City of Brielle (Den Briel). Tug of war.

Brielle (also called Den Briel) is a very old, fortified town.
It received city rights in 1306. The city was for a long time the seat of the Count of Voorne, until this fiefdom was added to Holland in 1371. It had its own harbour and traded with the countries around the Baltic Sea.

During the Eighty Years' War between the Netherlands and Spain, the Capture of Brielle on April 1, 1572, by Protestant rebels, the Watergeuzen, marked a turning point in the conflict, as many towns in Holland then began to support William of Orange against the Spanish Duke Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba who was sent to pacify The Netherlands.

This event is still celebrated each year on April first. People dress up in custumes from around that time. In the streets are festivities and ald costoms are played out. This year it was very cold but the sun was there and it was one of the beter celebrations.
I made a lot of nice portraits and had a hard time choosing. Finally I made a collage from the game "Tug of war" and picked it for the blipfoto.