Having photo-organized & blogged late, I didn't wake up 'til 8ish. When I pulled back the curtains I found this:
Not rain
but snow (see rooftops).
This signaled a day ahead with annoyances as well as delights. Two hours later - by the time I finally got organized for what I could do with the day, and what my routes should be - it looked like this:
I thought great - blue sky, I'll wear sunglasses for the first time. What I didn't anticipate was the slippery slush. It wasn't like NYC where I learned to walk by wealthy apartment complexes where the sidewalks were always immediately shoveled. And it didn't occur to me to wear my Uggs, finally. My walking shoes were unhappy with their inability to grip. I'm guessing the pigeons had a hard time too.
I headed off to a highly-recommended cafe but needed several stops to inquire from shopkeepers where it was. Turns out that without a reservation I didn't have a chance of getting in. So I slogged further, toward the opera/ballet home, having read there would be a tour at 12:15. I even had the concierge call to ask if it was in English and he reported yes. By now I was enjoying the beautiful sky. I understand dozens of medieval houses in the former Jewish area were leveled to build the hall.
I spent a long time slogging around, looking for an entry and then a human. At 11:30 all I found was a security guy, but he was very nice. He called and confirmed there would be a tour. And he recommended a nice cafe next door with a lovely canal view. I took his advice, and at 12 I returned and did find a human at the box office. But he looked at his computer and said the tour was sold out. I didn't know there was a charge. Then he saw the woman who would guide it. It took another 20 minutes and the arrival of 3 Dutch people for it to begin. And they voted to have the tour in Dutch. So the nice educator would explain things to them for 5 minutes and then turn to me with 1 sentence. Oh well. I hung on and we did go all over the building in an hour. Interior staircase:
Set for the opera I'll see Sunday, on an air cushion in a side wing since lighting planning was going on for a future production on the stage.
Costumes for Il Viaggio a Reims were inspired by this painting.
We peeked at the National Ballet corps rehearsing. But of course the only other employees around were the tech people. They did have one little room to show costumes and wigs made there, along with some interesting photos.
I was fascinated to find John Singer Sargent's Woman in Black on two of the dressing room mirrors. The guide said she didn't want to explain; she wanted me to be surprised Sunday.
Finally, I was happy. I knew there was another Soup En Zo just around the corner, and I headed there for a fine carrot and potato soup.
The Rembrandt house was just down the block. I hope to get back to it.
Then another long walk, as there was no direct route to the Library. It was a pretty day, though still in the 30s and sometimes windy.
I passed up my opportunity to try something new:
The view from in front of the library: The Science Center and a cube I know nothing about.
[You can see the special edition Library blog separately.]
Another long walk next, to some well-known shopping areas with lots of interesting boutique shops in an older part of town. More pretty sights. And zillions of weekend tourists and young people. First, Central Station:
I really smiled when I saw the line at the Anne Frank house:How smart/lucky I was on Wednesday.
Having been encouraged to try a rijstaffel, the famous Indonesian meal with - usually - 17 different dishes, I had made a reservation at De Blauwe, which got great recs from TripAdvisor people. I had exchanged emails with them about my problems with hot-spicy food, since I know the meal, and Indonesian cooking in general, is known for that. They assured me the chef would take care of me.
But first I had to get there. I hadn't used my 3-day tram pass and it looked like an easy route from the hotel - though when the concierge pronounced the street names I suspected I'd be in trouble. To make the story shorter, it was very confusing on the tram. The woman who manages the back car gave me more confusing info. No passengers spoke up. I finally just got off and crossed the street as she had directed, to go back 3 stops. It made no sense. By now there was a light drizzle and I was unhappy. As I walked on the median toward the stop's shelter my food caught on something and I went crashing to the cement. Happily, a nice 30-something couple was there to haul me up and confirm my guess - that the restaurant was just a five-minute walk down the street.
The place is smartly done (I hope you can see the giant blow-up on the wall) and had wonderful service people. But I didn't like the rijstaffel any more than my first one, c. 50 years ago. And several dishes were predictably hot.
Of course I took a taxi back. €10 for a 5-minute ride. And of course I went to bed by 8:30, slept 5 hours, organized photos etc and wrote for 3. Think I'll return to bed. I do know I owe you 1.5 days reporting. It will come. BTW: no broken bones or scraped skin. Lucky me!
but snow (see rooftops).
I spent a long time slogging around, looking for an entry and then a human. At 11:30 all I found was a security guy, but he was very nice. He called and confirmed there would be a tour. And he recommended a nice cafe next door with a lovely canal view. I took his advice, and at 12 I returned and did find a human at the box office. But he looked at his computer and said the tour was sold out. I didn't know there was a charge. Then he saw the woman who would guide it. It took another 20 minutes and the arrival of 3 Dutch people for it to begin. And they voted to have the tour in Dutch. So the nice educator would explain things to them for 5 minutes and then turn to me with 1 sentence. Oh well. I hung on and we did go all over the building in an hour. Interior staircase:
Costumes for Il Viaggio a Reims were inspired by this painting.
Then another long walk, as there was no direct route to the Library. It was a pretty day, though still in the 30s and sometimes windy.
[You can see the special edition Library blog separately.]
Another long walk next, to some well-known shopping areas with lots of interesting boutique shops in an older part of town. More pretty sights. And zillions of weekend tourists and young people. First, Central Station:
I really smiled when I saw the line at the Anne Frank house:How smart/lucky I was on Wednesday.
Having been encouraged to try a rijstaffel, the famous Indonesian meal with - usually - 17 different dishes, I had made a reservation at De Blauwe, which got great recs from TripAdvisor people. I had exchanged emails with them about my problems with hot-spicy food, since I know the meal, and Indonesian cooking in general, is known for that. They assured me the chef would take care of me.
But first I had to get there. I hadn't used my 3-day tram pass and it looked like an easy route from the hotel - though when the concierge pronounced the street names I suspected I'd be in trouble. To make the story shorter, it was very confusing on the tram. The woman who manages the back car gave me more confusing info. No passengers spoke up. I finally just got off and crossed the street as she had directed, to go back 3 stops. It made no sense. By now there was a light drizzle and I was unhappy. As I walked on the median toward the stop's shelter my food caught on something and I went crashing to the cement. Happily, a nice 30-something couple was there to haul me up and confirm my guess - that the restaurant was just a five-minute walk down the street.
The place is smartly done (I hope you can see the giant blow-up on the wall) and had wonderful service people. But I didn't like the rijstaffel any more than my first one, c. 50 years ago. And several dishes were predictably hot.
Of course I took a taxi back. €10 for a 5-minute ride. And of course I went to bed by 8:30, slept 5 hours, organized photos etc and wrote for 3. Think I'll return to bed. I do know I owe you 1.5 days reporting. It will come. BTW: no broken bones or scraped skin. Lucky me!
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