Description

Thousands show up to celebrate the start of the herring season in Vlaardingen with quayside parties complete with sea shanties, women in wooden shoes and speeches by civic dignitaries. This nation of 16 million consumes 12,000 tons of raw herring every year. First barrels unloaded from the trawlers were traditionally whisked off to the Royal Palace and are now auctioned to raise tens of thousands of euros for charity.