The Netherlands part 4, January 2018

The next day was surprisingly sunny with blue skies and we were headed for Groningen. All four of us went with overnight bags to the train station and settled in for the 3-hour trip. We were leaving Holland for the night and heading north, almost as far north as one can go in the Netherlands. Views out the train windows below:

I loved looking out the window. Pyramid shaped barns, flat fields, horses, birds, empty land, a rainbow! More bike roads, a small freeway, some industrial buildings but mostly fields and canals and sky. The Netherlands sky is vast, above flat land it dominates the landscape and we understood why it is a strong subject in Dutch paintings.

Arriving in Groningen, we had plenty of time to walk around its charming, small town streets and canals. There were winding brick sidewalks with many bikes and pedestrians but no cars! The city bans cars from the downtown! We found Martinitoren, a gothic 1482 clock tower in a stone plaza. We paid the small admission and went up the 250 steps to look at the view. We saw the massive bells on the way.

At the top, we looked out from behind the clockfaces, all 4 of them, It was windy and a little scary for me up there! Very high up! Very windy! We could see the whole town in any direction and the bright blue sky with some clouds.

We walked back down then to the university Academie building, a beautiful structure where Fiercely was to meet a student for a tour. We had a tour and asked many questions, we also saw some professor types who were bedecked in academic regalia but didn’t seem to take themselves too seriously, in fact we recognized them as the friendly people behind the desk when we had first entered the building. By the way, outside the building, I have never seen so many bikes in one place!

After another excellent dinner, we went to our lodgings for the night- a barge on the canal! We were staying in one of the boats like we had seen in the Hague and in Amsterdam. The one we stayed was a historic barge, with an iron hull and a history that may include bringing food to starving citizens during WW2. It was a strange and lovely place to stay. We were in the canal next to a street with shops. We got there after dark and the lights were so pretty on the water.

Here’s a view inside the boat.

It was so cool to be in a barge in a canal. It was extremely comfortable and updated with a beautiful kitchen and two bathrooms. I slept well and in the morning we just hung out in the captain’s deck, or at least that’s what we called it. A went to get coffee and croissants while we lounged and enjoyed the scene.

Here we are on the deck, check out the neighboring houseboats!

So it was a new day and we eventually left the houseboat/barge and went to see more of Groningen and catch our train back to the Hague.

The Netherlands, part 3 Jan 2019

The next day our hosts returned. They were jet-lagged and settling in, while we were feeling more energetic and ready to explore. Fiercely had the lovely idea of biking to the sea, and so we went. The place we headed for us called Schenevingen and is so difficult to pronounce that it was used to identify foreign agents during the war. We found it to be a little underwhelming, mostly geared to visitors interested in shopping and gambling, but the North Sea and the bike journey were delightful. J and A had sturdy Dutch bikes- I’ll have to write about biking here in its own post, so much to say- and with those and the bike roads, we were in fine form in another grey, drizzling day.

We biked on the beach and went to another excellent, leisurely lunch, followed a few hours later by dinner with our hosts, who were well-rested now an ready to show us their favorite Thai restaurant. The biking was sublime. Hanging out with our longtime friends who are kind of locals- they have lived here over 3 years after all- was so wonderful because they could explain things like recycling (brought to a park location and placed in large bins, the bulk of which are underground), the marijuana situation (re: coffee shops, ‘koffee’ for coffee and ‘coffee’ for pot*, curious, but we didn’t partake!), and the train system.

The next day we went to Amsterdam- A, myself and Fiercely. The idea was to look at the university there. We found it, kind of, but did not get much information. It is stunning in relation to US colleges in terms of how little interest schools in the Netherlands display in recruitment. I find it refreshing that the Dutch schools are not commercially driven, do not have dorms, and do not seem to have sports teams. As for U. of Amsterdam, it is spread out over many blocks, interspersed with businesses and apartments and other city things, so it was difficult to tour. We had a connection but it fell through. The school was on break, and this did not help matters. Fiercely was more interested in the three other schools we were planning to visit, and at which we had meetings organized, so we checked out a library and a few other buildings and moved on.

Everyone in the Hague told us that Amsterdam was too loud and busy and that they preferred the Hague. I could see their point, but I still liked Amsterdam. There was more of a hectic pace, but there were also canals and historic buildings and plazas, trams, pedestrians, and the constant movement of countless bicycles. There were quiet cafes as well, with the same cozy vibe as the Hague.

Though the Van Gogh museum is a well- known attraction, locals we met disliked it and recommended the Rijks Museum instead, above. We went with that, knowing there are Van Goghs there along with works by other Dutch artists. We were not disappointed. It was a beautiful historic building with works going back to the 12th century. Vermeer, Rembrandt, early Christian artifacts, an elaborate collection of model ships, and my favorite, the ‘doll’ houses- late 17th century miniature houses that were commissioned by the house-proud and wealthy, not for children but for the adults to revel in their love of home.

So we spent the afternoon at the Rijks Museum then we’re lucky enough to have dinner in the lovely apartment of another ex-pat friend from Philly. We had dinner with a couple of her friends and discussed interesting particulars of life in the Netherlands- Kings Day, Black Pete, and the Netherlands second. At the evening’s end, after conversation and speculoos and admiring the views out her front window (a city block of historic brick buildings with ground floor businesses and apartments above) and rear balcony (the warm light from the rear of similar buildings), we headed back to the Hague. We went to the train station via a clean, bright, efficient subway, then on the train to the tram to J and A’s apartment and the sweet german shepherds.

• I was double checking this and happened upon a sweet blog, 3sistersabroad.com and you bet I am now following them and wondering if the 4 sisters I am raising will ever travel together as older women, I love that thought!!! And you go, 3sisters!!