Today is a special day for two reasons. First, it is Sinterklaas Avond, an important holiday in the Netherlands and Belgium. Second, it marks the launching of a new feature for Velominati which we are calling the Kermis.
A Kermis is a carnival usually marked by a criterium bicycle race held around the perimeter of the festival grounds. Because of its repetitive nature, we are applying this name to a new feature allowing us to post articles from our archives which we feel are worth revisiting, either to examine how our viewpoints may (or may not) have evolved since the article’s original posting or, as is the case today, there is simply a fun reason to repost a past work. You can access the original article and discussion via the links in the footer of the Kermis.
We hope you enjoy the feature, and we kick it off with this little view into one of the Dutch traditions I grew up with and cherish to this day. On behalf of the Keepers, I wish you a Gelukkig Sinterklaas.
Yours in Cycling,
Frank
[kermis id=6581/]
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Excellent initiative, meneer Frank. Hoedje af. In fact, this particular article was one of the first I read when I stumbled across this hallowed website. Enjoyed it thoroughly then; Nice to see it again.
Am living in Denmark, as mentioned before - but visited the home country recently, and have stacked up on pepernoten (I'm an addict). I'm really impressed by my Danish in-laws, who have embraced the Sinterklaas tradition wholeheartedly. This year, we'll celebrate it for the eighth time - with the often slightly sarcastic poems, the 'sur-pre-suh' gift wrapping... the works.
Best wishes for een vrolijk Sinterklaasfeest to all you noble Velominati out there, and your loved ones.
@ Frank Brilliant. But isn't "gag gift" a pseudonym for gimp mask?
Frank, the NYT Op-Ed pages are taking their cues from you. The Gray VMH. The paper of Super Record.
Been reading the blog for a while but finally decided to chime in! I'm another dutchie living in the US for about 6 years now. I miss the candy and traditional foods like Gevulde Speculaas, I usually try to stock up on it at Schiphol after a visit, but the black Pete thing to me is outdated. Traditions are customs that slowly evolve and not something to anxiously hold on to, and the tradition of black Pete is simply offensive to many inside and outside the country. It's no problem to celebrate Sinterklaasavond without Piet! btw I was hoping to find a rapha jersey in my shoe this morning but nothing!!!!
Oh yeah frank, apparently "kapoentje" being a castrated hen had some relation to celibate clergymen like st Nicholas so the word was used as a sort of cuss word :)
A "kapoen" is a playful child. And we do say "GelukkigE Sinterklaas ", so gelukkige Sinterklaas to all.
How does one go about castrating a hen? It seems she would lack at least two important requirements.
magnificent post, very informative. I'm wondering why the opposite specialists of this
sector don't understand this. You should continue your writing.
I am confident, you have a great readers' base already!