We awoke on the peaceful island of Plantage, and we began the day with a sunny stroll in our vicinity. It was early, so the quays were quiet, and all the boats were tethered.
Then, we took the #14 and #19 trams south to the Oostpoort (East Gate) neighborhood in the Amsterdam-Oost District. Its wide streets are dotted with nightclubs, Turkish bakeries, and Surinamese markets. We breakfasted at The Cottage, which serves British farm-to-table food. Lewis and I love British food!
Seen below, the pillar is called a peperbus (pepper pot), and it's used as a place to post bulletins and advertisements.
Keeping advertisements in designated areas prevents them from cluttering the scenery. Another example is seen here.
The terrace was full, so we happily sat indoors. We shared freshly-baked cinnamon scones with clotted cream and homemade jam. Lewis had a succulent chicken "meat pie". I ordered their Sunday Roast: juicy lamb with vegetables from their garden, and roasted potatoes cooked in goose fat. Even though it is an out-of-the-way place, its menus are printed in Dutch and English.
To be authentic to their North Sea neighbor, the restaurant uses British mustard: Colman's, which was repeatedly awarded a Royal Warrant by the British monarchy since 1866.
*If you want to see when we visited England, please go here:
Lewis devoured his scrumptious meat pie, and its crust was perfect! My meal was excellent, too. Gezond en lekker!
The staff was cohesive and happy. In their relaxed yet respectful environment, nobody minded if the hard-working juice-making girl paused to eat some food at the bar. I had freshly-squeezed orange juice; Lewis had berry/ginger. Nobody thought it rude that a waiter paused to open a bottle of soda for himself. Customers were more interested in the restaurant's collection of boardgames, sunny outdoor seating, and their own conversations. One couple entered, sat at the small tables attached to the window benches...
...and only ordered coffee and cake. Then, they left to enjoy their day. It was delightful and whimsical.
...and only ordered coffee and cake. Then, they left to enjoy their day. It was delightful and whimsical.
Fortified with a hearty meal, Lewis and I crossed the city to the Allard Pierson Museum of Archeology.
It is located on a waterside esplanade.
Admission is €10 but is included with City Cards. However, entry necessitates choosing a time-slot in advance, online. We decided to visit it another time. Thankfully, there was an abundance of other places to keep us busy.
*Unseen and nearby, new tremendous infrastructure allowed 293 cars and 260 bicycles to park underground by the Rokin Metro station. That is impressive.
We ventured to the Museum of Amsterdam. Entry is €15 but was free with our City Cards. The museum occupies a former convent, circa the 1500s, which became an orphanage in 1581 and was expanded in 1634. The museum traces the history of the city, and it also had a Fashion Exhibit. Its entrance is historic, crooked, and cozy.
As we arrived, its courtyard hosted a LGBT dance performance by lesbians of all nationalities.
Freshening ourselves in the "gender neutral" restroom, I was impressed to see a helpful step-stool for children.
The downstairs corridor matched my linen shirt. I resembled the Netherlands' "national color": orange.
Modern design blended beautifully with historic craftsmanship.
Notice the lack of barriers between exhibits and visitors: it indicates a responsible populous that won't damage things.
The signs below illustrate Netherlandish diversity.
From the museum's repertoire of 70,000 items, a rotation of 25,000 objects are always on display. Born in 1613, Bartholomeus van der Helst was one of the best portrait painters of the Golden Age, and the largest collection of his work is there.
There was a permanent exhibit about Bet van Beeren, born in 1902, who was one of Amsterdam's legendary bar owners: a female business owner, lesbian, motorcycle rider, and operated an openly gay bar in 1927—long before Stonewall became a gay bar in NYC in 1966 (and tried to take all the credit in the world).
Tracing the Canal Ring, we strolled to the world-renown Tassenmuseum Hendrikje (Museum of Bags and Purses). Admission was €13 but we entered for free with our City Cards.
The beautiful surroundings are preserved from their 1600s-era origins... as seen below.
In 2007, a donor offered the museum its current location: the former canal mansion of Cornelis de Graeff. Aside from being mayor 10 times, he was a huge patron of the arts; his family supported much of Amsterdam's Dutch Golden Age. They educated the stadholder (national governor), Willem III of Orange...
...who became King William III of England, Scotland & Ireland (a.k.a. William & Mary). To oppose France, William III orchestrated the Grand Alliance: the Dutch Republic, England (who involved Native Americans), Scotland, Ireland, Archduchy of Austria, Holy Roman Empire, Spanish Empire, and Duchy of Savoy. (*Trivia: Founded in 1702, King William County in Virginia is named for him).
In addition to a rear garden, the museum's Teashop occupies a grand-looking room with a frescoed ceiling and nice views overlooking the canal.
Their worldwide collection begins chronologically with men's "hip purses" and "pipe tobacco bags".
It progresses to Victorian-era rattan bags, "flapper" purses, Art Moderne clutches, plastic handbags of the 1950s, and contemporary ones. As a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, Lewis was thrilled to observe the various constructions, materials, patterns, and designs.
Marking the moment, we signed their Guestbook.
"Stepping back in time", we visited two Canal House Museums: Willet-Holthuysen House and Van Loon House—both dating from the 17th-century... and both free with our City Cards. Admission is normally €12.50 and €10, respectively. We began with Willet-Holthuysen, built in 1687. (It is around the corner from the global headquarters of Booking.com, a travel agency founded in Amsterdam in 1996 and used by travelers going anywhere in the world. We use it with lots of success).
The breadth of those homes is impressive. In their era, properties were taxed by the widths of the façades, so most homeowners built long and high structures... but avoided wide fronts. To have a double-wide home proved your wealth.
Some homeowners were so rich that they owned the buildings at the back of their properties—on the next street! (Usually used as stables or mews). Seen below, the rooms were elegant.
Its last occupant was an heiress named Louisa Holthuysen. The reclusive woman married—but with separate bedrooms—Abraham Willet, a flamboyant man who partied within the "art community", spent long nights at "men's clubs", and entertained lavishly at home. Adding those facts to his nude male muscular statues in the foyer, we guessed him to be gay. Also, the house is located on Herengracht (Gentlemen Canal).
Beyond the octagonal conservatory, the formal gardens were in full bloom.
Built in 1672, the Van Loon home is on Keizergracht, which was dug in 1613. It was first occupied by one of Rembrandt's pupils, named Ferdinand Bol.
Their worldwide collection begins chronologically with men's "hip purses" and "pipe tobacco bags".
It progresses to Victorian-era rattan bags, "flapper" purses, Art Moderne clutches, plastic handbags of the 1950s, and contemporary ones. As a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, Lewis was thrilled to observe the various constructions, materials, patterns, and designs.
Marking the moment, we signed their Guestbook.
"Stepping back in time", we visited two Canal House Museums: Willet-Holthuysen House and Van Loon House—both dating from the 17th-century... and both free with our City Cards. Admission is normally €12.50 and €10, respectively. We began with Willet-Holthuysen, built in 1687. (It is around the corner from the global headquarters of Booking.com, a travel agency founded in Amsterdam in 1996 and used by travelers going anywhere in the world. We use it with lots of success).
The breadth of those homes is impressive. In their era, properties were taxed by the widths of the façades, so most homeowners built long and high structures... but avoided wide fronts. To have a double-wide home proved your wealth.
Some homeowners were so rich that they owned the buildings at the back of their properties—on the next street! (Usually used as stables or mews). Seen below, the rooms were elegant.
Its last occupant was an heiress named Louisa Holthuysen. The reclusive woman married—but with separate bedrooms—Abraham Willet, a flamboyant man who partied within the "art community", spent long nights at "men's clubs", and entertained lavishly at home. Adding those facts to his nude male muscular statues in the foyer, we guessed him to be gay. Also, the house is located on Herengracht (Gentlemen Canal).
Beyond the octagonal conservatory, the formal gardens were in full bloom.
Built in 1672, the Van Loon home is on Keizergracht, which was dug in 1613. It was first occupied by one of Rembrandt's pupils, named Ferdinand Bol.
After they were ennobled to the peerage, the Van Loon family acquired the mansion in 1884.
(In 1602, Willem van Loon co-founded the Dutch East-India Company, a.k.a. the V.O.C. In the 1880s, the "lady of the house", named Thora, was a lady-in-waiting at Queen Wilhelmina's royal court. The family is currently profitable with financial services, forward-thinking meatpacking, and innovative meat substitutes.)
(In 1602, Willem van Loon co-founded the Dutch East-India Company, a.k.a. the V.O.C. In the 1880s, the "lady of the house", named Thora, was a lady-in-waiting at Queen Wilhelmina's royal court. The family is currently profitable with financial services, forward-thinking meatpacking, and innovative meat substitutes.)
The rear garden is peaceful and beautiful. The cafe in the coach house is the ideal place to pause and enjoy. Van Loon is the only historic property to include its original coach house. The coach house faces Kerkstraat (Church Street): a narrower street from 1665. Many buildings on it still have large "bay doors", indicating that they were coach/carriage houses and stables for the mansions.
The patio was swept, chairs were perfectly clean, and the shapely hedges were trimmed. Beauty at every turn.
Free with our City Cards (otherwise €14), the Rembrandt House Museum gave insight to what inspired that master painter. It was his extravagant home from 1639-1658. It's in the Jodenbuurt neighborhood, a historical area that welcomed Jews since the 1500s.
Free with our City Cards (otherwise €14), the Rembrandt House Museum gave insight to what inspired that master painter. It was his extravagant home from 1639-1658. It's in the Jodenbuurt neighborhood, a historical area that welcomed Jews since the 1500s.
Founded in 1883, the nation's Rembrandt Association vies against private collectors to purchase Rembrandt's creations for local museums. The Dowager Queen is a huge patron. They amassed 2,000+ creations, and many are displayed there.
These paintings seem to portray salvation and abandonment.
Above, his cook lived in a cabinet-like bed, as did Rembrandt. The chairs were oddly shaped, leaving little room for tushy cheeks.
Above his entertaining space, he had discreet windows to spy on his guests (just as Florentine dukes used the Vasari Corridor). His Curiosity Room showcased rare collectibles. A sunlit studio allowed him to teach aspiring artists.
Living beyond his means, his home's defaulted mortgage eventually degraded him to a meager finale of life.
We visited Rembrandtplein, a plaza dedicated to him, featuring a set of bronze statues by Russian artists named Mikhail Dronov and Alexander Taratynov. Their creation portrays his masterpiece, The Night Watch, in three-dimensions.
The area became a social hub at the turn-of-the-century. Reguliersbreestraat (a street named after Regular Monastery) has been a haven for homosexuals since 1970.
Our biggest cultural experience occurred at the Rijksmuseum, a palatial treasure-trove of masterpieces from the Dutch Golden Age. It's in the splendid Oud-Zuid (Old-South) neighborhood.
Our biggest cultural experience occurred at the Rijksmuseum, a palatial treasure-trove of masterpieces from the Dutch Golden Age. It's in the splendid Oud-Zuid (Old-South) neighborhood.
Here is my video of its carillon clocktower melodiously chiming the half-hour...
Here's an impressive aerial view from its webpage.
The Gothic-Flemish Renaissance museum was designed by Pierre Cuypers in 1876. After a 10-year, €375 million renovation, its architectural grandeur is breathtaking. Queen Beatrix officially reopened it in March 2013. Relatedly, Princess Marilène works there—marketing its fundraising—and lives in the city with Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau and their children.
*To see the Renaissance palaces, cathedrals, and museums that we toured in Italy, please click this link...
Its parklike grounds are splendid to spend time in.
Even the fenceposts are artistic!
We entered via a repositioned historic city gate from 1619! It was designed by a Renaissance craftsman: Hendrick de Keyser. He also designed Munttoren's 1619 clocktower, Westerkerk, and Zuiderkerk (begun in 1603 and where he was buried in 1621).
Admission to enter the museum is €19 but was included in our City Cards. As we approached the main entrance (inside the central passageway), we encountered a chamber music ensemble playing masterfully. Each afternoon, musicians serenade until the end of Rush Hour, as cyclists pedal by.
The arched passageway serves as a ceremonial gateway to the rest of the expanded city. Its existence is symbolic of Amsterdam's accessibility.
You can hear the musicians playing magnificently in these videos...
Once inside, we realized that we forgot to get maps. Thankfully, the well-prepared docent had some handy (which we returned, as part of their recycle plan). Across the lobby is a sunlit cafe.
The museum's restaurant is so good that it earned a Michelin star. Its terrace is in a cozy nook with a great view.
*To see our meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant within a museum in Manhattan, please use this link:
Onward and upward to the exhibits!
The revised main gallery welcomes visitors to highlights from 800 years of Netherlandish history. Throughout the museum, 80 rooms contain a rotation of 8,000 items (from one million).
*Click/tap any of these images for greater detail.
Rembrandt van Rijn's 1642 baroque masterpiece, The Night Watch, was undergoing a live-streamed restoration. It was encased in a see-through cubicle so that visitors and restorers could coexist. It was thrilling to be there during that time; there was a palpable excitement during the work! The conservation project also freely provided the most detailed photographs of it online, with the joyful ability to zoom in on all parts. The painting depicts a Schutterij (a City Guard Militia).
Equally momentous, The Milkmaid—painted by Johannes Vermeer in 1660—was recently back in the museum after being in Tokyo for an exhibit.
Seen above, a Dutchman pointed out that the mantle top was wood painted to resemble marble.
Below, do you see the face looking at you, etched in the glass?
Seen below, miniature dollhouses gained popularity in the 1650s. For us, it was evocative of the BBC's 2017 TV-miniseries, The Miniaturist.
1650 was the year of the Siege of Amsterdam, when the Prince of Orange, Willem II, tried to expand his powers. He failed... and died unexpectedly, months later, at age 24. His wife, Mary Stuart (England's Prince Royal), gave birth to Willem III, who became William III, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland (seen below).
*Incidentally, the government's coat of arms uses a French expression: Je Maintiendrai, which means "I shall maintain". It honors the Sovereign's lineage as a Prince of Orange, because the Principality of Orange was in France.
At 4:30, an automated overhead voice—in Dutch and then English—announced that the museum closed at 5PM. The Gift Shop was unnecessarily pricey, so we bypassed it and enjoyed the Museumplein. It is a big park that stretches to the Koninklijk Concertgebouw (Royal Concert Hall), which has one of the best acoustics in the world. Around it are the diplomatic consulates for Germany, Turkey, and the USA.
Compassionately, the Concertgebouw has an initiative that if a young member accompanies a senior citizen to a concert, the member's ticket is free, and a taxi is offered to/from the performance. It is important for all ages to enjoy the arts.
Seen above, Museumplein also encompasses the elliptical Van Gogh Museum. It costs €19 but was free with our City Cards, yet it required a prescheduled time reservation for our admittance. Photography is not permitted inside. It abuts the Stedelijk Museum of Contemporary Art, but we saved that for another time.
The park cleverly hides two subterranean parking garages for bicycles and vehicles. An Albert Heijn supermarket sits under one corner of the park; its slanted roof creates a grassy knoll to relax on. We were enamored with such ingenuity.
The queue at the MOCO Museum of Modern Surrealist Art was too long, so we bypassed it and saved it for another occasion.
At a kiosk in the park, Lewis bought a caramel stroopwafel from one of the food vendors. See my video of the guy making Lewis' double-layer version...
It is undoubtedly the most famous pastry from the Netherlands. Throughout dozens of food markets, Lewis searched earnestly to find the right vendor who made them perfectly. Baked batter is used to create a thin waffle-cookie, which is sliced horizontally, and slathered with a syrup called “stroop”. The recipe originated in the late 1700s, in Gouda.
We strolled through the Museum Quarter.
Yes, that's a Mercedes fire truck.
Nearby was one of the city's 12 public pools; it is an indoor swimming pool. In existence for 100 years, it preserved its historic architecture, yet it has solar power panels on the roof and whirlpools inside.
In addition to 12 public pools, the city has 6 "open water" swimming locations. Enjoying unpolluted waters, its citizens can swim in the canals and harbor! That is Life/Work Balance. One of those outdoor areas was near our hotel, as seen below.
In addition to 12 public pools, the city has 6 "open water" swimming locations. Enjoying unpolluted waters, its citizens can swim in the canals and harbor! That is Life/Work Balance. One of those outdoor areas was near our hotel, as seen below.
It's named Marineterrein and was previously used by the Royal Navy. It was awesome!
To the west of the museum is Vondelpark: Amsterdam's largest park. We had fun exploring it.
We entered from Stadhouderskade, a road honoring the stadholders from 1626 to 1702: Willem II and Willem III.
The municipality has 30 parks and 82 public squares. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you give priority to people, instead of cars! You can thank the city's Alderman of Living, Building, Public Space & Green Space.
Further south, traffic avoids the park via an overpass.
The park has ponds, islands, an open-air theatre, bandstand, rose garden, and an Art Moderne cafe from 1937.
The spiffiest eatery is an 1874 Italian Renaissance pavilion with a dual-terraced restaurant named Vondelpark3.
Park-goers enjoy adjacency to Willemspark, a pretty community proudly named after King Willem III.
Lush neighborhoods encircle the area, with broad streets named after Dutch queens and princes, as well as the House of Orange-Nassau. Equipped with rails for the #2 Tram, one street is named Koninginneweg (King in the Road); don't confuse it with the song King of the Road. Ha ha.
From there, we hopped aboard the #3 tram, went east...
...and got off at Oosterpark, close to where we started our day. It's a wonderful place: tennis courts, a bridged pond, running tracks, a wading pool, and lots of clean lawns for picnics.
Occupying a reclaimed church, the Arena Hotel faces the park and has great places to socialize.
*In contrast, to see what NYC uncaringly considers "parks", please use this link:
Each day, we walked an average of 10 miles, so we never used the public exercise machines near our hotel in Wertheim Park.
Tots ziens!
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