Crowd Surfing at Holland's Heineken House

Sooo, the Heineken House is huge. There is a large long hall for partying with a stage at the end. There are also restaurants, shops, and even a Dutch bakery. Dutch TV broadcasts its Olympic programs from the roof. There are also beer gardens outside and although I forget that I am in China when I am there...ping pong tables are available. Krokets were tasty, ice cream and T shirts were half price and beer was a bit expensive but whoever set this place up and orchestrated all this fun deserved it.

Last night thousands were there drinking, laughing, singing and dancing the night away. I was probably 500 people away from the stage but it didn’t matter because there were large monitors around the perimeter. Fantasic atmosphere! “Take me home West Virginia, Uuuu Oooo, We are the Champions” and fun dutch songs made our spirits soar. Because there were SO many Dutch gold medal recipients Friday night was the best. Screams of excitement made the walls bounce along with the best music in Beijing and with the dutch singer/entertainer on the stage WITH the dancing olympic flame as the gold medal girls hockey team entered the stage. Hearts were beating to the drums as the team, one by one, dove into the animated audience for “crowd surfing”. It was a wildly happy night.

A Chinese investment banker who I met the other day recognized me in that maze of orange, Mr. Mo. “Don’t you remember me?” he asked, “You were talking with my friend”. Well I have been talking with a LOT of people and aprox sixteen million people live here in Beijing, so I needed another hint! What another coincidence! Mr. Mo's friend, who loves skiing in the USA, and I chatted on and on the other day outside the Olympic Green. (Sheez Tom Reynolds, I was wishing YOU were there!)

Then I bumped into Roelef who I was with earlier. Roelef is a Dutch backpacker from our hostel who has been to China seven times. How could I miss him, in his wooden shoes, his orange hat with big tulips bouncing above. He talks to everyone and everyone talks to him. Such a character!

Dutch politicians and Royalty like crown prince Willem-Alexander, princess Maxima, prime minister Balkenende, the mayor of Amsterdam Job Cohen and other politicians frequent the Heineken House as well as our motley yet REGAL backpackers!!!

So, I could go on, but if there was a medal for party people, Holland would get, yup, the GOLD!