In case you thought Gorinchem, NL...where we live...couldn't get any better, look at this: Gorcums Hippie Festival 2013.
BTW, Gorcum (2 syllables) is the shortened version of Gor-in-chem. True Dutch say it in 2 syllables: GOR-cum. That beginning 'G' is not hard. It's a guteral 'g' much more like an 'h' sound.
Now that we've settled that, this was the first year Astrid and I decided to go down to the waterfront of our Merwede River to take a look. Buiten de waterpoort is outside the water port, which specifies exactly where we're talking about.
What do YOU think of when you hear "hippie?"
They actually camped out there for the entire weekend, yes!
There were plenty of porta johns available, of course, as well as urinals.
Guys are so lucky! And they have no shame! Four of them can do their business at the same time!
It so happens the weekend of July 5-7 was glorious, weatherwise.
And when the sun is out, the DUTCH are out, young and old alike.
I bet you think of Smurfs and snails when you think of hippies, right?
You definitely think of mushrooms, I'm sure!
Did I mention they had a concert stage with scads of gigs all weekend long?
Oh, yes. I bet some of you want to be hippies again?!
And if the crowds get to you, go jump in the lake river!
Years ago we had a VW bus/van whatever you like to call it, red and white, christened Polly. Now whenever I see one, I think of it as a Pollybus. Loved that vehicle! I think I must have had hippie tendencies back then.
ReplyDeleteOnce a hippie, always a hippie, Sham? HA! I can see it now. Those were the days...and a lot of us remember them. :)
DeleteI think I was more of a wannabe hippie that a real one.
DeleteHA! Me, too, Sham. I was on the sidelines watching! :)
DeleteWhen Jane and I were just married we spent the summer of 1969 in a VW bus camping out across the country in our VW bus. Yes, we qualified then (and I claim the same outlook today) as Hippies. However, it was never a term we would have applied to ourselves. It was tourist lingo of those along our trajectory. We were among 30 or so kids at the bottom of the grand canyon who went skinny dipping in the pool to "freak out" those who had ridden to the bottom of the canyon on mules and were spending the night in cabins. When we were in Zion Nat'l Pk Ted Kennedy drove off a bridge, and we arrived in SF in time to accidentally be in attendance when my best friend gor married at the Economy Cafe in Oakland, and all the winos on the block came in and joined us for a free meal. Well, there were many more adventures then, and we still have a "Hippie Festival" of our own every day, I think, just doing what we do. However, now we drive a Suburu.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I had no idea there was anywhere in the world where "hippie" was current lingo.
This is so fun, Ted, for those of us old enough to remember. HA! It still tickles me to death that they have these festivals here every summer. Who would have known! As I told Sham, once a hippie, always a hippie. Or, maybe there truly is a hippie in all of us?! :)
DeleteIt is great to see so many people are having fun and enjoy doing nothing.
ReplyDelete'Nothing' means, listen to the music, smoke a few joints, have a relaxed time and enjoy.
The weather was perfect. There were a lot of collectables parked. It was like, 'going back in time'. I never was a hippie, maybe I was too serious and I do not smoke (pot).
Great post, love to see the vans.
I wasn't a hippie either, MLMA! My "religion" at that time surely wouldn't have allowed it, regardless of the weed/pot. But I did watch on the sidelines, observing what was happening. It's such a déjà vu...a step back in time, indeed. Don't we just love where we live! :)
DeleteFYI Canon Power Shot ELPH 500 HS
ReplyDeleteAtlanta in October? Not anywhere near Ontario?
Ahhhh. Thanks, Sham. The one I just bought is the Canon Powershot SX50 HS which will also shoot in raw...and has a focal length of 24 - 1200 mm. It will be perfect for my kind of travel photography!
DeleteSadly, we will NOT be anywhere near Ontario this trip. We fly into NYC and will stay for 4 days with a friend before heading down to Atlanta for the duration. BUT...one of these days we will definitely meet, either here or there. I'm sure of it!
how much fun! Love the hippie machines and the macros!
ReplyDeleteThe way we were, Jen! Sometimes it pays to never grow up?! :)
Deletethis is a curveball Ginnie. NL and hippies don't go together in one sentence (at least in my mind), but how incredible it is to see this. i really enjoyed the the vans all in their hippy garbs :)
ReplyDeleteI know, Maria! Who would have expected this HERE in Dutchland. HA! So fun.
DeleteOh how adorable! Right in your own town!! I'm a hippie at heart and also will be. Love this so much!
ReplyDeleteI totally thought of you, Robin, the whole time I wrote this post. Isn't that fun when we think of each other like that! :)
DeleteMy kind of party!!
ReplyDeleteI thought of you and Larry the entire time, Susan. HA! :)
DeleteI love the vans, Ginnie!! They look wonderful... and happy. :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear the word "hippie", there are just a few connections I can think of. The first is the musical Hair, and then the sixtieth, drugs, free sex and men's long hair. Very restricted and vague notion based on the communist propaganda of my youth, I'm sure of that. But I've never met anyone who'd be the real hippie so it's hard to imagine more.
I love the vans, too, Petra! :) And your communist propaganda did a good job, I think, of describing the hippie era. HA!
DeleteDid a good job, ha? I'm surprised then how well we used to be informed in the Eastern Block... :)
DeleteThey probably saw it as all negative, Petra (??), and therefore gave all the details perfectly. HA!
DeleteOf course, the interpretation was negative and manipulative. Look at the rotten western (american) culture and appreciate where you live... :)
DeleteHA! A point well-taken, Petra. (sigh)
DeleteIsn't it cool how the hippie vibe keeps on going through the generations?
ReplyDeleteYes, Mad! Maybe there's a little bit of hippie in all of us?! :)
DeleteWhoa! This is way fun. I did not know the connection between Smurfs and hippies! Mushrooms, yes. How crazy about the urinals. :) It reminds me of the first time I went to Europe, in college, and there were bathroom stalls right on the sidewalk. I was self-conscious that anyone could see my feet! :D
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, Ruth, I don't know if there IS a connection between Smurfs and hippies. It could just be something that this particular family likes. Who knows! But, yes, I would be self-conscious even of my feet at a sidewalk urinal. But we don't see them here for women...just for men!
Delete