Thursday, Oct 25th. Museumed out. Sore feet. Cobblestones. Good times!
Scattered rain all day didn’t slow bikers. Indeed, I think they peddled faster. Van Gogh Museum was within easy walking distant, much like everywhere else here. Modern building, well organized entry. (Nearly every museum has a free cloak room.) Audio aid was 5 Euro, which we passed on. Wisely I think. The museum is overwhelming in detail. For people who just wanted to see his works, they were not disappointed except for the masses of people standing in place while the audio device talked. There was a wealth of written stories of his life and times (he was quite the letter writer). I guess I was would have preferred an exhibit of “The Essential Van Gogh” without the four floors of his paintings and those of his contemporaries. Must see? Yes, you must. Just don’t feel guilty if you skip one or two (hundred) paintings. (Great memory: Smiling Guard, in a loud voice and pointing finger; “NoooOOO PICTuuuures!”)
Brunch was a large bacon and cheese sandwich at a park trailer. Really good.
The Rijks Museum is just plain unfair. If Van Gogh’s Museum was overfull of Van Gogh, the Rijks was overfull of everything. We walked through one and half sections of maybe 12 sections? The model ship room alone had at least 100 models. Lots of details. Two days of standing and looking was required. Emphasis on standing. My feet were in serious pain. Walking worked OK, but standing was agony. I think it was the sidewalk cobblestones. Of course, climbing the Dom Tower in Utrecht to start the week didn’t help. Must lose weight.
Strolled through stalls dominated by tulip bulbs. The occasional cheese or chocolate store. Took in the Rembrandt House (1606). Very nice walk through. A much simpler museum but also very well done. There’s no denying that Amsterdam knows how to design Museums. Most rooms have “bed boxes” that I really wanted to test. There were several references to the problem that he taught his pupils so well, today controversies exist on which paintings are his and which are his students. A good teacher, apparently. A bad financier, as he lost the house and furnishings eventually.
Late lunch along the canal. Rain. An open tour boat (of the open bar variety) with everyone using identical large black umbrellas. A floating pod of black mushrooms. Bitterballen snack. Very nice. A touch of curry powder.
The Hermitage, originally where old (retired) women went to live out their days doing laundry for patrons. It’s now an annex museum of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Lovely layout and apparently a favorite of the city’s upper crust society. In keeping with one portrait exhibit of the city’s founders, the hallways also have full-sized paintings of the museum’s current Board Members. Ego is not a curse here.
Dinner again in Rembrandt Plaza (Place?). A remarkable sample starter tray, then unremarkable ribs. Rather disappointing.
The Rijks Museum. 
A bike lane through the museum! 
Rembrandt’s House 
Barge for bicycle overflow parking. 
They’re drinking booze, so “No worries, mate!” 
Self service sandwiches. You have to wait in line for the fries though. 
A low quality but large flea market, adjoining city hall. 
Tulip bulbs. Can’t transport to the USA. 
Cannabis popsicles. They had jelly beans too.