The Rijksmuseum

Posted on by ghotiindustries

This was what I wanted to do for my birthday. On the three month anniversary of us arriving in Amsterdam we finally went to the Rijksmuseum.

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I have stood amongst, and seen paintings by Vermeer.

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Knowing from one of the art blogs I read that the “Woman in Blue Reading a Letter” has recently been restored made it even more meaningful.

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The power in the pieces moves me, and I like watching how other patrons react to them.

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Rembrandt’s The Night Watch dominates the room it imposes over with such completeness that people are awed into silence.

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Being able to stand in the presence of such amazing works really changes you, and grows your appreciation for both the effort and skill that goes into it’s creation, and the detail with which the era has been captured by the artist(s).

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Of course there are other masterpieces like this Winter Landscape with Skaters which also show details and insight into daily life,

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and which also show the Dutch sense of humour to perfection! (Do click on that link above, there is a LOT to see in this painting!)

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I can’t wait to go back after the massive renovations are completed! You will be seeing more of the Rijksmuseum! *grins*

I’m older than I’ve ever been before!

Posted on by ghotiindustries

I had a birthday. You don’t really need to know which one. But I did.

This is the first year I’ve ever had a Summer birthday though! I decided to celebrate this fact by lazing around on the balcony in the sun-shine, and having take out Thai food

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with some expensive champagne. Himself indulged the occasion in my honour with some expensive whisky.

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Followed by some cheesey movies (Cowboys and Aliens followed by Tourist), for a Friday night, it was everything I wanted to do.

Saturday I was spoilt! After a day out (which is an entire post all on it’s own and is still being structured), we ended up at the Bar Americain

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to have some cocktails and collect ourselves.

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After some discussion we decided that the place we needed to be was the Whisky Café. So that was where we headed.

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They have a tasting menu where you get to try three different whiskys that have something in common. Either area, distillery … we went for the Whisky Appreciation Society selection and fell in love with the first one. So then we each had one of it. (It was an 11 year old Auchentoshan, very delicate, evaporated on your tongue with subtle notes of chocolate …)

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Damn this makes it look like all we did was drink! I swear this will be rectified in the next post!

One of the best birthdays I’ve had in years. Thank you Himself, for making it so memorable, and so wonderful. I love you so much! *hugs you tight*

My Bicycle

Posted on by ghotiindustries

I would like to take this moment to introduce you all to my bicycle. Resplendent in its black panier bags, and plastic daisies poking out of the AstroTurf. In this picture, we had just been shopping, and were about to load up and head home.

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It is pleased to meet you.

*coughhacksnotwheeze*

Posted on by ghotiindustries

It’s been a quiet week.

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Knitting was achieved for a swap I have coming up.

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And neighbour obviously passed an exam.

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This is what you do when you pass your exams in the Nederlands. You hang your backpack/satchel out the front with your flag to tell the world that you’ve passed.

Look, another one …

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Paris Part 3, Sunday

Posted on by ghotiindustries

Another cold and blustery beginning had us contemplating our options over breakfast. Not hard to do when you consider where we were and just how many options we had at our doorstep!

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So we wandered, but with purpose! Through the Cimetière de Montmartre …

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… around all the little alleys and cobbled streets which I love so much. It took me a while to realised one of the things I loved about them was the fact that they were on a slope! (Holland really is that flat)

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This building was particularly spectacular!

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Then it was up the Montmarte Funiculaire …

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… and on to the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur! Yes I was at a Church, on a Sunday, and the ground did not swallow me down into the fiery pits of Hell! Though, I didn’t tempt fate by going inside!

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The Gargoyles looked just as menacing as they needed too. (Can I take one home with me?)

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For those of you that are familiar with it, Montmartre is also where they filmed the movie Amelie. A scene was filmed up here! I have seen the telescope, I have walked the steps, I have seen the human statues! Check out this view of Paris!

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Though I only went down the steps, not up them …

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… both Himself and I did BOTH ride the two storey carousel! (My horse was the fastest! Inside track will do that for you *winks*)

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To sum up, it was a wonderful weekend! It was harder than I would have thought though to switch from Dutch pleasantries to French ones! It has me completely determined though to learn more languages! I think it is the height of rudeness for me to rely on the fact that so far everyone in Continental Europe speaks English. After all, it’s usually their second or third language! Dutch first though! And thank goodness that Himself speaks French!