Early to Van Goch Museum for entry at 0900. Distinctly unfriendly staff outside keeping the mob at bay. They have an elaborate system of tapes and stands they put away each evening and out in the morning. Presumably it would be stolen if left out overnight..
Once in and, we were first to the pictures, it was a little disappointing. The exhibition was didactic with comparisons with other paintings and emphasis on early works, all very worthy. However there were very few of the great paintings. The Kroller Muller Museum is much better. In 1976 we visited the predecessor to this museum and I think saw more Van Goch paintings. Kristin remembers seeing and enjoying many drawings. These are now considered too fragile to exhibit. I did see one superb sea painting whic I will put on display when I can. This was certainly painted on site as there are traces of sand in the paint surface. Beside it there was a better known painting of fishing boats drawn up on the beach. This was painted in the studio and is lifeless in comparison with the other. We were done with the gallery after about an hour and looking for something else to do.
We walked north and explored some of the southern canal belt, had a light lunch and looked at the great houses on the "golden bend". These are now offices etc. and sterile, while the smaller less glamourous houses on other canals have much more life and interest. We walked north and much enjoyed the Beguinage with the protestant church stripped from the beguines by the anticatholic movement in Holland. Then on to Dam Square and tried to look ad the Oudkirke but resented the idea of paying for the privilege of entering it and so went home for the afternoon by tram.
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