24_fan_picnics

ANDRERIEUMOVIES.COM

Three Fan Picnics in 2024. A photo impression

First fan picnic on Saturday July 6th, 2024. Windy and rainy and stil fans from 8 nationalities.

The pond was filled with stones, so sad for the ducks. Fortunately the Maastricht City Park has more ponds and fountains! So they will find their way.

Chris and Lew Robinson, UK. Joining the fan picnic for the first time.

To our surprise Laura Engel came by to see the fans and to pick up her book “Music connects people” about more than 25 years of fan-frienships. Yes, written by myself with the support of many friends.

A mysterious tunnel was discovered in the bastion! Wow! Click HERE to read more about the historic city wall.

Unfortunately Paul Brown (Australia) fell and hurt his hand. After a check in the hospital: nothing broken. Big relief!

Second fan picnic on Saturday July 13th 2024 only 8 fans and a lot of geese.

Sue Homewood, UK and Anna Brincat, Malta.

Edwina Morgan, Australia

Richard and Sue Dawney (from the UK), met for the first time during a Haymarket trip to the André Rieu concerts in 2012. Richard had lost his wife and Sue had lost her husband years ago, so they travelled on their own in the group. And now they have been married for 12 years, and still attending André concerts.

Here come the Canadian fans! Julia plays goose keeper. Julia and Kathy, New Zealand.

Oh, no, they continue walking….

Third fan picnic on Saturday July 20, 2024 11 fans on a hot day in the park.

The Danish couple Birte and Ejner Øbo, without Miki.

Hanka (Cz), Anna (Malta), Birgit and Barbara (Germany), Chris and Lew (UK)

Laura Engel with Jorge and Marisol (Argentina)

Barbara, Edwina, Birte, Ejner, Sue, Chris.

Hanka, Bobbie, Wilma, Edwina, Ineke.

Patrick and Lilian Verweire - van Schoote (NL)

A long time we thought no more fans would come. We were 5: Ineke, Julia, Kathy, Edwina and Liz. (Ruud could not be here due to handling one more formality with Heather). Coincidentally, a couple sat next to us, who did not come for the fan meeting, but they were also André fans. We immediately added them to the fan family. Welcome Angela and Dietmar Kriegel from Germany! After having waited some more time we decided not to waste our time any longer. To wait for nobody for more than an hour, is not nice. We already had put a sticker on the bench: “The fan picnic has finished early, due to lack of people”.

Suddenly we discovered six people with André lanyards and a Polish flag, on the next benches in the park, at some distance. We knew that André has a lot of Polish fans and we wondered if they might be at the wrong benches for the fan gathering. We asked them and it turned out to be a wonderful meeting!! Conversation went through a google translator from Polish to English and that worked excellently. We could also communicate with “big” Maria in English. Their names: Big Maria and small Maria, Anna, Isabell and two Teresas. What a surprise!! So we really spent a nice time until 2 pm!

Below: big and small Maria, talking through google translators. We perfectly understood each other. Dear Polish fans: it is a joy that we have met!

Teresa B. (in the blue shirt), reads English books using the google translator. Also my book “Music connects people”! Isn’t that funny?

On the picture: Teresa, Isabell, “big” Maria W. Anna, Teresa B, “small” Maria.