Strolling and Antiquities

 Goededag!

I discovered a grocery store much closer to home than the place I had been going.  The downside is that I had already stopped at the other place and was laden with food.  Ok.  Next time.

So it had to happen sometime.  I felt a bit under the weather this morning so my hot plans for going out of town evaporated, and the forecast for the next two days looks iffy.  Anyway I stayed in town and had a nice enough time although it may make for some dull reading.

The morning was brisk and windy as I emerged.  Later it settled down to still and more humid.  I assert, nevertheless, that the weather is far more pleasant than I would be experiencing at home.  On impulse instead of turning toward the town center, I went back to the Rijksmuseum.  Remember my ticket is “prepaid” with the Museum Karte.  And here is where I’d like to put in a plug for said cards.  Most cities offer them.  They may not save you money, but the savings in time (not having to stand in lines for tickets) and convenience (not having constantly to fish for Euros in your wallet) make them worth it.  In the morning when the Rijksmuseum is just opened, it is, of course, far less crowded.  One has to go through security, but they are very efficient, and I had a better chance to commune with Rembrandt and Vermeer.
Vermeer’s works are small but marvelously compelling.  He does in paint what Miss Austen does in her novels if that makes any sense to you.  The everyday, the commonplace suddenly takes on luminous significance.  Not just his pure northern light falling on faces, but the curtain just drawn aside, the paintings on the wall, the mousetrap in the corner all spring to the eye as things new and wonderful.

I had another good look at the “Night Watch.”  When I first saw it thirty years ago and more.  The glass was to protect the work from vandalism.  There’s a psycho syndrome where crazies need to attack works of art, and someone had taken an axe to the painting.  The security is still there I am sure, but a lot less intrusive.  Apparently the leader of the band, Frans Banning Coq was an idiot.  Yep.  Rembrandt does his best, but the guy does look kinda dim compared to the rest of the figures.  He’s the guy in front dressed in black if you want to look him up.

I don’t remember the route I took into the center of town.  I know I passed through the Spui and crossed Kalverstraat.  My target was the Allard Pierson Museum, and, of course, I used my Museum Karte.  This is the museum attached to the University of Amsterdam.  Now I happen to have a taste for antiquities, so while I had a great visit, this museum is not for everyone.  They have copies of various important works from Greece and Rome, but the real gems of the collection are the painted Greek vases from the Geometric Style through Red Figure.  They are beautiful and very well presented.  There’s also a notable Etruscan collection.

But I was on a mission.  I walked down to the plaza in front of the Centraal Station to the transportation office.  Readers of my London adventures will recall how enamored I was of the Oyster Card.  Well, Amsterdam has something similar, and I now possess one.  I have plans. . .  I also took a quick look around the Centraal Station, which looks cool on the outside, but is not all that interesting inside.

Back down the street where I poked around swank department stores and squirted myself with expensive perfume.  What was it?  Flore by Gucci?  Pretty nice.  I had another motive, which will be apparent in a few days.

By that time I was tired and it was growing humid.  I made my way home via the grocery store.  Dinner was some sausage with some very strong Dutch mustard—a tasty combination.  The beer of the day was some wonderful Trappist beer.  For some reason “tripel” is less strong than “duble” so I always choose tripel.  There’s a richness to this drink, that I can’t put my finger on.  Hops?  Barley?  At any rate the story goes that the monks tried, often in vain to discourage those who suddenly discovered their vocation after a sip of the beer.

I love Amsterdam, but one thing drives me NUTS.  Why the apostrophe?—and it doesn’t matter if it’s Dutch or English—for things that are clearly meant to be plural and not possessive?  Is Dutch different?  Is this in fact the way they form plural?  Why?  Is it Dutch leaking over into English usage with that annoying and Just Wrong apostrophe to form plural?  Whatever is causing it--Stop It!

Dag!