Crowds of orange flood the canals—clown hats with orange feathers, hoards of past-drunk men trying to sing in unison, Heineken bottles littered on the sidewalks—it’s King’s Day!
Well—in my dreams. I can’t believe it’s Year 2—another year of King’s Day indoors due to COVID. What a great reminder it is to have moved to Amsterdam right before COVID.
Wait…what the hell am I saying? I’m an introvert and would hate to be in the middle of hoards of drunk men dressed up in orange feathers shouting, singing, and pissing on the streets—an introvert’s worst nightmare.
It’s a perfect, sunny, and peaceful start to King’s Day 2021 along the Singel canal. Peering out my window, I see glimmers (not floods) of orange starting to line the streets—two young girls dressed in orange skirts holding hands with papa about to set off on the day’s adventure, a rowing team of 4 slowly gliding across the canals in unison, and the occasional orange sweater or pant. Calm. Peaceful. No hoards of past-drunk men shouting songs and pissing on the streets.
FOMO…some times we fear of missing out on things that would be our worst nightmares. Why?
Well, that’s a bigger question for another day. It would be nice to finally experience a King’s Day in Amsterdam—well once—but until then, I’ll enjoy the tranquility that COVID has brought us. A good reminder to get the hell outta my house now because it’s a bright, sunny, peaceful King’s Day 2021.