trying to be more Dutch than their home based family and friends. This is a phenomenon I often saw when I was living in London. The Kiwis and Aussies over there go crazy for anything antipodean, drinking in Kiwi/Oz pubs, staying with people from ‘home’, only socialising with people from their own country who they really wouldn’t give the time of day if they were back in their own country. It’s all a bizarre but very common occurrence for ex-pat populations, their need to reassert their national identity multiplied by a factor of ten when they are living abroad. Perhaps I’ve lived abroad for too long but I’ve never felt the need to join New Zealand clubs or visit people who recently returned from their holidays there to drool over photos. Sure I miss lots of things about the country, but why make yourself miserable or pretend that if you were still living there that packaged ‘local’ things would have any special meaning to you?
I digress. Queens Day was duly celebrated here on the equator with orange fever hitting the Dutch School. It is of course lovely for the kids and a big part of their national identity. It was also a lot of fun with everybody dressing up in orange or red/white/blue and gathering in the gym (air conditioned thank God) to watch the Singapore and Dutch flags being raised and the national anthems sung. Actually no-one was game to have a crack at singing the Singapore anthem in Malay, but we all dutifully listened attentively. I’ve always found the Wilhelmus – the Dtuch anthem – a bit odd as it more or less starts off with the words “I am German” but since this isn’t a history lesson I’m not even gong to go there.

The Dutch Ambassador and his wife were in attendance and he gave a short speech about Queen Beatrix (known as Trixie in our household) before presenting the school and pre-school with fluorescent orange cakes to be shared amongst the kids. Ironically the massive hit of sugar and food colouring would have been perfectly timed to go off like a time bomb about the moment the kids were expected to sit quietly in the school buses going home.
The pre-school (called Jip & Janneke) stood on stage and sang a cute little song, and I was able to get a pic of Carl as he waved his flag like a trooper. Niels was in the front wearing a big hat with the rest of his class so was also easy to spot. A good time was had by all and the cloggies seemed satisfied with their fix of orange fever.

Here’s hoping we’ll still be here to celebrate this day next year as well – bottoms up Trixie!