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Summer 2021 in Amsterdam

  Vondel Park The Netherlands is open to US travelers and flights to Amsterdam from the US have been full. But despite the new arrivals, Amsterdam is still a sleepy town compared to past summers. You can really enjoy the city without crowds jostling for space and attention. It’s the best time to take it slow and appreciate the many attractions Amsterdam has to offer.  Tourists from green listed countries including the U.S. may enter the Netherlands if they have proof of full vaccination or a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of their flight. The vaccine must be one of approved vaccines by the European Medicine Agency (EMA) and the last dose must have been administered 14 days prior to arrival. There is also a health declaration form to be submitted to Immigration Control at the airport but the officer who handled my documents at Schiphol International Airport didn't bother to check my form. Face masks are required in public transportation, at airports, in the aircraft,

Highlights from the Stedelijk Museum

Marc Chagall, Self Portrait with 7 Fingers, 1912-1913. Oil on canvas.      The Stedelijk Museum is one of the leading modern and contemporary art museums in the world. Since its inception in 1874, the Stedelijk’s collection has steadily grown and evolved. A new wing completed in 2012 added another 10,000 square meters of space which the museum needed to display its vast and distinguished collection.      The museum also has an impressive number of forty Marc Chagall paintings, six of which it owns and three are on extended loan from the State. These nine paintings span a period of 35 years and provides a comprehensive look at Chagall’s works over three and a half decades. The Marc Chagall Research Project was undertaken by the museum to study the technique and materials used by the artist and the state of conservation of the paintings. The research found, among other things, that Chagall painted with tiny brushes at a fast pace, used pigments like cadmium yellow and cobalt blue wh

Sweet Summer Days in Amsterdam

Westerkerk and Prinsengracht When summer descends upon Amsterdam, the whole city is transformed. The trees are green with foliage, flower boxes are brimming with colorful perennials, the canals are abuzz with boats and partying passengers and terrace umbrellas line the sidewalks for the best of people watching. Houseboat This houseboat is cooling off under the shade of its own green plants. There are no limits to growing a garden. All you need are a green thumb and good weather. Bronze Breast by Anonymous Artist One of the important things to remember while walking around Amsterdam is to look down at the sidewalk to check if you are on a bicycle lane. Stay away from these lanes or risk being scolded by angry bikers (Motorcyclists also use this lane.) The other reason to look down at the cobblestone streets is sometimes there are surprises to behold. Like this bronze breast on the Oudekerksplein, outside the Oude Kerk (Old Church). A nod to the ladies of the night? Maybe

Favorites from the Rijskmuseum

The Jewish Bride, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1665-1669 

Random Amsterdam

The Bulldog Amsterdam has always thrived on its notoriety which has brought many visitors eager to see its offbeat attractions such as the Red Light district. Another popular curiosity is The Bulldog (The Name with a Heart!) which, as the sign on its colorful façade indicates, has been around since 1975 serving some things you wouldn't normally see on a regular café menu. They claim to be the first coffee shop in Amsterdam where they now have several locations including this one at Oudezijds Voorburgwal 132 in the Red Light District. And to quote their Palace branch website, "If there is more than coffee or juice you crave, The Bulldog cafes have all the offerings". Yes, they have Karaoke too! (lol) The Bulldog has also branched into the hotel business both in Amsterdam and in Canada.  The Night Watch, Rembrandtsplein The Night Watch is considered one of Rembrandt's masterpieces and it's possibly the most precious painting in the Rijksmuseum.

The Begijnhof, Amsterdam

Behind this nondescript door is an enclave in the center of Amsterdam. This was once the home of the Beguines, single women whose mission was to care for the sick. The first recorded document of the Begijnhof dates back to 1346 when a certain Cope van der Laene gave the Beguines the Beghijnhuis (house of Beguines). Courtyard of the Begijnhof The door from the Spui leads into a courtyard surrounded by traditional 17th-18th century houses which were completely renovated between 1984-1987. It's a different world as you cross the threshold. But for the noise created by the visitors, it feels as if Amsterdam is miles away. Though just outside the door, depending on the day of the week, there are outdoor cafés and musicians playing to the crowd. Or if it's the weekend, there might be a book or art fair on the Spui.  Het Houten Huys, 1528 One of the oldest houses in Amsterdam, the Houten Huys (black façade) dates back to 1528. Many of the earlier buildings

Our Lord in the Attic

In the years following the Alteration in 1578 when power was transferred from Catholics to Protestants, an ordinance was passed in Amsterdam prohibiting Catholics from openly celebrating the mass. Jan Hartman, a rich merchant, bought property on Oudezijds Voorburgwal in 1661 and started rebuilding the three houses on that property to accommodate a hidden church on its top floors.  View of the organ from the first gallery Ludovicus Reiniers, a priest, acquired the property in 1739 and kept the church open for worship. Our Lord in the Attic remained the parish church of Catholics living in the area for over 200 years until St. Nicholas Church (in front of the Central Station) was consecrated in 1887. Soon after a group of Catholics bought the property to save it from demolition. It was reopened in 1888 as a museum, one of the oldest museums in Amsterdam. Masses are still celebrated on first Sundays of the month from October to May at 11 a.m. (Check their website for da

That Perfect Photo Eluded Me

I know very well that to take the perfect photo of the iconic I amsterdam   slogan, I must wake up at 5:30 a.m. and run over to Museumplein (at the back of the Rijksmuseum) before the tourists and visitors arrive in droves. But it was too cold to get up that early and besides, I kept late nights with friends sipping my favorite fresh mint tea leaves in one of many cafés on the Leidseplein and Rembrandstplein. So I shouldn't be disappointed at all with the images below since these were taken in late afternoon at the height of the King's Birthday weekend celebrations. 5:30 p.m.  Everyone is hanging out in front of the slogan or should I say, all over the slogan. There's absolutely no way of getting a clear view of it. Notice the colorful orange accessories worn by many. It's the theme color of the House of Orange from whence the new King descended. These folks had been partying on the streets of Amsterdam all day long. I have an almost unobstructed

The Hermitage Amsterdam

The Union of Earth and Water (Scheldt and Antwerp) by Peter Paul Rubens and Frans Snyders c. 1618-1621 Amsterdam is home to some of the best museums in the world - the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk to name a few. And now it has the Hermitage Amsterdam! I was lucky to view the Rubens, Van Dyck and Jordaens, Flemish Painters from the Hermitage  exhibition which has been extended to June 15, 2012. The exhibition includes 75 paintings and 20 drawings from the Antwerp School of Painting. Many of these oeuvres d'art  came from the collection of Catherine the Great. The museum is in a former home for the elderly. It originally housed women who were at least 50 years of age when it opened in 1681. Elderly men were welcomed in the 1800's when a new wing was added for them. The home became known as Amstelhof. At the close of the 20th century it was decided that rather than rebuild and update the home, it was better to move its residents to more comfortable a

Scenes from Amsterdam

Cafés on the Leidseplein What I like most about Amsterdam is that it's a compact city and therefore, easy to explore. With two days to roam around and bright sunshine to boot, I was able to cover quite a bit of territory and still had plenty of time to sit at the caf é s with good friends. DHL Express So how does DHL Express deliver packages in canal lined Amsterdam? By cruise boat, of course. I thought at first this was one of those boats used for canal tours along the waterways of Amsterdam. But the color gave it away. One fun way for adventurous visitors to see the city when walking is not an option is by taking a three wheeled "smart" tricycle. Apple Store Have problems with your I gadgets? No worries. There are a number of service people wating to help you at the new Apple Store on the Leidseplein. But the hightlight here is not the IPad nor the IPhone, rather it is the gleaming glass staircase. This store is in the old AMRO building on