Arie invited me to join him at the Euro Auctions yesterday and since I had never been to an auction and wanted to have a cool photo experience I went along. I also thought it would be cool to spend some time (away from the computer and website) with Arie. EuroAuctions is one of the auction companies in europe that auctions off large equipment, cars and industrial equipment. EuroAuctions covers The UK, Ireland, and Germany.
We left at 5:30 in the morning and arrived at the German EuroAuction lot at about 7:30. We registered and got our bidder number book, the book that also lists all of the products being auctioned off, and went for a stroll around lot one. There were TONS of gigantic shovels, compressors, large jack hammers, tires, and tons of other things. We then strolled over to lot 2. As we walked through the gate Arie pointed to a gigantic dump truck and asked me, "Want a dump truck?" I immediately responded "Yeah, I'd look so cool driving that around!" he laughed and we kept walking through an isle of cranes. In this lot Arie showed me a shovel he wanted and a few hoogwerkers (Im not sure what their english name is...but they might be bucket lifts?) he wanted to buy. I was stunned by the height of some of these machines, all lifted HIGH into the sky.
Then we heard a bell rounding the corner. The man ringing the bell approached Arie and greeted him in English. EuroAuctions being based in The UK is held completely in english and most of the employees are Irish or English.
The man asked Arie if I was "the wife" in a joking manner and Arie said "No, this is my daughter in law." The man continued to joke with Arie a bit and then told him the bell meant the auction was beginning.
We continued to browse for a little while then headed towards the sounds of really fast numbers and random, joyous yells of "YES". Walking under the tent my nose was filled with scents of brautworst, sausages, potatoes and grilled mushrooms. Arie asked if I wanted some breakfast, and I choose a Braut with potatoes. I listened to the auctioneer spit off numbers and ate. We walked into the auction tent and there was the man who was ringing the bell, behind a small fence, gesturing to people to place bids. I came to find out that this position is known as a 'bid catcher'. The auctioneer yells out the bid catchers name after the auction has been won, to see what the winning bidder number is. This is how I found out that the man with the bell is Paul.
Arie has known Paul for over 10 years, but honestly it seemed like he knew the rest of the guys about that long too. Paul is the most expressive bid catchers at the auction. Making gestures of fishing for the bidders, and then gesturing that they are a chicken when they dont place their bid higher.
Paul was funny too because he kept winking at me and blowing me kisses. Arie jokingly told me I was in trouble. A little later Paul pulled a package of wine gummys out of his pocket and handed them out to some of the close bidders. Arie and I were first to be offered...actually I was offered first.
The auction went on and I took tons of photos of the bid catchers. I then told Arie I was going to head to the back to get a different angle on things. As soon as I got back there and pointed my lens at Paul, he blew me a kiss. The couple of men standing around me turned towards me a giggled. The man to my left, Helmut, asked if I was the "Official EuroAuctions Photographer" I explained to him that I wasn't, and that I was there with my father-in-law. He then asked me for some camera advice. I grabbed my card and explained that if he needed any help with his photos he could email or call me and I could help him out.
Arie and I then took another long stroll around the lot, just to stretch out our legs.
When we got back Paul ushered me up to the front to give me some more candies. He asked for a kiss. I oblidged, giving him a kiss on the cheek and the whole crowd behind me giggled or 'OOO'-ed. It was funny.
About an hour after Arie and I had lunch, which was an amazing chicken and beef goulash soup, it was time to stop waiting for the equipment to pass us and start walking around with a truck housing the auctioneer, the bid TV and the internet bidder catcher. The bid catchers walked around in the crowd, catching bids. It began to rain after one of the Hoogwerkers and I went to go grab the rain coats. I was pretty wet by the time I got to the car and decided the large umbrella Lora keeps in the car was a good idea to bring too. The umbrella was a big hit as I walked back up to the auction truck.
Paul was on break so two of the other bid catchers were out. A very tall young man by the name of Braun grabbed my umbrella handle and said "Follow me around, just like this" I laughed and obliged. As soon as I said something to him he asked "ARE YOU AMER..." and I cut him off saying "Yes." He asked who my family was and I said "Arie Bor...he is my father in law" "So youre married?"
Then while he wasnt catching bids on the next couple of items he asked me about my marital status. Most of the other guys were joking with me and him, while Arie was never far away. So finally I said to him, laughing "Just ask my father in law- Arie is right there"
Even though Bryan and I are not married, its easier for Arie and I to tell people that "He is my father-in-law" and "Zij is mijn schoondochter." Believe me, its easier.
Once the rain stopped Braun didnt really want to talk to me anymore. It may have been because at one point I said "Your so tall that now Im getting wet!" Referring to the fact that the umbrella was no longer covering me. Immediately knowing where Bryan would go with this statement, I flushed and all the guys were laughing, so with the flush I said "No," and playfully started hitting Braun.
Later near the end of the day, my back was killing me. I told Arie this and he urged me to take pauls advice and go sit in the cab of the auctioneer truck with the driver. Paul, who was now working for this part of the auction and had spoken with me briefly, asked Arie where I was. Not 10 min later, Paul was in the truck too to rest his feet. We talked about how he raises horses and how his daughter hunts and rides horses, how he had a Irish folk band when he was younger and lots of other things.
After the part of the auction called "Stationary Row" (equipment that doesnt run anymore for one reason or another) Arie and I made our way home. It was 17:10 when we left, and my back was killing me from walking all day and not having slept well the previous night. We got home at 21:00. I took a shower and passed out.
Museum De Heksenwaag(p-assets,maastricht,Activiteiten).jpg)
