3 posts tagged “amsterdam”

July 7, 2008

It's Sunday. We got to Paris friday via that high speed train from Amsterdam to Paris. It was a lovely stay in Amsterdam... and I have to say that I loved the city and it's easy-going nature. I loved the excessive bicycle usage, the trees along the canals, the wonky buildings, and the bustling cafes.

On our last full day, we went to the Van Gogh Museum... and spent the day looking at masterpieces of one of my favorite artists. It was incredible! To see a painting in person that you have only ever seen in a book is quite wonderful! Visiting that museum was certainly a high point in the trip. The Almond Blossom had to have been the one I keep going back to as my favorite. An aqua sky holds the branches of almond blossoms in spring. It is full of hope and it was painted for his brother and wife at the birth of their son. The museum also owns paintings of Van Gogh's contemporaries and friend's. I very much liked Van Gogh Painting Sunflowers by Gauguin.

Some pictures of Amsterdam...

Now that I am in Paris, I am ready to fall in love with it... I am prepared to do so. I don't think it'll be hard. Last night Judy, Nelson and I went to the Ile de la Cite and watched the sunset. The lights on the bridges came on at 10:15, and the lights danced on the water. We watched with some amusement as this large boats navigated under the bridges keeping the currents in mind as they did so. It was lovely. Many folks brought picnic dinners including candles, bagguettes and red wine. It was such a Paris moment.

This morning, Judy and I went to mass at Notre Dame. This was to me what they call a "religious experience." The mass was said in french... but it's not performed any differently... except for the huge pipe organ, the boys choir and the fella with the really high voice singing. I couldn't help but be moved to tears... here I am, in a cathedral I have only read about in art history books, attending mass... taking communion at Notre Dame. After the mass, we walked around the altar, which they let visitors do during mass... this was odd... but they also had a gift shop INSIDE the church while the mass was going on... that felt odd, too. Still, the arches, the stained glass windows, the crypts... it was all very moving.

Some shots of us in Paris...so far...

July 2nd, 2008

Whenever I eat pancakes, I regret it... they're thick but tastey, and I always overeat when I get the hankering for them... then they sit in your belly like a rock, for hours! BUT... not Amsterdam pancakes. They are thin, kinda like crepes. They put your topping of choice on top and cook it... Judy (pancake mate and instigator) ordered up a ginger pancake, and I went for the apple cinnamon. You could also get pineapple (which I almost ordered), cheese, mango, and "natural" which I took to mean plain (sounded boring). A little thingy of syrup came with, and it had a hint of chocolate to it. The ginger pancake rocked with it's sweet ginger-y goodness... and my apple was not bad. And when we was done, no yucky over-full rock in your stomach feel! Yay, Amsterdam Pancakes!

Sooo, we rode a canal boat throughout the city today... you have these big ol' "hop on and hope off" canal boats that are really long. You sit at tables and look out the windows as the recorded tourist guy spouts some interesting Amsterdam history as you boat along. Did you know that the 17th century is the Golden Era in Dutch history? There was lots of building during that time. Whilst traveling on the waterways, a stormfront blew in, and with a little thunder and a few flashes of lightening, it began to pour.

The architecture here is amusing. The building we are staying in is as old as my country (USA). The building across the street says 1675... um, that's kinda old. So the buildings don't exactly stand erect... (you get to be 3 or four centuries old and see if you stand up straight!). So, the bricks slant, and there aren't a whole lot of right angles, which makes this cartoonist smile!

may 6, 2008

I had heard of Phineas Fogg (Around The World...) and Phineas Gage (pipe thru the head and lived... ouch!).... but Phileas Fogg I am not familiar with... this is the intriguing name of a B&B in Tournai, Belgium.... where I will be visiting next month. It's part of the Bridgett, Judy & Nelson's Crazy European Tour!!! London, Tournai, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris... Eurorail is gonna take us everywhere... I am slightly overwhelmed. Thankfully, J&N have been to London and Paris before, and know what to do... Judy even knows a goodly amount of French (I have tried to learn... really, I have... but my brain is non-participatory).

I've yet to plan the wardrobe, or buy the comfortable shoes... but I have bought my slash-proof, sneak-proof, get-away-from-my-stuff-gypsy-thieves! backpack... PacSafe makes a good product (although, the real test will be if I come back to the States with it, and my stuff). It warn't cheap either. Near $90 smackers at REI. But, it's black, super light and has lots of inside zippers and tons of space inside.... for art suppliessss!

Oh, yes... oh, yes.... I am going to draw all over Europe... I can't wait! It's going to be a fun trip. This brings me to how this is working in with the comic strip. This week I have been writing a storyline about the notorious Jimmy Chow... Randie's art nemesis, who has recently won some fellowship awards (with money attached). much to Randie's dismay, Jimmy Chow is going to Italy to exhibit and study. This is quite irritating to Randie to see Chow succeed... and she is green with anger! I expected the story to further the deep seething dislike Randie has for Chow. Instead, the story began to turn a corner to somewheres else... Ryan, Randie's wise pal and the level-headed part of the duo, steps in. The rest I leave you to read as the story unfolds.

Stay tooned!