Travelog: Amsterdam 2009, Part IV

Saturday, September 05, 2009, Morning

I wanted to get started early, but in truth lounged around for a bit. All told I was out the door by 9, heading over to Centraal Station to buy an I amsterdam card from the tourist info office. That was a nightmare that I eventually abandoned. I was going to get a card, which gives you access to transportation all day and free admission to dozens of museums, discounts, and the like. I figured it’d be a good value given I had a lot on my list and wasn’t sure how much tramming I’d need to do. But the line in the office was long and slow and full of groups of men (young and old) starting out their weekend of adventures in Amsterdam. I figured I’d make my day work some other way. And I did.

An indispensible iPhone app has been the Amsterdam Mobile Guide. It was the only place I could find tram routes mapped out, and I used that to figure out which line I needed to get started on my day, and which route would bring me back to Centraal Station after walking all over the city. It includes itineraries for 8, 48, and 72 hours in the city, too, which helped me confirm which sights were a “must-see”. And it’s a free download.

The correct tram identified, I made my way to the museum district. First stop was the Van Gogh museum. I arrived 10 minutes before they opened, and a line had formed but there weren’t more than 75 people in front of me, most of which had an I amsterdam card. The museum opened a few minutes past ten and by 10:15 my coat and umbrella were checked and I was standing in front of one of Van Gogh’s self portraits. The Van Gogh collection fills only one floor, though he was a prolific painter.

It was fascinating to see how his style evolved from the traditional Dutch style of dark muted tones, to playing with color and line. The famous works displayed that I recognized included the scene of his bedroom, one of the vases of Sunflowers, one of the vases of Irises, and the Wheatfield with Crows. This last painting is theorized to be his final, and I once had a framed print of this, in another life.

The remaining two floors of the museum showcased works of artists that knew or were influenced by Van Gogh. I then returned to the Van Gogh section, which had become considerably more crowded by this time. I took a final swing around making mental pictures of what I’d seen, and made my way out. It was just slightly past 11.

A hop, skip and a jump later, I was in line at the Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands.

The museum is under construction (and has been for something like seven years) so only a small portion of the building is open with a segment of its total works. I was surprised and disappointed at how small it was, actually.

However, I did see the highlights: Rembrants, Vemeers, dollhouses (intricate in their every detail), and a history of Delftware porcelain (which I later experienced in a washroom – as the toilet seat and lid!).

I learned that the trend in wealthy homes in the 17th century had been porcelain from China; however, a strike in China halted the export of their porcelain and the Delft company stepped in, first doing replicas, and then evolving the style into what it is today. Very clever and opportunistic!

I ran through this museum twice, as well, since the collection was limited. On the second time around, I realized that a significant number of paintings included dogs in some form or another. Being a dog lover, I could appreciate their presence in the various scenes and portraits.