September 21-24, 2012:
We toured several cities in The Netherlands including Amsterdam; Zaandam; Haarlem; Netherlands Openluchtmuseum (Open-air folk museum), Arnhem; and Zandvoort.
AMSTERDAM:
Walking Tours – Day One:
We did a lot of walking in Amsterdam over a couple of days…
Royal Palace
Amsterdam Museum – Photo: mllboi.com
Begjinhof (for Beguins)
Canal
Beautiful houses along a canal
Hidden Catholic Church
Red Light District by Day…
Playing chess
Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum:
We were fortunate to see several masterpieces at the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum.
Vincent Van Gogh – Irises
Rembrandt – The Night Watch
Rembrandt – Portrait of Saskia van Uylenburgh
Van Gogh – Self Portrait 1
Van Gogh – Self Portrait 2
Rembrandt – The Syndics
Van Gogh – Sunflowers
Vermeer – The Love Letter
Walking Tours – Day Two:
The highlight of day two was the Anne Frank Museum…
Skinniest House in Amsterdam
Amstelkring Museum
Westerkerk Church
St. Andrew’s Hof
Anne Frank House and her diary
Exhibition – Tjalling Visser – Art with Toys – “Old Church”:
We stumbled across this exhibition of artist Tjalling Visser in the “Old Church” in Amsterdam…
Exhibition – Tjalling Visser – Art with Toys
Vijfhoekpark – Highland Cattle:
Park across the street from our hotel outside Amsterdam.
Vijfhoekpark – Highland Cattle
ZAANDAM:
Zaandam is a city in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is the main city of the municipality of Zaanstad and received city rights in 1811. It is located on the river Zaan, just north of Amsterdam.
Tsar Peter House
Inntel Hotel
Tulip railing – Zaandam train station
HAARLEM:
Haarlem is a city outside of Amsterdam in the northwest Netherlands. Once a major North Sea trading port surrounded by a defensive wall, it retains its medieval character of cobblestone streets and gabled houses. It’s the center of a major flower-bulb-growing district, and famous for its outlying tulip fields, art museums and hofjes (almshouses built around leafy courtyards).
Grote Kerk (Great Church):
The Grote Kerk or St.-Bavokerk is a Reformed Protestant church and former Catholic cathedral located on the central market square (Grote Markt).
Grote Kerk (Great Church)
Amsterdamse Poort:
The Amsterdamse Poort is an old city gate of Haarlem, Netherlands. It is located at the end of the old route from Amsterdam to Haarlem and the only gate left from the original twelve city gates.
Amsterdamse Poort
Frans Hals Museum:
Across the street from Haarlem History Museum (we visited this museum also).
Dirck Hals – Music-Making Company on a Terrace
Jan de Bray – Regents of the Children’s Orphanage in Haarlem
Frans Hals – Banquet of the Officers
Frans Hals – Still Life
Laundromat:
It was time for us to do laundry…
Laundromat
Netherlands Openluchtmuseum (Open-air folk museum), Arnhem:
The Netherlands Open Air Museum is a national open-air museum located in Arnhem. It focuses on the culture associated with the everyday lives of ordinary people, and demonstrating the old way of life in the Netherlands. The park was established on April 24, 1912, and opened to the public in July 1918.
Netherlands Open Air Museum
ZANDVOORT:
Zandvoort is a Dutch coastal town west of Amsterdam. The town is a popular seaside resort, thanks to its long, sandy beach on the North Sea.
Zaandvoort
This concludes our tour of the Netherlands.