Utrecht, Queens day

Today is
Queens day in the Netherlands. We went to Utrecht for the festivities: there are free
markets, foodstalls, improvised bars and there is music everywhere. Drums, Samba bands, DJ’s, live bands, children playing flute or violin, boats with ghettoblasters, everything.

And Orange
flags and dresses wherever you look (Orange is the colour of the Dutch
Monarchy).

The weather was fantastic, I cannot remember we ever had better and warmer weather on this day.

The streets were filled with hundred thousands of people, even the canals were swarmed with boats filled with dancing youth.

I made this drawing just after arriving in Utrecht, it was early, still before the festivities started. We were sipping coffee on one of the terraces next to
the main midtown canal, overlooking the Oude Gracht.