Queen Beatrix opens Indonesian fair

Indonesia - or the Dutch East Indies as it was called prior to independence - and The Hague are forever linked. Many Dutch who once worked and lived in the archipilago, and their descendants, moved to The Hague or settled there, giving the city a oriental flavour.

With the passing of the generations who still has personal memories of life in Indonesia, this feeling has faded. The Hague is still a city of many identities and nationalities, but the immigrants come from different countries and nations. Remnant of the Dutch East Indies past is the "Pasar Malam Besar", the big bazar or fair, which this year is held for the 50th time.

Queen Beatrix, in a splendid blueish dress, came to the Malieveld in The Hague - just up the road from her The Hague residence - to open the Pasar Malam, cultural and culinary high point of the year of many Dutch with an Indonesian heritage.

© GPD Netherlands Press Association; Photos by Royal Press Europe, Albert Ph. van der Werf