The Dutch nouveau riche

Do you know 'Glamourland', the TV show Gert Jan Dröge used to host? Well, yesterday I was there, I was there in between the Dutch nouveau riche.

Last week I got an invitation from the Dutch ambassador, inviting all Dutch working and living in Geneva to come over to his place for a 'Nederlandse borrel'. Just gathering together for an informal chitchat. Of course I accepted the invitation and thus yesterday night I was on my way to his villa in Coppet. We arrived, parked the car in between a lot of Ferraris and Lamborghinis and walked down the long avenue towards his house. And yes, the picture above is indeed the huge villa I saw in front of me when I arrived…

The ambassador and his wife were standing at the entrance, welcoming every new guest. I shook hands and stepped inside the house. Pictures everywhere; The ambassador together with minister Pronk, the ambassador together with Hillary Clinton, the ambassador together with George Bush. The rest of the house was like a museum. Frightening clean, organized and full of fancy art. After I walked through, I arrived at the back part and stepped on the terrace.

Wow...

Huge swimming pool and an amazing view all over the lake of Geneva. Within 10 seconds a waiter came to me (but he could had been a model as well), offering me a glass of champagne. Five minutes later I had a sushi in my hand with real caviar. So there I was, at a villa in Geneva, with champagne and caviar in my hand, sunset view all over the lake, and being surrounded by a lot of rich and powerful Dutch.

I spent the rest of the night talking about sailing and golf, I felt like I had to adapt my Dutch pronunciation to theirs (I think you get the point how), and I ate a lot of fancy snacks.

Yesterday I was simply in a different world. An amazing world, but one night was also more than enough. At least for now.

xY