Europe 2014

Amsterdam, 9-11 May

 

  As we came into Amsterdam, there could be no doubt that it is a busy port. *
  We arrived at lunch time, and in the afternoon had a canal tour. *
  A bridge similar to ones painted by Van Gogh. *
  A houseboat, complete with garden. *
  A bridge pylon. *
  A memorial to the Jews of Amsterdam who were deported and murdered by the Nazis. *
  Bike parking lot, Amsterdam-style. *
  The tour dropped us close to Amsterdam's flower market, which Lynn loved. *
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  The back of the flower market was rather less attractive. *
  An interesting shop window. *
  Then off on a long, slow coach ride to see one of the remaining windmills of Amsterdam. *
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  The thatch on the windmill looks a bit like a face. *
  Then back through Amsterdam to the final dinner on the Amabella. *
  The sunset that evening was spectacular and threatening. †
  The next morning, we took a taxi from the Amabella to our B&B, and then went on to the Rijksmuseum. *
  Although we got there early, and had almost no queue to get in, the museum was very crowded, with tour groups standing immediately in front of all the better-known paintings. Nick managed to get this shot of The Night Watch by Rembrandt. †
  Detail from The night Watch. *
  How could anyone paint such detail? *
  Detail from The Jewish Bride. *
  We were rather surprised to find a cockatoo in an old painting. *
  Woman with a child in a pantry (catchy title) by Pieter van Hooch. †
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  The library of the museum: a work of art in itself. *
  The next morning, we stood in the rain for half an hour to get into the Van Gogh Museum which was fascinating, especially the discussions of the pigments he used, and how they had faded. But no photos allowed. For lunch, we went to the train station and ate at a beautiful old-fashioned restaurant called Premiere Classe. *

Then the next day, it was onto a very full Thello train to get to Brussels.

 

Copyright © 2014 by *Lynn Booth or †Nick Booth. Please contact us if you wish to use a photo.