Walking in Amsterdam

Royal Palace

Royal Palace 1600's

Our Hotel - fittingly called Hotel Amsterdam is just a few feet from the Palace square - supposedly a  historic meeting place since the 17th century as you can see from the above painting which I photographed at the Rijks museum. We visited the Palace yesterday - not the Royal family's primary residence - but apparently they sometimes put up important guests there. It would be dreadful to live in a Palace. So cold and awful - not necessarily temperature wise. All of the marble and huge ceilings and furniture from the 17th century pushed symmetrically against the walls. And then the horror of those massive paintings from the 17th century- of all these men grouped together against a dark background- paintings that sometimes are 7 meters by 6 meters - larger than life horrors. Not a woman to be seen - maybe just the occasional dog that I have termed the taxidermied dog of all 17th century Dutch painters - they must have all shared this dog that looks like an springer spaniel leaping up. It was weird to see the same dog in the same position in all of these different paintings from different Dutch artists including Rembrandt, who as Joop says was not capable of painting an animal or child ( I agree heartily).

Amsterdam at night

I'm trying to see if any visible differences exist between the people walking and cycling through Amsterdam and a city in North America. The bikes are very different of course - all upright - many with people talking on their cell phone with one hand and delicately steering with their other hand - seemingly only possible through the use of foot pedal brakes, Fashion for women seems quite universal - many women walk by our hotel clutching their H& M bags. The young men have a slightly different look compared to the same 20 somethings in Canada. I can't quite put my finger on it. I think the dutch haircuts seem a bit shorter, maybe the pant legs a bit tighter and definitely no runners to be seen -mostly nice leather shoes. To be twenty something in Amsterdam would be to feel like you were in the centre of the Universe - nothing but huge groups of people in their twenties - biking about, coffeeing about... Looks so exciting. Weirdly when I was in the UK in the mid 80's there was this pant style that has never taken off in NA - a very droopy crotch and tight calves. It has reappeared at least in Holland as a very current look. Despite the plethora of other types of cafes - Starbucks is still my favourite place to haunt. Joop claims their coffee is better than the Dutch coffee of which he was once (even just 7 years ago) so fond. Food is a bit tenuous to procure if you don't eat wheat. The dutch love their breads and pastries. I am impressed with their vegetables. They serve small amounts of many different types - perfect nutrition. Maybe that is why they are so tall. In Amsterdam most of the people are normal weight or slim. The first two people that I saw that had that ubiquitous truncal fat that seems so common in NA- I hovered near to see where they seemed to be from - sure enough - Canada! Of all the hundreds of people that you see - these two stood out as being the first that had that shape. Sadly they were youngish women in their 30's. Since all the eating is similar - I really have to believe that it is mostly sitting that must cause it - not enough walking and biking.

Dog working for a living in downtown Amsterdam

Begijnenhof

This picture of Joop and me is from this little enclave hidden in the middle of Amsterdam. It is so removed from the hustle and bustle of streets packed with walkers and cyclists. It was the area where these Catholic women lived since the 1400's who had chosen a life of service for the poor and sick without taking their religious vows - so nuns but not nuns. They lived for hundreds of years here until the 1970's even though for a lot of the time Catholicism was illegal. The group still owns the buildings despite the active order having died out in the 70's. They still rent it out to only women - I think they somehow subsidize these 60 women that get to live here in all the apartments. It is such a lovely spot to be able to live. There are even little vegetable gardens.

House from 15th century that didn't burn down

Vondelpark near Joop's childhood home

Oranje Nassaulaan 13 Amsterdam

This is Joop standing in front of his childhood home. It is currently owned by a famed dutch fashion designer - Frans Molenaar. Joop's family lived in the four storey home from the late 30's until the late 70's when his father died. Feeling incredibly brave (with my encouragement) Joop knocked on the door. Frans answered and when he realized that Joop was Professor Dooyeweerd's son - invited us in for a tour. The first floor that used to be a salon, kitchen, music room etc.. has been Fran's atelier for his fashion house. There were racks of his designs near the back. Every floor has been gutted and is now only one big room per floor. On the second floor that used to be Joop's father's study and another bedroom Frans has transformed into golden splendour. The photo below does not do the goldness of everything justice. I have not seen a room like it. It kind of reminded my of decorating books from the 70's where everything is just from that period - like a show home. Joop was very gracious and enthusiastic about it all. Trudging up another long steep staircase we came to the black and white marvel that was his bedroom - again - not one thing that was not black and white -statues in little niches everywhere - Frans was especially proud of the black glass blown chandelier that he spotted in a magazine lying on the road somewhere, the pages flapping in the wind and Frans deciding right there and then that he must have it.

The backyard of Joop's childhood home

Living room of Frans Molenaar

Frans Molenaar

Staircase of childhood home

Every staircase was a visual extravaganza of all of Frans' fashion shoots, models etc... some even dating back to the early 60's. He proudly stopped us at pictures of him with many famous people that he worked with and partied with - Frans and Andy Warhol, Frans and Yves St. Laurent,  Liza Minnelli  etc... You get the picture. It was so wonderful to be able to be in the house where there are so many stories of Joop growing up... The time he scampered on the roof near the hook which you can see in the adjacent house (used for getting furniture in and out of the top floors) and nearly caused heart failure in the residents of the seniors home across the street... the hiding of the jewish people in the war in the attic...the many rooms that he slept in including his father's bathroom which is now Frans' kitchen, it was amazing to picture that there was once 13 rooms throughout the house. 

Joop doing what he does best at Hotel Amsterdam

We leave today on the train for Paris -Joop's actual birthday. I will miss Amsterdam especially because I just love to walk and see everything and everyone. Despite the crowds you almost never see any police - I think only once. There seem to be no poor people at all. Joop's nephews wife who produces a radio program like the Current for the public broadcasting radio network here - insisted last night that there are no poor people in Holland. I would love to believe it but with the elevated cost of everything - a euro buys what a dollar does - I can't almost believe that it is true. But it is nice to leave Holland with that image of just people loving life and socializing and having such a great standard of living.