23 May 2018
Goodbye Ozzie. Travel safely in your container to Africa. We'll join the public transport tourists now. We found out that Rotterdam is the home of "starchitects", as well as windmills...
Ozzie
Showing posts with label 049 The Netherlands. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 049 The Netherlands. Show all posts
Wednesday, 23 May 2018
Monday, 21 May 2018
Sunday, 20 May 2018
Saturday, 19 May 2018
19 May 2018
Ozzie performed really well once the new turbo from Australia was installed AND we were on the road again, so happy to be sleeping in our own camper truck once more. Given we had to meet the deadline for the shipping container in Rotterdam, we crossed quite a few countries quite quickly, meeting more critters than people...
Ozzie performed really well once the new turbo from Australia was installed AND we were on the road again, so happy to be sleeping in our own camper truck once more. Given we had to meet the deadline for the shipping container in Rotterdam, we crossed quite a few countries quite quickly, meeting more critters than people...
Friday, 27 April 2018
Fri 27 Apr 2018. To Munich, Germany
Fri
27 Apr 2018. To Munich, Germany
At airport posted postcards. Wanderoos
had most thorough examination by customs ever, they went through every bag,
ever pocket, every item carried, and then body frisking. We reminded ourselves it
was worth it, not to be travelling with a terrorist. KLM slow boarding again
but made up time on flight. It was great to see the final orange message, its time to be re-united with Ozzie, and get on the road again.
Arrived into warm afternoon in early 20°s! Dismayed to find hotel was not same one we chose last time in Munich just across road from train station, similar name but pokey lift and tiny rooms. Logistical exercise to place luggage in a way that left a path to the bed and to the bathroom. To top it all off the internet was not working. Went out for a walk and to dinner - enjoyed an Aperol Spritzer, and food at Peter and Wolff was light and delicious, veal in cranberries. Walked through Munich train station to familiarise for Sunday’s train.
7.3° this morning -
unexpectedly getting colder every day instead of warming into Spring. Enjoyed slower
start to the day, repacking. Booked train tickets online to Passau, then to
Andorf. Breakfast room decorated for Kings Day, orange cakes on display, cleaner
dressed all in orange.
Wrote 8 postcards (half each) checked out by noon. Set-price taxi to airport thankfully because it was caught up in traffic, pedestrians everywhere, families headed to Vondelpark for children’s activities eg playing instruments like violin.
Flea-market atmosphere, impromptu stalls lined the streets, some food but mostly used clothing, items and furniture. Orange flower hats, scarves and sweatshirts abounded.
Wrote 8 postcards (half each) checked out by noon. Set-price taxi to airport thankfully because it was caught up in traffic, pedestrians everywhere, families headed to Vondelpark for children’s activities eg playing instruments like violin.
Flea-market atmosphere, impromptu stalls lined the streets, some food but mostly used clothing, items and furniture. Orange flower hats, scarves and sweatshirts abounded.
Thursday, 26 April 2018
Thurs 26 Apr 2018. King's Eve in Amsterdam
Thurs 26 Apr 2018. King's Eve in Amsterdam
Walked to magnificent building that is the Rijksmuseum, "...home to the country's largest public art history research library—and a seriously vertiginous spiral staircase...". Whichever way you looked, the Great Hall was seriously impressive - upwards to frescoed ceilings, sideways to murals and stained glass, and downwards to mosaics and patterned tiles.
Spent three or four hours wandering between floors admiring not only the old Dutch Masters, but also painters from the Hague School, Art Nouveau, and the Impressionists to name some of the featured exhibits. GirlRob found it most enjoyable to be allowed to photograph at will.
Rembrandt was the grandest of the Old Masters, with several rooms dedicated to his works, including from a young age.
Vermeer:
Rubins:
van Dijk: Asselijn:
Steen:
Gabriel:
Monet: Whistler:
The self-portrait by
Van Gogh was a much smaller painting than GirlRob had expected. Contrastingly, the
huge painting of Waterloo overtook its room.
Toulouse la Trec: Ensor:
Even with BoyRob navigating to those artists we wanted to see, we still missed de Goya - luckily we've "seen" him in earlier trips to Europe.
There were also exhibitions featuring Delftware (amazing flower pyramid), ships models, and The Dutch Overseas.
Like most museums, you could spend days wandering the floors and rooms. By mid-afternoon Wanderoos called it quits and had a late lunch of sausage and pickle on shiny-crusted bread in their café.
Rested we walked through Museum Square in the brisk wind.
Walked a few more blocks to enter pretty Vondelpark, where we
wandered among the ducks, flowers, statues, lakes and trees – even spotting a
pair of green parrots. 
Took a last round trip canal cruise, getting clearer photos once roof was opened. Recognised many of the landmarks this time around! Passed iconic narrow canal houses, Jewish Quarter/Waterlooplein Flea Market, Skinny Bridge. Heard about the Golden Age of architecture, saw Science Centre Nemo, not tempted to disembark at the lookout with its swing on top going out over the edge.
The canals opened into Bay of Ij
(“eye”) where the commentary told us there was fresh water on top, and heavier salty water underneath, with the different species in each.
Amsterdam has a huge problem with bicycles and their parking. The common joke is: water in canal is 3 metres deep: one third water, one third mud, one third bicycles!!
Walked to Indonesian Restaurant for dinner; GirlRob chose delicious Nasi Kuning, yellow rice cooked in coconut and turmeric with tender beef and egg, whilst BoyRob had the snapper cooked in banana leaf. We are going to have to take this eating holiday in hand soon. Walked downtown for coffee and to mix with partygoers before walking back to hotel for a well-earned rest. The “House of Orange” city was celebrating Kings Eve: orange hats, jackets, helium balloons, and children wearing dainty feather wings.
GirlRob had Dutch pancakes for breakfast, which turned out to be fried batter over bacon and cheese (better on the eyes than the heart!) BoyRob asked for poached eggs: “the mother
doesn’t do - you have happy face, OK?” which turned out to be fried eggs sunny
side up. The mother obviously does frying!
Walked to magnificent building that is the Rijksmuseum, "...home to the country's largest public art history research library—and a seriously vertiginous spiral staircase...". Whichever way you looked, the Great Hall was seriously impressive - upwards to frescoed ceilings, sideways to murals and stained glass, and downwards to mosaics and patterned tiles.
Spent three or four hours wandering between floors admiring not only the old Dutch Masters, but also painters from the Hague School, Art Nouveau, and the Impressionists to name some of the featured exhibits. GirlRob found it most enjoyable to be allowed to photograph at will.
Rembrandt was the grandest of the Old Masters, with several rooms dedicated to his works, including from a young age.
 |
| The Syndics |
 |
| Titus reminded us of our niece Dimi.... |
 |
| Night Watch |
 |
| Very civilised art education program! |
 |
| The Milk Maid |
Rubins:
 |
| Incredulity of Thomas - triptych |
 |
| The Threatened Swan |
Steen:
 |
| The Merry Family |
Gabriel:
Monet: Whistler:
 |
| Corniche near Monaco |
 |
| Arrangement in Yellow and Gray |
 |
| Intrigue |
Even with BoyRob navigating to those artists we wanted to see, we still missed de Goya - luckily we've "seen" him in earlier trips to Europe.
There were also exhibitions featuring Delftware (amazing flower pyramid), ships models, and The Dutch Overseas.
Like most museums, you could spend days wandering the floors and rooms. By mid-afternoon Wanderoos called it quits and had a late lunch of sausage and pickle on shiny-crusted bread in their café.
Rested we walked through Museum Square in the brisk wind.
 |
| Van Gogh Museum |
Took a last round trip canal cruise, getting clearer photos once roof was opened. Recognised many of the landmarks this time around! Passed iconic narrow canal houses, Jewish Quarter/Waterlooplein Flea Market, Skinny Bridge. Heard about the Golden Age of architecture, saw Science Centre Nemo, not tempted to disembark at the lookout with its swing on top going out over the edge.
Amsterdam has a huge problem with bicycles and their parking. The common joke is: water in canal is 3 metres deep: one third water, one third mud, one third bicycles!!
Walked to Indonesian Restaurant for dinner; GirlRob chose delicious Nasi Kuning, yellow rice cooked in coconut and turmeric with tender beef and egg, whilst BoyRob had the snapper cooked in banana leaf. We are going to have to take this eating holiday in hand soon. Walked downtown for coffee and to mix with partygoers before walking back to hotel for a well-earned rest. The “House of Orange” city was celebrating Kings Eve: orange hats, jackets, helium balloons, and children wearing dainty feather wings.
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