" The world is like a book and those who do not travel have only read one page. " (Tour guide in Munich).
Thanks for sharing life with us!! As we go through this journey of life and experience the wonders of God's creation....
We land in Amsterdam (with our aunties) for our planned weekend trip, not knowing that we land alongside half a million other people who have made their way to Amsterdam from all over the world to party and participate in the Gay Parade that is held in Amsterdam that very weekend!!! What a pleasant coincidence for us - to be in Amsterdam on its most happening weekend of the year!
For the 2 nights that we are there, there are street parties and heaps of people on the street all the time, young & old, girls and boys, girls holding hands with girls, boys holding hands with boys, boys dressing up as girls....the lot! My aunts were really enjoying themselves walking the streets, squeezing through the crowd at the street parties and seeing all types of people most of them different from the crowd that they are used to back in Malaysia.... Quite an eye opener for some of us. :) Having just seen the musical "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" in London a week or so ago about drag queens in Australia, they now get to see real life drag queens and have their photographs taken with them. Some of the clubs are decorated with rainbow coloured flags...and I learnt, that rainbow colours signify "gay-ness". Guess you learn something new everyday.
Picture of us posing with men that look just like women.
A very poise drag queen walking the streets
Man carrying a life-size male doll
The many colorful characters at the gay parade.
Streets decorated with rainbow colored balloons
We stayed in a hotel right in the middle of the city, hence could hear all the music from the clubs and see all the street parties happening from the safety of the balcony of our hotel rooms.
The highlight of the Gay Canal Parade is of course the parade .....a floating parade of I dont know how many but I would think at least 50 floats on the canals of Amsterdam. There were just heaps and heaps of people watching the parade and its difficult to get a good spot...but we managed to squeeze our way. Some boats are really funny, with the participants dressed up as drag queens, cupids, or in funky gear...but also some boats that were kinda boring - people just wearing normal t-shirt shaking/moving around. Also, I noticed that some boats were sponsored by coorporations such as PWC, IBM etc....quite a big affair.
This is one attractive float with wings.
Pink seem to be a favourite gay colour.
I think this boat is themed "Brides"
Red indian and coy boys.
These planes kept flying above us during the parade.
If only I know the words on banner.
The first such colorful and gayful parade I've seen live ;)
