Amsterdam Sept 19-20, 2013

Magere Bridge Amsterdam,  crossing the Amstel River. looks high tech but goes back to 1600's.

canal night scene after the rain

full moon was behind the clouds

a quiet street at night

Rijks Museum lit up at night

just another lovely canal scene!

wonderful architecture all over

pretty gabled houses

tile on one of the homes from 1699

lots of the homes had the moving hooks attached at the top

liked this little tile in the wall

view toward the rijks museum 

interesting boat decorations!

in case there was any doubt as to where we were

view on canal across from Rijks Museum, wonderful willow tree

the lovely center facade of the  late 1800's Rijks Museum 

Rijks Museum looking splendid

Rijks

another entrance to Rijks

inside stairway leading up to the grand hall in the Rijks

pretty stained glass in the grand hall

the early bird Joe catches the worm. we had the place to ourselves for about an hour

New Rembrandt room, was lovely, quiet, well-displayed paintings. places to rest or contemplate. well done.

Rembrandt's and the Rijks Museum claim to fame: "The Nightwatch" painted in 1642. It is a company of amsterdam's militiamen, or civic guards in all their splendor.

I really enjoyed some of the early Rembrandt's

Rembrandt painted himself as  St Paul. Paul is indeed  looking very Dutch. 1661.

Rembrandt's "The Jewish Brid". Isaac and Rebecca 1665-69.

Johannes Vermeer.  The little street, 1658. Houses in Delft.  The clarity in this photo was amazing

inside atrium in Rijks museum

View from a window in Rijks, looking out to the concert hall straight ahead with the red banners. Sign says "I am sterdam"

a pretty 1700's Dutch room with tiled fireplace

wool caps found on mummy's from the sea. discovered hundreds of years later.

Rembrandt's 1635. Man in Oriental Dress

I just found this hand to be astonishingly real. Maybe because mine looks like that! Full picture below.

 An early Rembrandt: An Old Woman Reading, Probably the Prophetess Hannah, 1631

nice wooden bench to sit on in the grand hall with frescoes

more very colorful stained glass in grand hall

there were 3 amazing doll houses, 2 from 17th and one from the 18th century

Doll house, complete with ceiling paintings and stucco. Dolls’ House of Petronella Oortman, Jacob Appel (I), ca. 1710
The owner used real glass blowers, silversmiths, stucco workers etc. to furnish the house which they said cost as much as a real houes in the end. It was stunning.

We arrived in a rainstorm but that only dampened our spirits while we were getting wet walking to the restaurant for our Rijsttafel dinner. Once we were fed and on our way back to hotel rain had stopped, the bridges were lit, and the clouds illuminated by the full moon over the canals brought forth a much  happier mood. The views were so very pretty. Up early the next morning to beat the crowds are the newly restored Rijksmuseum, just opened in May after being closed for about 8 years. We did well on the timing. We explored there for a few hours and then headed for some lunch and the Van Gogh museum. More to follow.