Vastelaovend in Venlo and special memories

Years ago, when I was a very young Astrid, we sometimes had my dad's ome Sjeng (uncle John senior) and tante Jet (aunt Heddy) over from the USA. Years later, his sons came to celebrate Vastelaovend. I remember getting up in the middle of the night and driving to Schiphol airport with my dad to pick them up. At that stage I could speak English. Years later their kids (my 2nd cousins) came to celebrate Vastelaovend.
But there was 1 person ... my uncle Chris ...
I knew at some point I was going to write about him. My uncle Chris passed away on 18 January 2011. I miss him every day ...
My uncle Chris came to Venlo a bit more often. He LOVED Vastelaovend !! He would fly in on a Friday, stay the day in Amsterdam and he would take the train to Venlo. We would see him downtown for Vastelaovend to watch the parades. The city where he was born. And on ash-Wednesday, him and I would go downtown to shop and buy presents for him to take back home. The very last night of his stay, we would all meet up at the Wilhelmina Hotel (accross the railway station) and have a great evening together and then it was time to say goodbye.
On the Sunday of Vastelaovend, we went downtown to watch the kid's parade. Malú was dressed up as a ladybug. She walked all the way downtown and when the parade came, she danced and jumped. She had a blast. The last band that passed us played uncle Chris' favourite Vastlaovend song: "Venlo stedje van lol en plezeer" (Venlo city of fun) and the sun came out ...  I'm sure he heard it. Hope the parade looked nice from up there.
Malú then walked most of the walk home. Daddy carried her at the end.
On the Monday of Vastelaovend, we went downtown to watch the big parade. Malú was dressed up as Bumba the clown. We watched most of the parade. Malú had a blast, she danced, jumped and stood on the little fence. She sometimes sat on daddy's shoulders. She got cold and tired at the end of the afternoon and so we went home.
On the Tuesday of Vastelaovend, we celebrated the farmer's wedding and went downtown to watch the parade. People are dressed up as farmers in black and white. The parade was nice, but we went home afterwards, so Malú could take a nap.
And then Vastelaovend 2012 was over. Until next year ...

Love, Astrid xx