The ridiculous and the sublime . . . and loving it all

The Dutch aesthetic is tough to pigeonhole, embracing as it does both the vulgarity of the red light district with its "Sex Museum" and array of shops selling grotesque sexual appliances and the delicate perfection of a quiet Vermeer--or the architectural integrity of Amsterdam itself.

Last night the kids and I went to a city-wide party in Leiden that exemplified the first aspect of Dutch culture -- not vulgarity so much as a love of loud partying (evident also in Dutch football culture) a love of costumes and display, frank sexuality and just all-around crazy fun. Peurbakkentocht is, as far as I can learn, a Leiden-only festival that commemorates something about fishermen and worms (help me out here, somebody!) What it is really like is Mardi Gras -- with the parade taking place on the canals.

Our guide to this particular event was my second cousin Carla and her husband Willem, who have been our companions and generous hosts on several explorations of things Dutch: a visit to the famous flower gardens at the Keukenhof, a fabulous two-day sailing trip across the Ijsselmeer to Workum in Friesland on their yacht, a tour of Leiden's canals and nearby lakes on their canal sloop, and now a Peurbakkentocht party at their home which overlooks the Oude Rijn canal. Here are Carla and Willem watching the parade from the window (we went below because just like in a July 4th parade back home, the people in the boats were throwing things to spectators and we wanted to catch something).

Carla is in the middle, Willem on the right.

Anyway, what a great parade! The air was filled with music and the scent of barecue, people were floating around on rubber rafts to get a closer look at the decorated boats, children were swimming in the canal (really) and the costumes and themes were extravagant and slightly demented.

Floating princess (that seems to be a club emerging from her skirt)

And pouring champagne for one of her helpers

 

Goth boat

Harem boat with lovely men in drag performing belly dances

 Pregnant and painted

Trappist monks (towing a floating keg of beer)

Dutch hats!

 My personal favorite, a sinking tour bus (can you see the half-submerged driver in the front?)

And the piece de resistance, for which only a video will do (don't forget to turn up your audio):

                 


Can you hear what the people are singing while gathered around that phallic sculpture? Yes, you are correct: "Penisland."

Okay, on to the sublime. I discovered about a month ago that after dropping the kids off from school if instead of stopping in the Beatrixpark for a jog-walk, as had been my habit, I continued south on my bicycle, after only about 10 minutes I was cycling a gorgeous and peaceful route along the Amstel river. On that road is an art gallery in an old mansion and next to the gallery is a sculpture garden that I am adding to my favorite places in the world. It is an island of total peace, a cool, shady, meandering park filled with birdsong and studded with a beautiful array of contemporary sculptures. I love to walk there, contemplate the art, take in the peaceful mood and let my mind drift. At various points you can walk to the edge of the park and peer out of the wooded area at the farmland beyond, featuring sheep and horses. A bench is situated under a weeping beech tree and it's a perfect meditation site. The sculptures range from lovely to odd, with a couple that I dream about purchasing, if I could cobble together a few thousand Euros. But outside of this outdoor gallery, who knows if I would love the sculptures as much. The Dutch are fantastic at combining art with nature -- in fact, art and nature have combined to create this country rescued from the water -- and this spot is a perfect example.

I didn't take any pictures, but here's a video I found online. The music fails to capture the mood I experience in this place, but you can see what it looks like.