Tuesday, 8 May 2012

Free

Fltr: Noordoostpolder, Netherlands, United States,
Great Britain, Canada, Australia and Poland
As you will probably know the Netherlands was neutral during WWII, but that didn't last long: the Germans invaded anyway and occupied our country within a week in May 1940. It took until May 1945 before we were liberated again. The town my parents live in was liberated by one single Canadian: Leo Major (the rest of his outfit followed soon after). The town I live in did exist, although there were only a few baracks and streets yet. This area was also liberated by the Canadians.

Last Saturday was Liberation Day in the Netherlands. A day to celebrate the freedom we've had for 67 years now. And I spent part of it on the fun fair that was being held in the center of town. Not on my own: with my friend and her two children! We went on several rides and even on the bumper cars, but the biggest favourite with the two children (they are 5 and 7) was the simple children's merry-go-round.
Of course we also had to get some French Fries with mayonaise (that's the way we Dutch eat it!), Sugar Spider and Oliebollen before heading home where I would make pancakes. Sugar and fat! The perfect day!

3 comments:

  1. I once had a Belgian exchange student talk to my class. Among other things he told us that they eat fries with mayo but that the mayo is different than our. There is a faint chime in my head telling me that I've probably said this once before.

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  2. I can tell youthat in Germany the people were also happy that the war was over. I very well remember the after war, we were under American occupation, which was quiet good, the poor once who got the Russians that was awful ! My father's brother was 15 when he became a prisoner of war and he came back home when he was 25, he was in Siberia ! What a nice youth !

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  3. Yes sounds like a wonderful day of celebration and yummy sweets! So glad you got to share the day with your friend and her children.

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