Friday, May 3, 2013

Weds and Thurs

Grass is not growing under these feet, for sure. (It is such fun!)

Wednesday morning we got up pronto and got the train to Amsterdam. We passed a few fields with flowers that are just beginning to blossom. That is on next weeks agenda. We got the tram at. Central station and headed to the Rijksmuseum. (Check it out online). it has been closed for ten (!) years for an upgrade, some modernization, etc. What a fabulous museum, with art that even we know-nothing's have seen or heard of. Patty Anne we were thinking of you a lot. Like most, we began with art from the 1600's with paintings from Vermeer, Hals and Rembrandt. Even arriving very soon after opening, it was quite busy. But you are allowed to get within (less than) two feet of the paintings. WOW!

We adjourned to tHe museum cafe and ended up sitting next to a couple from Edmonds, WA. After a tasty salad, we returned to our cultural immersion. When we finally left the museum, they were not letting any more people inside and were lined up, four across, for about fifty yards. Lots of folks. We had hoped to visit the Nieuwe Kerk, where Willem Alexander was "crowned" the day before. Unfortunately there were HUNDREDS lined up for that. (It was only open that afternoon and the next day). So we passed on that idea and wandered throu some of the city. We did stop for a drink (pop) and Appel gebaakt before heading to the train. Did I say, that one of the blessings of all this walking, has been NO weight gain, despite all our taste treats.

Thursday morning we started some laundry (packing light means fewer clothes) and got that on a drying rack (didnt want to leave the dryer on while we were gone) and headed to our "home away from home" Delft. WONDERFUL. We managed to find our way despite work on the tram which necessitated a bus ride for the last part of the trip. Oh so tasty lunch at Leonides cafe (known for their Belgian chocolates) and then a leisurely walk with the weekly market. Found a few things and just delighted in the ambiance. In the late afternoon we purchased the requisite bunch of flowers and headed to the home we had enjoyed two years ago and had a glass of wine with Wim and Marieke. They are charming people and it was great to reconnect.

oh we are so lucky, to get to enjoy all of this.















1 comment:

  1. Enjoying your pictures of Holland. Curious what you thought of the Rijksmuseum.

    ReplyDelete