So in my research I though I would be missing Queen's Day, April 30 as I'll be gone by then. But NO! The queen abdicated last year and her son, Willem, was crowned this time last year! So it's a National Holiday and most things, like all the museums, etc. were closed. I saw 3 of my roommates last night get all dolled up in orange outfits and makeup and go out around 10 p.m. Then today as I waited for the train to go downtown, I took pictures of this delightful family, two sisters and their husbands and 4 teenage cousins all dressed in orange (William of Orange, who fought off the Spanish way back when and started a dynasty - hence the color orange, even though the flag is red, white and blue!!) the girls had on orange eyelashes!! red and blue paint slashes on their cheeks and one of the sisters had the cutest headband with ducks with orange feathers on top bouncing on her head!! I tried to find one for Sarah but had to settle for an orange cowboy hat, with feather trim and a gold crown of sequins! By the end of the day, I left it in Delft for someone else to grab! It was unpackable! I'll bring the orange lei that I wore home!
Everyone was in a jolly, happy mood to have the day off and it seemed like the whole downtown was now a huge pedestrian mall with people streaming towards the carnival/Ferris wheel/bungee ride (looked terrifying!) area in front of the Palais (NOT where the queen/king live - they are in the Hague which I went to later!) By the time I got down around 10 a.m. most people had had several beers already - and were feeling no pain! Food stalls were open with pancakes and French fries being the specialty of the day! They eat fries with MAYONNAISE! here! I skipped that and later had a Wimpy Spicy sauce with them.
Maybe a dozen places, mostly by bridges over the canals, had either live LOUD rock playing or a LOUD DJ! Then there were boats of all sizes going up and down the canals with parties on board - expected to see someone fall overboard as they were mostly dancing!! Think Mardi Gras, Fourth of July, plus all rolled into one!! It was crazy and totally unexpected to me! Also along each side of the streets and canals, people were selling everything from kids' lemonade stands, to rejects from people's closets! And people were buying!! I headed down to the Jordan area that Rick describes as upscale, quiet, lovely neighborhood. Of course, it wasn't today!! Just as crazy as the rest of the city!! I passed the Anne Frank house and THAT was one site that was open, with a huge line! I had been there in 1966 before it was renovated much, then again in 1998 or so when Michael J. was working here. So didn't really need to go in again!
After about 4 hours of meandering through this craziness, I decided to hop the train to Delft, a picturesque quiet town where the blue and white Delftware is made! and home of Vermeer, the painter. On the way is The Hague, where the government buildings are and also the only museum to hold some Vermeers and other Dutch artists, so I stopped off there. Turns out this Maritiushe Gallery is CLOSED for renovations until June!! Aargh!! But I did walk past the beautiful home that it is in, and see the Binnenhof Parliament Buildings (two houses - Reps. who do the work, and the Senate who just meet periodically and stamp approval). Didn't stay long and hopped back on train to Delft. Met a young woman engineering student studying in Delft but she lives in the Hague (Delft too quiet!) and she was on the way to Rotterdam for some fun - biggest port in Europe, I think! It was totally destroyed by the Germans but has been rebuilt. I saw it briefly on a bus tour in '98. She was very helpful in telling me what to see and pointed me in the right direction.
One thing I've noticed about traveling on my own (and I had forgotten this from China when I traveled there, often on my own). First, people are incredibly helpful and will approach to help out or just chat when you are on your own. Even when it's just one other person, it makes a difference. Also I can be completely and selfishly spontaneous, such as just hopping on the train to somewhere else - no discussion, or consulting with someone else! Or just bag it for the day if I'm tired!! It definitely has some advantages! It's nice to have someone to share the experience with; but it's also nice on my own! Maybe I'll feel lonely by the end but I doubt it!! Also Anna from Rome, whom I stayed with in her apartment 2 years ago, and who came to St. Catharine's last year to the retreat and then drove with me into NY and we spent 3 days together there. anyone she might come to Paris for a few days!!
In Delft it was crazy but on a smaller scale! Lots of music, crowds, beer, food, orange!! I managed to find two churches, one where most of the House of Orange family are buried, and also Vermeer (Girl with the Earring) and Anton van Leewenhoek, inventor of the microscope and discoverer of bacteria using it, are also buried. One of the churches also mentioned after 1800 no more wealthy people could be buried under the church floor because of the "stinking rich." So guess Rick wasn't making it up!! There were maybe 10 stained glass windows and the rest plain. The churches here in Holland got renovated when Catholicism went into hiding, and statues were decapitated, and other images ripped out. Now all religions seem to be tolerated comfortably!
I had a lovely fish and chips and beer dinner in front of the New Church, listening to the live band at the other end of the square, and then found a Vermeer museum. It doesn't have any originals but had a wonderful display and explanation of his 27 works. No one seems to know much about him, who taught him, but he spent his life in Delft and did wonderful work with light, chiaroscuro I think it's called!
Stopped by the much lighter Old Church and then headed to the station. In front of the station it's all being ripped up as they are putting the trains underground in a massive project! I hope they preserve the picturesque old station when they switch. Again a lovely young Dutch woman helped me get on the right train back to Amsterdam when I looked lost trying to read the huge schedule!! The trains were practically empty as everyone was squished in Amsterdam dressed in orange!!!
Home early to shower and buy my discount tickets for Van Gogh and Riksmuseum for tomorrow. It's supposed to be cloudy anyway. I've had beautiful sunny weather since I've been here! Hopefully I can figure out more pictures tomorrow! Thanks, Judy!!!
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