April 30th is a big holiday in the Netherlands. Amsterdam hotel rates skyrocket, and there are practically no rooms available. Crowds of cheerful people dressed in orange are everywhere, and boats of all sizes float along the canals, carrying jubilant passengers. Musicians are everywhere, beer flows freely, and smoke rises in columns, creating a distinctive odor.

We also came here for the birthday of the Queen of the Netherlands. We weren't invited, but there is such a term as "event tourism." What's special about this event is that the current Queen Beatrix's birthday isn't April 30th. But the Dutch are accustomed to celebrating it on that day, and the new queen, for the sake of her beloved nation, agreed to celebrate her birthday on the Queen Mother's birthday.

In the morning, we stopped in for a beer. We saw a live broadcast on TV: the Queen was visiting a city and talking to the people. The Queen visits a different town every year, so as not to offend anyone. We asked the bartender which city she had blessed this year. The bartender was clearly frightened. He realized he didn't know and felt awkward in front of foreigners. He called over his friends and colleagues. He asked one, then another, then another: no one knew. Finally, they found the name of the city online and joyfully, with a sense of accomplishment, told us.

It's becoming clear that it's not about the Queen at all, but about tradition. In the freest city in the world, the Queen can only be loved symbolically. Only symbolically, without knowing where she is on that day, without knowing when her real birthday is.

The jubilant crowd left mountains of trash on the streets and in the canals. We thought the trash would be cleared up by morning, like in London when we accidentally arrived there on All Saints' Day. But no, Amsterdam is not London; the trash has been lying around for days, and no one seems to care. White swans weave through the canals between islands of plastic bags and empty bottles. I'm starting to think I shouldn't attend birthday parties without an invitation. And maybe event tourism isn't our thing.