Of history and traditions
I'm in the uni cafeteria at the moment, having dinner. Usually, the fare is of the not-so-healthy kind; an average meal would be too-salty chips with a dubious salad that nobody eats, and something deep-fried. But today it's a good old-fashioned hearty Dutch meal: mash of potatoes, carrots and onions, with a choice of pork or veggie sausage (my choice).
This unusual very-nearly-homecooked-meal is not because the cafeteria cook was struck with a sudden flash of inspiration, but because celebrations for the Relief of Leiden (3 October) have already begun. During the 80 Years' War, which lasted from the middle of the 16th until the middle of the 17th century, and which eventually liberated the Netherlands from Spanish rule, Leiden endured a siege which came to an end on October 3rd by the Dutchest of means: the Dutch deliberately broke the dykes, flushing out the oppressors.
We Dutch just love being below sea-level sometimes.
Anyway, after the relief of Leiden, the first meal consisted of hutspot, which is the mash mentioned above, and then a ship arrived bearing white bread and herring, the second of the traditional dishes eaten to celebrate the relief. I don't like herring much, but I'm a good Dutch girl and I love my hutspot.
I generally love tradtions like this, because they remind me of my country's history, and although I'm very internationally orientated, I like being a bit of a chauvinist occasionally. (But only occasionally.)
What really annoys me, though, is that the library will be closed on Saturday - the 3rd - because of the celebrations. As much as I appreciate the importance of the Relief of Leiden and the end of the war in my country's glorious history - this pales in comparison to the importance of me finishing my BA in the here and now! (Unfortunately, the Powers that Be don't agree, and are still closing the library, despite my protests.)
* grumble *
What is nice though, is this:
It's one of the stained glass windows in St. Jan's Church in my hometown, Gouda, depicting the Relief of Leiden. It's a nice connection between the two cities in the country that I like best.
If only they'd open the bloody library.
This unusual very-nearly-homecooked-meal is not because the cafeteria cook was struck with a sudden flash of inspiration, but because celebrations for the Relief of Leiden (3 October) have already begun. During the 80 Years' War, which lasted from the middle of the 16th until the middle of the 17th century, and which eventually liberated the Netherlands from Spanish rule, Leiden endured a siege which came to an end on October 3rd by the Dutchest of means: the Dutch deliberately broke the dykes, flushing out the oppressors.
We Dutch just love being below sea-level sometimes.
Anyway, after the relief of Leiden, the first meal consisted of hutspot, which is the mash mentioned above, and then a ship arrived bearing white bread and herring, the second of the traditional dishes eaten to celebrate the relief. I don't like herring much, but I'm a good Dutch girl and I love my hutspot.
I generally love tradtions like this, because they remind me of my country's history, and although I'm very internationally orientated, I like being a bit of a chauvinist occasionally. (But only occasionally.)
What really annoys me, though, is that the library will be closed on Saturday - the 3rd - because of the celebrations. As much as I appreciate the importance of the Relief of Leiden and the end of the war in my country's glorious history - this pales in comparison to the importance of me finishing my BA in the here and now! (Unfortunately, the Powers that Be don't agree, and are still closing the library, despite my protests.)
* grumble *
What is nice though, is this:
It's one of the stained glass windows in St. Jan's Church in my hometown, Gouda, depicting the Relief of Leiden. It's a nice connection between the two cities in the country that I like best.
If only they'd open the bloody library.