Today is King's Day in The Netherlands. The day King Willem Alexander celebrates his birthday with the entire nation as it is a national holiday in The Netherlands.
Amongst the many traditions on this day, where you probably encounter many Dutch wearing (something) orange in their outfit, the iconic orange tompouce, a two layered puff pastry rectangle cake with smooth icing on top and an invariably sweet filling of yellow pastry cream. Normally the icing is pink but on King's Day it's orange. (eating them without getting all messy and sticky is a true piece of art)
In about every city flea markets are organised. People selling their stuff from the attic, many children selling their outgrown toys, just to get home with stuff bought from others again. So practically toys and other things are just exchanged. 😊
Every year the King himself traditionally visits a different city in The Netherlands with his family. During a walking tour the locals can show him and his family their crafts and organisations. The family participates in conversations and often also in little games, or other festivities the people organised.
This year the royal family visited Dokkum, the most northern city in Friesland. Mostly famous because it is the turning point for the 'Elfstedentocht'. [Eleven cities tour, is a long-distance tour skating event on natural ice, almost 200 kilometres. It is the longest biggest ice-skating tour in the world] The last Elfstedentocht took place in 1997, due to climate change the event is in danger of extinction.
However King Willem Alexander participated in the Elfstedentoch 40 years ago under the alias W.A. van Buuren. Soon the press found out it was the young (then) Crown Prince. He was welcomed by his parents at the finish, who flew in by helicopter as that was the only way to reach the place.
No doubt the King has vivid memories from this event. Meaning an ice lane could not be left out on todays tour through Dokkum. And sure enough he put on some blades and showed he didn't unlearn it.
Not only him but also Queen Maxima and their youngest daughter Ariane had fun riding their rounds.
Some more pics of the day in Dokkum 👇
King and Queen and their 3 daughters
📸 ANP / EPA
