My Year of Meaningful (2011)

The Hague was where it all went terribly comical. That was the day that the Holland vs. Ivory Coast match was on. Rens was fabulous and organized a huge viewing party on the beach in Scheveningen, where he lives on the harbour, and where the greatest %age of our Hannes-related dutch friends are located at present (or thereabouts). What happened was that the beach air and breeze and sun made me psycho, and I was slugging beers with the boys (at their pace) from about 2 hours before the game, then proceeded to go check out Bram's new flat (with the most incredible view over the beach) where we proceeded to dip into his champagne collection, at which stage it was time to go BACK to the boardwalk/beach area and meet up with the Hannes-boys at which stage I was 70% lit already. The game started, we were on some sort of "all you can drink for 30 euro" plan, and my girl Marije arrived... finally someone to slow down my pace.... NOT. Let's just say everything after halftime was a blur. I forgot to eat when the food came out after the game. I just turned meat on the barbeque for everyone, and ran my mouth. blah blah blah blah blah. Perpetually blah-ing and not eating. And drinking. It was fun.

I looked like this.



That's me & Marije. She's wearing a lion on her head.

Regardless, the football watching party/bbq ended in hilarity as there was a notorious important Dutch political party, similar to the republicans of america, having a big party at the same beach cabana as us. When their speeches commenced, during the bbq, our table began singing outrageously loud and profane dutch football hooligan songs, OVER the speeches. Needless to say we earned very few fans but I proceeded to have the most incredible piss-drunk laughing fit I have ever experienced on this planet. The looks on those suit-wearing arseholes' faces were worth the price of having some random citizen coming over to us and telling us that our disrespectful behaviour was out of line. ahem.

Here's some of our main culprits:





  

  

  



In the end, there was random acts of beach photography, random acts of schmoozing with a random, entirely over-sober political party, and some sort of trip to a nightclub. All I know is that rumor has it (not that I would remember, due to my outlandish spastic state) there was an event of Jill falling over in the night club, people not being allowed in, and my boy Evert throwing oranges onto the dance floor. (to which I ask "why the &^%$ were there ORANGES in a night club??? To which I was informed: well DUH! It's the world cup! EVERYTHING is orange!!!!")

OBVIOUSLY!

What I DO know for certain is that our trip back to Rens's place after the night ended involved myself nearly breaking Gert's hand, a ride in a grocery cart, and me falling asleep in my prized bell-jingling orange hat.






(That's me and Cornelia. The guy? Hell I dont have any clue who the guy is. But seeing how he's dressed, I'm banking on the political party.)