The Netherlands consulates are one of the few in Istanbul that know how to throw a party. They work to link the community to local businesses by extending invitations once a month to a select group of people. Only good things are ever said about their hospitality and the grateful that go get a lot of networking done, not to mention drinking.
However, things are set to change. Rumor has it the business networking is at an end and just to show this is the case the Consulate’s recent Queen Day Celebration was a taste of things to come, or rather a taste of things that didn’t come.
The Dutch Queen’s official birthday is always celebrated well by the consulate. Over the years they’ve had bands, marquis, tulips in every corner and traditional drink and finger food. It’s an event the Dutch community really looks forward to but this year things have changed.
The Consulate remained only open to a very select few. The rest of the minions were designated to a place in Tarabya where earlier they had been having a children’s party for their community.
Invitations were also extended to some locals who must have been horrified at what was advertised as being ‘a cocktail’. Drinks were wine or beer and the only finger food to make it to the tables was some very bad plastic tasting cheese cut into squares. Not a napkin, not a toothpick, not a nut in sight. There were tulips though and they did go for orange ones just to remind the community that they are decedents of the great William the Orange. I know things are bad but I had no idea they were this bad. Or perhaps the Consular General did not wish to spend his expense allowance on this event. The fact that he addressed the throng or disappointed, makes me wonder if he thought that they wouldn’t notice the cutbacks. Hard not to since it has become the laughing stock of the city. Let’s hope the Queen doesn’t hear of it, she might be hurt that her people in Istanbul were fobbed off with a glass of wine and a cheese chunk.
No comments:
Post a Comment