Candlelight in Gouda

Gouda is our national city of candles and candlelight, next to the Gouda cheese. It's tradition that some 10 days prior to Christmas the large pine tree donated by Norway is lid by the city's Mayor. 

Yestereve this celebration was held again, after two years of lockdowns because of Corona and the happening was nice and happy with lots of Christmas Carols singing. The singer standing to the right in my foto is Liza, a teenage girl who fled two month ago from Ukrainia to Holland, Gouda. Hearing her sing did move me instantly, just because she's a refugee from her homeland what's brutalized under Putin's command.