Back to the Rijks

Today was another trip to the Rijks, which a person could visit every day for a year without growing tired (see also The National Gallery London, the National Gallery DC, the British Museum, the Met, the Prado, etc. etc.). We had a little easier time finding our way this time and enjoyed this monument to frites with mayonnaise.

We made a very quick visit to the Vermeer one more time, slipping by the pictures we could easily see in DC and NYC. This photo shows how crowded the galleries could get,

but they have timed it so well that you had to wait only moments before finding yourself right in front of these marvelous, glowing paintings.

We had booked a private tour of highlights, which was well done by our guide Fedor, who moved quickly, answered our questions, and obviously enjoyed showing off the museum. He told us that if you looked at each object for only 10 seconds, it would take you some huge amount of time which I’ve now forgotten to see it all! But he did well by the Averkamp, pointing out the numerous details of daily life;

the self-portrait of Rembrandt as a wild young man;

and the Cuypers art history library which of course, being librarians, we had to see. (Imagine running up and down the circular stairs every day!)

He ended with the Van Gogh, which in Dutch is of course so very throaty that I didn’t know what he was talking about until we got to the painting, and he reminded us that the man had eyes of two different colors.

Lunch was again at the cafe, where I loved my pumpkin dal with coconut (of which this is one of a zillion recipes you can find online).

We exited through the gift shop and trammed our way home.

Dinner was to have been uneventful, BUT as I hurried towards the restaurant (our old fave from a few nights ago) I tripped on a stone and fell flat down on my hands and knees!! OMG!! Two very nice young men not only helped me up but also procured ice for my wounds. I hobbled into the restaurant, bloodied but unbowed, and enjoyed delicious sea bass and wine and frites to make me feel better.

Alison and I were both in shock but enjoyed our dinner and walked home without incident. Damn you, foot drop!!