Wednesday, July 8. 

Same again, into town. We were off to look at Rembrants house. Jumped of the train at Waterlooplein, and walked through the city admin buildings which are above the metro station. We saw the NAP, Amsterdam Ordance Data Centre, which includes the actual Zero Sea Level for Europe. Interestingly it is in the basement but is visible for all to see. Similar in appearance to a trig point. Along with it are high and low tide indicators along with canal level indicators. All has to be carefully monitored as much of Holland is below the actual Zero level. This is important when you think that the 1953 flood was four metres above sea level. Flippers and snorkel weather.   

   Decided to have lunch first, at the same restaurant that I was at last year. Wonder why I did not realise Rembrants house was next door. Could not have been too hard, the restaurant is called Rembrants Corner. You actually sit on the bridge over the canal. Can only put it down to different priorities.

I don’t know what it is with these painters, Van Gogh supposedly shot himself, and Rembrandt was bankrupt. If you can paint it does not mean you are a financial wizard. Rembrants issue was that he paid 13,500 guilders for his house, when Mr Average earns 300 guilders a year.All that aside, Rembrandt was unbelievably talented. Not only could he paint, and on a large scale, but he was an outstanding drawer and printer.  

 Rembrandt was also a prolific teacher, tutoring young artists, but like many of his peers, did not sell many paintings in his lifetime. All too often, it was only after they died that their works became valuable. Try purchasing one today. You would need the finance of a small country, and in most cases that would not be enough.  

  The house was quite large and spread over five levels. As with most artists of that time, they also collected things, both natural and man made. These were used as inspiration for their works. Rembrandt had a great collection.  

All the beds were what are called bed boxes. These looked like an oversize wardrobe, where the occupants slept in a semi sitting up position. It was thought that if you slept flat then all your goodness would flow out of you during the night. Splurged in the shop and then headed to the Stedelijk Museum of Design as someone dear to me said it was open till ten tonight. 

Arrived there, it was tomorrow night. Oops, being 6.00, we decided to head back to Myrtle for an early night.