A trip to Amsterdam

Canal view with christmas trees for sale

We have just come back from a short trip to Amsterdam. We visited the newly refurbished Riksmuseum and had an interesting time wandering around the canals, stopping for refreshment in 'brown cafes' and generally enjoying ourselves.

It is good to go away to popular places in the middle of winter since the number of tourists is generally lower and it isn't too hot to wander about at length.  Amsterdam is certainly one of those places that is best explored on foot, and we were lucky with the weather.

The rehang and restoration of the museum is spectacular, and it was good to see a number of paintings that are old favourites, including of course the wonderful 'Night Watch'.

We managed to find a Suffolk connection in the painting below, which is the 'Memorial Portrait of Moses Ter Borch', painted by his two older siblings, Gerard and Gesina in around 1688.  Young Moses died in 1667 during the storming of Languard Fort at Felixstowe, having served in the Dutch navy against the English for three years.