Thursday, July 29, 2010

Utrecht, Netherlands: De Parade

De Parade is the much anticipated summer event in the Netherlands travelling to the 4 biggest cities in the country i.e. The Hague, Utrecht, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, of course. 

When HT hubbie told me that we were going to The Parade, as a newbie, i'm on the go!

We cycled (again) to the event area and met up with our Dutch friends who go to this event every year.  Our friend, GJ, organized everything from buying the tickets and the itinerary for the night (Bedankt, GJ!)

We entered an open area with lots of people hanging out and queueing up in big cargo containers.

What is De Parade all about?  It consists of mini-plays, music, literature, films dance, visual arts, eat and drink (rotterdam.info), you name it, they got it.

they hold plays in creative containers like this...


and this, simple but made lively by the funny lads, Leonard and Jeroen  (http://www.leonardenjeroen.nl/)  check them in facebook and youtube too!

We watched another mini play entitled RECHT NIET, if you ask me the plot, i can't really tell as I really don't know but definitely, gave me jaw aches from laughing.


in fun times like this, it won't be possible without drinks


something for the kids and wanna be kids

coping up with the technology (meet and tweet area) - handwritten in colorful papers


Of course, we wouldn't leave the place, without...

baking my own poffertjes (photo courtesy of our friend, MN)

What is poffertjes?
small pancakes look-alike that are made of yeast and buckwheat which are light and fluffy in texture (wikipedia).  Pouring the batter into the cast iron, you flip it when it's done.  Reminds me of takoyaki we have in Asia.


smothered with butter and powdered sugar...and with my own culinary touch....yum!


Dutch raves for it

Another thing I like about the Netherlands, they have one of the most creative minds in the planet...
Who said that outdoor disco is not possible?


think again...

It was a fun fun night!  We had drinks and endless chit chats until its time to go home. Dank je wel vrienden! (thank you friends)

Enjoy this event til August 1 in Utrecht, and moving to Amsterdam on Aug 6 onwards!

9 comments:

  1. the poffertjes remind me of mini castella cakes sans fillings (: the concept of having plays in cargo containers is cool.. they could cafes like that too!

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  2. yeah that's a good idea Jer Lin! :) It was fun fun to make my own poffertjes and the way it's pronounced 'poffertyes' (harsh at the end), kinda made the word unforgettable :D

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  3. Silent disco with people listening to headphones? Interesting! Must have been pretty amusing to watch them groove to nothing.. lolx

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  4. boy oh boy...the mini dutch waffles that I should've tried in Volendam!! ure having sucha awesome time...i doubt u'd wanna be back soon yeah? *winks*

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  5. Hey Daniel, yeah, i just can't stop laughing! Maybe i try it next year, just to get a feel of it. :)

    Hi Phoebe, haha, in days like this, yeah, i'm perfectly ok here in NL, but in days that are cold, sniff, i wanted to be back in SG. Hahaha

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  6. i love sitting on those swing-merry-go-rounds xD Super super fun!

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  7. u looked so happy making ur own poffertjes! yeah and i agree with daniel! haha!

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  8. Hi Oysterdiaries, yeah i like them too...especially when they go up high!

    Hi Charlene, I did...haha nothing beats cooking your own food :D

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  9. if you call that cooking of course :D

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