There is no escape. If you live in Holland you will get caught by the “Orange Fever” that currently sweeps our country. It happens every year on Queens Day, but even more so during any national or international sporting event that involves fellow Dutchmen. May it be soccer, cycling or – our national pride – skating.
The phenomenon manifests itself very visually as people start wearing orange clothing, like T-shirts, hats, shawls etc.. Some people even paint their hair orange and decorate walls, rooms. Even whole houses and or the streets are adorned with orange beams.
What most people do not know, is that the orange phenomenon started not so long ago. It was during the World-championship of soccer in 1974, when people started to dress in orange after our national soccer team. Ever since, the Dutch caught the orange bug.
No surprise that 2010 is another Orange year: this Friday the 11th the 2010 World Championship soccer starts in South-Africa and ends on July 11th 2010. And last week you can see how the orange bug is getting to people.
With five days to go it’s like the Legion of Orange is invading our country. Gradually you see orange popping out everywhere in streets in every Dutch city. And even though I am no soccer fan (I never played soccer myself) and I know Jack about the sport, I am competing in the soccer pool at my work.
Yup. I have the Orange bug too 🙂
I think it is pure escapism for us Dutch. A mental hide-out from the economic, political and moral crisis that is currently sweeping our nation. Events like these give us a chance to feel like one nation, even though in reality we have never been divided more.
Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated by the Orange Fever!
I hope the dutch team gets Sieneked very soon, the sooner the better! I am already World Championship soccer tired!
Haha, yeah well remember: it’s good for the economy if Holland does well.