If it’s 11/11, 11:11 in Maastricht, then it’s time for…?
Yes, it’s a lovely herfst weekend, leaves still flaming in the trees, although I’m inside doing marathon Dutch study for my language exams in Eindhoven tomorrow.
And, yes, it’s coming on Kerstmis, so every zondag is koopzondag for the month. The music played late last night as a cold breeze blew through the apartment. The painters touched up the windowframes and insisted on leaving them open to dry.
Yes, of course it’s Sunday morning, but consider that there’s bier on tap in the Vrijthof at 9:30 am, tickets for sale langs queues leading to the toilets, a soundstage warming up against a cool blue sky.
And that there will be bands, speeches, cannons, color. All at 11:11.
The bridge is filled with people in Carnival yellow, red, and green, long queues along the way to the Square, too many rebel yells from the face-painted fan-boys.
‘happy start to Carnivale!
So, I’m out to practice my Dutch (even though having conversation with drunk folks is unlikely to be productive in helping me to speak beter Nederlands).