Netherlands! #3

Notice the unusual item inside this restaurant?
No - not the Coke.
Not the Cafe au lait.
How about the furry guy watching?!
YES!  Dogs ARE allowed!

And during anther evening...
At the most wonderful Indonesian restaurant
in The Hague:

Gemeentemuseum, The Hague
The city's community museum
with a large selection of Mondrian art,
and currently home for
"The Girl With The Pearl Earring"

Tessa
Model for the 5-Day Drawing course.
(Her first modeling job!)

 

-M

Netherlands Friends/Fun #2

Netherlands! #2

The Ryder Studio School
visited the Netherlands for a two-week session
"The Rembrandt Pilgrimage";
a tour made up of a group of artists
exploring the cities and towns of
Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Gogh and others.
We also explore working in the wonderful light
during a 5-day drawing instruction in The Hague,
and then complete our tour
visiting other historic and artistic sites,
finishing with a colorful stroll through
a very large tulip garden....

Rijksmuseum
Within walking distance to our hotel -
visited many times, thanks to our
"Museumkaart":

Purchased as part of our Tour;
for free entrance to
many museums all over The Netherlands,
and good for a year!

First three days of our tour in Amsterdam;
canal cruise, visiting museums,
Rembrandt's home,

Zaanse Schans
A historical village for some afternoon sketching...

...And where we were tempted,
and yet resisted buying wooden shoes...

And then on to the fishing village,
Volendam for more sketching,
and to enjoy fresh seafood.
(See my next blog under "Friends and Fun"
for specific herring-related adventures...)
And completing our visit of Amsterdam at the
Van Gogh Museum.

From Amsterdam to the Hague
(about 40 miles)
to begin the 5-day drawing class,
meet our model,
explore the ocean and play on the beach,
and continue to explore amazing works of art
in several museums.

-M

Netherlands Friends/Fun #1

First Day:

Freedom of speech.

In the Amsterdam Novotel sitting area.
The characters of this adventure:
(Left to Right)
Dory (Albuquerque, NM),
Toby (Seattle, WA),
Cecilia (Mexico City, Mexico),
Celeste (Santa Fe, NM)...

... (Partial view of) David "the Younger", (Birmingham, AL),
Tina (San Francisco, CA),
and her daughter Kasey (San Francisco, CA),
Anwar (Australia),
Emile (1/2 time Santa Fe, NM and 1/2 time The Hague, Netherlands),
Tony (Santa Fe, NM),
David "the Elder" (Albuquerque, NM), (and no relation to "the Younger")

One checked-bag
One carry-on
Two shoulder bags
And enough "stuff" for two weeks for two people.
Items never brought out of the bags?
=Summer capris, short-sleeved top, flip flops, and my sunglasses....

 

Emile our friend, "local", tour guide and comedian...
Private(!) boat tour through Amsterdam canals.

 

 Need a taxi?

 Have I mentioned all the bikes?

Count the bridges in view...

Tina, Cecilia, Anna (Crystal Lake, IL), Kasey
(and John's scarf...)

Our boat captain casting off for another evening tour
 at an open mooring near our hotel.

Traditional Dutch dinner
Toby and Mercia (Seattle, WA)

Emile describing many of the items on the menu
and Anna;
(probably as thrilled as I
with the thought,
"I'm not dreaming;
I'm in Amsterdam!")

Most tulip views are probably from our final full day in
The Netherlands.
More colors than I can imagine...

Netherlands! #1

Netherlands.
"Low Country"
A green nation crisscrossed with canals.
A flat land with 21% of its land below sea level,
and 50% of its land only three feet above sea level.

I imagined canals every 5-6 blocks while in the city,
and maybe the same distance apart in the country.
I was wrong.

Picture a canal about this width
every 2-3 blocks in any direction
in Amsterdam.

We quickly learned to
look both ways
before even entering the street.
The bike lanes were
more dangerous.
Step from your hotel;
one type of brick surface is the pedestrian walkway,
another type of paving the bike lane,
(possibly) step up and then down a curb area
and you are in the street with trams, motorcycles, cars, trucks.
Then repeat the process on the other side.

Oh!
And the bikes!
Hearty; like the Dutch.
Strong
Unwavering
Individualistic
Not afraid of bright colors
Beasts-of-burden
Perfect postures
Speedy and precise in their movements
Wind and storm-worn
Some; with flowers woven through
-their handlebars
-their baskets
-their racks.
And those who ride:
Young or old,
well-dressed or grungy,
but all appearing
well-balanced and sure of themselves.
(Until some silly tourist steps in their path).

And then
The Museums
and
The Art.

Soon.
In-depth descriptions of
our wonderful travel.