Continued Amsterdam Excursions...

Sign advertising a new building next to EYE

Settled into Chantal's cosy home overlooking the Amstelkanaal in Amsterdam, I started to plan additional trips around the city. One of the best things about a long-ish stay anyplace is that I do not feel obligated to run around CONSTANTLY to see everything!(Besides I KNOW I never can see everything, so I return!)

The next day I had to go to the Tourist Information to buy tickets to Keukenhof for next week. My friends Pat and Rich arrive next Wednesday, and we'll go to Keukenhof on Thursday. http://www.keukenhof.nl/en/
This is the SPECTACULAR flower display of the country...wonderful tulips and daffodils as well as orchid displays. It is due to close on the May 20th, so we are "cutting it close"!




Since I had greatly enjoyed the film museum when I was in Torino several years ago, I wanted also to see EYE, which is more than a film museum. You take a two minute ferry ride at the rear of the main train (Central) station, and you have another two minute walk to the EYE.
http://www.eyefilm.nl/en
There are four screening rooms and different exhibitions blending film and art. One of the exhibitions was called Cinema Remake, and it showed different movies which have been reproduced. I also saw an entertaining new Dutch film called Hartenstraat, "Heart Street". There is also a nice restaurant overlooking the harbor, where I stopped for lunch at the end of the film.

EYE is very different from the Torino museum, as it really would appeal more to the real film student for the technical look at a wide variety of films. I am glad I saw it, even though I am not a student of film-just a person who enjoys seeing movies!

Free 2 minute ferry to Noord

EYE

 Saturday Chantal had hoped-as did I-that we could go sailing. However, the rain was heavy, and the wind was windier! But we did go to the boatyard so she could meet with the men repairing her 24' sailboat named "Chelsea" and learn of the details.
Before we met, she had told me about Kroller Muller Museum, which is about an hour from Amsterdam. Friends had also encouraged me to go, so I was very delighted when we were able to go-in spite of the weather! The museum is in the middle of the wonderful Hoge Veluwe National Park, and there are free bicycles which you can use to ride through the park. (We did have a short bike ride, until the rain won!)
The museum was the brainstorm of Helene Kroller-Muller who wanted a place to share her passion of modern art. There is a very large display of Van Gogh's works, as well as Seurat, Rodin, etc. plus temporary exhibitions. We had lunch there, as well as a cup of tea

M. Jacques welcomed us

Collioure by Seurat

and tasty sweet before we headed home. It was a wonderful place, and I have would loved to have had more time to ride around the park!
That evening we went to a concert in the small hall of Het Concertgebow, where we heard Richard Strauss (Pianokwartet op.13) and Brahms (Eerst planokwartet #25). The ticket price included round trip on the tram and a glass of wine. It was a perfect end to a VERY fun day in Holland!!

Sunday was a bit of lazy sleep-in day. Well, it was Mother's Day as well!! Chantal prepared a tasty breakfast, and we went back by the boatyard before we stopped at a quintessential Dutch pancake restaurant-the Pannenkoeken Restaurant "Noord Brabant"-in the most lovely little town of Vreeland.

Cheese and ham pancake syrup optional

...or here?

Picture us having a glass of wine right here!

Sign of the business-this was the Druggist

Town of Monnickendam

Special Dutch boat with this wooden "wing" on each side

We ended our busy weekend visiting Chantal's brother in this harbor here for an hour. It was such a delightful ride through the countryside and stopping to "smell the roses" or rather to enjoy the pancake restaurant or the little towns with hundreds of years of history. Chantal also told me how every winter, everyone just is so anxious to get out skating out on the canals!

Once AGAIN-Couch surfing  is such a plus and has been throughout my trip, MANY thanks, Chantal, hope to see you soon in Boston or?

THIS was my first choice of where to have that glass of wine!!:)

Thanks for traveling along with me on this fun experience I have been having! The end is in sight, as I will return to Boston on May 20th.