Amsterdam: Vondelpark, Museumplein, Bloemenmarkt +owl bag

 Let me share last week with you in Amsterdam, Holland. A parakeet in a tree in Vondel Park. There were so many of them just flying free.

 Willow over a lake. We got off the bus and walked through the park to the hotel to drop off our bags.

A re-purposed church- so pretty. You will see more later.

 We walked to the nearby Museumplein

 passing some wonderful buildings.

 At the end of the path is the Rijksmuseum which has many old masters and paintings of many ages. Just behind and to the right are the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum.

 Amsterdam

 I liked how this arbour was made in the Rijksmuseum garden.

 There was an awning to stand under when you queued to get in.

 A helpful map so you can see our journey.

 More of the garden.

 Walking round the museum, we head roughly North.


  Amazing architecture!

 One of the many interconnecting canals. More on those later.

 From one of those!

 The front of the Rijksmuseum as we look back.

 Beautiful canal houses each one so individual and bicycles everywhere! Yes even more than there are in term time in Oxford! I was amazed.

 What a view! This was typical of the whole of Amsterdam.

 Of course I couldn’t be in Holland without seeing some gorgeous blue and white pottery. I think most of these were gorgeous Delftware.

 Are you ready for some lunch?

 Or perhaps you would like to explore the Bloemenmarkt?

 Amaryllis bulbs to buy.

 Sorry Ulla I couldn’t resist a picture of this basement shop with magic mushrooms. 🙂

 Many stalls were large with a wide variety of plants and bulbs.

 All together now “Tulips from Amsterdam” err I may have bought just a few packets which went straight into pots as soon as I got home. Will share when they flower. Guess which 4 colours I bought?

 The Heineken Brewery is close by. Beautiful horses.

 I had never seen such a colourful display of cacti before. I have 3 real and 3 crochet cacti from Fuerteventura.

 Here is the back of the market. Listen to the chimes of Muntplein‘s Munttoren.

 Back in England we have some blossom on cherry trees

 and forsythia in bloom.

 Bungle has started his own blog so you can hear about his adventures there. He’s taken over a pile of old duvets in the corner of the craft room whe I am sewing in there.

 He oversaw the making of this owl book bag. It’s by Natalie Ross and called “The Little Borrower”.

 I added a triple pocket inside as I had some of the striped fabric left over.

Thank you Deb for finding out what the pattern was and kindly sending it to me. I love it!


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