Maastricht NL

 Maastricht

Janes lovely garden and her first two locally grown pairs.

Ruud relaxing with his newspaper.

Jane and Hakey the wonder dog up with coffee.

The old wall built in the middle ages.

The neighborhood.

Jane in the doorway.

The train to Maastricht on a Friday

'Take the A train' from Amsterdam to Maastricht.

Friday on the train.

$29EU down the Netherlands

The City of Maastricht

The old City Wall built in the middle ages

Jane and Ruud's brand new town house, in the cities center.

*I'll add some shots of the house after I take them.

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Here are my closing shots from Amsterdam

Anne Franks house / center - black doors.

Anne Franks house, museum built on the corner. People everywhere.

Amsterdam’s Central Station is among the most prized example of Dutch Neo-Renaissance architecture. Like other buildings from this period, the station was designed to glorify Dutch culture and represent the nation’s economic prowess. Amsterdam Central is the Dutch capital's main station, located right in the heart of Amsterdam, easy walking distance from most of the city's sights and hotels.  The impressive station building was designed by Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers and completed in 1884.  Cuypers also designed the Rijksmuseum, the similarity is not coincidence.  Pause a moment to look up.  The right-hand tower has a clock, the dial on the left-hand tower shows the wind direction.  

In the late 19th century, Amsterdam’s municipal government was eager to adapt the city around Noord-Holland’s growing railway network and began laying plans for a centralised station. Amid considerable protest, the station was eventually constructed on three artificial islands in Amsterdam’s harbour. This decision effectively cordoned off the river IJ, creating a large barrier between Amsterdam’s waterfront and its historic town centre. Many officials despised the station and claimed that its existence undermined Amsterdam’s image and character. However, many other Amsterdammers admired its grandeur and thousands paid to visit the station when it finally opened in 1889. Soon after the station’s completion, Amsterdam’s urban planning began to shift away from aquatic transit and towards ground based modes of transportation, leading to the development of the city’s extensive tramway network.

Thursday and my last day in Amsterdam

 Thursday in Amsterdam, the city of canals.

A sex shop.  Duhhhh

A tourist relaxing with an Amsterdam smoke by the canal.

The Amsterdam city corn tax building of 1620.  

I was so curious I stopped and knocked on their door to ask "what is this building?"  (it might have said it on the sign by the door, but I still cant read Dutch.)  Turns out it's now an office for a magazine, but started back in 1620 built by the city (and a famous Dutch architect whos name escapes me) as the place for the taxation of imported corn.  Yes, the editor of the magazine (a Dutch rag whos name also escapes me) gave me a tour of the place with a lengthy detailed interesting explanation. 

An African Ridgeback who's owner insisted I take her photo.  She seemed less than enthused.