It is that time of the year again when the Dutch tradition of Sinterklaas comes back in full force. Sinterklaas' helpers are called Zwarte Pieten (literally Black Peters). Last year, Zwarte Pieten were gliding by flying fox from the rooftop of our local town hall to the main square. This year, we watched them arrive by boat and jetski (and scuba diving) into Heusden harbour. Sinterklaas' then arrived by boat followed by a parade around the village on his white horse. It's interesting and fun to watch. Last year, we thought the whole thing was a bit strange, especially the Zwarte Pieten. Of course, like many foreigners we think that the Zwarte Pieten tradition is very un-pc but the Dutch don't mean any harm by the whole thing. It's just part of their Sinterklaas story and tradition.
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