Amsterdam Day 3

Up again in good time to walk again to the museum plein and the Van Gogh museum.  The David Hockney and Van Gogh exhibition was an eye opener.  I appreciated the Hockney’s much more after seeing the two side by side and seeing an excellent short film and hearing a very good lecture.  Quite a morning!

We went next door to state art museum for lunch in the cafe  - avocado salad for me and cheese toastie for Peter.  We couldn’t quite face another gallery so we looked round the bookshop and then wandered back to the flat.

We had an early booking at the du Behamel restaurant so the restaurant was empty when we arrived but very soon filled up.  The same art nouveau decor, very good service and an excellent meal.

Went to bed around midnight and regretted the espressos we had to finish the meal.  I was woken at 3.30am by talking, probably from the flat next door and above us.  It was particularly loud in the bathroom which has a big ceiling light in it.  I shut the bathroom door and that helped a bit but I lay furiously awake and heard them leave at 5.30am with more loud talking and door slamming!  Grr! My Fitbit tells me I had 3.45 hours sleep.  Peter was oblivious!

Amsterdam Day 2

We got up in good time to walk to the Rijksmuseum in time for our entry to the Rembrandt

Two beggars 

exhibition and a coffee before hand in the elegant cafe.  The exhibition was very crowded and so many people had phones and cameras out snapping everything in sight that you had to watch out for people barging into you or poking a phone in your eye!  However the etchings were wonderful and a real treat.   I restricted myself to one picture and one to amuse Abe and Saul of Peter and playmobil people.

We ran into football supporters on our way back but they were very good natured, despite carrying large quantities of beer.

We walked back along Prinsengracht and found a North African restaurant we remembered from a previous visit and had a bowl each of cous cous with three vegetable sides followed by mint tea.  Delicious!  Then back to the apartment for a siesta/rest and a cup of tea in the garden before the arduous task of choosing a restaurant.

We walked from the flat to Brouwersgracht to find the restaurant that went down in family history as the location of one of Simon’s best jokes.  We were there with Ros and Brian and Rupert and Simon. We can’t remember where Eliot was! And we can’t remember the punchline! Anyway, the restaurant was De Behamel and it was still there.  Sadly they had no tables so we booked for Friday night and went instead to a busy and friendly Italian.

Tourists posing with football fans!

Peter 

Amsterdam Day 1

Here we are again on a short city break.  This time in Amsterdam for 4 nights.  Our Airbnb apartment is on Leliegracht , an attractive street near the centre.  The apartment is at the back of the building and has its own garden, which is a great plus as the sun is shining.

We arrived before the lady who was letting us in, so we had lunch in a vegan restaurant two doors away and fell into conversation with an American couple who complained how hard it is to be vegan in the states - and gluten free! We commiserated - half heartedly!

Then our host came and showed us round the apartment.  First job after unpacking was to head for the supermarket for basic breakfast supplies and a wander round the neighbourhood.  We also bought a new map and a bottle of wine, another basic supply!

sitting room

Garden 

Sitting room

In the evening we ate on our way to the Concertgebouw at a steak restaurant called Venus and Adonis, served by two delightful staff.  We had to run the gauntlet of policemen and mounted police preparing for a huge turnout to celebrate the winners of the Dutch football tournament.  The open space outside the concert hall was filled with toilets and pissoirs. Never seen so many!

The concert was a recital by a trio with a mixed programme some parts of which was more enjoyable than others.   We had excellent seats in the front row of the balcony. 

We took the tram home and had some difficulty in paying for the tickets and knowing where to get off. The vegan Americans were also on the tram!

I had a bad night as I was too cold and had to resort to putting the light on to find a blanket and fiddle with the heating.