We freshened up and headed straight out. In a few hours the pride parade would start and we wanted a decent spot to seethe floats. The great thing about this parade is that the floats actually float; they are all boats down the canal.
On the way we stopped for lunch. A questionable burger and chips. Chips! It was only then I remembered that chips are a national food here. Especially covered in mayonnaise. One of my favourite condiments.
We followed our maps towards the canals, until we found the right one. We could tell by the rainbow balloons and streamers on the boats. It was empty still, there were 2 more hours before the show started. We strolled downstream towards the end point. Already the canal was becoming lined with boats. These boats weren´t in the parade, they were just groups parking their boats on the side for a good view. Many had food and wine or much, much beer. Most were decorated in pinks. Many groups covered in matching shirts or sometimes only in matching underwears.
As we passed time and distance the crowds gathered. Everyone looked festive. We found a spot to sit just off one of the many bridges. It was a good position which we were lucky to get. Soon after we sat the place really filled up so we couldn't have waited any longer. We waited for the show to start. We watched the boats passing by as they looked for somewhere to dock. Everywhere there was music and dancing and drinking.
Finally the show started with the major on a City of amsterdam float. Then a police force float, which apparently was the first after years of petitioning.
Some were company floats or clubs. ING, IBM and TNT all had floats for their employees. Their slogans were ¨Personal pride = company pride¨ and ¨proud to be visible¨. I thought it was interesting that these companies would be so involved, but then again they want to attract the gay clients and employees. Kinda makes sense.
Some of the floats had drag queens. Some had leather and hot pants.
It was all very entertaining.
Even the rain was kind enough to wait until after the parade before torrenting down on the city. We cleaned up at the hostel and went to check out some other bars. On the way we had a hot dog. But it was too early to go out and raining a lot. We decided to wait out the rain at the hostel bar until later.
We had a drink or there. I was getting tired. We went down to the kitchen to drink some of our coffee. While we were drinking we met a nice girl who had just finished birthrite tour of Israel. She was in the kitchen for the free bread box, which I joined her in. For some reason there was a gross mush at the bottom of my mug. It was clean when I put the coffee and water in. It is a disgusting mystery. I felt like I could taste it for hours after.
At the central of town there were pride celebrations. First we found a stage with a woman singing Dutch folks songs. The crowd were older and it wasn´t our scene. We followed some younger people to where the clubs were supposed to be.
There I saw masses of young folks dancing and drinking. It was an enormous street party spanning the entire width and length of the street. It was packed to braking point with people. Scaffolding towers scattered down the street held the Djs and the go-go dancer boys. The Amsterdam houses had stories and stories of windows. Through the windows danced guys and girls from the floats, still in costume and doing what they did best (shaking their groove things). The vibe was crazy.
We danced in the rain. Gay, straight, both, neither, all dancing through the puddles and the water that poured down on us. We didn't leave until the party was over.
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