The Smithsonian has a travel program that is quite extensive. One of their offerings is a tour called “A Stay in Holland: An Art History Journey from Vermeer to Van Gogh”.
For several years I had tried to get on the tour, but it was always full. This year, I decided to put myself on a wait list. Since I figured that I would not ever get to go and wanting to travel someplace, I signed up for the spring tour to Andalusia. Imagine my surprise when the Smithsonian called me and said - “we have an opening for you”. Lucky for me, the Andalusian tour ended May 28 and the Smithsonian tour started May 29. What luck! I hopped on a plane and flew from Malaga to Amsterdam. The Smithsonian tour set us up in Haarlem, a picturesque town outside of Amsterdam. It was to be our home for the next week.
It was an interesting group of fellow travelers, an older and a little more educated group than my Andalusian buddies. There were doctors, a federal judge, psychiatrists, psychologists and even an honest-to-god rocket scientist. And then there was me. I figured that I was probably there for comic relief. Seriously, though, they were all a lovely bunch of people.
Since I got to Haarlem a little bit early than tour start time, I decided to walk around Haarlem, see what's what. One of my first stops was just around the corner from the hotel - Teylers Museum, established in 1784, making it the Netherlands oldest museum. The original displays are displayed in the original glass cases and illuminated by skylight and window supplied daylight. The museum has been called "A Cabinet of Curiosities" as it has everything from fossils to art.
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| Pictured is a battery of Leyden jars, which were among the earliest devices used for storing electricity, often referred to as historical "power banks" |
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| Also around the corner was my first look at a Netherlands canal. |
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| Joods Monument Haarlem Commemorates the Jewish citizens of Haarlem who were deported and murdered in concentration camps between 1940 and 1945. |
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| Hofje van Bakenes Founded in 1395, it is recognized as the oldest surviving courtyard almshouse in the country. An almshouse is a charitable housing unit created to provide free or low-cost living spaces for people in need. It looked like the residents here were mostly elderly folk. |
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| The bell carillon of Grote Kerk (Cathedral of St. Bavo) It stands 76 meters high. |
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| The Christian Muller organ Built between 1735 and 1738, it was once the largest organ in the world, featuring over 5,000 pipes and towerin 30 meters high. Mozart played it when he was 10 years old. Handel was another big name that stopped by to play this amazing organ. |
I am in the Netherlands. It seems to me that it is only proper that I should find me a windmill. I see there is one within about a half hour walk, crossing several canals. I'm very excited about seeing the "real thing".
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| Bigger canal |
Had to wait to cross the canal! Windmill Excitement is growing!
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| What? Scaffolding? So much for a windmill photo op |
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| Most of the meals were on our own, but the Smithsonian did supply us with some really tasty meals. |
As usual, I wish I could have been on that tour. Interesting swinging bridge over the canal! I had to watch it a second time. The first time I thought you were walking up to the bridge, then realized you were stationary but the bridge was moving. Lou
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