My spring trip in Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg



I have been thinking Holland has only tulip and rural area. But it's obviously wrong. That culture was highly advanced. For example, Gogh, Rembrant, Vermeer and Concertgebouw, etc.  I like Gogh's works. They are painted by short lines, not dots. So I feel strength ,passion on them. Also I like bright paintings in his French years. One of famous "Sunflower" here was weak impression than I expected. I have seen the other "Sunflower"  in Tokyo that a insurance company  bought before. It was painted by heaping up much amount of paints, especially the core of a sunflower. I felt it grotesque. It's painted one or two years before he killed himself.


"Cafe Terras aan Het Place du Forum" by Gogh at Rijksmuseum Kroler -Muller

 We could listen Dovolzak etc by Royal Concertgebow Orchestra at Concertgebow hall where has outstanding sound facility. Our seats were at the first row on the stage, just behind a horn player and side of timpani. So I felt as if I was a member of the orchestra.We could see that the conductor's eyes ( his name is Herbert Blomstedt and he is the honorary conductor in NHK philharmonic orchestra of Japan) become strictly or gently. When he signed to the  players ahead of us to do something,I astonished. It seemed as if he signed it to us. I could see the sheet of music of a horn player from just behind and could know the place on it he was playing. Also I could hear clearly those part that each instrument cover in the tune. So I was so excited. Thanks to it, I got to like Dovolzak symphony No.7 they played. Also they played "Tapiola" by Sibelius and "Nielsen's Flute Concerto" with Emily Beynon( when she comes to Japan she coaches for flute players). Her performance was vigorous. The ticket was 51.50euro over Internet. It's  worth much.
During intermission, we had a drink among tall people. They all were about 20 or 30 centimeters taller than I.
I have heard  average height of the Dutch is the tallest in the world. That's true.




before the performance




Concertgebouw--there was a harp on the roof

Bicycles are used on commuting. In Amsterdam, there were roads for bicycle,car,tram and walk. As they mix, it's dangerous for a careless foreigner like me. Almost those bicycle commuters  run with terrible speed in town.




a road and a bridge is going up---this is a bascule bridge. When a big ship pass through under a bridge, the bridge is open and close.



And thousands of canals are in all directions, canal buses  ply. I didn't know there were so many canals in Amsterdam. Canals taught me again that the land of the Holland is low. When we went though under a bridge at dusk by a canal buss, I saw silhouette of many bicycles and lovers on a bridge in the sunset, and I felt usual daily life of this town.



from a canal bus




canal of Amsterdam



commuters on the bicycle

 When we walked around a downtown near Dam plaza to look for the restaurant at about 7:00PM, but it's daylight yet ,we came across a coffee shop. This shop is not a usual cafe, but a drug store. Soft drug is legitimacy in this country. I heard that if we enter into the shop, drug's smell stick our closes and we may be stopped at a airport. So I glanced inside the shop from the open door. It's like a small bar. As a man behind at  the counter stared to me, we  left soon.

And we found the restaurant at last and ate some white asparagus that harvest is just now and herring Duch like very much. White asparagus were boiled quickly and they were crisp and tasty. I have eaten canned white asparagus but taste was different.  Also the raw herring were put on the tiny cube red  beet that are spread on the things like canape. Taste was average for me.







white asparagus




raw herrings








Tulip climax are limited in this season.----Het Keukenhof.
The park is so large. It takes for 20 minutes from side to side of the park by quick walk. Many kind of color or shape tulip are planted among pale green trees or streams. They continued and we were overpowered with beauty of the scene. Also magnificent tulip field like a large carpet expanded outside the park.





Het Keukenhof---visitors from all over the world are coming.





outside of the park---tulip fields expands



World heritage site-----Kinderdijk
Windmills were lining on the bank along the canals. Land here is lower than sea level so I felt water and land occupy on a fifty-fifty basis,and blue of water and sky was bright and spacious. This  became one of my favorite view.



Kinderdijk---19 windmills are lining--World heritage Site



Delft pottery
They are usually painted by blue color but there were variations. Indeed I was surprised  because I discovered the same big plate that are decorated  in my house. I got it from the late father-in-law a long ago and I have been thinking it's Spanish plate. As he liked to collect potteries he might have got it here.
Speaking to encounter, we accidentally met husband's friend and his wife at St.Baafskathedraal (cathedral) in Gent, Belgium.They are living in Nara city but I've never met them in Nara.


Delft pottery in my house


In Belgium, chocolate,beer, blue mussel etc are delicious. The combination of guild houses and canals were very beautiful in Brugge or Gent.
 

Fortress-Luxembourg city





Villeroy &Boch--in Luxembourge



flower market of Aalsmeer



Amsterdam station under construction



Amsterdam from a canal boat



National museum at Amsterdam



Grand Place in Bruxelles



Brugge from a canal boat