Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes...

Moving back in time to April 11, Terri and I did a great long walk in Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen (Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes) between Zandvoort and Noordwijk. This area is used to pre-treat 66% of Amsterdam’s tap water, which apparently is sourced from the Rhine River. 

It wasn’t too cold, but the dreary skies must have scared others away as we didn’t see a lot of people as we walked among the various lakes and canals. 

The color of the water varies greatly...

…with some bits looking tropical.

In approximately the same area as we had seen one on a previous hike, we were thrilled to see a fox again. 

This time, however, our timing wasn’t right to see the little ones poking out of the den. 

We also spotted deer...

…and found some of their antlers.

We enjoyed seeing some tulips on our drive home. 

 

Last Bits in Amsterdam...

On our third and final day in Amsterdam, I left my bag at the hotel and took a long walk and crossed the Berlagebrug, which was built in 1931 in a competing style with the Amsterdam School. 

. Along the way, I spotted this Banksy-like mural...

…some fancy buildings...

…and a sculpture on a lock. 

I finally visited the National Holocaust Names Memorial where the 102,000 Dutch Jews that were murdered by Nazis and not properly buried finally have their names listed individually. 

The reflections on mirrors were a fitting feature for this somber monument.

This funky rat was outside of what was once the Hermitage Museum, which showcased Russian art and was an unexpected casualty of the attack on the Ukraine in February 2022. It is now the H’art Museum, where I quickly flitted through an uninspiring Roman exhibit, That evening, Jimmy and I took the overnight ferry back to England. 

He went straight to work, so wasn’t with me when I discovered that my key wouldn’t open our door. Since it wouldn’t open with the building manager’s key either, it was clearly a problem with the lock itself. Luckily it took less than two hours from the time that I called our property manager to when a locksmith had replaced the lock. Ironically, just two days ago, a handyman destroyed our deadbolt while miscalculating where to install a new door handle.

 

Art and Cherry Blossoms...

On our final day in Amsterdam, I wandered around by myself. I visited the Anzo Nobel Art Space. Skies Over Snaefell, named after a mountain in Iceland, featured 1,536 LED lamps that changed colors.  

Will You Stay With Me apparently lies somewhere in-between a hallucinogenic mushroom and an umbrella.

Performing a Landscape was a landscape generated by a gaming simulator overlaid on a video of a storm.

Hyperrealist sculpture Hopes and Dreams was made in 1999 using euros which were not yet in circulation. According to American artist Tony Matelli: Yes, money does grow on trees, but only in art where everything is an illusion, a glass globe on the point of bursting.

Nearby I saw some of Mother Nature’s spring artwork in a park...

…and next to another complex in the style of the Amsterdam School.

 

Learning About the Amsterdam School Movement...

Our destination that afternoon was a museum that somehow I had never visited: Het Schip (The Ship). Shaped like a ship, it actually is an entire building complex built in 1919 for the working class. Since 2001, the school and post office have operated as a museum about the architectural style of the Amsterdam School, a movement from 1910 until 1930 that was characterized by brick construction with decorative masonry. 

We begun our visit with a tour which started in the old post office, which had a telephone box that the poor had previously had little access to.

The expressionist style was very clear with this forbidden sign. 

Even the urinals in the schoolyard were specially designed. 

This was a recreation of how the typical working class family lived before this complex was built: sharing a single room without electricity or running water.

What a remarkable change it must have been to be lucky enough to be able to move into Het Schip with a real kitchen, flushing toilet, living room and possibly even two bedrooms. 

Nearby were some other buildings built with the style of the Amsterdam School. That evening Bob cooked dinner for me, Jimmy and Lisa. It was great to catch up with them. 
 

Random Bits of Amsterdam...

The following day, I set off to walk across town to meet Bob for lunch. Along the way, I walked through the Rijksmuseum gardens...

…and past this lovely building.

This segment of canal was a giant construction site as it is being reinforced with steel beams to help prevent the ancient canal walls from collapsing.

After lunch, Bob and I walked through Westerpark where we saw some herons waiting patiently behind some guys barbecuing; we didn’t stick around to see if the guys would share any of their lunch.
 

March’s Full Moon...

It just happened that there was a full moon the night we arrived in Holland, so there would be a FILTH H3 trail. And since Opee didn’t have an evening event for the conference, he was happy to volunteer to hare after Hard Drive and Phillybuster generously offered to host. As always, he managed to come up with a unique and scenic trail.

It was a chilly night, so we all appreciated having a chance to warm up at the beer stop. 

It was nice running with XL, who was kind enough to slow down to my pace. 

It was great being able to hang out with our old hashing buddies. 
 

Back to Holland...

After we dropped our bags off at CitizenM near Amsterdam Zuid, Jimmy went to his conference and I headed over to Bob and Lisa’s, where there was evidence that spring was on its way.

Lisa was working, so Bob and I made a plan for the afternoon. 

We walked along the waterfront...

...to check out the views from the rooftop of Nemo, the science museum.

We spotted our destination: the National Maritime Museum...

…where we saw an excellent exhibit on where food comes from, including food both imported into and exported from the Netherlands.