This morning I came back in Amsterdam after a pleasant, uneventful, twelve hour flight from Malaysia. Here is how I look like, after a night without much sleep. Not too bad, right? Picture taken in my living room.
Here is a view from my living room, in the distance you can see the buildings of the Free University, my Alma Mater.
After shopping at nearby “Albert Hein” supermarket, I had my first Dutch breakfast in nine(!) months.Delicious raw herring, Dutch strawberries, cumin cheese, buttermilk.etc.
The weather was very pleasant, so in the afternoon I decided to take my bike and go to town, to get a feeling of what I still consider to be my ‘real’ hometown.
It was an enjoyable trip, here is a collection of pictures, with some comments
-
-
Dutch strawberries. A class apartt. Not comparable to Cameronian ones.
-
-
Autumn flowers. No tulips, hyacinths or daffodils in this season.
-
-
The town does a good job by decorating bridges everywhere with these flowers. gloxinias?
-
-
The Amsterdam School of Architecture. Architect Staal (1923)
-
-
Modern Architecture: Municipal Museum. Nicknamed the Bathtub
-
-
Rijksmuseum, recently reopened after a long closure for renovation.
-
-
The renovation has been received very positively. Will have a look there myself during this visit
-
-
The famous bicycle underpass open again! A victory for the cyclists.
-
-
Leidse Plein, full of tourists
-
-
Prinsengracht, 17th century facades
-
-
Everyone with a boat will be on the water on a day like thisw
-
-
Would not mind living here
-
-
The flower market
-
-
Sunflowers
-
-
National War monument
-
-
Royal Palace, Dam Square
-
-
Central Station
-
-
Holland is not Russia, thank God
-
-
Nice facade
-
-
Water traffic
-
-
The Vondelpark
-
-
Green lung in the city
-
-
My former home, the upper floors
-
-
New developments
-
-
Art exhibition in my neighbourhood
-
-
Another one
-
-
This is supposed to resemble Mandela
-
-
A beautiful tree lane near my present home.
-
-
Modern architecture near my present home
-
-
My present home
Back home, it was time to prepare a Dutch dinner.The potatoes are Opperdoes. For Malaysian readers of this blog: they are wat Raja Musang is for Durians…:-)
A nice start of my Dutch visit.
You look great in your living room and I notice an outstanding painting (picaso?) hanging on the wall in your background. The rest of the pictures are really superb and informative; I like the food and wish you can ‘tapau'(take-away) for me. Many thanks for your postings; I enjoy looking at them. Keep it going.
No Picasso, I am not that rich, lah. It is a painting created by a Sri Lankan friend of mine. I am happy that you like my posts, be prepared for more to come..:-)
Hi Jan,
Ah soh! U r back in Amsterdam? Just recommended your enjoyable blog to a Dutch lady who viewed my PK unit for possible accommodation for her parents who are coming in Oct. Are your Dutch potatoes really = Musang durians?? Enjoy you beloved’s performance – wish I could be there too! let me know when u r back – hopefully tau-pow some of your yum goodies for me!! 🙂