I'm up and running. Took a bit but finally got the blog to save. Don't really know what I did but I just pushed a lot of buttons and one of them must have done the trick.
On one of our excursions we headed to the Royal Palace here in Amsterdam . The Royal Palace is situated in the very center of Amsterdam on Dam Square. It was originally built as the city hall for the magistrates of Amsterdam. In the 17th century it was the largest secular building of Europe. Today the Royal Palace is one of three Palaces which the State has placed at the King's disposal. It is used for Royal Events like receptions of the foreign heads of state during visits to the Netherlands.
Pigeons galore in Dam Square and they are so used to people they sit on their shoulders, arms, heads. I don't think that's for me. Accidents do happen! I did ask Sharon to do it. I thought pigeons sitting on her arms would be a great picture for my blog. She refused. The entire building was constructed of white stone though the weathering of the centuries has left none of it visible. The Royal palace is known for its rich and imposing decorations. Renowned sculptors were brought to Amsterdam and famous painters such as Rembrandt contributed to the interior. The central theme, featuring in much of the decoration, was theh power of Amsterdam in particular and the Dutch Republic in general.
On top of the palace is a large domed cupola, topped by a weater vane in the form of a cog ship. This ship is a symbol of Amsterdam. Just underneath the dome there are a few windows. From here one could see the ships arrive and leave the harbor.
It is one enormous building and its unfortunate that the elements of nature has so discolored it. It has not diminished the inside though. It is truly a beautiful and impressive building inside. It is built on 13,659 wooden piles. The inside of the palace was renovated in 2005 - 2009. Cleaning the outside has been considered and continues to be under discussion but the estimated cost is 100 million Euro's. In addition there is a possiblity that cleaning the stone could damage it.
"The Citizen's Hall, with its decoration, in grand marble and bronze that images a miniature universe, is meant to make you feel about as significant as the nibbling rats seen carved in stone over the door above the bankruptcy Chamber. "
This hall is 120 feet long, 60 feet wide and 90 feet high. On the marble floor there are two maps of the world with a celestial hemispere. The Western and Eastern hemispheres detail the area of Amsterdam's colonial influence. 
There is a great of symbolism in the room which I'm not even going to begin to go into. 
Remeber, I like doors!
When King Louis Napoleon decided to make the Town Hall his Palace in 1808, the municpal institutions were moved elsewhere. However, it seemed sensible at the time not to relocate the Exhange Bank. It was the only instituion that was allowed to continue operating after the building became Louis Napoleon's residence. A private entrance was made for the bank to provide access from the street. The Royal Palace with it's bank was a novelty seen nowhere else in the world.
(The rooms use the names of those of the City Hall but are decorated as they were converted into a residence for Louis Napoleon Bonaparte. )
THE TREASURY EXTRAORDINARY
Ceilings are nice also!
One of the galley's off the Citizen's Hall that lead to other rooms in the palace. THE TREASURY ORDINARY
A ceiling, not a door!
THE BURGOMASTERS' CABINET
THE BURGOMASTERS' CHAMBER
THE PROCLAMATION GALLERY
Now known as the balcony chamber of the Palace leads to the balcony which was where Queen Beatrix in 1980 was announced to the people by her mother Juliana. THE EXECUTION CHAMBER
THE ORPHANS' CHAMBER
THE INSURANCE CHAMBER
THE CHAMBER OF THE MAGISTRATES-EXTRAORDINARY
The palace is truly beautiful and it is filled with art and of course history. This Blog just barely scrapes the surface.
Now one must have some social life and so we went to a local comedy club which had been recommended to us by some one we had met at the American Women's Club lunch.
Boom Chicago is Amsterdam's biggest comedy show.
The theme for the show the evening we went was ....
The entire cast. Lots of improv and they were good. Funny too!
It was a beautiful night and when the weather's good the restaurants and bars are filled with people.
The Cheese museum is lit up at night. We did go there one day. Its free and they let you taste a lot of different cheeses. In the basement they have Dutch costumes and you can dress in the costumes and you can take pictures. I tried to get Sharon to dress up but she wouldn't. I had the camera so I couldn't dress up or you know I would have.
No visit to Amsterdam would be compete without a visit to the Rijksmuseum. I've decided to put that on a seperate blog. This is getting too long.
Just now catching up with my blog-stalking! You're really making want to go to Amsterdam - NOT for the red light district, mind you, but all the beautiful water, canals, and now this museum! Bronah
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