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Each year I plan a trip traveling somewhere internationally which increases my global knowledge and gives me the opportunity to experience the wider range of artistic experiences out there. This year was focused on Amsterdam, Rome and London... 

Following is a breakdown on each location. 

Amsterdam:
Although I traveled to Amsterdam last year I was only there for 2 days and realized that was not enough time to explore this magnificent location. 
The people of Holland are some of the most inviting people in the world and Amsterdam is one of the most charming
cities in Europe. Following is a photo journey through some
of the Nederlands...

 

 

Windmills and Wind Turbines of the Nederlands







































 

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Wind Turbines on the north shores of the Nederlands. These are massive structures which assist in electric generation and water management. 

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Amsterdam

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The charming city of Amsterdam. There are 900,000 residents of this city with 1.6 million bikes. The Dutch 
all speak fluent English, exercise vigorously, eat fresh food and smoke large quantities of both cigarettes and marijuana. You can smell the scent of marijuana throughout the city. 

The Dutch are very friendly and exceedingly tall! The average height for a Dutch woman is 5' 10" It is not uncommon to see Dutch men over 6' 5". 

Amsterdam is not constructed on solid ground which forces a reclamation of building foundations every 30 years. As a consequence, buildings all over Amsterdam lean all sorts of ways which add to a bit of charm of the city. 

Canals run throughout the city. The mass transit is some of the best in the world which gives multiple options for travel at reduced costs, and is always on time. While you can purchase tickets in English, be aware all locations and travel information is in Dutch, which to the American eye, are massively long words. It was fun to get lost on their trains as the scenery is very nice. 

The Dutch culture is very liberal. Amsterdam is sprinkled with sex shops and the "Red Light District" is world renowned for window shopping. 

The museums of Amsterdam are some of the best in the world. The National Museum contains the works of the Dutch masters highlighting Rembrandt and then there is the Van Gogh museum which is a highlight destination in the Nederlands. 

I happened to be there at the beginning of the tulip season. The tulip gardens and displays are unmatched in variety, quality and quantity. 

 

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The shuttered windows used to be beer factories. This prevented the citizens from breaking into the beer factories and stealing their products. Water was a premium and to this day, in many places throughout the countryside you have to pay to use the toilet! 

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I took a walking tour of the "Taste of Amsterdam" which was a fun insight into the cuisine of the area....

Holland is well renowned for their selections of cheese. You can find cheese factories throughout the country. 

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Battered and deep fried fish. This reminded me of Alaskan deep fried Halibut...

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This next selection was actually an Indonesian food. The Dutch explored much of Indonesia in the late 1500s and brought back much of their culture to the Nederlands

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This was a tasty meat dish with a most delicious bread wrapping.

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Dutch pancakes melt in your mouth. The latte was excellent as well...

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No food tour is complete without topping the experience off with a slice of Dutch Apple Pie! Delicious!

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Wooden Shoe Factories

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And then the Tulips of the Nederlands...
The famous Kurkenhof Gardens...

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The open markets of Amsterdam...

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And to top off the experience of Amsterdam...

Vincent Van Gogh

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Vincent's self portraits...
One of them I painted. Can you guess which one?

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Vincent's landscapes, People and Flowers

"The Potato Eaters"
This is one of Vincent's first paintings. It was executed before he experienced the painters of Paris and the wide palette of a variety of paint. It is a stunning piece from the impact of the humble scene and his remarkable use of gestures. Surprising, for one of his first, it is quite large, approximately 5 feet wide. 
 

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Detail...

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And then there was an explosion of color...

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"Crows over a cornfield"
Considered to be his last painting before he fatally shot himself but it was not his last although one of his final. You can see his immense energy and his use of black lines which he used in his last paintings as a devise to "hold on."

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Off to Rome, Pompeii and Tuscany

St. Peters Cathedral designed by Michelangelo

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Where the pope stands to give his Easter benediction....

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The interior of St. Peters...

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 "The Pieta"
Carved by Michelangelo at 23 years old. This was his first public piece and the only sculpture he signed because it was attributed to another sculptor. 

 

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Vatican city halls and the Sistine Chapel...

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Massive intricate tapestries....

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"Laocoon and his sons"

Greek Hellenistic sculpture Michaelangelo begged the pope to purchase as he felt it was the greatest sculpture of all time.

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And then the Sistine Chapel and the master of Michelangelo's paintings....

"The Creation of Adam"
Centerpiece, Sistine Chapel
Michelangelo

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The Alter Fresco
Michelangelo was called back to the chapel by the pope 26 years later to finish the alter piece. It is the resurrection and  exhaltaion of the saints on the left and the condemnation to hell on the right...

After many years of study theologians concluded that Michelangelo painted a self portrait of himself on the right descending into hell. It is an abstract depiction of him falling out of his skin.Most likely the first abstract painting ever executed...

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To the Victor Goes the Spoils....

This obelisk is one of the largest created in Egypt during the time of the Pharaohs...
As roman soldiers conquered Egypt, many of the spoils of war were shipped back to Rome and remain there to this day...

This is in the Piazza De Popolo which is a central district in Rome. All excursions I booked started here.

I had a complete miracle happen to me here one morning but I have grown to experience that most people are very uncomfortable listening to testimony about miracles. They chalk it up to luck.... I know what I know. Praise God. 

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The left arm of the plaza courtyard in front of St. Peters

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Off to the Colosseum

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Entrance for the Gladiators

For many gladiators, this was the last thing they saw before they were killed. In 300 years it is estimated that over 1 million people were killed all for sport and entertainment. When the Roman Empire accepted Christianity as its religion, the killing ceased.

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Stairs leading up to the coliseum floor

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Modern convenience of urinals...

Rome was very modern in its 
engineering ability to bring fresh 
water in by a system of aqueducts
from mountain streams in the distance
and, more important, to move septic 
waste away from Rome making it one
of the cleanest and healthiest cities of
its time
 

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Sitting near the Coliseum was the Arch of Triumph to celebrate generals and their soldiers coming back from great conquests

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For centuries Rome was a "Fortress City" protected on all sides with layers of walls. To this day you can see ancient walls built in the 1st century

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Today this is what is left of Circus Maximus which, in modern times, made famous by the movie Ben Hur. This is where the charito races were held to the delight of Roman citizens. A day at the races....

An excursion to the south and the experience of Pompeii
In 79 AD Mount Vesuvius, in close proximity to Pompeii, had a massive explosion. At that time there were approximately 20,000 citizens who lived in Pompeii. It was a very modern city. Volcanic gasses of the volcano rolled down the mountain and instantly killed all the inhabitants of the city in an agonizing death. The  ashes of the volcano descended on Pompeii burying the entire population and structures. The ash fallout was so massive, it took over 1,600 years to locate and begin the excavation of Pompeii. 
Following are a selection of photographs recording the experience of Pompeii.

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Mt. Vesuvius in the background hiding 
in the clouds... 

Entrance to Pompeii displaying a massive bronze sculpture....

The streets of Pompeii...
The cracks were filled with concrete and sand which has been worn away. Pompeii was a very modern city in the 1st century

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Excavations....
As stated earlier, Pompeii was buried in volcanic ash for 1,600 years...

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Surviving sculptures, frescos and works of art were throughout the entire site...

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Example of decorative floor patterns uncovered....

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The victims....
Over 20,000 inhabitants of Pompeii were instantly killed from gasses escaping the volcano followed by ash which buried them for centuries.  

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Tuscany Region of Italy
Known for its red wine, immense lemon groves, charming lush hills and valleys and quaint villages...

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I got lost in the maze 
of this town and almost
lost my ride on the tour 
bus. I was saved only by
the red shirt I was sporting
as the bus drove by and
one of the tourists spotted
me and yelled for the
bus to stop!
WE ARE POSITIVE!!

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Next stop...
A sit down luncheon at a winery. Notice the large amount of wine glasses for sampling...

Off to England...
My last destination this year

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Big Ben 
and the houses
of parliment...

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Westminster Abby
and the interior...

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Westminster Abby is actually a massive burial site for kings, queens and prominent celebrities...

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Interesting to note that Charles Darwin converted to Christianity late in life and is buried in Westminster Abby....

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The tombs of Westminster Abby...

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Buckingham Palace
and the fountain in front

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Memorial plaques
for Diana all along
the garden path 
in front of 
Buckingham Palace

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The Tower of London
displaying the Crown Jewels
( which you are prohibited from taking
photographs... )

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The sights of London.....

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Windsor Castle
A retreat for Kings and Queens...

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Changing of the Guard...
Reminded me of that scene in the Wizard of Oz

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My Final Destination....

Stonehenge

I was not aware of the impression Stonehenge would have on me...Something about experiencing a structure built in the stone age....

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