Amsterdam

Seen in hertgenbosch outside the Town Hall, waiting for the bride and groom.

On Wednesday, we travelled to Amsterdam, we being my daughter, Anne, and her family and me. She had rented an apartment on one of the central canals. However it is approached by four long flights of ladder like stairs, at the end of which I need to sit down for a bit and a lot of the last few days have been spent minimising the climbs.

Yesterday was spent walking around the city getting our bearings and visiting the Rijksmuseum. The Night Watch is still there as are the four exquisite Vermeers and an armful of Pieter de Hoogh. In the evening I took everyone to the Five Flies which was one of Michael's favorites. It is three canal houses joined into one, still with mediaeval timbering and doors and embossed leather on the walls. Lovely food, much enjoyed by all.

Today was why we came. We took the train to hertgenbosch where there is a huge exhibition of Bosch's work. Timed tickets and they sold out weeks ago. They sold too many tickets as it was very overcrowded. But it was first rate. A lot of drawings. Like most people I think of him as monsters besetting Saint Jerome. But his Three Magi is beautiful. And people are always varied. Look at any of his crowd scenes. I had a look at the books on sale. The best one weighed too much to be carried around so Amazon will get my trade for this. But we did patronise the market.

The local delicacy in Hertgenbosch. On the left a chocolate ball, filled with cream, sickly, on the right a pastry case, filled with one large cooked Apple, delicious. 

The cheese stall was delicious. How do I know? The stall holder saw we were interested and gave us samples. After which the only question was How much can we carry?

And then there was bread to buy to go with the cheese.

Of course there were the seven fish stalls

And the stall loaded with nothing but mushrooms.

We took the train home, happy bunnies. This evening I have a ticket for St Matthews Passion at the Concertgebouw. We spent the last three weeks of the Bach course studying that. I am pleased. Mind you, I think it is an amateur choir. But let us not be picky on Good Friday.