When the king skates his first lap in Dokkum, the Frisians cheer

There is one tranquil moment on the royal family’s route in Dokkum. One moment when the king who always wants to connect, is alone among the crowd this morning of his 59th birthday.

He is sitting on a wooden bench at the edge of the ice that was created in the canal for King’s Day, near the bridge that is the turning point of the Eleven Cities Tour. His entire family stands with their backs to him, talks to the board of the Royal Association of the Frisian Eleven Cities, chats with skaters, waves to people hanging out of their windows.

The king is sitting on the couch. He clutches his stamp card between his lips. This must be stamped after each part at a post on this King’s Day, such as for the Eleven Cities Tour. He first puts his nice jacket back on, then takes off his skates. Very quiet.

On the shore, the mop orchestra De Feintsjes excites the audience, which until then has been calmly enthusiastic along the route. „It pours heel noflik” (it’s going very smoothly), says Omrop Fryslân commentator and former mayor Bearn Bilker.

Here, along the ice, the Frisians go crazy. What all of Northeast-Fryslân has hoped for is happening. The king puts on skates. And a similar jacket that he also wore in 1986, when he skated the tour of all tours as WA van Buren – untrained and for a bet. He spins smoothly on the ice.

Hendrik van der Valk (99) watches on top of the quay. He skated the Eleven Cities Tour in 1956. He points to the Eleven Cities Cross on his lapel. The king also wears it: when he has his decorations on, it is the one furthest to the left on his chest. The one that, Willem-Alexander often says, he is most proud of.

Municipality has only existed since 2019

Máxima skates along, holding her hat with one hand. Ariane is on the ice, as are cousins ​​Floris, Bernard and Pieter-Christiaan. Mayor Johannes Kramer too.

He hopes, he said earlier in the morning NRCwhich connects Noardeast-Fryslân this King’s Day. The municipality has only existed since 2019, when Kollumerland, Ferwerderadiel and Dongeradeel merged. Now it is one of the largest in the Netherlands in terms of area, and with 52 villages and one city (Dokkum). When the mayor greets the royal family, he says: “It is a day of solidarity, of who and what we are together.”

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Kramer also wants to emphasize that today it is not just about Dokkum, but about the entire municipality. He says there is power in the mienskip and that the municipality wants to show that. “It is important that we show ourselves together.” All other places are between the ice rink and the mill. From Aalsum (117 inhabitants) to Wierum (315 inhabitants).

All village interests have been asked to nominate someone to carry the village’s coat of arms. They must stand still “like a statue” so that they form a beautiful arch, Saapke Nijhuis, village coordinator of the municipality, reminded them during the rehearsal on Sunday afternoon. Above all, do not move the banner too hard. During rehearsal a few shields fell off the stems they are mounted on.

But if someone from the family speaks to them, they can of course tell them how nice their village is. In a few seconds. Wierd Kooistra, who carries the banner of Westergaest, tells during the rehearsal that his village is one of the oldest, justice was administered and the church tower served as a lighthouse. Jildou (15), who stands next to him and represents Wetsens, explains that it is a mound village known for its theater.

Kooistra says: “We are different: woodpeckers and black-winged avocets.” The people of the peat and sand, and the people of the clay and grass between Dokkum and the Wad.

If one of the princesses or princes asks, Marianne Boersma-Eelkema (Nes) will tell you that the villages look out for each other: while her village still has a handball field, Oosternijkerk has none but does have a football field. So they use each other’s fields. Munnekezijl, represented by Klaziena Zuidersma-Kerkstra, has a primary school, “no shops unfortunately.”

The royal family just doesn’t stop. Village coordinator Nijhuis had already prepared the standard bearers somewhat that if the program were to run late, this would be the catch-up moment. But also, and this was different at the rehearsal, people on the other side of the fences are asking for attention. They are dressed in orange and ask for hands and selfies. The standard bearers are indeed a statue, they stand neatly in line in their white uniforms.

Some do get a hand. Prince Bernard asks again: “Are you all the villages?” The man representing Aalsum says: “Yes.”

The standard bearers think it’s a shame. But Jildou from Wetsens says: “This did bring us together. I met all kinds of new people from new villages.”

Christina Ytsma (Burdaard) says: “We are standing here together now, even though the congregation is very large.” Meina Wouda (Burum) points back to the ice: “That also connects us.” Mayor Kramer says when saying goodbye: “It who is in bjusterbaarlik barren”, it was an incredible event.

With the collaboration of Freyan Bosma

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