today we decided to see a little more of holland than just the capital. we actually had big plans to do this, and still intend to in march, but a lot of the things people go to see aren't open till march or april. it's okay. we'll do.
some of you may know that i'm REALLYSUPEREXCITED about turning 30 in a few weeks. yup. just-- so excited. so you can imagine how happy i was when ryan pulled this out of my head for me.
reading and also looking on the way to haarlem. by the way, harlem in new york is named after this haarlem, from when new york was new amsterdam.
new dutch windmills.
here is the groete kerek: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Bavochurch, which is beautiful.
and we were really there. proof.
so... it's really cold in europe. i have on tights and 3 layers underneath my jeans and coat. but you're going to see a lot of this exact outfit. it can't be helped. i promise that i'm showering daily, and i'm not smelly. it's just-- that's my coat. those are my pants. hope you like them.
this is laurens coster. he almost, or did, invent the printing press before guttenberg. i'm not exactly sure. you can read about it, if you want: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurens_Coster, but what i enjoy about this monument is that the dutch put it up to him regardless of who had the everlasting glory. they're owning laurens. and i'm for it.
more groete kerk. we're going to come back and go inside in a few weeks....
see? adorable. i don't know if you can see, but one thing ryan's enjoying about holland is how the streets are all brick, but the lanes are laid out in different patterns. so you can see the middle is the bike lane, with two walking lanes on either side. and these houses are quiet at night, because no cars come through. ps-- bicycles are silent and deadly. look both ways, twice.
ok, twist my arm-- i'll live here.
rick steves says this is the most adorable square in the netherlands. it's really the smallest!
we then went to the franz hals museum, which doesn't allow pictures. luckily, i got this one of the dutch tile being used for the purpose for which it was invented, and from a building that installed it in the golden age.
good thing i got that one in before i had to put my camera away.
we went to the corrie ten boom house, which is a museum that preserves the house and story of corrie ten boom: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrie_ten_Boom. she, along with her sister and father, hid Jewish people and Dutch resistance workers from the Nazis. when the family was betrayed, her father died in prison 10 days after his arrest. corrie and her sister, in their 50's and 60's, were sent to numerous camps. eventually, corrie's sister died in ravensbruk, but corrie survived and became an evangelist. the 6 people who were hiding in the house when they were betrayed were not found, and all but 2 of them survived the war.
this was the hiding place. the family built a false wall in corrie's bedroom, extending it into the floor boards. the wardrobe was placed in front. the bottom panel slides up, allowing people to get in and out. when the people were inside, they pushed a box of socks into the bottom, making it look full.
though the germans did not find the people in hiding (almost 72 hours passed before sympathetic dutch policeman were able to come in and allow one hider, a member of the dutch resistance, to escape across the roofs. he was able to secure the safety of the other hiders. but the SS did find this cubby, where the family stored extra (illegal) ration and ID cards. these documents led to the family's arrest.
the roof that the dutch resistance student climbed to safety.
after that we needed to go for a walk, so we strolled along the tourist-y areas and found these:
it's actually written on your visa into holland that you must take pictures like this whenever you pass humongous wooden clogs. so i did.
this is restaurant row, self-proclaimed "the most delicious street in holland!" ryan is looking at menus and trying to decide; we went with portugese: http://www.restaurantazul.nl/ and ryan? he was-- so-- so-- HAPPY! but before that, we had to make sure this was the place, so we kept walking-- right past my favorite store in holland:
my dinner. i feel a little weird sometimes photographing my food. so sometimes i don't like to use a flash. sorry for the poor quality.
okay, these are the appetizers. i had iberico ham and cheese, and it was so good. but ryan had a seafood tasting plate, and there were SEVEN species on his appetizer plate alone. it was fascinating, and also awful. (I tease ryan about being a picky eater, but i hate seafood, hate hate hate it-- yet i always want him to order it so i can see it up close. so weird).
then he had one of his favorite things, a whole grilled fish:
going...
going...
gone....
inside the restaurant, again- adorable.
and with the check, you can freshen your breath with the former queen. lovely.
my vespa was waiting out front.
and i think these chairs were pretty much invented for me and ryan, since they are the best colors, according to us.
train station.
long day. amsterdam history museum, a walk to find the casino for ryan, moroccan food for dinner and more walking.....walking...walking... and probably scones too. xoxoxox
So fun!
ReplyDeleteI was so intrigued by the stories of hiding. I often think where I would hide folks and do not have many creative ideas right now. This gives me some ideas...
xoxo