A TOUCH OF DUTCH...

 At the risk of boring you all to tears with more photos from my trip overseas last year, I present some of my favourite photos from our visit to Amsterdam and surrounds.  Of course, it wouldn't be Dutch without a photo of a windmill would it?  There are a few working windmills reconstructed in a pretty village called Zaanse Schans near Amsterdam and it is very interesting to see although you know it is for the tourists. 

 Zaanses Schans has been made to look very traditional with a number of crafts being produced such as cheese and clog making, as well as a museum. 

 The clog making museum was very interesting and you can see clogs being made the traditional way. But the thing I thought most fascinating was the horse clogs!  Those are on the bottom left of this display of historical clogs.  Never, ever thought about horses having to wear clogs.

After Zaanse Schans we took a tour around a few of the small villages before heading back to Amsterdam and it was truly one of the most picturesque places I've seen in my travels. No prizes for guessing what these shops are selling...

Being such a wet country, there are many, many canals and this was one of my favourite shots, because of the autumn colours and the light. We didn't see any tulips, of course we were there in the wrong season...

 And how could we visit the Netherlands and not see the famous dyke?  So we climbed to the top and this was taken northward. 

 Another canal, this time right outside the apartment we rented.  Dutch architecture is amazing. I got a crick in the neck from gawking at all the buildings as we passed by.  Unfortunately, I didn't get to go on the canal tour as I was sick by then. A good excuse to return eh?

We visited the warehouse in which the Frank family hid from the Nazis, made famous by the publication of young Ann Frank's diary.  It was required reading in my high school and a very moving read. Visiting the "scene of the crime" was very sad.

A statue of Rembrandt (who owned a house nearby) with a 3D reconstruction of one of his most famous paintings, The Night Watch.  The place was packed with tourists so I was lucky to get this shot of mostly statues. You know how I feel about tourists...

Any fans of the movie The Court Jester starring Danny Kaye?  This is a photo of the National Monument in Dam Square taken from the Royal Palace. Now, I realise this isn't a great photo but is a favourite because it makes me snicker.  Why? Well, I'll tell you.  This memorial is referred to in the guide books as a phallus; yes, yes good enough reason to snicker but not enough for me. In the movie Danny Kayes has to remember a ditty about poison and has a lot of trouble with it: "The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!"  So, it occurred to me that "The phallus from the palace is the view that is true!"   Still makes me giggle. 

"Get it?    Got it.    Good."