Oh Amsterdam....I am so glad we met up again. I left you many years ago unable to appreciate how special and unique you are. At 15, you seemed gray, dirty, dingy, corrupt, un-friendly, dangerous and blah. Today, you seem adult, un-pretentious, modern, alive, forward and underground.
I set off from Basel on Monday, August 8th - en route to Amsterdam and another couchsurfing experience. This train ride, I got to be in a private car...snort, me and my first class rip-off Eurail pass....and what happens when one is in a private car....they meet interesting people to pass the time with. I promised not to reveal his real name, but we will call him "Norbert" for now....Norbert was an entrepreneur, had just sold a company, was chilling on his way to Frankfurt and introduced me to my first American Express Black Card. "It's really a big money saver and very affordable" claimed Norbert. Uhhhhh, yeah. With a minimum spending requirement of $250,000 a year, a $5000 sign up fee and an annual fee of $2500....I don't think it's going to be my card of choice anytime soon....LOLOLOL!!! Regardless, he saw me eyeing his card and deftly tucked it back into safety!!
I arrived in Amsterdam later than planned b/c our train pulled away late...not 5 minutes late....35 minutes late...unheard of in Switzerland!! I offered to get a hotel so as not to drag my couchsurfing host out at 11pm, but he insisted that it was no problem. Meet Niels - one of the people who helped change my perception of Amsterdam. Niels is tall, blonde, good-looking, sensitive, smart, eco-conscious, runs an NGO aimed at grading companies on their sustainability claims, plays a mean Baritone and has a record collection the likes of which I've never seen!! He has music from our country - the 50's, 60's and 70's - songs I've never heard but loved immediately. We got back to his house, played the quick "get to know you" game over a beer, decided we were a good fit and hit the hay - me in a lovely back bedroom, him out on the couch. Not the normal couchsurfing experience....a bonus!! He said he had just bought a bed and hadn't made the transition back into it yet...how funny!!
Day 1 in Amsterdam. You know I found a coffee shop quickly. Had to have this Amsterdam experience, you know. Totally bumbled my way through that - felt like a fool, was a fool, still am a fool. Regardless - done that. Off to the Van Gogh museum. Uhhhhhh.....line wrapped around the building, out into the park....and it's raining. I don't think so...see you tomorrow! Maybe the Rijksmuseum?.....same deal. No museums for Bethy on Day 1 in Amsterdam. Squawk!!! What now?
In all honesty, I had a VERY difficult time with the tram system in Amsterdam. It just wasn't intuitive for me, the maps were confusing, forget the language....and it was cold and rainy. I managed to get myself down to the big flea market....but was cold and wet....so I only spent a little time there....instead, I ducked into a cafe, had some lunch and read my book - T.C. Boyle's "The Women"...excellent read. It's about Frank Lloyd Wright but told through the eyes of the women (many women) who made up his love life. T.C. Boyle is an amazing writer. I highly recommend him. It was approaching late afternoon at this point and I wanted to meet back up with my host for dinner. We had a lovely little dinner - prepared by Niels - of Tofu and sautéed "Dutch farmer's greens" and potatoes. Still don't know what these mysterious greens are....Kale? Chard? Dunno...but it was good!! Niels went to play soccer, I wandered the neighborhood for a bit and then called it a night. I had museums to attack the next day!!
Up early and over to the Van Gogh museum....again. Even though I was there early, I still had an HOUR wait outside. Hey, at least the Van Gogh museum got my previous "museum memo" that controlling the crowds outside will reduce the horde level inside....which it did. I almost considered leaving...again...but something kept me there (other than the book I read in line). Even though I had been to this museum when I was 16, I love Van Gogh, Mom loved Van Gogh, it is the premier Van Gogh collection in the world....and I needed to test myself after the debacle at the Musee d'Orsay.
If the Musee d'Orsay was Mom's favorite, this has to have been a close 2nd. I knew we had Van Gogh prints in the house growing up....but I didn't realize how many. After safely covering 2 floors, I then found myself in the Arles section (a village in France that Van Gogh lived and which I hope to visit later in the trip) - and was again assaulted by those same feelings in the Musee d'Orsay when confronted with not 1, not 2, but 3 paintings all in one gallery. As soon as I turned from one, there was another on the opposite wall....turned from that one and was facing another. I got that hot, breathless feeling again....tears started and I had to get out of there. After extricating myself from the crowd and getting some breathing space....I had a conversation in my head (yes, I really did this).....and told myself that "this was not going to happen again".
So....
1. I gritted my teeth
2. Clenched my stomach muscles
3. Blew my nose
4 Pursed my lips
5. Shook my head
6. Willed the tears away
and headed back to the Arles section realizing that I am going to have to learn how to view paintings differently than I have previously. I think for me, smells are definitely dangerous, but "art" has the power to be lethal.
I'm sure some of you have witnessed this look on my mug before...it's not a pretty one...and I'm sure I looked mad, displeased, pissed or upset....well, as long as I didn't fall apart and cry, I probably just had a very "French" look about me ;))
For the record - these are the paintings that either hung or are hanging in the house still....
1. Small Pear Tree in Blossom
2. Field of Flowers near Arles
3. Fishing Boat on the beach at Les Saintes-Maries de la Mer
4. The Sower
5. Almond Blossom
6. Irises
7. The Bridge in the Rain (a japanese homage to Hiroshige)
8. Self-Portrait
9. Courting Couple in a Garden Square - St. Pierre
Yes....9 of them. I thought I had already weathered the worst with 6.
To end the Van Gogh museum on a positive note....he is now - officially - my favorite artist. This title used to belong to Gustav Klimt...but not anymore.
Up next was the Rijksmuseum - this place (again, one I had already seen as a youngster) changed my view and opinion of Dutch art. I loved, loved, loved this place and I think is probably a key reason I felt so passionate about the colors of Amsterdam. They are not bright and in your face like Switzerland...they are a much more subtle, unified palette that is evident in its art....gray, deep purple, orange, cream, yellow, navy blue. If I ever have the opportunity to re-do anything in the house....I will call upon inspiration from Amsterdam. The gabled row houses lining the canals will live in my memory forever. I searched and searched for the right picure or watercolor to capture this memory for me, but failed. I just couldn't find something "good enough" or "perfect enough". I may have to do some online searching when I get home.
Mom had 3 paintings from the Rijksmuseum in our house as well - since I knew about these...it was easier to view them when I found them. Without going into too much detail, I think one of the reasons I liked the Rijksmuseum so much is because most of the art is devoid of all the religiosity and Bible motifs. Holland and the Low Countries reached their zenith in the 17th century, were Protestant rather than Catholic and had a very wealthy upper class - not royalty - but merchants. The art reflects this type of patronage rather than that of the Catholic Church or a monarchy. Most of the Rijksmuseum has been under renovation for 10 years, so I only got to see a little part of the collection. I feel lucky that I got to see so much and that I can now really look forward to more soon....I have traditionally found their art dark, depressing and a little boring....NOT ANYMORE!!!!
I headed back to the apartment to meet up with Niels b/c we were going for Thai food in the Red Light District. Uh Huh!! First, I stopped off at a coffee shop and had myself a little experience on the walk home....some of you received an email....suffice it to say.....I saw Giraffes in the middle of Amsterdam while walking down the street. I had to do a quadruple-take....Giraffes?? In the middle of Amsterdam?? Jeeeeezzzz..... I also saw a guy fish a huge eel out of the canal, grab it with a T-shirt, beat it on the ground, examine it closely, give a grunt of satisfaction and then stuff it in a plastic bag. I was so horrified I could barely speak....but I did....and asked him if that was dinner (knowing full well it was). He answered, "Yes, smoked". For the record, I would NEVER eat ANYTHING out of an Amsterdam canal. Period.
Niels entertained me with some music from the Baritone (the title from above by Bach that means "I have one foot in the grave" - sigh...again, couchsurfing at its best - and we headed off for dinner. Thai was tasty and the Red Light District even tastier. I totally would have had a Red Light District experience but Niels wasn't game....and no, I don't mean it like THAT!! I just mean I could have spent a little more time down there soaking in the vibe. And yes, I did see all the women and girls in the windows and doorways advertising their specific wares....we walked through sections that looked like the UN!! Enough was enough....and it had started raining. Amsterdam rain is also a lot like Portland rain....you can walk in it forever and not really get wet. It started out this way....but then started coming down....and we had a long way to walk. What do you do? You pick up a big box off the ground, test its sturdiness....and continue homeward bound....but holding a big box over your head. Niels wants to go live off the land one day in Suriname.....have to say....if things get really bad, I'm going to live with him. That man can make anything happen and get anything done. I say this b/c, like the idiot I am sometimes, I washed out some underwear and hung it on the balcony to dry. Wouldn't you know it...my favorite pair...really, you know the favorite pair....well, they blew off the balcony and into a plant on the neighbor's porch. I hated asking Niels for help, but he retrieved them in 5 seconds flat by unscrewing the handle of his mop. Problem solved. Like I said....I may be living in Suriname sometime soon!
My time in Amsterdam came to an end and I was genuinely sad to leave. I had only been there 2 days and it felt like I was just getting to know the city when my time expired. It is nice to know someone there and I hope to return again soon. It is a city that will always have something new even though it is old. No time to be sad, though....because it was time for Brussels and a reunion with my college buddy, Mr. Will McPhail - aka Mr. Wheel, who had just finished writing and turning in his Master's dissertation......
Torn pants, Belgian Beers, Creepy Art....welcome to Belgium!! Up next...
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