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So we come to the highlight of the trip. Christmas in Amsterdam at Van Gogh Museum.

We start a bit later, Susie sleeps an extra hour and get me going at 5AM, and we do the usual things.

Breakfast is again at the hotel. The same Euro-hotel-style foods. Little less on fish, but still familiar. We burn through a few hours there. Corwin joins us. He is still in his Tibetan pirate style. He just needs a belt with various weapons and tall black boots. We have the hotel find us a cab and pop over to the same areas as yesterday.

The staff at the Van Gogh Museum help with getting Susie a wheelchair and this place as a special map called the Accessibility Map that covers how to get to everything by special and regular elevator. Yes, this is new but it does not allow for most photos. So the two takes are elicited! It is amazing that so many things are allowed in Amsterdam, but you can be busted for an iPhone photo of Van Gogh!

So we rushed on and discovered a special self-portrait section. Amazing and here are my only photos. Vincent honest painting of himself painting (he wrote the others were in fact advertising) and a photo of his palate and paints.

To see the palate was a bit overwhelming.  This is where the paintings were born.

There are special tube elevators and then regular ones. We soon discovered a new thing: Art zombies are all through the displays. We passed on the headgear and touchscreen device to get the story. With Susie in a wheelchair, we needed to hear each other so we forgo the already purchased equipment. What we found were all the points where the audio tour stopped there a herd of zombies waited. These visitors are hooked into the devices and are look at them and then look intensely at painting.  This undead of art ignores us as they appear to be completely unconnected to the real world and we have to push Susie slowly into them to get them to move-on or back up. We got used to pushing them on and they, being completely unconnected zombies, did not seem to mind. Very odd!

The glass and lights created glare on the paintings. When looking at most of the painting you had to stand at an angle to see the detail and colors. This made me a bit unhappy as I thought this could have been done better. Everything else was perfect, why not this too?

We spent four hours tracing Van Gogh’s life in paintings. The collection includes Monets and all sorts of paintings for contemporaries of Van Gogh that you can see how the work of other artists impacted and improved Van Gogh’s works. Often the write up near a painting of a contemporary would include notes of Van Gogh’s writings about the artist. We are dodging zombies the whole time.

We see towards the end the saddest paintings. There is one self-portrait, on loan and not part of the collection, of Vincent, bandaged after cutting off his ear. It is stark. Another is a painting by a friend of a happy (and whole) Vincent painting the sunflowers. This is within sight of a photo of Vincent Van Gogh’s grave. It was made as a memory of happier times. On the write up on the painting, it is mentioned that in a letter of Vincent’s he declares the painting to be a good likeness.

Food! They have a nice cafe and we had some great food there. I picked up the book that came with the tickets. It covers much of what we saw. Back to the paintings.

We take one last spin of Van Gogh, we thought, through the self-portraits and head to the special exhibit. This is three floors of works that impacted Van Gogh and taught him his craft. You can see Van Gogh copied various artists’ works but then put his own style to it.

Corwin and I are tired of standing and we have seen much of it. We collect our checked coats and get the walker back and get headed back.

Susie falls getting into the car and Corwin grabs her when she falls and twists her arm. Susie, while not hurt, is bruised.

As it is Christmas we headed over to Cafe Mooy, it is open, and have a beer and

We take a short rest. Off to dinner. Dinner is too much meat. We go to Formosa Argentina nearby.

Lastly, Corwin and I need to walk after too much food. I show Corwin the true red-light part of Amsterdam. Most of the shows are closed as it is Christmas. There is certainly a crowd that is looking for a night-life, but it is almost quiet.

(Yes, we are in the red-light district now–notice the sign is only in English)

I head back with Corwin.

Merry Christmas!

Michael R Wild

Sleep was difficult for Susie. She was up twice and told me at 4AM that it was time to get dressed. She was wide-awake in the morning!

We did the normal things–rather slowly–and got to the hotel provided breakfast at 7:15. Before that, I called Corwin’s room and got him up, and he joined us a bit later for a slow consumed but good Europe Hotel breakfast: lots of pastries, cold cut, cheese, fruit fresh and in syrup, yogurt (local), and cereal.   Coffee comes from a machine. The gal in the hotel, also from Ethiopia, showed me how to make coffee. I also then let my years at the Shoe company training take over and train-the-trainer ha,d me show Corwin how to make coffee.

Everyone working for the hotel or the Rijksmuseum is in uniform. Even the gals at the coat check were in black dresses supplied by the museum. Men in fitted shirts and ties and sometimes with suits supplied by their employer. Something you seldom see in American.

After breakfast, we took a Taxi supplied by the hotel to the Rijksmuseum as we had managed to get to 9.

We got there and soon found our way. We just got scanned in, electronic skip-the-line tickets, and headed up to see the good stuff on the second floor. Soon we had seen a Night Watch and the Maiden Pouring Milk. Susie was overwhelmed by the distances and the number of things to see. I was uncomfortable as I still had my heavy coat, and all the paintings were missing! The best Rembrandt paintings were in a special exhibit with Spanish masters.

(A 1/12 sized model of a Dutch man-of-war from the people who built the full-sized one)

We headed down, found the coat check and tickets for the new special exhibit, Rembrandt-Velazquez: Dutch and Spanish Masters. The staff at the Rijksmuseum saw us struggle and got us a wheelchair and helped move Susie to the new chair. The supply them at no cost! I then pushed Susie through a stunningly great exhibition. Paintings are placed side-by-side, and you can see the Dutch and Spanish styles and how they overlap and are different.

Even on Christmas Eve, the place was busy. From what I witnessed, the new thing is to take an image of a painting you liked or thought was famous. Anything from iPhones up to expensive digital rigs is allowed. Corwin took a photo of everything he liked. I got this blur pic of Rembrandts’ signature.

My feet, after four hours of standing and pushing, was getting tired. We left the display–I bought the book in case we want to review or share it. I wanted to see Van Gogh’s works. We got lost. The place is a maze. Directions and maps are not that helpful.

The map they give you shows all the levels available in multiple languages at the information desk. Speaking English with a smile when I address them. The map shows that each floor is a timeframe of Dutch history. Usually, Rembrandt is in the Galley of Honor on the second floor (1600-1650)–but they all are now on the ground floor and first floor (numbers here in Europe as zero and one–not American 1st and 2nd floors) in the Philips Wing. All easy to find, if not needed, elevators. We managed to work it out after a fashion. We did tour the Middle Ages displays three times.

Finally, we find the three Van Gogh. The crowd parts, and we see the famous self-portrait.

It is cruder than I was expecting, but the colors brighter than the photo suggests, and the face stands out and seems three dimensional. The rest of the paintings of this time, floor 1 (1800-1900), are bright and more my style. I could have any on my wall.

We find coffee some stroopenn nearby on floor 1. A German or a Dane guy helps us take Susie down the steps in the wheelchair. He seemed quite happy to help, and Corwin practiced a bit of his German.

Refreshed, we again view Van Gogh–I wanted to see the self-portrait again. Back into the elevator, which fits just two people and a wheelchair. Often Corwin takes the stairs while I ride down with Susie.

We then tour the middle age displays–the only way back. Charlemagne’s shield, a moose horn carved and made into a shield for your arm, gets my attention. According to the write-up, it is really a later creation, but it gets my mind for a Dungeon and Dragon item. This would make a new look for a magical shield. The reliquary items are always a bit odd. Usually carrying some body part. A 1400s chainmail set gets Corwin’s attention. There are a lot of arrow-sized holes in the chain.

Four plus hours of standing, pushing, getting lost, and being a bit on painting overload, time to leave. It took us a bit to find our way out and then to find where the taxi line is, but we got back to the hotel. Our hotel is next to the police so the Taxi driver did not want to drive us up and jump the curb, I did get one policeman in a car to beep at me as I was getting out and paying. No problem.

We then went next door to the Italian and Argentine steak place. Corwin followed after I sent a photo. He showed it to the desk at the hotel and they did not know the place. He tried some more hotel staff and they said, “Twenty meters away.” We had great food there once he joined us. We shared it all.

Susie rested while Corwin and I went to see the chess store. A gaming store on Christmas Eve in Amsterdam. It was about a 45-minute walk.

The chess sets were a bit more expensive and the same I could get on-line in the States. I did not buy one (getting a refund of VAT was not something I wanted to do). Corwin did point out if I was a true collector of Scythe, a board game I have just about everything upgraded on, I should purchase the Dutch version they have on the shelf. I decided I could live without the Dutch version.

We had a drink at a local bar and then walked back.

Corwin was headed back out to Cafe 420. I, running on little sleep, went to take a nap–hours later I started on this. So I think that is a wrap.

Happy Christmas Eve!

Michael R Wild

Inntel Hotel, Room 2266, Amsterdam

 

 

 

I did finally connect with Corwin last night and we went for another exploration of local resources. Corwin and I headed out into areas we had not been before. Looking at a map now this is an area called the western canals area. It includes a chess shop I use to visit and Anne Frank House. There we stopped at a more traditional Amsterdam coffee shop and Corwin acquire some of the local resources. My cough did not improve.

We then searched for more supplies, the process to consume is more complex than I understood. We then picked up some more supplies at various facilities adjoining various coffee shops where coffee is not the focus.

Finally, we found Cafe 420 and Corwin was fully supplied with needed items. I managed to land an excellent table. I was very happy and not from the intoxicants in the air which were manifest. Cafe 420 supplies high-quality wooden chess sets. I counted at least five sets I would not mind owning. Corwin was able to roll and consume his purchases at our corner table.

So before returning to my room and trying to sleep with jet-lag (sort of slept a few hours), I played chess in Cafe 420 in Amsterdam using a high-quality board supplied by Cafe 420. I won with Black, I did misstep and lost my rook for it, but I kept my queen with a bishop and slipped in a checkmate against white while Corwin was setting up a mate-in-one. He was one move from a win when I managed to walk my queen and bishop to checkmate.

Aside: I recently played, for me, a lot of chess on my chess computer, Lasker Chess Computer, and had tightened-up my play. Lasker, as I call my chess computer, is without pity–I have managed a stalemate once. I find that I have trouble with the long lines of bishops and fall prey to the dragons of The Sicilian Defence too often. It is a true pleasure to play Lasker if one is ready to be punished for small mistakes.

Not a bad ending to our first night.

Michael R Wild

Inntel Hotel, Room 2266, Amsterdam

Well, it is getting towards the evenings and being just a day after the winter solstice, night comes soon. Which in Amsterdam is just fine for most folks. The city looks better after dark anyway with all the holiday lights.

After getting a glorious early morning check in to once again experience Dutch bathtubs (tall and deep and surprisingly hard to get out of). We are clean and happy and even got a short nap that was not in a tiny seat belted in surrounded by hundreds of people you do not know and, as always, three children that loudly exclaimed their dismay.

Corwin and I meet to find lunch while Susie rests. We explore Amsterdam’s local resources. I noticed Cafe Blom as it was busy and looked well happy. We then stopped by Wilderman as I had been there years ago and bought a t-shirt (matching my name, of course) and they suggest Cafe Blom for real food. Obviously, we are now going there. So we collected Susie and had a huge, happens when you order in a new place, lunch. 

We then headed over to Wilderman for Trappist style beers. Susie, with the food in her and beer, was all about to face-plant in her beer so I took back to rest in the hotel while Corwin finished out any left-over beer (and paid the bill).

Corwin and then I went shopping. Some missed clothing items for Corwin and large bottles of water for each room. We walked to the tourist parts of town. Oddly, the shop we purchased the clothing items was styled as an American shop with a California flag on the wall!

Corwin and I both went back to our rooms. I had a terrible asthma attack. Suspect that the intoxicants everywhere are not good for me and used my emergency inhaler (albuterol)  and recovered (breathing is not optional). A short nap (relaxing is the most important recover step for bad asthma attacks which requires not panicking when breathing is difficult) of a few hours and back to the streets!

Corwin did not answer email or phone–resting I assume. So off I go to see some more alone. I wanted to get back to the other side of the red-light district to see if it as I remember it. Nope, cleaner and safer–the Great Recession was none too kind to Amsterdam last time I was here. The food is cheaper and homier here.

I am tired so I look for a coffee shop to sit down that sells only coffee. DD. Excellent! An Amsterdam Donut; it is covered with a hard fondant icing and is cream-filled. Irony.

So walked some more and found a place open for Christmas dinner. I spoke to the manager, Mario, and have his card. It is across from our hotel (below). So we are set for Wednesday now–some shops, bars, and food places run different hours this week (Christmas)–haphazardly so you have to ask.

We start with our first tour item in the morning.

Michael R Wild

Inntel Hotel, Room 2266, Amsterdam

 

So the last minute Chrismas shopping done. Gift cards from the center of evil, also known as Amazon, sent to Gordon and Barb. Heat is already set to 55F at the house. Charger for laptop and pills and headphones in the backpack. Yes, for the first time I am traveling using a Nike backpack. As we need to drag our bags with us on a train from Schipol to Amsterdam, we need to travel light, and thus I get a backpack. Corwin is finishing up the dishes I did last night. So just about to start the beginning of the trip. Susie’s driver Mohamed will be here at 9. Boarding is about 12:45 PM so that gives us the required two-plus hours. Somehow the travel gods showed mercy and we are pre-screened TSA on our boarding passes.

We sleep and get up and eat and are ready on-time. I even wash all the dishes by hand and put them away so there won’t be week-old dirty dishes in the sink when we return. Mohamed gets us to PDX early and we follow the process without issue. Susie’s wheelchair pass gets us through all the checks in record speed and with no trouble.

The hardest part of the trip is the plane. Susie has to walk to the back of a 767-300. You think that you might change states while walking to the end. Ten hours of boring and well-fed tightly squeezed travel. Food is not bad. The plane is 100% full, it is a huge plane to be full.

I think next time I should turn down all the water and coffee and soda. I drove Susie out of her seat three times!

We get to Amsterdam and Susie I think walked for ten minutes to get from one end of the plane to the door. There a trainee (that was what his badge said) was waiting for us with a wheelchair. I missed getting his name as we rushed through customs and Susie’s walker even made it! He gets us train tickets and helps Susie get on the train. He even took our first group photo for Christmas here in Holland!

We got here and I remembered enough of Amsterdam to find the hotel on the first try. Corwin was surprised at how I just took the alleyways here and there–I was here for weeks over the years and walked the streets to relax. The sweet smell of various intoxicants is stronger than I remember.

We are often to find lunch soon or is it dinner or is it midnight snack…

We are all so happy to be here.

Michael R Wild

Inntel Hotel, Amsterdam Centre, Room 2266.