IMDonehere

We are not exactly staying in the Jordaan, but just north of it, and are always tin need of transportation. Just here 1 1/2 days and what a magnificent maddening city. The house boats in the canals with more plants, than a hot house and the bicyclists, trams, cars, and buses on a quest to reduce the population by night fall.

Yesterday we went to Anne Frank House' an extraordinary testament to survival and a painfully ironic story of a little girl who wanted fame as a writer. (N.B. it is not for the people who have trouble with stairs.)

Today we went to the Rijksmuseum, a place I have long wanted to visit. No matter the art form, the genre or time period, I always appreciate craft. The Masters were artfully named. It is not only the use of light and composition but the precision of the hands, faces, and the ruffs. Besides the Rembrandts and the Vermeers, the Hals and Stevens are worthy of the centuries of praise. We spent three hours just in the Hall of Honor.

The Dutch are the tallest people on the globe and they were all standing in front of us.

Leely2

I find the Dutch incredibly good looking as well as tall. I really like Amsterdam, great art and such a relaxed, confident city. I hope to read more from you about it.

What did you think of Belgium? A great flight deal and a friend with business in Brussels has me headed that way in about six weeks.

IMDonehere

Belgium

We had a mixed itinerary the battlefields of Ypres, the charm of Brugge, an interesting Gent, and Antwerp. We have been to about 40 countries and we considered Belgium 2nd tier, interesting but not compelling. The people are quite nice and easy going and the bread and pastries, world class.

Leely2

Thank you. Good bread and pastries are a bonus. I'll have to find out more for myself.

Enjoy Amsterdam! The Rijk was still under renovation last time I was there.

IMDonehere

Thanks.
I was going to write more about Amsterdam and Belgium once I was home, which will be in another week.

PalenQ

marking to hear more about my very favorite city from such a great observer!

IMDonehere

Thanks be patient. I only have a tablet and the fingers of an orang.

PalenQ

where is the nearest coffeeshop?

IMDonehere

If you are looking for Cannibas Lechter, tales from the red light district, or what time i got up or how many times I chewed my brownie you will be deeply disappointment. I will give you opinions based on little or no fact and irrational reactions to what for others are every day occurances. This will be painfully drawn out over the next two weeks, so mark it you electronic calender.

artstuff

I'm looking forward to hearing more of your adventures in Amsterdam, my favorite city to visit.

Robyn

AlexandraNoij

Did you eat out en where did you eat out?

Dukey1

What time did you get to the Rijksmuseum and was it a long wait to get in/crowded?

I ask because I am stopping off in A-dam for one day only to go in since its re-opening and that's all I'm doing before heading to Paris the next morning.

IMDonehere

We intentionally visited the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh first thing in the morning, and still each was overwhelmed by those horrible souls, tourists but we heard a great deal of Dutch spoken. The Rijksmuseum was on a Sunday. We did not want to go that day but the weather has been miserable and we have walking that we want to do and other towns to visit.

We start our days early and like to have lunch as the main meal. Nothing memorable. It is a combination of many things, besides the time, the area, and not willing to spend a great deal for a meal. One meal in the museum district was down right disgusting. We look for places that seem to have Dutch people eating. We ate lunch in a place way way out of the tourist area and that was mediocre at best.

IMDonehere

We would up having some very good meals in Belgium, will give specifics next week.

The oddest things about the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh are the visual guides many had. They were looking at the guide instead of the actual work.


The Van Gogh is extremely well done and highly educational without being pedantic. There was a special exhibition of Felix Vallotton, who was both witty and plagued by mental problems, that is simply elegant in its presentation and explanation.

Today we went to Delft. It is a most charming town with its narrow canals and wide plaza and some how it is miracously tranquil despite being a tourist destination.