This year's Canal Parade in Amsterdam, the culmination of Gay Pride week, has attracted a record 560,000 spectators, 60,000 more than last year.

Spectators lining the Dutch capital's canals watched around 80 barges with scarcely clad revellers. Members of the Christian Democrat CDA party of the ruling coalition and the opposition conservative VVD party also joined this year's parade. And it was the first time soldiers were allowed to participate in the parade in uniform.

One of the boats was carrying well-known athletes, including swimmer Pieter van den Hoogenband and former footballers Pierre van Hooijdonk and Aron Winter. Mayor Job Cohen married five Dutch-American same-sex couples.

Gay Canal Parade 2009
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