Much thanks to Bohannon for Queen's Day Pictures
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Bohannon, a (ir)regular on the Channels Amsterdam Forum, offered to send me these photos he took while in Holland for Queen's day. If you don't know, Queen's Day (April 30) is the biggest annual event in Amsterdam, held in celebration of the Dutch Queen Beatrix, who is a very popular Queen. If you travel to Amsterdam during this time, book WAY ahead or you may have to go as far as Rotterdam to find a hotel.
There are huge crowds in Amsterdam, the streets in the town center are closed to traffic, and the trams don't run in that area. Queen's Day is the one day where anyone can sell things TAX FREE; with taxes as high as 50% (or higher) maybe this is why the day is so popular. First see some pictures, then read Bohannon's description of the fun.
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Bohannon sez:
I learned quite a bit on Queen's day and might do it a bit differently next time( go the last two weeks of April, culminating on Queen's day). First; yes the main streets are that crowded, at one point, if not for the good nature of the crowd, it would have been scary, like a rock concert or something. Fortunately I am tall and big but what it must have been like for the short people. Next time I will stay well away from the main streets. The "neighborhoods" are, in my opinion, more interesting if you are not the drink beer and scream type. In the neighborhoods, while still bustling, you can walk and breathe. Also, there are what we would call "Yard sales" it is fun to look through the cast-offs of another culture. I got a great "stash" tin for 4 nl. Second, the build up in excitement in the days prior to Q's day is really as much fun as the event it's self. Ballons appear, lines are drawn on the sidewalks etc, etc. I think it would be an ecellent day to eate a spacecake early (the coffee shops get and stay crowded), plot an itinerary that will keep you away from the main streets, find a confluence of canals and watch the fun. A picnic lunch would also be a good idea. In summation, don't let the crowds scare you, just plan it right, BIG FUN!
