National Anthem: Russia

We travel on and go to Russia, a country that actually is part of two continents, Europe and Asia.
Most people however live in the European part of Russia so that's why I consider it European.
More about that in an other blog later.

In the past 100 years Russia had actually had many different national anthems.
In 1944 Russia repaced its anthem (used since 1902) for the Soviet anthem because it was more Russocentric.
After 1956 the anthem was used without lyrics because it referenced to former leader Joseph Stalin. It was only in 1977 that a new lyrics was introduces by Mikhalkov. This new lyrics was placing less emphasis on the Great Patriotic War and more on the victory of communism.

in 1990 Russia sought a new anthem after the collepse of the Soviet Union. The lyric-free "Patrioticheskaya Pesnya", composted by Mikhail Glinka was officially adopted that same year.
in 1993 the government sponsered a contest to create lyrics but non of the enteries were adopted. This resulted in Presedent Vladimir Putin's restoration of the Soviet anthem.
Eventually the goverment sponsored a contest to find lyrics to a compositon by Mikhalkov. The new anthem was adopted in alte 2000. This is the same anthem as they use now adays

National Anthem: France

The next national anthem we're going to listen to is the Frenc. It is called 'La Marseillaise' which means 'The song of Marseille'.

I choose the France anthem for today because tomorrow it's the the France national day. In the English speaking countries also called 'Bastille Day'.

The song was writen en composed in 1792 during the Frence Revalutionary Wars by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle. Three years later in 1795 is became the National Anthem of France.

It is the first 'March' song used as a national anthem in Europe. When you listen to it you can hear the army marching by.

The lyrics is quite long so here only a little piece of it with English ranslation:

French lyrics	English translation
Allons enfants de la Patrie,	Arise, children of the Fatherland,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !	The day of glory has arrived!
Contre nous de la tyrannie,	Against us tyranny
L'étendard sanglant est levé, (bis)	Raises its bloody banner (repeat)
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes	Do you hear, in the countryside,
Mugir ces féroces soldats ?	The roar of those ferocious soldiers?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras	They're coming right into your arms
Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes !	To cut the throats of your sons and women!
Aux armes, citoyens,	To arms, citizens,
Formez vos bataillons,	Form your battalions,
Marchons, marchons !	Let's march, let's march!
Qu'un sang impur	Let an impure blood
Abreuve nos sillons !	Water our furrows! (repeat)
Que veut cette horde d'esclaves,	What does this horde of slaves,
De traîtres, de rois conjurés ?	Of traitors and conjured kings want?
Pour qui ces ignobles entraves,	For whom are these vile chains,
Ces fers dès longtemps préparés ? (bis)	These long-prepared irons? (repeat)
Français, pour nous, ah ! quel outrage	Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage
Quels transports il doit exciter !	What fury it must arouse!
C'est nous qu'on ose méditer	It is us they dare plan
De rendre à l'antique esclavage !	To return to the old slavery!
Aux armes, citoyens...	To arms, citizens...

National Anthem: United Kingdom

No#4 of the National Anthems is going to be God Save the Queen from the United Kingdom. I think it's a well known anthem in most parts of the world, probably because of the language.

Before Queen Elisabeth was the queen the text was God Save the King and offcourse when Charles becomes the king, it will again be God Save the King.
For some Commenwealth contries 'God Save the Queen' is the Royal Anthem (not the National Anthem)

Here's the lyrics:

God save our gracious Queen!

Long live our noble Queen!

God save the Queen!

Send her victorious,

Happy and glorious,

Long to reign over us:

God save The Queen!

 

O Lord our God arise,

Scatter her enemies,

And make them fall:

Confound their politics,

Frustrate their knavish tricks,

On Thee our hopes we fix:

God save us all.

 

Thy choicest gifts in store,

On her be pleased to pour;

Long may she reign:

May she defend our laws,

And ever give us cause,

To sing with heart and voice,

God save the Queen!

 

National Anthem: The Netherlands

I'll be starting a 10 week travel around the world by listening to the National Anthems of different countries. I'll start with the Dutch anthem and then pick 9 more, some well known but also some not so well known.

The Dutch anthem is best known as 'Het Wilhelmus' refuring to Wilhelmus van Oranje. It is said that the Wilhelmus is the oldest national anthem in the world. There is some international confusion concerning the oldest anthem in the world though. The Japanese anthem, Kimigayo, has the oldest (9th century) lyrics, but a melody was only added in the late 19th century, making it a poem rather than a anthem for most of its livespan. Although the Wilhelmus was not officially recognised as the Dutch national anthem until 1932, it is the oldest in the world. The anthem was first written down in 1574 making it over 440 years old.

the complete anthem as 12 verses, but we usually only sing the first and sixth.

Here is the lyrics:

Wilhelmus van Nassouwe
ben ik, van Duitsen bloed,
den vaderland getrouwe
blijf ik tot in den dood.
Een Prinse van Oranje
ben ik, vrij, onverveerd,
den Koning van Hispanje
heb ik altijd geëerd.

 

Mijn schild ende betrouwen
zijt Gij, o God mijn Heer,
op U zo wil ik bouwen,
Verlaat mij nimmermeer.
Dat ik doch vroom mag blijven,
uw dienaar t'aller stond,
de tirannie verdrijven
die mij mijn hart doorwondt.

DIY: Making the Eiffel Tower

So, we've been to almost every continent in the past weeks making something. Today the seventh continent Europe.
We are going to make the Eiffel Tower out of cake or cookies (you can choose)

The Eiffel Tower in Paris is a tower made out of iron. It was build in 1889 as the enterence arch of the 1889 World's Fair.
The tower is 324 meter high (you can compare it with a 81-storey high building).
Now we know a little about the Eiffel Tower so now we can start making our own.

What you need:
- a bowl with a little water
- powdered suger
- a spoon
- a knife
- cake or some cookies

First we are going to make the 'gluw' by mixing the water and the powdered suger. You have to try a bit and find the right amond (you probably need a lot of suger).
It has to be thick enouch to use as gluw.

Then cut you cake or cookies in the right sizes.
Now you start sticking them together. You probably need quite some waiting time to let the suger-gluw dry out.

Built till it looks like this.

 

Good luck trying to make your own!

Grey Explains: European Union

Today is Europe Day (9 may). On this day where they celebrate the peace and unity in Europe.

The Council of Europe was founded on 5 May 1949, and hence it chose that day for its celebrations when it established the holiday in 1964. In 1985, the European Communities (which later bedame the European Union) adopted the European symbols of the Counsil of Europe such as the Flag of Europe. However, the Community leaders decited to hold their Europe Day in commemoration of the Schuman Declaration of 9 May 1950. The declaration proposed the pooling of Frence and West German coal and steel industries, leading to the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community, the first European Community, and hence is considered a principle founding moment.

Grey made a video clip to explain the European Union. Have fun watching it and I hope you'll learn something from it.

Picture Monday: Rechte Heij

Just two pictures of the 'Rechte Heij'. It is really near my town. The spring only started to show when I took these pictures

Continent box Europe #1

Hi everybody,

I have many plans and ideas for my blog so where should I start. actually that isn't a very hard question. I will start with my home country ofcourse. Holland or The Netherlands as I prefer. Why? I'll tell you:

The Netherlands is the right name for the country I live in. however to many it is known as Holland. Holland extually refurs to two of the province of The Netherlands. There are actually 12 province.
This you-tube clip explains it al:

Okay, it may still be a bit confusing, but I like the clip.

For my continent boxes it's easy to find things that tell about The Netherlands: postcards of famous dutch painters, stuff in the color orange (since that is the color that everybody wears on national days like queens/kings day and internation sport events), wooden clocks, tulps, stemps, old dutch guldens (coins before the euro came) and so on.

It is actually reather difficult to make a choice... what will I put in the box to represent The Netherlands. I can't put in all. If I do it will be a box about the Netherlands, not about Europe.

Here some pictures of my things:



Vincent van Gogh paintings on a postcard



some more postcards
dutch products (Calve, Unox, etc)
wooden clocks
Delfts blauwe tegeltjes (Delfs blue tiles)
A cow

a orange 'shirt' to put over you beer bottle