Amsterdam Day 1

 Wednesday 15th October Amsterdam 

A greyish damp day, I have booked tickets for two galleries the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh museum, only a 30ish minute walk away from my hotel, another grey day, with a little bit of drizzle i think. An interesting walk with a new city to explore.

The Nieuwe Kerk, having a bit of a facelift, but with shops built right up to it’s walls, that is the second time I have seen it so I guess that is a thing here, I guess space was limited in old Amsterdam with all the canals etc? Bicycles in the foreground are a must though. I do admit every time I go to cross the road I feel I am taking my life in my hands, looking for cars, trams and bicycles that seem to go faster than the rest, and with two way cycle lanes it’s a mission each time!

Pretty sure this is a synagogue, the Star of David on its walls, producing a lovely reflection in the canal. The trees a little further on here towards autumn colours than it was in Norfolk and Yorkshire.

Amsterdam Cheese Company, would be a lovely shop to explore, but i won’t be putting one of those rounds in my suitcase!

Another Canal another lovely reflection. Then I am there what an impressive building. The Rijksmuseum, a lot of gold work on the front.

On yet another pretty canal,

walked through the entrance, and yes you can cycle through too. I have a time entry and a few minutes to waste in the gardens at the back.

And then it is in with three floors to explore, so There was a bit of Rembrandt.

That’s is son modelling in a cassock, there was quite a bit of Rembrandt actually, including the night watch, but often it’s nice to see the less famous paintings that don’t reach the art books. A bit of Vermeer

As beautiful in real life as one imagines! A close up of a still life that was large and wonderful, especially the glistening of the berries.

Made out of something that is a little better than rock crystal and has cameos around the base

 Violin in the blue and white, not sure if it is delft, but it is a coating.

Some paper cutouts, a little built fancier than what we used to do as children. There was also a section on the Dutch East Indies and the slave trade there.

Model of the William Rex 1698. The appearance of a Dutch warship of late 17th century . Made at the dockyards of Vissingen, where real warships were made. Impressive craftsmanship. There were many more model ships downstairs, with all the pistols and rifles and two handed swords that must have been two metres long.

Banner of Louis Napoleon who made Amsterdam the capital of his kingdom. In 1806 he sent treasures from the Dutch Parliament buildings in The Hague. I was thinking it was Napoleon but I think it was his nephew? In the Waterloo room, where there was a humongous painting with Wellington in the middle and a few other notables around. Was purchased by Willem II instead of Wellington. 

There were some more modern pieces up on the top floor.

But just like the Louvre in Paris, it was hard to find a way out, the little walking green men seemed to just lead to the below ground floor, after wandering a bit I asked someone and there it was in subtle white against a light marble wall! EXIT

Outside to ofind an American hotdog for lunch and then a hot chocolate and cookie in a little sidewalk cafe, sat there a while whist waiting until the time to enter the Van Gogh Museum which is very close by. Was a great museum to visit went through the different periods of his life, where he was living at the time he did different paintings, was great to see some different works and some of his contemporaries. One section was on his self portraits.

I thought I would post a few of my favourites but, I took about 30 photos of my favourites so it will have to be a few really special favourites.

I particularly liked the bat wings how they look translucent in the dark painting. An d below the sparseness of lines to convey the subject.

Red cabbages and garlic, the brushstrokes forming the vegetables., below at Arles , where we visited in Provence, this has almost been a Van Gogh trip!

Also in Arles how could this not be a favourite favourite?

His friend in Arles, Mr Roulin? Who he painted a few times with his wife and children also being models.Particularly like his beard.

By now it was four o’clock and my feet were getting tired, so I had sussed out that the tram to Central Station stopped very close by, so on I hopped for a ride back to the station and my hotel. You can use your credit card to touch on and touch off the trams and city trains so that is easy. 

An early night as i was drifting off to sleep pretty much after I had some dinner, was a long day on my feet, I feel I am galleried out now!