Rollergroove

Rotterdam - June 22nd 2007
At 5:15am on Thursday 21st June 2007 the Rollergroovers awoke to the sound of Skate Lisa (who stayed over) shouting up the stairs to get up out of bed. After several cups of tea and coffee we were ready to load the car and set off on our merry way to Luton. We had a painless and un-eventful journey to Luton airport via the M1. We had booked a parking space on-line (which is HIGHLY recommended if you plan to leave your car) and made our way to the mid-term car park. We eventually found a space and took our places at the bus-stop for the complimentary shuttle-bus. Skate Lisa has a tendency to crack jokes in confined spaces and had the bus driver in hysterics at 7 o’clock in the morning. I shan’t repeat what she said here; suffice to say it involved a bus driver, a nun and a fancy dress party. Try Google….

Checking in was very quick and easy at this time of day. I would definitely recommend flying early morning as the airport is very quiet. We made our way to the departure lounge where we indulged in a cooked breakfast and more coffee. Eventually our gate opened and we boarded our plane courtesy of EasyJet. Now, it’s perfectly understandable that airlines need to make a profit but what is the point in selling snacks on a 45 minute flight? We had a drink each from the trolley and began our descent with half-empty cups!

Once at Schiphol airport we bought our train tickets to Rotterdam (only €10 each) and walked down to the platform.

Oh no!!! Our train was cancelled! We would have to wait another hour! Oh well…. We amused ourselves by dancing on the platform and laughing at Skate Lisa terrorising passengers on the Thalys train that pulled into the station. At last our train arrived and we were on our way to Rotterdam.

After arriving at Rotterdam Centraal we got our tram tickets (€1.60 each) and boarded our trams to our respective hotels to freshen up and look around Rotterdam.

Lisa was in the Maritime Hotel by the Erasmus Bridge and we were staying at the Golden Tulip across the road from there.

I absolutely love Rotterdam. I feel at home here and I just wish we could apply some of the Dutch philosophies on transport back here. Later that evening we strolled back to the train station to meet T and Arlene who were staying at the same hotel as Skate Lisa.

After a night’s rest we enjoyed our complimentary breakfast in the hotel. I like to get my money’s worth and shovelled it down my neck into my hollow legs, washing it down with cappuccinos and OJ. MMMMmmmmm……… Burp!

After breakfast we met up with the others and went sight-seeing around Rotterdam.

Did we have fun or what???? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure the electric slide has never been performed in a Dutch Coffee Shop before and the patrons must have thought they were smoking something extra special, coz they must have thought they were seeing things!

The evening soon came around and it was time to get our skates on. We had planned to skate to Hal4 but the weather was having none of it, so taxi it was. After a short journey we were greeted at the door and invited in as we were on the guest list (thanks Linda!). It’s always difficult to tempt skaters inside during the summer and true enough it wasn’t as busy as when we came in February, but that just meant we had more room to groove! The music, as before, was fabulous. It makes such a difference when the DJs are skaters. The Rollergroovers were the first of the UK skaters to arrive, but it wasn’t long before the rest of them turned up. You cannot appreciate just how much fun this place is until you experience it for yourself. There is absolutely no bad attitude anywhere. It’s the only place you can go to skate where there is no need for security or skate marshals. Everybody has respect for each other and the venue. Nobody smokes or drinks on the floor, or gets in the way, without being told by staff. The locals were treated to UK skaters performing the electric slide and the march and even a six-man helicopter.

Likewise, we were treated to some exquisite roller-dancing by the QuadSk8 crew and by the ZikaRoller crew from Belgium. There were even differing ways of performing chariots being exchanged.

The best way to describe this event is as if enthusiastic skaters hired a venue and had a private roller-party.

We were sad when the night ended and we all applauded QuadSk8 for putting on what was definitely the skate event of the year so far.

The next one is planned for September 14th 2007 and if we can be there we will. You should be there too.

Thanks to all the UK skaters that made the trip- Skate Lisa, Rasta T (SilverSurferTony), Tweety, Paul, Delisa, Selvyn, Joniquai, Zine, The Disleys (Andrew, Rachel ‘MizDiz’ and Helen Surf’n’sk8mum), Carmen, Regis, Michelle (New York) and anyone else I forgot.

Extra special thanks to Quadsk8 (Brian, Linda and Gerald) for an unbelievable night. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!