Evening ladies, evening gents, so here we are in 2010. This performance is now coming up for it's third year in existence, perhaps in many ways it has reached a certain point of arrival since I will be returning the house to England this summer, the colonial architectural copy returns to the mother-ship. Meanwhile I'm here in Brussels today after spending the weekend in Apeldoorn, Netherlands for Queens Day. As you may recall Apeldoorn has more reason than most to be acknowledging this day since the strange events last year in the city. People spoke to me about it without clarifying too many details, perhaps a dark day in history to be remembered but not relived.
It was a busy busy day in Apeldoorn, the rumours about Queens day are all true, I would compare it to some kind of public ritual and explosion of instinctive feelings of belonging and embracing the cliches of nationalism for a moment in an attempt to know who you really are. In New Zealand we have the Rugby 7s which appears similar in some ways, thousands of people dressing up in outfits, displaying their subconscious desires of identity and drunkenly screaming at the top of their lungs to some tune by The Mockers or Dave Dobbyn. I'm not sure who the Dutch equivalent is but it sounds like an endless loop of a computer generated Abba chorus, sung to the lyrics of La La La La La so that everyone in the street can sing along with it.
Somewhere in this mix is me, in the wee house, huddled under the verandah of a shop front from the rain, playing a Chinese toy piano and stopping from time to time to say hello to those brave enough to get down on the wet carpet to see who is inside.
I should also mention the free-market stalls on Queens day where everyone who wants to can sell their household goods on the street. It was a spectacular sight (despite the disappointing presence of rain) and I couldn't help myself from snapping up a couple of real bargains (including a had to keep my head dry).
Thanks Apeldoorn for introducing me in the ways of the spirit of national pride and thanks to the folk who sat down for a chat. Here is a sneak preview at a couple of pics, I'll upload some more over the next few days and fill in some descriptions.
If you're reading this blog for the first time, welcome to my interior world. If you are returning welcome back and let's see what Euro 2010 has in store. For a list of dates and places have a look at the Fransbrood link to the right where there is a full list.
Cheers
Stephen
