Zandvoort, 27 September, Beach Day Index = 9+. It's Saturday the day before the last day when the Dutch Beach Clubs close for the winter season. What a way to end the season. It's a gorgeous day. No wind, very clear sky, great temperature around 20 degrees and sunny. The sun is not that powerful, but I got some color. The Dutch realize this is it, so it was busier than normal. Highlight of the day was spotting a seadog now that far from the beach, the bad news was that animals this close to the coast are probably in problems. We walked out to the far South end of the beach that once was a thriving gay rea with several beach clubs catering to a very busy, very cool crowd. These days -I know it is September, but I doubt its much different during the rest of season- it is rather sad and I think the beach club owners are having a far from successful seasons. Looking at their beach equipment they don't have money to invest in better material and I would not recommend sushi here, since the turn around of food must be slow. What happened? Don't people like the beach anymore? My theory is that people don't really flirt anymore. Because let's face it, this was one big flirting area. These days it's a lot of trouble to walk miles to a beach to flirt a little and there isn't much to flirt with. Did the internet ruin this once happening gay scene? Do the gays now just connect to the internet, load up some flattering old photo's, lie a profile together and that's it? Certainly less trouble, but is it as much fun? I used to hate the walk, but I wouldn't miss a sunny day here about 15 years ago. We had a whole group hanging out together, competing with other groups in looks, fun, arrogance and our level of playing volleyball. What is it? Why?
Zandvoort, 27 September, Beach Day Index = 8. It's Sunday and today is the official last day of season. My beach club will close and be packed up and within two weeks it will be completely gone. I am on the beach with Madon, Bjorn and his friends and we have moved from the terrace to the beach right in front of the club where we drink too much wine, including the last bottle of prosceco that the club will sell this season. I remember the first bottle I ordered, back in March when my friend Matt was still in the Netherlands and we sat in a corner and were so excite that the beach season started. Then it must not have been more than 12 degrees, it was chilly and windy. Today it is sunny and mild and being on the beach with this group of people feels so wonderful. Why can't Amsterdam be like Rio, Miami Beach or Sydney where the beach life is so much part of social life? I miss that. The beach is -for me- such a great environment to relax, talk have fun and socialize. Better than clubs, work or any other place that the city offers. It's been great season for me this year. I must have been here 40 or 50 times and only on a few occasions I got to the beach with disappointing conditions. Most of the days were overwhelmingly beautiful and sunny. Only a few days were really busy, and maybe two or three days were too hot. There were days it was too windy, but the beach club always has a corner somewhere, where you can be out of the wind. The wine of choice was Rose and especially the French Fleur Rose. Unlike last year when we only drank bubbles on the beach. Having the bicycle in Zandvoort was great expecially in the beginning of season. It would get me from the train station to the beach club in less than 5 minutes. Now that Madon is here we walk with the dogs and I really have started to enjoy those walks from and to the station. Meeting Madon was a great development, but him liking the beach as much as me, only got me to spend more time here. I spend much less time with my friends Julia and Marcel on the beach this year. It seemed so difficult to coordinate beach days this year with them. I am sure this is not my last time to the beach this year, but I will miss the beach club of Tyn Akersloot. Can't wait for them to be back next year.
