arwen_lune

Maybe my current irritation is based in The World (tm) flooding me with something that isn't relevant or even very particularly interesting to me (UK election) but completely bypassing something that is very relevant and interesting to me. Maybe if I write about it? Maybe if I say 'World, this Thing happened, and this is why it's significant and worthy of a little attention' that will help make me feel better?

That Thing would be May 4 & 5. Rememberance Day and Liberation Day. Even to most of the Netherlands it's not a big deal. 2 minutes silence on 4, and some festivities on 5 May.

Except here in Wageningen. This place goes upside down. First at midnight on May 4 the 'Liberation fire' was lit here and then spread overnight by 150 runners and cyclists to cities throughout the country. I heard them pass until deep into the night, but it was hard to be annoyed about it really. If you're about to run god knows how far into the night while carrying an oil lamp, you're allowed to cheer. Even at 1:30am while passing under my window.

Then May 5. I posted about it last year. Picture those photos with better weather and at least double the crowd. It was massive. There were 18 stages throughout the city centre, playing pretty much any music you'd care to hear. (so um, no rap. As far as I know. But I didn't see all the stages). And a bunch of unofficial performances - one really neat one in main street, where one of the houses above shop level had set up amps on their balcony and someone gave a lovely performance on that perfect stage.
There were roughly 100 000 visitors. Considering this is a town of 36 000 normally... 
The parade was lovely again. Lump-in-throat moment was the man who was flanked by two first aiders, leaning very heavily, but clearly taking great pride in walking the route instead of riding in one of the vehicles. If he wasn't deaf already, he may have gone deaf from the applause. It's a sad thought that it will have been the last time here for several of them. It always is...
We had a HUGE Canadian contingent this time - in addition to the vets and their families (which is always a big group to begin with) at least a hundred sec schoolers had come over, for some sort of living history project I think? Couldn't find that out.

Snow and troo came over, and we had a great afternoon walking around, listening to music, and then came back here to watch the parade from my balcony. Then sadly they had to leave early. But still, it was really nice to have someone to experience it with - made me feel less like I make up the crazyness that is Lib day where I live.

Oh, I don't know why I wrote this. Maybe just because I feel it's significant and merits a little airspace amidst all the election stuff going on?