The Evening Programme
The centre of Vaduz is the place to be at Staatsfeiertag, as the rest of the country is pretty empty on that day. The programme, starting at 14:00, is varied. On several stages in the centre there are concerts of local bands, a market is held, you can eat food on one of the several terraces. Interesting, but if you know nobody, like me, after a while it becomes pretty boring. However I met a photographer of the Liechtensteiner Volksblatt with companion and spent some time with them. Of course the weather became even hot in the afternoon, and no rain was seen anymore.
The Radio Liechtenstein stage had an interview with Fürst Hans Adam at 17:00 and of course I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world. After he arrived he first had to say something to the winners of medals at the Kleinstaatenspiele (Mini-Countries Games), Special Olympics and Berufsweltmeisterschaften (World Championships for Profs), who were getting their share of applause for their achievements from the public. Then the interview, with subjects as politics, Europe and the succession of Hereditary Prince Alois, started. For me the most interesting question was what he would do after he had 'retired'. The Fürst laughed out loudly before answering that he wouldn't think of retiring yet. Although he will leave the Liechtenstein politics to his son Alois, he plans to continue managing the finances of the princely family, on which he already spends half of his time now, to make it Hereditary Prince Alois somewhat easier. He also plans to spend more time with his family and grandchildren. After the interview the Fürst stayed for a while, drinking something and talking to some people. I happily managed to get his signature in my programme of Staatsfeiertag.
Around 19:00 I finally spotted some members of the princely family in town. First my eye fell on Fürst Hans Adam II and his grandson Joseph Wenzel while the Fürst was buying his grandson a South-American panflute. Soon afterwards I spotted Fürstin Marie with a little boy on her hand. It costed me a while to find out that the boy was Prince Georg, the third child of the hereditary princely couple. Not long afterwards I finally discovered the princely and hereditary princely couple with their three eldest children all together in front of the Real restaurant. Prince Joseph Wenzel managed to get another toy, while little Georg was totally happy with some 'figure' balloons he carried around his waist. The family was stopped by people on the streets all the time and it looked to me as if they know every single person in Liechtenstein.
Like Fürst Hans Adam II (as he said in the Radio Liechtenstein interview) I had been looking forward to the lasershow that replaced the usually fantastic fireworks because the weather had been too dry lately to risk the use of fireworks. The half-an-hour lasershow was nice, showing all kind of figures on the walls of Vaduz Castle far above us, but unfortunately the distance was a bit too far to recognise most of the figures. Please, next year fireworks again! After finding the bus to Schaan I went back to my hotel. The day had been long and I thought I had seen enough of the celebrations.
Photos: Netty Leistra