Sorry about how late this post is--we got back earlier but one of the roommates we haven't been around too much was home so we socialized and then watched the FIFA final with all three of the roommates. It was nice. The last girl is named Nerea and she's cool if quiet. I don't think her English is the best judging by how she constructed questions and the default language she slipped into. Pilar is pretty cool. She works in the flower market and has a British boyfriend who is a religious Argentina fan. Marcus offered me some smoke tonight so I think we're finally close enough to be considered friends maybe. I didn't partake but the offer was there so that's important.
The next couple of days are going to be CRAZY since I have no idea what kind of wifi situation there is in any of the other houses and it'll probably be non-stop celebration in Germany since THEY JUST WON THE CUP! It'll be a good time to travel to that part of the world. Seriously. I'm stoked.
Today started fairly early for us. I overslept a little and showered after killing a couple of mosquitoes. I haven't talked about the mosquito situation yet but here it is: stuff is dire. Like, I have five mosquito bites on one arm with plenty on other arm and legs and torso and neck. I don't know why they like me so much but it's always like this. As we move North, hopefully they'll die off, but we've had a couple of slaughter sessions in the room and it still hasn't made much of a difference.
From breakfast, we decided to look for a post office to send out post cards only to find that everything is closed on Sundays. Surprise. We made our way to the city center. Luckily, the trains weren't as crowded today. I'm starting to feel like we have a sense of the city, finally, and then it surprised me with a book sale in the middle of the plaza!
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| That disembodied hand is me. Also, a sweet map seller. |
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| Me in front of the book stalls. I don't know if you can tell how excited I am, but it is very. |
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| Sideways Winnie the Pooh |
After the random book sale, we walked in the direction of the Rijksmuseum and were distracted by souvenir shopping. Eventually, we made our way further down the road and stopped at a bench that displayed the coats of arms of all the different old Dutch towns in the area. Also, there was a statue of a lion with its fists up. Since it's Casey's picture day, I humored him by making silly poses. Not that I would ever do that normally, no.
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| This place sells you adorable vintage clothes by the kilo. I would've bought something but I have no idea what a Kilo of clothes looks like. They have fun styles like "Japanese" and "American." I sure wonder what those American styles are like. |
We eventually found the Rijksmuseum, which has the second free public restroom I've found in Europe. I feel like I should compile a list for both posterity and future use for American travelers of Europe. If you sneak into Burger King and go up the stairs, the bathroom there is free. Also, the Rijksmuseum lobby is free for public viewing and the museum bathroom is clean and free of charge for use.
The bathroom at the Central Station in Amsterdam is .50 Euro but it's pretty nice if you can get over the fact that the men's and women's stalls are separated by pretty much nothing. However, it is a public restroom, and when in need, it serves.
The Rijksmuseum has a lot of different exhibits, many of the Dutch Masters like Rembrandt and Van der Meer, some Van Gogh, a lot of old Dutch furniture, sculpture, and some war history paintings. One part of the museum has literally the keel of a captured English ship that was used to rub in the victory of the Dutch navy over the English during a war of theirs. Cool and odd.
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| Salome and John the Baptist |
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| Did I mention the enormous secret library at the back of the museum? No? Oh, silly me. |
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| Yes, I am responsible for these works |
One interesting thing the Rijksmuseum is doing now is a program called "Art is Therapy." It's a self-guided tour throughout the museum on yellow paper that has more to do with how art relates to the viewer specifically instead of how the art relates to the world or where it comes from. This program asks questions about what art can do for our daily lives. For example, there was a linen closet displayed in the museum and the placard read "What is a linen closet doing in the house for the nation's greatest treasures, anyway? Art is initially a way of making order of the chaos in the world and making our problems seem more manageable." I'm paraphrasing but the tour was really lovely and it was refreshing to think of art as it can help the individual versus what it does in terms of history or the world.
I enjoyed the museum. I always love seeing Dutch portraits--the people look so alive and gleaming. Seeing Rembrandts in real life was breathtaking also. The Night Watch is prominently displayed at the end of a grand hall and from the portrait, you can see all the way down to the stained glass windows pictured above. The Rijksmuseum had been closed for almost three years when we got to Amsterdam and only recently re-opened so I feel lucky to have visited.
Outside, we sat in the sun and enjoyed the day for a while, then I finally took a picture with the I Amsterdam sign while the usual crowd surrounding it was distracted by some street performers.
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| M for Maria! Can you say Amsterdayum? Just kidding. But really. |
Then we walked to De Pijp, a little district where Marcus said we could find an open air market. Unfortunately, we were way too late for the market by the time we got there, but we saw some floating greenery and swans and ducks.
Then, we found a lovely park and all these pigeons flew up because one pigeon with a club foot decided I had food for it. I didn't. Here are the pigeons
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| It was like a scene from The Birds. |
After the pigeons dispersed, we walked up the park further and found this really cool willow sideways in the canal so of course, We climbed on it and made tree poses, which are tranquil and pretty.
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| There was also this bridge. And then God spoke to me and told me I would bear a child...just kidding. This is a magical picture, though. |
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| Bananas turn here |
We made our way back to the house eventually, stopping at the grocery store to pick up sauce for pasta tonight and as many stroopwaffels as we could carry. These things are delicious and perfect and amazing and the cashier hilariously asked if we had a frequency card as if it weren't abundantly obvious we were tourists. That was nice of her.
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| This is how you get furniture in your house in the Netherlands |
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| Some good lighting in front of the train station |
And that was today in a nutshell! Tomorrow, we finally send these post cards and mosey on over to Germany. It should be a non-stop party considering that final goal. Wish me luck!
Love always,
Maria
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