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Published: February 16th 2008
classic view of canal
from one bridge to anotherAmsterdam, Netherlands. Winter in Holland, what do you think of? Frozen canals? Skating? Not this trip, sunny skies and temp's in the low 50's. How lucky are we! But we hear a lot of comments about global warming, the canals haven't been frozen in several years. Lucky is a relative term.
While planning our stay we decide to focus on the museums, because it should be cold in February?! To begin with, the first afternoon we met our guide Isabelle for a quick walk around the canal districts. She is very lively and sweet, beautiful accent. Having her show us around gives us our bearings, and an appreciation for the architecture and history. Returning when the weather is warm, when the trees are green, and flower boxes full would be lovely. Even so, we manage to find plenty of sunny spots with empty benches along the canals, for sitting and viewing the houses through the bare branches. The blue sky is lined with the famous gables. Five or so main styles. Names such as stepped, neck, bell, funnel, cornice. Interesting as to maybe why the houses are narrow, they were taxed on the width. The amount of daylight that entered
the rooms, also raised your taxes, so some of the older houses will have shutters on small windows. The hooks, or hoist beams, that are attached at the very peak of the house is for pulling up large heavy objects, such as furniture. With the nice weather people had their front doors open, and we could see how narrow and steep the interior stairways are.
The city is built on pilings. Get that? Pilings. In the Middle Ages fires kept destroying structures so brick and stone became the building material. Too heavy for the mud, buildings were built on wooden pilings driven through the mud into the sand. Since WWII pilings have been made of concrete, and driven further into more layers of mud and sand. Amsterdam is on top of millions of pilings.
And of course what else comes to mind when you think of Amsterdam? (no. no.) Our high point was with Vincent and Rembrandt. We spent a lot of time at The Van Gogh Museum. I'm surprised with Keith, he studies and gazes along with the other art lovers and students and then points out aspects that I don't see! Van Gogh's life played out
like a drama, and this museum puts it all together. Needless to say the paintings are unbelievably beautiful.
Rijksmuseum is going through renovation, but most their famous collection is still on display. We searched out the Rembrandt's mainly. Again, there we were standing in front of famous paintings and seeing the details that make them so. An art students dream.
Otto Frank moved his family from Frankfurt Germany to Amsterdam in 1933, and hopefully out of the grasp of the Nazis. The family was living here when his daughter Anne began writing in her diary, in 1941. A tour of Anne Frank House is at the top of my list. Very moving, especially at the end of the tour. In this room is a long mural of Birkenau, also known as Auschwitz 2, the concentration camp in Poland where she and the other occupants of the secret annex were deported to after being discovered. It is near to Krakow and we have been twice. Seeing this familar place, struck me. Like most of us, I read her book when I was a girl, and I remember trying to imagine the hardships of her life. Here, in her hiding
place, seeing the picture of the camp that I had recently walked through, I was moved. I think Keith was too.
We walk through a few markets, I really love the outdoor vendors, every thing, cheese, fruit, meats, soaps, handmade items, plants, antiques, flowers, junk! I think the best way to see Amsterdam is by walking through the city. Of course there are buses and trams for faster transportation, but walking by the canals is so relaxing. Our hotel was near the museums and not the city center, getting over there had us going through a park. Another great way to see families and dog walkers. Look through the photos to see who we saw there.
While walking between the districts we see all those cute little coffee shops and we get a whiff of another thing Amsterdam is famous for, good old Mary Jane. Sometimes it was strong, and other times, just something in the air...
And the old neighborhood that's famous for the oldest profession, is the infamous red light district. Being there at 3 in the afternoon was sort of tame. Interesting, but tame. Isabelle reminded me 'No photos allowed' Darn, talk about a photo opportunity.
hooks
eases furniture delivery The other sight seers were even worth a picture.
I did take a lot of pictures every where else, so there are two more entries after this. One for the bikes and one for the boats.
We have changed our name for this blog. Our entries consist mostly of sights that you usually see on post cards. Typical images, except these are our pictures, sent along for you to enjoy, as we are doing. So, 'Postcards from Europe'...
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Remski
non-member comment
In the toilet
Found him, haha! In the toilet. Nice pics, I really miss my city. Glad you had a great time there.