THE AMSTERDAM AND ZUIDERZEE MUSEUM and "STUFF"

We leave for Paris on Sunday so want to finish up bogging on the latest activities here in The Netherlands.

We had decided to go see  a travel agent to see what trips might be available to the Scandinavian countries.  We know what we want to do but thought going to a travel agency might in the long run be cheaper and certainly easier to have someone get all the transportation lined up.  Well , the agency we found was no help so back to square one.  On our way to the agency we spotted the cutest store - selling buttons and decorating using buttons.

When it turned out that the visit to the travel agency was going to be short, we decided a little visit to the Amsterdam Museum was in order.  We had passed it on the way to the agency so we even knew where it was.  No getting lost for us - not this time.

In the courtyard of the museum is this giant wooden carving.  It was done by Hamid El Kanbouhi.  It is over 13 feet high.  It is an attempt to express the complexity of religion.  What would religion look like if it were a person.  To make his sculpture he went back to his native Morocco to talk to people about religion and how they imagine religion.

Here is the piece.....it would make an interesting discussion.  I tried to get more information on the piece but the site is in Dutch.  Sorry , I just haven't mastered the language yet.

The museum itself is very interesting.  They have 7 films that tell the city's thousand-year story.  They call it " Amsterdam DNA " and you use a scan code to start the films in the language of your choice.  there are also sounds, movements and specially selected objects that enhance the films' content.

"Amsterdam DNA shows and tells the city's history based in these core values: burghers caring for the less fortunate, ships sailing to Asia and America, freedom of conscience, art in abundance.  And yet also oppression, slavery and war."

Just a few facts about Amsterdam :

"There is hardly any other city in the world with so many different nationalities as Amsterdam.  There are around 180.  

The city stands on milions of piles, long poles driven into the soil.  The old piles are wooden, modern piles are concree.  Without them, the city would sink into the masrhy peat.

In 1942 Jews were no longer allowed to use public transport.  Tram 8, the "Jew tram", was cancelled and used only for deportation purposes.  Since the war there has been no tram 8 in Amsterdam.

The building itself was the site of  Saint Lucien's  Monastery during the Middle Ages and in 1578 until 1960  it was an orphanage.

On Thursday we decided it was time to get out of the city once again so caught a train to a little fishing village called Enkhuizen.  We really didn't know a lot about it but it had been one of the recommended places to visit in a guide so off we went.  We did learn that Enkhuizen was an important shipping center and one of the harbor towns of the VOC ( the East Indies company) for centuries until the Zuiderzee was enclosd by the afsluitdijk in 1932.  ( The afsluitdijk is a fundamental part of the larger Zuiderzee Works, damming off the Zuiderzee, a salt water inlet of the North Sea and turning it into the fresh water lake of the IJsselmeer.) From the first moment we got off the train we were enchanted.

The station was situated right next to the water and we had a glorious view of the water and sailboats, and charming old buildings.  We immediately headed to the station cafe for a cup of coffee and of course, a bathroom.  It was already a warm day but the breeze across the water was wonderful and we enjoyed just sitting and relaxing !

We made a stop at the visitor center and gathered some information and started our little adventure by catching a ferry to take us to the outdoor museum which consists of the fishing village, the town canal, and the church quarter.  The Zuiderzee Museum was founded to preserve the history of living, working, and human interaction in the Zuiderzee region.  Since then, houses and company buildings from many places around the former Zuiderzee have been gathered together in the Outdoor Museum.  By walking through the museum one can edperience what life was like in this region in the early twentieth centruy. The outdoor museum was officially opened by Queen Beatrix in 1983.

We walked slowly around the town canal and the fishing village looking into the various buildings. 

It is quite a large museum and was voted the best museum in the Netherlands.  

Three giant lime kilms that are outside the entrance to the museum.

The museum was featuring "The Scent of the Times".  "Many scents evoke memories oof bygone days and throughout the outdoor museum you could take in the scents and aromas of the past.  The salty air of the Zuiderzaa, of a burning paraffin stove, of cattle on the farm, of the smell of shelled shrimps"

 We were definitely taking in the smell of something cooking on one of the paraffin stoves in one of the homes and when we went in we found that we were just in time for lunch.  She offered a cup of soup made from the vegetables in her garden to Sharon and me and another famiy.  It was delicious and surprisingly  filling.  I appointed myself the mother of the group although our hostess did the serving and at the end of the meal the two young girls with the other family got to be the dishwashers.  Lucky then !

In one of the homes was a display of some beautiful copper pieces.  A Dutch designer in 2009 was commisioned  to design a series of tradionally crafted copper objects.  "Minimalistic, yet gracious elegance.  There were six  designs.  A candleholder, a candle dome,

a watering can

a mixing bowl, a soy sauce container, and

a saucepan.

From the minimal to mabe the overdone:

One of the churches was all set up for a wedding.

More scenes from the village

On the so-called bulge of Urk people are living as they used to in 1905.  By giving an impression of daily life on the isle of Urk, the players bring history to life.  

Here we see a fisherman and his wife repairing nets.

And we all know the "old fish story". Well each fishing village had it's Liar's bench and here's Sharon sitting on one.  When you sat on the bench a recording starting telling a good fish tale. I'm kind of guessing it was a good tale since I didn't understand one word of it - that language problem once again!

There was the schooll:

The barber shop

The restaurant

The basket maker

We next walked over to the Church Quarter.  We had a self conducted walking tour of the area so we proceeded on our way.  Well not exactly - it's not always easy to follow those self conducted walking tours.  The first thing you have to do is find where it starts.  Not always easy - perhaps it might be the langage problem.  Oh,wait a minute.  We did get the English version.  Well then, oh forget it.  We finally did find a start.  The first building was the magnificent City Hall.

Your're probably wondering how in the world we could have missed this.  I could probably explain but really you shoud have been there.

There wre some beautiful old buildings with familiar Dutch architure.

We went into one of the churches and saw this beautiful pipe organ which is complete except for the organ itself.  The pipe organ has been restored from a very old organ ( I wish I coud remember the year) and when they were going to connect it to a new organ it was felt that that would not be appropriate and so they are now raising funds to also restore the organ , the instrument, itself.  

The pulpet was also quite impressive.  The scenes were of John the Babtist and the four apostles.

It was craft day in the Church Quarter so the area was filled with people and their wares.  

There were also some coloroful characters there.

As well as some familiar looking animals 

And if you were in need of a new purse...

We ended our day at the station cafe and quenched our thirst with a coulple of good cold beers.  It had been a very hot afternoon but very enjoyable.  We didn't even get to the indoor museum there was just so much to see.  One of my favorite all time museums!

The next day I had an appointment with a personal trainer from our gym.  The session was free with a gym membership.  Joanna had been coming by to help me a few times while I was using the weights so I decided to take advantage of the offer and schedule a session with her.  Big mistake!!!!!  She has devised a new program and it's hard!  My newly discovered muscles are aching today.

Here she is ...She's just a doll and fun too!

This is really a very nice gym.  The Dutch are not known for going to the gym so a lot of gyms are not available.  This one is not only very nice but allows temporary memberships so we pay by the month.  I am told they also have a nice steam and sauna facilities which I haven't tried yet.  They are coed and your birthday suit is the appropriate attire.  Perhaps after my new exercises start working I'll be excited to show off my new body.  I'll keep you informed on that.

I have to be very careful to stay away from this or I shall never make it into the sauna and steam room.

This is the biggest jar of Nutella I have ever seen.  The picture doesn't capture the size, just take my word for it that it's a life time supply in one jar.

And now befre I close I must post this  one picture that was taken of Sue and Carlos's visit to Amsterdam.  Thank you Carlos for taking it!!!!

Tomorrow we are off to Paris.  

Doei   (DEW E)  Good bye in Dutch.