I realised too late that yesterday was National Memorial Day, the reason why my sister invited me to join her at the Dam square in central Amsterdam. So at eight o'clock in the evening, we stood there in a mass of people and held two minutes silence for the casualties of World War II. Amazing, a capital city, that still. After the silence came the Queen, who spoke a few words. We listened. Then along came ridiculous Prime Minister Balkenende. We hastened away. While he spoke, my sister and I washed away the bad taste with a few Guinness.