9.28.2009

NL - 27th, Sep, 2009 Sunday (Sunny 5~18C) Eindhoven : TUNA Festival 2009

The 9th edition TUNA FESTIVAL , a Great International Spanish Music Festival, existing from 20 up to 30 students (Tuno' s) groups who make traditional student music, has been held on the 25th (Fri), 26th(Sat), & 27th(Sun) of September at the Markt of Eindhoven. This festival hold bi-yearly in Eindhoven.


Not only in Spain, portugal and also several Southern and Central American countries and varies Northern European countries like Netherlands, etc exist the Tuna tradition. Wearing their traditional sober black costumes, they were playing the traditional acoustic musical instruments, such as tambourine, guita, etc. They sing happily on the stage with the famous Spanish songs that we are always familiar with such as Kuan tala mela, etc.... Sorry, I don't know the name of the songs, but you can enjoy yourself and feel the atmosphere if you connect to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8325wcBn-Q
A little Flamingo dancer

Lovely Guus

The female team
Dancing with the coat
Mohnen Family, our best neighbour in Eindhoven --Liesbeth, May, Stef & Guus. May is a Tuno of technical university Eindhoven team named Tuna Cuidad De Luz which started in 1964
The Tuna Festival camp

9.26.2009

NL - 25th, Sep, 2009, Friday (Windy, 8 ~20) Eindhoven : Mid Autumn Festival & Farewell Dinner

Time fly, the Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋節 (Moon Cake Festival) celebration of the Lunar calendar is around the corner (actual date on 3rd, Oct), which mean the union of the families and friends like the round moon shine on the sky.



It is time to for us to leave Netherlands in a month's time after 1 year exploring in Europe. There were unforgettable memories for my wife/husband, the children and myself because of working with you in the company/school. You have made our journey full of sharing, care, happiness, enthusiasms and made us feel at home even though we are thousand miles away from home.

A simple farewell party is held at our house located at Ulenpas xx, 5655JC, Eindhoven on 25th, September, 2009 (Friday) at 5pm.

There are many yummy Asian foods, like curry, rendang, fried rice (nasi goreng), fried rice noodle (Bee Hong goreng), steam rice, steam boat, chicken wings, moon cake, Sarawak Laksa, Vegetables soup, plum juice, almond pudding, cakes......that are contributed by a group of our dearest mothers.





9.13.2009

NL - 13th, Sep, 2009 Saturday (Cloudy) Valkenswaard: Flower Parade 2009

We visit the Flower parade in Valkenswaard!




Every year, on the second Sunday of September, the “Stichting Bloemencorso Valkenswaard” (Foundation Flower parade Valkenswaard) organizes the annual Flower Parade. This parade consists of 14 wonderful floats covered with dahlias. These large floats are 12 meters long, by 4,5 meters wide, by 6 meters high (= 40 feet x 16 feet x 20 feet). Together with several music bands, the floats make up a feast for the eyes and ears within the streets of Valkenswaard, performed in front of more than 30.000 spectators.


This is the car that we helped to put the flowers until midnight. Watch the parade capture at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38Fs7xEQle0


The yearly revised theme of the Flower parade is being acted out by the wagons and all the acts around them, in a combination of street show and music theater. The flower floats are being built by people of all ages in 14 neighborhoods of Valkenswaard. By the middle of June large flower parade tents arise in the village where the floats are being built, and where everyone can give support. Several hundred people are working on the wagons and on the cultivation of the dahlia’s. In the last 3 days before the parade the dahlia’s will be assembled into the wagons, in total 2,5 million flowers, which will be affixed to the wagons with nails. The 2nd Sunday of September early in the morning, the local homemade floats will leave the tents and proceed along the route in the center of Valkenswaard. The Flower Parade is the largest socio-cultural event of Valkenswaard.

Several stands can be found along the route. All round the route activities are set-up for those young and old. These activities will start at 12.00, continuing during the parade and switching to the Dahlia After Party, arranged by the catering of “Statie” and “Markt”. At this party, several bands will perform. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFl-VZqoon8

The activities offer the opportunity for everyone to enjoy a Sunday of Flower Parade in the dazzling and welcoming village of Valkenswaard.

Each year you can enjoy new activities, however the kids will have some of their favorite ones, such as the climbing wall, carousel and other entertainment for children.



In addition, all round the route you will see street shows and performances of clowns, with or without balloons, as well as other artists. Advance sales of tickets to the 2009 Flower Parade Valkenswaard will start mid August in the tents, at a cost of € 5,00 each. At the 2nd Sunday of September the tickets will be: € 7,50. Standing tickets will be an additional € 7,50.Children up to 12 years are free to enter the route. The actual parade will start at 14.00 hr at the Market place in Valkenswaard and will go around the route twice.