Just watching the Queensday celebrations on national television. Queen Beatrix was taken through the city of Apeldoorn, watching a historical parade passing by her in a major thoroughfare. About 200,000 people were present, and as per usual in the last 28 years, it was a family occasion. For the royal family, for every family in the land. Some had emptied their attics and garages to sell any bricabrac on the roadside. Others were taking part in street fairs and games.
11.49
The white open-topped bus turned right from the Loolaan into the access road towards Palace 't Loo. A crash was heard and the TV camera veered left to focus on a small black car that careered across the intersection at speeds of 45 to 60 mph. It crashed into the Needle, a monument to Queen Wilhelmina and came to a shuddering halt. A police cyclist narrowly avoided being swept off, but dozens of others were not so lucky. Some were lying motionless, strewn across the junction, bleeding profusely. The driver was stabilised in his car by police. The coach with the royal party sped off, speeding up from the previous 2 mph to reach the safety of Palace 't Loo.
Queensday is a festive occasion, in which all Dutch people unite to have fun and celebrate. It carries happy childhood memories. It has been a long time since I took part in the celebrations; I think about 33 years ago. It is 12 years ago since I last was in Holland to witness the events on TV. In this village, celebrations were due to start at 1pm.
Instead, flags were lowered to halfmast. Celebrations were called off, scaled down, shortened or phased out. Reactions vary from upset to angry. An ashen-faced Queen appearing on television, showing her 71 years of age.
Why? A man loses his job, and his ability to pay his rent. Due to be evicted tomorrow. He takes his car the 30 km north to Apeldoorn, determined to crash into the Royal bus. He is injured in hospital, facing charges of murder, manslaughter and attempting to assassinate the royal family. Four people are dead, 13 are injured, of whom 8 seriously.
A dreadful closure to a dreadful year, starting on 1 May 2008 with the death of my mother.
11.49 on 30 April 2009. The time nobody in this country is likely to forget in a hurry.
Thursday, 30 April 2009
Queen's Day - update
After the dramatic and upsetting scenes in Apeldoorn, 16 miles north of here, information has been released about the sequence of events. The driver, a 38 year old man from Huissen near Arnhem, had crashed through a barrier, then picked up more speed to go through a second barrier. He veered through a junction and smashed into a memorial. It is thought that the two first collisions disabled the car's steering. An open-topped coach, carrying the Royal Family, was driving past the scene as it happened, and Queen Beatrix, speaking on national television, was visibly upset.
The man is to be charged with an attempt on the Royal Family, murder and manslaughter.
Four people are dead, 13 injured of whom 8 seriously. Victim support is offered to all who were present, including the Royal Family.
I have been twittering about events until 5pm local time, but am currently blocked for exceeding my hourly quota. Thanks Twitter.
The man is to be charged with an attempt on the Royal Family, murder and manslaughter.
Four people are dead, 13 injured of whom 8 seriously. Victim support is offered to all who were present, including the Royal Family.
I have been twittering about events until 5pm local time, but am currently blocked for exceeding my hourly quota. Thanks Twitter.
Queen's Day
Today, Holland celebrates the birthday of its Queen. Beatrix was 71 in January. As has become customary since 1981, Beatrix and her family went walkabout through a city, Apeldoorn (15 miles north of here) to meet the public. Celebrations and events were taking place in a park. Afterwards, the royal party were transferring by bus to the palace 't Loo and viewing a historical parade. Their open-topped coach was turning into the Palace grounds when a car sped through the barriers and the viewing public. As it crashed into a memorial, its windscreen was already smashed. Fourteen people were injured, three of whom apparently seriously.
As I am watching the events unfold on Dutch TV, I am told that all further events have been cancelled for the day. There was to have been a file-past - which will not now take place. There is speculation (not more) about the cause and reasons of the crash. Will post on Facebook, Twitter and here as I get more information.
As I am watching the events unfold on Dutch TV, I am told that all further events have been cancelled for the day. There was to have been a file-past - which will not now take place. There is speculation (not more) about the cause and reasons of the crash. Will post on Facebook, Twitter and here as I get more information.
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Wednesday 29 April
Back in Holland after almost 3 months, and spring is in full swing. Whereas it is tip-toeing its way into the Hebrides, flowers are out in full glory down here. The dawn chorus woke me at 5 this morning, something that doesn't happen in Stornoway. Not many songbirds there, unfortunately.
Yesterday's trip, as I indicated on Facebook, was hellish. Due to an error at the Stornoway check-in desk, my luggage went astray at London Heathrow. I knew I had to manually cart my bag from Heathrow to Gatwick, a 50 mile road journey. I waited and waited at Heathrow, and when I made enquiries, the mistake came to light. It took an hour and a half in all for them to reunite me with my case, by which time it was too late to get to Gatwick for my connecting flight. I was rebooked on a later flight out of Heathrow, at 6pm. Four hours later, and yet another more hour due to a delay, I took off for Amsterdam. Nice flight over southeastern England, and we crossed the coast at Harwich, where the ferry from Hook of Holland was just coming in to dock. A spot of turbulence nearly made us all spill our tea. Arrived into Schiphol at 9.15pm, four hours late. One hour later, my train departed for Arnhem, where I got at 11.30pm. It was midnight by the time I finally got to greet my dad. Hope the return journey is not as fraught as this episode was.
Yesterday's trip, as I indicated on Facebook, was hellish. Due to an error at the Stornoway check-in desk, my luggage went astray at London Heathrow. I knew I had to manually cart my bag from Heathrow to Gatwick, a 50 mile road journey. I waited and waited at Heathrow, and when I made enquiries, the mistake came to light. It took an hour and a half in all for them to reunite me with my case, by which time it was too late to get to Gatwick for my connecting flight. I was rebooked on a later flight out of Heathrow, at 6pm. Four hours later, and yet another more hour due to a delay, I took off for Amsterdam. Nice flight over southeastern England, and we crossed the coast at Harwich, where the ferry from Hook of Holland was just coming in to dock. A spot of turbulence nearly made us all spill our tea. Arrived into Schiphol at 9.15pm, four hours late. One hour later, my train departed for Arnhem, where I got at 11.30pm. It was midnight by the time I finally got to greet my dad. Hope the return journey is not as fraught as this episode was.
Sunday, 1 February 2009
Sunday evening
Tomorrow, I shall once more make my way northwest to Stornoway. In a direct line, that is a distance of 625 miles or 1,000 km. From door to door, this will take me about 11 to 12 hours - all being well. With a couple of hours waiting time at Gatwick, total flying time is 8 hours. Apart from a scheduled entry, which will appear automatically on Atlantic Lines later tomorrow, my next post should be made on Tuesday. The Shell Gallery will go back under wraps, much like its real life namesake at the Castle was today.
Once more, I'd like to thank you all for reading and hope you'll rejoin me on Atlantic Lines come Tuesday.
Once more, I'd like to thank you all for reading and hope you'll rejoin me on Atlantic Lines come Tuesday.
1 February 1953
The above map of southwestern Holland shows the areas in the provinces of Zuid Holland, Noord Brabant and Zeeland under water on the morning of 1 February 1953, in other words 56 years ago today. By time of posting, more than 1,800 people had drowned. A detailed account can be found here - please be aware that this site is originally in Dutch, but is being presented to you in English through Google Translator.
The disaster had started the day before, when a deep depression had moved southeast from Iceland towards northwestern Europe. On its western flank, hurricane force northwesterly winds battered Scotland - forcing the cargo ship Glen Macquarrie ashore near Borve on the Isle of Lewis, and smashing in the bowdoors of a ferry in the Irish Sea, sinking it with all hands - then eastern England. The high winds drove a springtide into the shallows of the southern North Sea, augmenting it as the narrows of the Strait of Dover did not allow sufficient drainage of the tidal surge. As a result, by 6pm on 31 January, the low tide saw the sea already dangerously close to the tops of the dykes in southwestern Holland. By midnight, high tide coincided with the height of the storm, causing the dykes to break.
The poor communications of the day, together with the fact that radio did not transmit at night, meant that the warnings came too late for many. The ringing of church bells was the only warning many got. Some got away in their attics, after the roofs floated away from the walls of the houses. The accounts are still available (in Dutch), but are a chilling reminder of the horror of that day.
The "Watersnoodramp", as the event is called in Holland, marked a turning point in thinking about coastal defences. After being on the backburner for more than 30 years, the dykes in the southwestern provinces suddenly became top priority. All the estuary mouths were closed off in the following 35 years, apart from the Westerschelde, which is the access route to Antwerp.
Fatalities did not just occur in Holland; 300 people died around the Wash and in the Thames Estuary in England.
1 February
February made a white and very cold start in Holland. Awoke this morning to a thin (1 cm / ½ in) cover of snow and a strong easterly wind. This served to make the -1C on the thermometer feel even colder than it ordinarily would.
Went to church to augment the number of tenor singers from 1 to 2. Good service this morning, very topical and to the point. In the past, perhaps of being of a younger age, I'd yawn my way through a sermon, but not these days. Had to be careful on the streets outside; church here is surrounded by cobbled stones and (as anything in this village) stands on a sloping street. You can safely discard the idea that Holland is flat. It ain't.
After lunch, we went to the cemetery to place flowers on my mother's grave. Hopefully, the addition of sugar to the water and the fact that there were quite a few flowers will help to extend their life in these freezing conditions. On return, we found that the Castle Country Park had been opened for visitors (it normally doesn't open until April 15th), so we ventured in. The main features had been wrapped in tarpaulins to protect them against frost. The wind made it very cold, so we did not stay long. A pity, as it is one of my favourite places in the village.
Orangerie
Castle and Countrypark
A white awakening
More pictures here
Went to church to augment the number of tenor singers from 1 to 2. Good service this morning, very topical and to the point. In the past, perhaps of being of a younger age, I'd yawn my way through a sermon, but not these days. Had to be careful on the streets outside; church here is surrounded by cobbled stones and (as anything in this village) stands on a sloping street. You can safely discard the idea that Holland is flat. It ain't.
After lunch, we went to the cemetery to place flowers on my mother's grave. Hopefully, the addition of sugar to the water and the fact that there were quite a few flowers will help to extend their life in these freezing conditions. On return, we found that the Castle Country Park had been opened for visitors (it normally doesn't open until April 15th), so we ventured in. The main features had been wrapped in tarpaulins to protect them against frost. The wind made it very cold, so we did not stay long. A pity, as it is one of my favourite places in the village.
Orangerie
Castle and Countrypark
A white awakening
More pictures here
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