Seeing the Netherlands through Amsterdam, Delft and Haarlem

Amsterdam. We’re here. This is a full on city with canals, bikers, buses, trams, cars, more bikers and finally people cramming its streets. I’ve never seen so many bikes and people on bikes. This is one city where you have to pay attention and like your parents taught you…look both ways before you do anything…and then look again. But I like the energy here. Amsterdam has a rhythm to it that keeps everything and everyone in movement. And, I love the diversity. All different kinds of people moving about a city full of moving parts. I just want to keep up. I’ll let you know how I do. In the meantime…a snippet of Amsterdam on the move.

We lucked up on the “I Amsterdam” sign behind us as we scouted out where our morning day tour of Amsterdam would begin. Thankfully, the Rome2rio app shows you different options of how to get to where you’re going…from walking to taking public transportation or both. I’ve used it on many occasions and its never steered me wrong. We chose public transportation, the tram, from our apartment and did well both ways. (June 9, 2018)

Amsterdam is bike central. (June 9, 2018)

There are bike lanes and people lanes, but bikers dominate the landscape. Don’t walk in the bike lanes because bikers don’t slow down and they will ring their bike bells to warn you to get out of the way. (June 8, 2018)

And, then there are the trams in Amsterdam. They are silent and they move quickly. Between dodging the bikers, we’re having to also look both ways for the trams. Us walkers really have to stay alert. (June 9, 2018)

Ah, the calm of a canal boat ride in Amsterdam. (June 9, 2018)

I was 16-years-old when American singer-songwriter Don McLean released his song “Vincent,” a tribute to the 19th century Dutch painter, Vincent Van Gogh. There are verses from that song, also known as “Starry Starry Night” after one of Van Gogh’s paintings, that I remember distinctly til this day. So, coming to Amsterdam would not have been complete without feasting on the works of Vincent Van Gogh at his namesake museum.

We did the Rijksmuseum with its gorgeous Dutch artists from Rembrandt to Vermeer; took a canal boat ride and then spent the afternoon at the Van Gogh Museum. Tomorrow we walk the streets of Amsterdam during a 3-hour walking tour along with a Red Light District walking tour. For now, Dutch artists and their masterpieces.

We really enjoyed the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Although we are not allowed to take photos inside the museum, we could take photos at various other places around the museum that showed larger copies of Vincent’s works. This is a Vincent Van Gogh self portrait with Grey Felt Hat dated 1887. He painted many self-portraits and floral still life’s – accommodating and inexpensive subject matter on which to practice. That’s Tammy, Alice and me…Diana. (June 10, 2018)

I did sneak in this photograph of the “Sunflowers” by Vincent Van Gogh at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Van Gogh painted five versions of a big bunch of sunflowers in a vase or pot, the first in August of 1888, when sunflowers are in bloom, and the other four later. (June 10, 2018)

Inside the first floor entryway of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is this slide show of actors who portrayed Vincent Van Gogh and paintings of the artist.
Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) produced some 2,100 artworks in a ten year period that include landscapes, still life, portraits and self-portraits. His suicide at age 37 followed years of mental illness and poverty. Only one painting of Van Gogh’s was sold in his lifetime. And, yet the beauty of his creativity and life story continues to inspire. (June 10, 2018)

Unfortunately the canal boat ride we took today in Amsterdam was crowded and behind glass windows so the reflection from the glass made the photos look dull. Oh, darn! I may need to do another canal boat ride. (June 10, 2018)

From today’s canal boat ride in Amsterdam. (June 10, 2018)

From today’s canal boat ride, a houseboat on the Amsterdam canal. There are some 2,500 houseboats in Amsterdam. (June 10, 2018)

The Rijksmuseum with the very recognizable “I amsterdam” sign in of course Amsterdam. The museum is home to the works of the great Dutch masters from Johannes Vermeer to Rembrandt. (June 10, 2018)

A Rembrandt self-portrait as the Apostle Paul from 1661 at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. (June 10, 2018)

The Night Watch (1642) Rembrandt’s masterpiece, the Night Watch, is a group portrait of a company of Amsterdam ‘militiamen,’ the city’s guard at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. (June 10, 2018)

The Milkmaid (c. 1657–58) by Johannes Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. A maidservant pours milk, entirely absorbed in her work. Except for the stream of milk, everything else is still. Vermeer took this simple everyday activity and made it the subject of an impressive painting. (June 10, 2018)

A made to scale model of the William Rex, a Dutch warship in the late 17th century at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. (June 10, 2018)

During the late 17th century and early 18th, spectacular doll houses were created in the Netherlands, especially in Amsterdam. This doll house of Petronella Ooortman in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is made of authentic materials, highly detailed and to scale. These doll houses were not children’s toys, but display pieces furnished for and by wealthy ladies who lavished enormous amounts of time, money and attention on them. (June 10, 2018)

A room in the late 17th century and early 18th century doll house of Petronella Ooortman in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. (June 10, 2018)

Several rooms in the late 17th century and early 18th century doll house of Petronella Oortman in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. (June 10, 2018)

This painting by Jacob Appel shows the doll house of Petronella Oortman at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The painting shows drawn back yellow curtains against the opened cabinet doors. (June 10, 2018)

This doll house at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam was made for Petronella Dunois (1650-1695), a wealthy orphan who lived with her sister in Amsterdam. The doll house contains a peat loft, a linen room, a nursery, a reception room, a cellar, a kitchen and a dining room. Various objects in this doll house are marked with the year 1676, which was probably when it was largely completed. (June 10, 2018)

A room in the Petronella Dunois doll house at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The doll house dates from about 1676. (June 10, 2018)

Another room in the Petronella Dunois doll house at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The doll house dates from about 1676. (June 10, 2018)

This self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh is at the Rijksmuseum at the Museumplein or Museum Square in Amsterdam. The Museum Square is home to three major museums – the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Stedelijk Museum.
Vincent moved to Paris in 1886, after hearing from his brother Theo about the new, colorful style of French painting. Vincent portrays himself here as a fashionably dressed Parisian. (June 10, 2018)

“My house here is painted outside in the yellow of fresh butter, with garish green shutters and it’s in the full sun on the square, where there’s a green garden of plane trees, oleanders, acacias. And inside, it’s all whitewashed, and the floor’s of red bricks. And the intense blue sky above. Inside, I can live and breathe, and think and paint,” said Vincent Van Gogh in a letter he wrote to his sister in 1888. Vincent rented four rooms in a house on Place Lamartine in Arles, France. The green shutters show where he lived. And, that’s me, Diana, standing in front of this rotating display of Vincent’s various works, including this one entitled “The Yellow House,” at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam where the original painting is on display. (June 10, 2018)

Amsterdam is way too varied to cover in just one post so instead, I’ve provided little snippets of what I’ve had the opportunity to see…from the canals and bridges…which have names of their own…to the architecture and Red Light District, Amsterdam is jammed with a plethora of visions. Come take a look.

A canal in Amsterdam…with bikes parked along the banks and house boats or boats moored along canal. (June 11, 2018)

A canal in Amsterdam…through a residential area on garbage pick up day. (June 11, 2018)

A canal in Amsterdam with views of the busy, traffic filled bridges that keep the city moving. (June 11, 2018)

A canal in Amsterdam…where people just sit to enjoy a beautiful day. (June 11, 2018)

A canal in Amsterdam’s Red Light District. (June 11, 2018)

A canal in Amsterdam with a floating Flower Market. The Amsterdam Flower Market is said to be the only floating flower market in the world, and has existed since 1862. (June 11, 2018)

The clog and tulips, tulips and more tulips in bulb, plastic and real form also are a part of Amsterdam’s image along with the floating Flower Market where these can be purchased. (June 11, 2018)

A flower vendor at the Amsterdam Flower Market which is said to be the only floating flower market in the world has existed since 1862. (June 11, 2018)

The old and the new architecture along Damrak in Amsterdam. And through a renovated department store passageway is the main shopping street of Nieuwendijk. (June 11, 2018)

This arched passageway known as the Beurspassage on Amsterdam’s Damrak has been turned into a rather gorgeous art way. Made by artists Iris Roskam, Arno Coenen and Hans van Bentem, the title of this work “Amsterdam Oersoep” is a journey through the symbol of Amsterdam. (June 11, 2018)

Glass symbols of Amsterdam, in this case the clog, light up the walls of the art work entitled “Amsterdam Oersoep,” in a newly renovated passageway in Amsterdam. (June 11, 2018)

Glass symbols of Amsterdam, in this case the coat of arms, light up the walls of the art work entitled “Amsterdam Oersoep,” in a newly renovated passageway in Amsterdam. (June 11, 2018)

Glass symbols of Amsterdam, in this case a vase of tulips, light up the walls of the art work entitled “Amsterdam Oersoep,” in a newly renovated passageway in Amsterdam. (June 11, 2018)

These tall elegant gabled buildings with winches on top can be seen throughout Amsterdam. These winches are still used for lifting heavy or bulky items to the top floors. (June 11, 2018)

More tall elegant bagged buildings with winches on top in Amsterdam. (June 11, 2018)

More of Amsterdam and its beautiful architecture. (June 11, 2018)

The colorful buildings along the canal in Amsterdam. (June 11, 2018)

The modern or 1970s architecture of Amsterdam. (June 11, 2018)

Some buildings in Amsterdam look like they are leaning slightly forward, because they are. This helped when items clear the building while being lifted up to the top. (June 11, 2018)

Facing an Amsterdam canal aren’t just about the waterways but also the crammed buildings…in this case a church with the houses crammed lovingly together… with their own special hidden histories. (June 11, 2018)

I could not find the name of this female statue in Amsterdam, but love her proud stance taking in the beauty of the city around her. (June 11, 2018)

More of Amsterdam’s architecture. (June 11, 2018)

Colorful signs or plaques address the front of a number of Amsterdam buildings. (June 11, 2018)

This colorful sign or plaque on an Amsterdam building that can also be seen, in other versions and on other buildings in Amsterdam, is the coat of arms. The three vertical crosses supposedly come from St. Andrew, a fisherman who was martyred on an X-shaped cross in the 1st century AD. That became Amsterdam’s symbol as far back as 1505 when as a fishing town registered ships flew this flag. The coat of arms is also decorated with the Imperial Crown of Austria and two golden lions. (June 11, 2018)

This statue of Rembrandt van Rijn, the Danish painter, is featured in Rembrandtplein, a major square in central Amsterdam. Rembrandt owned a house nearby from 1639 to 1656. In 2006, as part of the celebration of the artist’s 400th birthday a bronze-cast representation of his most famous painting, “The Night Watch,” at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, was added and displayed in the square. (June 11, 2018)

Windmills are an iconic part of the Dutch landscape, and I’ve only seen this one so far while riding on the bus and tram in Amsterdam. (June 11, 2018)

The Oudekerksplein lies at the heart of Amsterdam’s red-light district of De Wallen. Kimberly, our guide, give us a historical perspective of the district. Along the square are a number of windows from behind which prostitutes offer their services. The statue Kimberly is standing next to is of Belle. The plaque on the statue reads: “Respect sex workers all over the world.”
The Oudekerksplein (“Old Church’s Square”) is a square in the centre of Amsterdam. The Oude Kerk has been standing in central Amsterdam for almost 1000 years, making it the oldest building in the city. The church was originally Catholic, but was taken over by Protestants during the Reformation. (June 11, 2018)

One of many alleyways in the Red Light District in Amsterdam. The prostitutes rent the windows for about 150 euros for 8 hours in the Red Light District and charge customers about 50 euros for 15 minutes. (June 11, 2018)

One of many alleyways in the Red Light District in Amsterdam where prostitutes rent the windows for about 150 euros for 8 hours and charge customers about 50 euros for 15 minutes. There are three districts in Amsterdam and this one is in the De Wallen district. (June 11, 2018)

Amsterdam’s main transportation may be the bicycle since there are close to 900,000 of them… until it rains or gets stolen. And, that’s when I’m sure the oldest organized transport in Amsterdam, the tram, takes center stage.

Today was all about taking it easy and enjoying Amsterdam by way of its trams, in our case mainly the doubled-ended two cars in one, which criss cross the city are plentiful and truly easy to navigate. There’s something about seeing the city by its public transportation routes as its locals and tourists alike make their ways through the city.

On our first day in Amsterdam we bought a 24-hour pass, at a cost of 12.50 euros or $14.76 US dollars, that basically allowed us to ride all the transportation venues the trams, buses, metros, etc. We wanted to buy passes for our entire time in Amsterdam but for that you have to go to Amsterdam’s Central Station which we did yesterday and purchased a 72-hour pass for 17.50 euros or about $20.64 US dollars. That should get us through Thursday night because we leave Friday for our respective homes.

The Amsterdam tram network, considered the largest in the Netherlands, dates back to 1875. It’s also considered to be one of the largest networks in Europe. Since 1943, it has been operated by the municipal public transport operator GVB, which also runs the metro, bus and ferry services. Let’s see Amsterdam from its trams.

The trams are a fun and fast way to travel in Amsterdam so that’s what we did for a few hours this afternoon…rode the trams. This is me, Diana, in the middle of two trams, the #10, heading in opposite directions. (June 12, 2018)

Tammy, left, and Alice, right checking out Amsterdam during our hop-on/hop-off tram rides. (June 12, 2018)

Amsterdam sites from the tram. To the left is an Apple store. (June 12, 2018)

Amsterdam sites from the tram. (June 12, 2018)

Amsterdam’s double-ended tram allows people to get on and off at different doors. By the door is a machine where you touch with your card to show that you’ve paid and off you go. (June 12, 2018)

A canal site from our double-ended tram ride. (June 12, 2018)

Amsterdam site from the double-ended tram ride. (June 12, 2018)

Inside a double-ended tram in Amsterdam. (June 12, 2018)

Amsterdam sites from our tram rides. (June 12, 2018)

In search of cheese, we got off the tram and did some walking. We came across this flower shop in a beautiful building in Amsterdam. (June 12, 2018)

The bike brigade along a street in Amsterdam from our walks between tram rides. (June 12, 2018)

We stopped at this lovely pastry shop, Hans Egstorf in Amsterdam, to get just a snack of pastry and walked into this cute little shop that overwhelmed us with its smell of fresh pastry. And, behind the counter was Hans himself, all smiles, just happy to serve the people coming in and out of his shop. (June 12, 2018)

Inside the baker shop of Hans Egstorf in Amsterdam are a variety of pastries including the stroopwafels. These are circular thin waffles cut down the middle with a light coating of caramel syrup. The stroopwafels in this photo are plain or without the caramel syrup in the middle. (June 12, 2018)

Me with our orders of stroopwaffle at the lovely pastry shop of Hans Egstorf in Amsterdam. The thin circular waffle is considered a major thing to eat when visiting Amsterdam and in my case, I wanted my stroopwaffle with chocolate…of course. Yum! (June 12, 2018)

Just love the architecture in Amsterdam. And, the color Amsterdam black can be seen on the exterior of many of the buildings in the city. (June 12, 2018)

Just liked the quirkiness of this building in Amsterdam. (June 12, 2018)

This piece of art graced a door on a building in Amsterdam. (June 12, 2018)

The Westertoren or tower of the Westerkerk church in the distance is the highest church tower in Amsterdam and can be distinguished by its Imperial Crown of Austria of Maximilian on the top. And, to the left is this elegant arcade of traditional Amsterdam shops and restaurants. (June 12, 2018)

Not sure who this creature from the deep is, but he makes his home next to a bridge over a canal in Amsterdam. (June 12, 2018)

The National Monument on Dam Square in Amsterdam is a World War II monument in remembrance to the casualties of World War II and subsequent armed conflicts. (June 12, 2018)

Back on the tram and we passed the Munttoren or Mint Tower in Amsterdam. It stands on the busy Muntplein square, where the Amstel river and the Singel canal meet, near the flower market. (June 12, 2018)

On the tram and passing this ornate lamp post on a bridge by the feature with street light lamp post by the Amsterdam Music Theater. (June 12, 2018)

The streets the trams in Amsterdam travel on are sometimes quite narrow and if you’re not aware of you’re surroundings, a tram can pass very closely by you. The same is true for trams passing one another. They pass within inches of one another. (June 12, 2018)

Inside the double-ended trams in Amsterdam are monitors that let you know the stops coming up. (June 12, 2018)

The sites of Amsterdam along the canal from the tram. (June 12, 2018)

I’ve seen this mural of “Carmen’s Food Corner,” while traveling on the #7 tram in Amsterdam and just loved it. The food has gotten good reviews and I don’t know if this mural is a part of this fast food restaurant or not but I just enjoyed seeing it every time, including this time, that I passed it on the tram. Just wish I had time to stop in and grab a bite to eat. (June 12, 2018)

A close-up of the mural at Carmen’s Food Corner in Amsterdam. (June 12, 2018)

Today when we boarded our tram to start our adventure, some pretty extensive work was being done on the tracks. But that didn’t stop the trams near our apartment in Amsterdam from running both ways. (June 12, 2018)

Tammy putting on the gloves to do a little cleaning up and Alice by the stove preparing tonight’s meal. I can’t believe this 30-something day trip will be coming to a close in just a couple more days. (June 12, 2018)

We left Amsterdam, just for the day, to check out Delft and The Hague. Both cities are within an hour’s train ride of Amsterdam.

The Old Town area of Delft makes for an easy stroll through picturesque canals. It would have been easy to spend the entire day here. We did see the Old and the New Churches, got to see a family run Delft porcelain shop and basically hung out where the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer did…although there were no real physical remnants of his home…when he lived, worked and died in Delft.

The Hague city center is just that, a city center. But located in that city center is the Mauritshuis museum. It holds some tremendous master pieces of art from Vermeer to Rembrandt…all without the crowds. It was such a pleasure to see and study these paintings without having to compete with dozens of on-lookers. Plus the museum itself, housed in a former Count’s residence, is a gorgeous example of Dutch architecture from the 1600s.

Tomorrow is our last full day in the Netherlands and our last full day of our trip so we’re devoting it to the city of Haarlem, just a 15 minute train ride from Amsterdam. On Friday, we each get on a plane to head to our respective homes. Alice to the Seattle, Washington, area; Tammy to Sydney, Australia; and me to Dallas, Texas.

But for now, here’s a bit of Delft and the marvelous Mauritshuis museum at The Hague.

The scenic canals of Delft, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

Scenic street and canal of Delft, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

The Town Hall in Delft, Netherlands, which is part of the Markt Square. The medieval town hall burned down in 1618. But this new one was completed in 1620. (June 13, 2018)

Several shops in Delft, Netherlands, manufacture and sell porcelain known as Delftware, hand painted blue and white pottery. Through the East India Co., the people of Delft were introduced to 17th century Chinese porcelain which they at first tried to imitate and in time perfected it to such a degree that it became known as Delftware. (June 13, 2018)

The Vermeer Centre in Delft, Netherlands, is an information center dedicated to the painter Johannes Vermeer and his contemporaries. It is the rebuilt version of the old local Guild of Saint Luke which represented painters, sculptors, and other visual artists but was demolished in 1876. (June 13, 2018)

The Nieuwe Kerk or New Church in Delft, Netherland, located in the Market Square, was built between 1383 and 1510, home to various Royal tombs and other famous personalities. (June 13, 2018)

The sculpture of Hugo Grotius, a founding father of modern international law, stands in the Market Square outside the Nieuwe Kerk or New Church in Delft, Netherland. (June 13, 2018)

Inside the Nieuwe Kerk or New Church in Delft, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

Inside the Nieuwe Kerk or New Church in Delft, Netherlands, is the tomb of William the Silent by Hendrick de Keyser. William is also known as William I, Prince of Orange (1533–1584). He was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs that set off the Eighty Years’ War (1568–1648). Within the Netherlands he is also known as Father of the Fatherland. (June 13, 2018)

Inside the Nieuwe Kerk or New Church in Delft, Netherlands is the elaborate mausoleum of Prince William of Orange, the ‘Father of the Fatherland’. It was built between 1614 and 1622. William was the founder of the House of Orange-Nassau and the first leader of the Dutch Revolt against the King of Spain. The Prince was assassinated in Delft on 10 July 1584. The mausoleum is constructed of three kinds of marble: black, Italian white from Carrara, and gold-veined black. (June 13, 2018)

A close-up of Prince William of Orange sculpture, part of his mausoleum, inside the Nieuwe Kerk or New Church in Delft, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

The medieval Oude Kerk or Old Church spire in Delft, Netherlands was built between 1325 and 1350 and is now being renovated. The Old Church is a Gothic Protestant church recognized by its more than 245 foot tall brick tower that leans a little more than six feet vertically. Native son and Dutch Master painter Johannes Vermeer, who specialized in domestic interior scenes of middle-class life, was born and died in Delft. (June 13, 2018)

The interior of the Old Church in Delft, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

The first stained glass window was installed in the Old Church in Delft, Netherlands, in 1406, and more were added in the same century. But the city fire of 1536 and the Delft Thunderclap of 1654 (a gunpowder explosion) unfortunately destroyed them all. Plain glass replaced the originals, and it was not until the 20th century that new stained glass windows were installed, one by one. The church now features 27 of them, each telling their own story. This distinctive collection is regarded as the crowning achievement of the renowned glazier Joep Nicolas. The windows of the Old Church are extremely colourful, featuring ochre yellows, heavenly blues, deep reds and dark greens. Most of them depict Biblical stories, such as the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and the story of baby Moses. But there are also a number of interesting memorial windows, such as the Liberation window and the Wilhelmina window. (June 13, 2018)

A close up of the stained glass inside the Old Church in Delft, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

The Old Town of Delft, Netherlands, is very picturesque but just outside of the Old Town is a modern Delft. We’re taking this tram, first to the family run pottery shop of Delftse Pauw and from there onto The Hague, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

Inside the Delft, Netherlands tram on our way to the Delftse Pauw pottery shop. (June 13, 2018)

Suburban Delft, Netherlands along a scenic street named Delftwag. (June 13, 2018)

Jacqueline at the Delftse Pauw pottery shop in Delft, Netherlands, showing us how this family’s pottery is made. (June 13, 2018)

Jacqueline at the Delftse Pauw pottery shop in Delft, Netherlands, demonstrating how this family’s pottery is made. (June 13, 2018)

Just some of the blue and white pottery made and sold at the Delftse Pauw in Delft, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

On the tram to The Hague from Delft. From the left, Tammy, Alice and Diana. (June 13, 2018)

n the city center of The Hague, Netherlands, some 40 modern sculptures can be found along the sidewalks, like this one of the two women. (June 13, 2018)

Coming into The Hague, Netherlands, by tram and seeing what looks very much like a burgeoning city. (June 13, 2018)

Statue of William of Orange on Plein Square in The Hague, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

The city of The Hague as seen from Plein Square in The Hague, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

The Mauritshuis museum (yellow building) at The Hague, Netherlands, was built between 1633 and 1644 as a residence for Count Johan Mauritshuis of Nassau-Siegel. He was a military commander and governor of the Dutch colony in Brazil for eight years. Since 1822 The Mauritshuis has been a museum for Old Masters from the Dutch Golden Age. (June 13, 2018)

“Spelled painting Campaspe” by Willem van Haecht dated around 1630 at the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

Inside the beautiful Mauritshuis museum at The Hague, Netherlands. These stairs lead to the museum’s third floor. (June 13, 2018)

“Girl with a Pearl Earring” circa 1665 is Johannes Vermeer’s most famous painting at the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, Netherlands. Vermeer, a Dutch painter who lived, worked and died a pauper in Delft, Netherlands, was recognized for his work years after his death. (June 13, 2018)

This posthumous portrait of Mary I Stuart (1631-1660) with a Servant was painted by Adriaen Hanneman (c.1604-1671) around 1664 and can be seen at the Mauritshuis museum at The Hague, Netherlands. This portrait which hangs to the right of the wall of the staircase intrigued me because I rarely see portraits of white women from the 1600s with a male black servant. Was this her way of acknowledging him or acknowledging her power and wealth over him. (June 13, 2018)

“Diana and her Nymphs,” circa 1653-1654 is another Johannes Vermeer painting at the Mauritshuis museum at The Hague, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

The third floor of the Mauritshuis museum at The Hague, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

A self-port of Rembrandt by Rembrandt circa 1669 at the Mauritshuis museum at The Hague, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

This painting at the Mauritshuis museum at The Hague, Netherlands, entitled “Two Moors,” dated 1661 is by Rembrandt. It definitely caught my attention for several reasons, the men are of African descent, their wardrobe and the crudeness or incompleteness of the painting. I don’t see many, if any, paintings of people of African descent by any artists from the 1600s so this one is rather unusual. (June 13, 2018)

“View of Delft” circa 1660 to 1661 by Johannes Vermeer at the Mauritshuis museum at The Hague, Netherlands. This is the most famous cityscape of the Dutch Golden Age. (June 13, 2018)

“Vase of Flowers in a Window,” by Ambrosius Bosschaert I, circa 1618 at the Mauritshuis museum at The Hague, Netherlands. (June 13, 2018)

We spent the last day of our trip in Haarlem, Netherlands, about a 15 minute train ride from Amsterdam. It turned out to be a cold, wet and dreary day but it was a fine ending to a 34-day trip for me and even longer for Alice and Tammy who began their travels visiting family and friends in Hong Kong before meeting me in Copenhagen, Denmark.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Haarlem, but I won’t hold the weather against it. In fact the weather during this trip has been as much of a highlight as the places we’ve seen and the things we’ve done. It was unexpectedly warm and sunny from day one in Copenhagen that lasted through most of our Germany tour and followed us through Luxembourg, Belgium and most of the time we’ve been here in the Netherlands. But as good as this trip and the weather has been, I’m also happy to get back home.

I can’t thank Alice and Tammy enough for being such kind and patient travel mates. As eager as I was to come on this trip, I also had my doubts as to whether I could keep up. But they made it easy and I so appreciate their kindness and support. I may have been just a little slower, but all things considered, I’m really proud of myself for managing as well as I did on this trip.

Tomorrow night, I’ll be back home…and by next week, planning my next trip. I’m feeling the draw of the African Continent. But for now, here’s Haarlem.