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ENGLAND
NETHERLANDS
GERMANY
FRANCE
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The Hague
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| W spent four days in Holland: two in The Hague area and two in Amsterdam. Stayed with his beloved Aunt Floor (mother's sister) outside of The Hague in Wassenaar. Visited the historical center of The Hague, where the old Counts of Holland used to hold court and is now the seat of government, which included the Mauritshaus, a royal 17th century collection, which W had not visited since his childhood. It was exciting for him to see two more Vermeers there as well as many other Dutch masterpieces as he had seen the 'Vermeer and Contemporaries' show at the Met in NYC in April, and had just finished reading a novel about Vermeer, 'The Girl with a Pearl Earring'. Drinks with his cousin Odette and her family, and viewed her new house with a mature, landscaped garden. |
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Amsterdam
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| Train to Amsterdam to stay at a superbly situated company flat in the Jordaan (trendy, former working class old neighborhood just west of the city center) overlooking a canal, which was thoughtfully loaned to him by the daughter of a Dutch friend who lives near Berkeley. Visited the Rijksmuseum to see an impressive private photography collection and yet more Vermeers! Onto the Stedelijk for modern art, which was mediocre, and to the van Gogh museum for the first time, which was impressive. W learned that Vincent adopted a colorful palate only towards the end of his life at the suggestion of his art dealer brother Theo. Dinner with Uncle Coen (mother's cousin) and his daughter Sara in a house overlooking the river Amstel bursting with books and family artwork. Visited a few fun galleries, the brand new Marseilles Haus of Photography and a multimedia center. Lots of walking and soaking up the atmosphere. Less expensive than London and better, but still limited cuisine. |
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Observations
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| OK, how is this for a vocation? There is a bird sanctuary near the junction of two canals in Amsterdam. W saw an old man whose job it is to feed bright yellow, headless chicks to herons. Yum. Unlike most American cities, Amsterdam has public urinals. They, have even, in their artistic pragmatism, painted small black flies on the porcelain! As he did last year, W took in the essentiality of Amsterdam: the narrow houses with hauling hooks at the top, the steep winding stairs. Here, a leisurely drive after work means a cruise in a motor launch kept alongside the canal. And of course, bicycles to be had by everyone. You're in big trouble if you step into a bike path thinking it's a sidewalk! There was excellent mass transit yet W walked everywhere. |
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