Netherlands

Household Fair 2003

I questioned myself for a while, if I would start with excusing myself for why we where ‘there’ and ‘what’ we where hoping to find. But I have decided to be open and honest. Today, April 4th we dared to do it. Michel and I (hoping to have the same success with finding sponsors as we had on the Dutch Car exposition) went to the biggest and most renowned fair in Holland. Well, at least amongst house wives as it was The Household Fair.

Hundreds of busses lined the entrance and the ‘Full’ signs above all the parking garages made us fear the worst of the worst. By pretending we were part of one of the stands we managed to find a parking spot on one of the trade fairs private parking spaces. Close to the entrance it became clear to us that it wasn’t just busy but…..

We bought a ticket and entered the Walhalla, the heaven above, the Mecca for House wives. Together with thousands and thousand of ladies with an average age of around 40 or so we were pushed past stands promoting all kinds of household items and other irrelevant consumer goods. The scene was traumatic and claustrophobic to say the least. What in the world were we doing here.. oh yeah.. looking for possible sponsors.

As a self-respecting woman who is in their late twenties, in between ladies who push the maximum density level and have a cholesterol level 5 times higher then the average person of my age, I ask myself what I am doing here. I look at Michel, a self respecting nice (read… cute cool and outdoor type) and wonder what he is thinking. But he is distracted by a salesman who is promoting an electrified tennis racket for killing insects. I am about to get a nervous breakdown. This is insane, shouts Michel and we both have to laugh.

Completely packed with, in one hand a plastic bag full of sales trophies (three for the prices of two) and in the other hand a shopping cart for even more goodies, the mass moves forward and so do we. What surprised us most are the ladies with baby carriages who push their way through the crowd. The babies, some looking only a few weeks old can’t seem to be bothered. We do, as every few minutes we nearly trip over one of the carriages.

But fortunately we find what we were looking for. Possible sponsors for our journey! We even manage to have a few words with some of them and it’s funny to see the delight I their eyes to meet a normal person! Not to hold them too long away from the mass, we exchange cards and feel happy. Mission impossible, accomplished!

What a day, what a crowd. Although we only have been on the household fair for three or so hours, we are dead tired and are quiet on the way back. We feel sorry for the people who work there. How tired must they be after ten days of mass hysteria! Well, it was a psychological challenge and we are happy to have been there.. for once… and never again. The chatting of all the ladies echoes in my brain and i am happy Michel is driving back… this was the household fair.. Elles checking out… within no time I am sleeping…