A last look at the World Cup faithful...

We have been enjoying such a beautiful summer that I barely have time to blog. And gosh, after this last winter, we really do deserve it. Summer is a nice time in Amsterdam. It rarely gets so hot that you need air conditioning, and even our fans don't get turned on every day. The nights are now just cool enough to need a blanket handy.

A few clouds, a little humidity. It looks like we'll have typical Amsterdam August weather for Gay Pride week, which is starting today. The big not-to-be-missed canal parade isn't until the weekend, but there will be plenty to do until then. Go to www.weareproud.nl for all the details, maps and info you can stand. It's in Dutch, but the maps are very well plotted out with easily decipherable icons.

Meanwhile, we are busy today at La Naranja, getting new customers all week. Partially because of the new promotion we are doing, but also because I think Amsterdammers take their vacation in waves: the July holiday-makers are coming back, and the August wave will now exit.

Before too much time gets away from me, I want to post my pics of the World Cup 2010 fervor that gripped Amsterdam up to the final game. The amount of participation was incredible. Museumplein was the designated spot to gather, celebrate and even watch the game on the giant screen that had been erected for this purpose.

As Museumplein is located halfway between where I live and where I work, I witnessed hordes of the faithful flocking there, all wearing something orange, perhaps accented with red, white and blue. These are the colors of the hardcore Dutch fans: Orange for the House of Orange, the royal family, and red, white and blue to represent the colors of the Dutch flag. Yes, it's an egregious color combination, and you really can't believe people put it together, but they do.

So, try if you will to imagine the pictures here multiplied by thousands, because the little balcony scenes were everywhere, and the waves of people on bikes, foot and in cars dressed or draped in orange was quite an impressive scene.

This dress was part of a promotion by a beer
company, buy a case, and get the orange dress with the red, white and blue drawstring free. A surprisingly flattering dress on many different body types. Must have been quite the successful promotion, because I saw these dresses everywhere.

Of course, Spain won the final game, but even then, the Dutchies were good losers. I went out into the streets after the game. There were little clusters of orange-clad dejected fans, but nobody felt the need to turn violent.

The worst I saw? One inebriated guy half-heartedly kicked a trash can, and somebody dressed in orange told me to "shut up" after I joined a passing crowd of Spanish celebrants in a chorus of "Viva Espana!! Viva! Viva."

I even saw a few Dutch fans laughing and drinking with the Spanish revelers after the game. Really, nobody can be angry with the Spanish, no matter what, they are such likable people.

Of course, I'm thrilled for Spain that they won. It makes me want to go to Spain.