Last night - actually quite impressed with the cloggies

For the first time in the 10 years I have been in Holland, I happened to be out at 8pm on May 4th, the day when the Dutch remember their war dead with a two-minute silence (equivalent of your 11/11).

I was sitting on a pub terrace in the center of Leiden and much to my amazement, as soon as the the bells started to ring to signal the countdown to the 2 minute silence, the pub closed it's doors, traffic stopped on the streets, and everybody, with no exception, observed the full 2 minutes silence impeccably. No giggles or t**ts trying to be clever. Two minutes and then the chat started up again.

Was well impressed!

Mind you, the irony was that the first voice heard after the 2 minute silence was someone passing on a bike shouting in German. Cue all the Dutch shouting back "hey, that's my grandma's bike!".

Posted By: Steve in Holland, May 5, 10:40:52