Amsterdam hosted Euro Pride this year. Himself and I went to wave our Freaky Flag and add our support. There are few things that help illustrate to me just how privileged I am than the fact that I live in a free city where not only can this parade exist, but that I can go and celebrate with my friends, and their friends and not have to worry about discrimination or attack from anything more upsetting than pick pockets.
It’s a humbling experience, and yet I come away from it today still so full of love, good feelings and emotion that I wonder how bad news and wars can exist in the same world where events like this happen. Would you like to know more?
We went to the Canal Parade on Saturday night which was wending its way down the Prinsengracht.
It was on as part of the Amsterdam Light Festival which is on at the moment.
We positioned ourselves at the bottom of the Negen Straatjes hoping to get a good position from which to see.
The initial rain shower was disconcerting, but it didn’t hang around long thank goodness!
As the boats and floats wound around the water ways and under our bridge, we had a good view to see the lights, and sing along with the bands!
The fire twirlers filled me with happy memories of going to watch friends perform. The smell of the kerosene brought a smile to my face
Santa made an appearance and waved to the crowd while wishing us all a Merry Christmas.
The parade came to its conclusion with a boat that had red and green lasers pointed at mirror balls. It was a sight to see all those pinpoints reflected onto all the canal houses!
The photo doesn’t really do it justice, so I got footage for you! (I love you all that much!)
But before you watch it, I’m going to issue a seizure warning. It’s got a steady flash to it if you’re susceptible to such things.
The one thing we both forgot (or didn’t think about) was to take tripods to hold the cameras still for really low light shots! (There is a multitude of fuzzy photos which will never see the light of day!)
Along with several thousand other people, we made our way to the Prinsengracht to watch the Amsterdam 2012 Pride Parade on Saturday.
The Parade was as wonderful as any I’ve been to or participated in. Though it was interesting to watch the crowd, as I’ve never seen a crowd so difficult to rile up! Only one float got a real reaction out of them in the 4 hour parade, and that was the group doing the actions to YMCA.
My large camera brings all the boys to my yard … ?
These guys were wonderful and everyone did stop and respond when the bugle played and they saluted the crowds.
The queens.
The queen Queen. Good ol’ Bea!
Some of the expressions I captured were just priceless!
The Dancers are always full of energy! (I’m not sure anything could have stopped this guy!)
There is s unique logistical problem with holding the Parade on the canals. For the first time ever, I’ve seen the floats actually float. But they also have to get under bridges. So what you get, is a lot of floats being air filled, like jumping castles, that get hauled down and deflated at the last minute.
Though this solution was elegantly executed also …
The other popular theme this year was ticker tape cannons. So I’ll leave you today with this shot.
Have a Rainbow filled day, and life, My Fabulous Fishies! *air kisses*
