Future Events

Dear Bath-Alkmaar Twinning Association members and friends,

Due to the current COVID situation, sadly we will NOT be meeting at our usual Rising Sun pub for the October Alkmaar Cafe on Wednesday 7th.

However, Wednesday is the eve of the Alkmaar Ontzet day, when our Dutch friends celebrate the departure of the besieging Spanish forces in 1572, and have a big citywide party. So, instead of meeting at the pub, we will instead meet via Zoom, from 7.00pm.

Please contact us through the website (or respond to our email) if you would like to join in, and I will send you the Zoom link on Wednesday morning.

Join Dick Duivel, the heroic Cabeljauw, and our Alkmaar Friends in a Spirit of Community Defiance!

This Wednesday we will celebrate Alkmaar Ontzet - the relief of Alkmaar - via Zoom, and you can join in at home too, whether you are able to join us on Zoom or not.

- Prepare the traditional Ontzet meal of '"Zuurkoolstamppot met rookworst" - sauerkraut and potato mash with smoked pork sausage: here's a recipe in English. Smoked sausage is hard to find here, but you could include some diced and fried smoked bacon with your favourite British banger, to give the traditional smokey flavour;

- Sing along with the "Alkmaar City Anthem": a stirring and rather blood-thirsty song, best sung in Dutch where you can relish wonderful phrases like "staan in de strijd als leeuwen pal" (striding into battle like lions!). The words, plus an English translation, are attached), and there is a new modern video version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl_RS5h-xF4 !

- Wear red and white: the colours of the Alkmaar flag, and the colours seen everywhere in Alkmaar during Ontzet.

Stay safe/blijf veliig everyone, and hope to see you on the evening of Wednesday 7 October from 7.00 to 8.00 (UK time).