Queen's Day.  You can read about it, but nothing can prepare you.  This was truly a unique experience.  Transportation is non-existent (both public and private), people are dressed in orange, anyone (and it seemed everyone) could chalk out a spot for oneself on the sidewalk to sell what appeared to be mostly used “stuff,” but I saw transactions going on anyway. Stages were set for entertainment, carts for buying food and drink.  I saw about half a dozen spots where people were squeezing oranges and selling cups of juice for about a euro.  The sidewalks and streets were packed with people having a grand ole time.  I read that the city swells from one million to three million people for Queen's Day, although that seemed to me to be a low estimate.

A major party was being held just outside the Pulitzer and it took all my NY subway acumen to navigate the hotel’s entrance.  I haven’t lived in New York for many years, but I guess it’s like riding a bike — it comes back to you.  The crowds were not rowdy — mostly good-natured people having a blast.  It took several days for the city to clean the streets of the huge piles of litter.

The night before festivities really began, Barbara and I strolled down a side street following the sound of music.  There was a crowd gathered around a group of musicans playing Hava Nagila.  It was an excellent rendition.  I couldn’t help but think about the consequences had a group played that same music in this city 65 years ago.