Monday 31 March 2014

Amsterdam etc

 A week yesterday we went to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.We love art and one of the main reasons for going was to go to the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijks Museum to see great art.We were very well organised and booked our tickets ,on line, and in advance.Unfortunately our plans were scuppered because President Obama was in town ,en route to The Hague for a Nuclear Conference.He was visiting the museums on the day we had booked our tickets and all the museum area was closed!Much  panic followed but we did manage to go the following day.The van Gogh museum was interesting but a little disappointing as most of his famous  works are elsewhere(all his sunflower pictures are in London).We were more impressed with the Rijks Museum especially the Night Watch by Rembrandt.There were more works by him and also Vermeer.
We had a hotel just  off Dam Square which was very handy but in an expensive area.Two glasses of lager were 9 euros!
Above is a photo of me with the famous "tulips fromAmsterdam"
 A typical Amsterdam scene.
 Looking the other way from the same bridge.
Typical houses and bikes everywhere.I tried to upload more photos but they disappeared.
While in Amsterdam we visited Anne Frank's house.This is a fascinating story and so humbling to read it and see where they hid.Anne died in Bergen Belsen just before the end of the war.Her father,Otto,survived and in 1947 found a publisher to print the diary.If you havn't read this you should.
We also visited Rembrand's house.This was so interesting.It is a three storey canal house built in 1606.He bought it in 1639 using money from his wife Saskia.The top floor is dedicated to his etchings and there was a man there demonstrating how it was done,also someone showing how he mixed his paint.You see his living quarters as well as his studio and get a real"feel" for Rembrandt.
It was a great trip.We walked miles and miles and my knees were great(thank you Mr Wooton for my replacements).We got back on Wednesday evening at 10pm and on Thursday at 11am we were off to Cambridge but that is a story for another day.............

9 comments:

  1. Wow looks wonderful! Did you bring back some bulbs to plant?

    I wondered where you were as you have been quiet, glad to hear you have been having a lovely time! S xx

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  2. I have never been to Amsterdam but it certainly sounds like there's quite a lot to do and see there.Glad you had a good time!

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  3. How lovely. It's a city that I know I'd enjoy visiting and you've made me more determined to see it one day :)

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  4. Oh, how wonderful - sounds like you had a wonderful time and saw - eventually - everything you wanted to see. Amsterdam is a city I'd love to visit one day:)

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  5. Hi there, what a delightful trip. I'm just stopping by to say how delightful your blog is. Thanks so much for sharing. I have recently found your blog and am now following you, and will visit often. Please stop by my blog and perhaps you would like to follow me also. Have a wonderful day. Hugs, Chris
    http://chelencarter-retiredandlovingit.blogspot.ca/

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  6. Enjoyed reading about your trip to the Netherlands! In a little over a month we will be going over the pond (my second time, Hubby's third) this time to Italy. We will be with a tour group on a Northern Italy trip. We're going with our college friends again. We toured the UK with them last year and had such a wonderful time. By the way we toured England, Wales and Scotland and had supper with a very nice Wales family in their own home. We had mushy peas and such of a pot roast. It was delicious. Have a lovely day.

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  7. What a lovely post! Sounds as though you had a great trip! Ros

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  8. Lovely photos, especially like the HUGE tulips

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  9. My niece lived in Amsterdam for two years and I was able to visit her twice, it is a gorgeous city. I have been to both museum's, amazing pieces of artwork in both. My favorite place was the Anne Frank Museum, very sad.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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