This past weekend, 4th August, was Gay Pride Day (aka Amsterdam Pride) in Amsterdam. One 
of the largest GLBT (Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transexual) events in the world, Amsterdam Pride sees 350,000 to 500,000 visitors every year. There are several street parties, mostly limited to the "pleins" (squares) and the well-known gay streets, but the big fun is on the canals. Instead of a parade with trucks, the Amsterdam Pride parade is on boats - lushly decorated boats with dozens of dancing men in speedos. Not a bad way for a gal, or a gay, to spend an afternoon. There were also a handful of lesbian boats, but these were nowhere near as fun. Many companies sponsored boats - like ING, ABN AMRO and TNT (the mailmen). There were also a few heterosexual boats that came by to ruin the fun, and hilarity ensued when tourists out on their paddleboats meandered into the Prinsengracht and had to navigate their way out. The parade was limited to the Prinsengracht and only lasted a few hours. We celebrated properly with eleven bottles of rosé between five of us - but it did take us all day.
of the largest GLBT (Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transexual) events in the world, Amsterdam Pride sees 350,000 to 500,000 visitors every year. There are several street parties, mostly limited to the "pleins" (squares) and the well-known gay streets, but the big fun is on the canals. Instead of a parade with trucks, the Amsterdam Pride parade is on boats - lushly decorated boats with dozens of dancing men in speedos. Not a bad way for a gal, or a gay, to spend an afternoon. There were also a handful of lesbian boats, but these were nowhere near as fun. Many companies sponsored boats - like ING, ABN AMRO and TNT (the mailmen). There were also a few heterosexual boats that came by to ruin the fun, and hilarity ensued when tourists out on their paddleboats meandered into the Prinsengracht and had to navigate their way out. The parade was limited to the Prinsengracht and only lasted a few hours. We celebrated properly with eleven bottles of rosé between five of us - but it did take us all day.We missed this event last year because we were in Spain, so it was great to catch it this year. I think I prefer it to Queen's Day because there were less people and funnier music (think theme song to "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"). Plus it happened to be on the nicest day of the summer so far - even the sun came out of the closet today!
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