Postcards from Emily and Gloria
Heart of Belgium and Holland in 11 Days
Amsterdam
Larger than life.
The last day of a tour is always so bittersweet. You're ready to be at home, sleeping in your own bed again, but you also feel sad that such a fun experience is coming to an end. There's really no way to have both! ...except by planning your next trip, which Mom and I have usually started doing before we ever get home from the current one. But we ended our art-packed day with one final major stop before our farewell dinner, and that was one of my most-anticipated parts of the trip, the Van Gogh Museum. And the museum doesn't just have the work of Van Gogh, it also showcases several of his contemporaries in the impressionistic style, like Paul Gauguin, or (Aunt Betty's favorite!) Claude Monet.
On a personal note (click here to skip ahead to the photos if you are distressed by mentions of mental illness, I don't want anyone to be sad because of my words, I want you to be happy!), Van Gogh is not just my favorite artist because I get lost in his vibrant colors and expressive, impressionistic brush strokes. I find meaning in his work because like myself, he struggled with depression, and although it ultimately did claim his life as we know, he still found beauty and wonder in the world around him. He knew love, as we see through the painting "The Almond Blossom", which he painted as a gift for his brother and sister-in-law upon the birth of their son. And he saw the magic in the mundane - just look at the swirls in the sky of "Starry Night" and tell me that isn't true. I suppose that's why art is important, at it's heart: it helps us to feel things, and see the world from a whole new perspective.
Van Gogh painted a number of self portraits, many of which are on display here. Despite being known for the particular style of Starry Night, Van Gogh painted in what feels to me, a number of different styles over the years as he evolved. Every portrait is different, even if the subject matter remains the same.
As a medical worker,
I appreciate a good anatomy drawing as
much as anyone. And there's something very amusingly almost...
nihilistic but in a funny way, about the skeleton smoking the cigarette.
Although my favorite (Starry Night) isn't here, I'd probably pick The Irises as my second favorite. I just love the contrast of the colors!
My Aunt Betty's favorite artist is Monet - we saw many of his works in Paris - and they had a few of them here at the Van Gogh Museum. In my opinion, there's almost no one better to paint the tulip fields of Holland than him - I can imagine standing right there, feeling a warm breeze in my hair, the sun on my face, and cool grass beneath my feet. And in that daydream, I feel peaceful. I hope you see something similar!
It was pretty warm in the museum, so I was sweating before too long: despite that, it was still a wonderful experience and I'd go back in a heartbeat.
TRAVEL TIP
My final travel tip, which I think I've touched on before... is simply this: FIND YOUR JOY. Whatever it is that you enjoy and are passionate about, do that. See that. Embrace that. Make the most of your trip, and come back a richer and happier soul.
And with that... the tour is complete! All that's left is dinner to say farewell to the friends we made along the way, and enjoy each other's company one last time before we all go back to our separate lives. Someone in the group usually collects the email addresses of anyone who wants to share theirs, so everyone can keep in touch and share their photos or memories with each other once we get home. Sometimes, people even create Facebook groups to keep in touch with one another. You'll always find a friend on a Rick Steves tour. Just like Lori - we met on a tour in Ireland in 2019, and we've made plans to travel together again since, including this trip to Belgium and Holland!
"The more I think about it, the more I realize there is nothing more artistic than to love others."
- Vincent Van Gogh
Our farewell feast took place in the Cafe Americain, located within the Hard Rock Hotel. Despite being named 'The American Cafe', the cafe actually served French food, as that was popular when it was founded. The hotel obviously wasn't always a Hard Rock Hotel: it was built in the art deco style in 1902, and was popular with art lovers in Amsterdam during the 1950's and 60s. One of the lounges within the hotel is famous for having the spy Mata Hari (real name Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod) dance there during World War I.
And as I'm sitting here, writing this final commentary, I've gotten the opening verse of Frank Sinatra's famous song "My Way" stuck in my head.
… And now the end is here
And so I face that final curtain
My friend I'll make it clear
I'll state my case, of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more
I did it, I did it my way
Our trip might be over, but we intend to keep traveling everywhere we can go, and keep living a life that's as full as possible. And I encourage all of you to do the same, as much as you're able! So... bon voyage!
Thank you so much for looking at our website! Mom and I really hope you enjoyed yourself. If you were on the fence about going to Belgium or the Netherlands before this, that we've accurately shown you that while it might not be as high on most peoples' lists as places like Paris and Italy, they're absolutely amazing 'hidden gems'! If we ever meet on a tour in the future, maybe I'll send you a postcard!