Just came back from a 4-week trip in Australia. Only the third time ever to have visited your country.

The last time was ten years ago when I got the AFL and Carlton virus through television. I had heard of the sport, but never really seen it until I spent those 7 weeks in 1998 on the eastcoast and Tasmania. First match I saw was when I was with my family on Tasmania: Crows - Blues. Not knowing any of the teams I asked my friend who he'd barrack for and he said "the guys in brown". Naturally, I went for the Blues with my family telling me they'd have no chance of beating the premiers.... of course they did. I remember vividly seeing Braddles run the field time and time again and I was sold. Blues fan forever.

Since I had to rely on the internet to get some images of the matches. With Bigpond providing it all 24 hours after the match that has improved somewhat, but still... never seen a live Blues match.

Unfortunately, that hasn't changed on this vacation. An Australian mate got married early January, which was the best excuse for taking my girlfriend to Oz. We spent some time on the Eastcoast before taking a campervan from Adelaide to Melbourne. Bloody hell, that's hot! Especially coming from a freezing Holland.... Anyways, it was a fantastic trip in your beautiful country.

Anyways, I had been looking forward to visiting Melbourne the entire trip. So on the 9th of Jan it was time to go to Princes Park! I asked the doorman of my hotel the way to Carlton's homeground. He asked: "Why would you wanna go there, go to Essendon*, there's much more history". I told him I might get some Bomber toilet paper...

Took the tram north to the Park and the stadium. We went into the store and I spent some nice dollars on all the Carlton stuff that I could carry. Even bought some baby clothes for the new Blue me and my girlfriend are expecting in July (will that be the first Dutch-born Blue?). I also got some DVD's because it is a really nice change to watch it on TV instead of a small computer screan.

We then walked around and into the stadium... it is too bad that no matches will be played there anymore. I am pretty jealous of any of you that had the chance to watch the boys play there. What a fantastic stadium, you can really get a feel of the history of that place.

So, although I didn't get to see a match, I did finally after some ten years get to visit Carlton!

I just wanted to wish you all a fantastic time at the games this year and in the future. I'll be saving some money to come back sometime late September 2010 (?).

GO BLUES

There was a beastiality sale when I was in Amsterdam last and although it wasn't quite the same as watching the Blues at Princes Park, I did respect the Dutch.

We had a human translator explain the canals to us but my friend got the giggles and said she was C3-P0 and that was us rooted for the only tour we paid for.

Never got to Ajax.

You got a Blue beanie and a badge?

Nice work Dutchee................

you're now a true Blue..............welcome to the family.......!


kindest regards tommi













i too plan to visit Amsterdam one day................i just LOVE
coffee..............!

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that'siti'mnotchangingthistagain......!

Dutch Blue.

We salute you and your affection for the Navy Blue.

Come back and visit us for the footy season proper. I am sure you'll have no shortage of comrades wanting to accompany you to cheer on the boys.

Wow, Dutch Blue, what a fantastic post.

It is stuff like this that makes us all a big navy blue family.

Great tro hear you enjoyed your time at Princes Park, it is an old and in some parts dilapidated ground and now very much a part of what was, not what will be with respect to Australian Rules Football. But she has hosted more VFL/AFL games than any other apart from the grand MCG and she will not be surpassed in decades.

A very special ground, and while she does not host games any more she can still inspire the faithful whether they are from Dunolly or Denmark.

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|♥♥♥♥♥♥| http://www.blueseum.org |♥♥♥♥♥♥|

POW surely. Dutchie that's a great post and it's just too bad it was the wrong time of year.

I'm sure when you do eventually make it back there won't be a shortage of people prepared to buy you a drink.

Hope you enjoyed yourself and the old girl (PP, not your missus) looked as good as possible.

Nice work with the Scum supporting doorman too

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Congratulations CK95

Count me in.

Top stuff - fly the navy blue flag for us in Holland long and hard Dutchie.

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Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.

I love posts like that.

Thanks for sharing Dutch.

Awesome dude. Great Post.

Anytime you wanna pop on out to australia to watch a match, you've always got a place to stay.

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

Welkom aan TC Dutchie!

Thanks for choosing Carlton ..

You should maybe change your travel plans to come down March-August, but then of course during September you could see a Finals match .. hopefully with Carlton involved (that's something I haven't experienced either)

Congratulations - though I'm pretty sure Princess Mary is a Carlton supporter - so little Prince Christian would be too! (...though I'm sure he/she will be the second)

Welcome to Carlton, and TC Dutch Blue.

I think that you will find that Princess Mary is married to a Danish Prince not a Dutch.

Anyway a big welcome to Dutch Blue - I hope you enjoy visiting TC>

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Hooked on The Blues

I doubt that little Christian Frederick will be brought up blue .. would be good to have a whole country going for the Blues, though, as little CF will be king of Denmark one day.. and what the king says ...

ROFL - a faux pas on my part... and my best mates Dutch, and he has pulled me up on this before. My bad.

Absolutely, an awesome read. Thank you for sharing your story.

GO BLUES!!!

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Legendary Dutch Blue, hope you get the chance to see the Blues live again soon because it is one of lifes most satisfying experiences, especially now that we are going to start winning again...

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C'mon Blueboys!

Great post.

And even greater timing with Kreuzer being a DutchBlue.

What a champion!

No. 1 Dutch ticket holder right there.

Thanks guys, I really feel the love

I have been and will be wearing the beanie proudly in the cold winter days. Good to know I'll have a couple of friends overseas to drink a cold one with!

And on royalties... aren't they all supposed to be born with Blue Blood?

Forget Telstra's BigPong. Do youself a favour - go to mininova.org and download the carlton games - they are HDTV rips and you can then play them through something like xbox media centre if you have an xbox; windows media centre if you have one of them; buy yourself a divx playing dvd player and enjoy them on the tv at home

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I will miss you Kouta - thanks for the memories. ps. Kouta > * for ∞