After having been asked two or three times a day what will I do with myself when I give up work, I was somewhat surprised when I discovered that I had to be up at five o clock in the morning the very next day ready to catch a plane to Amsterdam. Surely I would just be curled up in a ball waiting for................. what?
So having promised myself that the first thing I would do would be to disable the alarm, we left the house before the alarm even went off.
Amsterdam was not at all as I expected. I was led to believe that sex and prostitutes would be thrust in my face, and that I would be in a drug induced stupor before I had hardly left the airport. What I actually found was a very beautiful city soaked in culture. There was a nod towards sex and drugs obviously,
So having promised myself that the first thing I would do would be to disable the alarm, we left the house before the alarm even went off.
Amsterdam was not at all as I expected. I was led to believe that sex and prostitutes would be thrust in my face, and that I would be in a drug induced stupor before I had hardly left the airport. What I actually found was a very beautiful city soaked in culture. There was a nod towards sex and drugs obviously,
However, for most of our stay we were immersed in art, sights, and of course the odd glass of wine.
I do like going to museums and art galleries, as they always provoke a discussion about what actually is art? The three museums in Amsterdam all project different perspectives on the subject. It was extremely gratifying to be able to identify Commander Sam Vimes, Captain Carrott, Nobby Nobbs and the rest in Rembrandt's masterpiece The Night Watch which is housed in the Rijksmuseum. Rembrandt is quite literally big in Amsterdam, and he has his own square. Dutch art is quite amazing and we spent a great time in the Van Gogh museum - it is a must see for any visitor to Amsterdam
I do like going to museums and art galleries, as they always provoke a discussion about what actually is art? The three museums in Amsterdam all project different perspectives on the subject. It was extremely gratifying to be able to identify Commander Sam Vimes, Captain Carrott, Nobby Nobbs and the rest in Rembrandt's masterpiece The Night Watch which is housed in the Rijksmuseum. Rembrandt is quite literally big in Amsterdam, and he has his own square. Dutch art is quite amazing and we spent a great time in the Van Gogh museum - it is a must see for any visitor to Amsterdam
I would never have thought that bicycles could be a menace, but they were everywhere, ridden with various degrees of skill by locals and tourists. The thing about bikes is that they creep up on you silently and make you jump. It is expected that pedestrians will get out of the way of bikes which took us by surprise.
Finally I am sure a trip to Amsterdam could not be complete without the accidental visit to a gay bar. Of course it happened to us. It was raining so we wanted to get a drink and dived into the first bar we saw. It seemed very pleasant and we were drinking our wine in the pleasant pink décor. Cocktails were being advertised and it dawned on me that 'Clit on Fire' might actually have a double meaning. So there we have it, a lovely start to retirement
Finally I am sure a trip to Amsterdam could not be complete without the accidental visit to a gay bar. Of course it happened to us. It was raining so we wanted to get a drink and dived into the first bar we saw. It seemed very pleasant and we were drinking our wine in the pleasant pink décor. Cocktails were being advertised and it dawned on me that 'Clit on Fire' might actually have a double meaning. So there we have it, a lovely start to retirement