I stole this one from Jade. She'll never know.	It's good to be back. And colder than I expected.	The Rijksmuseum was one of our first stops.
Rembrandt's Night Watch. For much of its existence, the painting was coated with a "dark varnish" which gave the incorrect impression that it depicted a night scene, leading to the name by which it is now commonly known. This varnish was removed only in the 1940s. In 1716, upon its removal from the Kloveniersdoelen to the Amsterdam Town Hall, the painting was trimmed on all four sides. This was done, presumably, to fit the painting between two columns and was a common practice before the 19th century. This alteration resulted in the loss of two characters on the left side of the painting, the top of the arch, the balustrade, and the edge of the step.	Still life with oysters, a rummer, a lemon and a silver bowl (detail) — Willem Claeszoon Heda (1594-1680).	De bedreigde zwaan — Jan Asselijn (1610-1652). The threatened swan. He will fuck you up!
Coupe met deksel, ca. 1400.	Miniature ships.	Rainy nights.
A freshly made stroopwafel for breakfast? Don't mind if I do.	Detail of the Boys' Archway (Jongenspoort) to the former Citizen's Orphanage (Burgerweeshuis), now home of the Historical Museum of Amsterdam.	"We grow surely in number and burden, our second Fathers complain / Ay, don't pass through this archway or help to carry a little."
The Court Lake (Hofvijver) along the Dutch Parliament.	Ornamental clogs.	There is no bar at De Engelse Reet. Drinks are dispensed in a small backroom, opening into a voorkamer ('front room' or parlor). It's a centuries-old set-up which remains nowhere else in town. The current owners have run the bar for four generations, and successive first sons have all had the same name.
The Canal at dusk.	This dork.	NEMO is a science center in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is located at the Oosterdok in Amsterdam-Centrum, situated between the Oosterdokseiland and Kattenburg. The museum has its origins in 1923, and is housed in a building designed by Renzo Piano since 1997. It contains five floors of hands-on science exhibitions and is the largest science center in the Netherlands. It attracts annually over 500,000 visitors, which makes it the fifth most visited museum in the Netherlands.
Sunny November mornings.	Obligatory windmills. Sorry, it's the rules.	Bike parking garage.
More sunshine.	Check out these boats.	...you rang?
That's right. I bought postcards.	Coffeeshop Siberië. The art is "Creme l'Ardennes" by Tanja Henn.	Not an unusual sight. Heading back to base camp after another full day.
Oma and opa's house.	These are, predictably, everywhere. Jade took this one.	My sister's concept of stunna shades.
Another one I stole from Jade. More museums. The Torture Museum, Amsterdam is a small museum located in the heart of Amsterdam, near the flower market (Bloemenmarkt) overlooking the Singel canal. Included in the list of the world's most unusual museums.	Also Jade's. The Hash, Marihuana & Hemp Museum is a museum located in De Wallen, Amsterdam, Netherlands. According to the museum, more than two million visitors have visited the exhibition since it opened in 1985. Dedicated to cannabis and its many uses, the museum offers visitors information about the historical and modern uses of cannabis for medicinal, religious and cultural purposes. The museum also focuses on how hemp can be used for agricultural and industrial purposes, even including clothing accessories and cosmetic products made from hemp fiber in their gift shop.	Did someone say hapjes? Bitterballen, kaassouffle, mini frikandellen and spicy olives. There may have been something else in there.
Jade's. The Vrolik Museum was my favorite, I think. Possibly the largest collection of human deformities in one place, the University of Amsterdam's anatomical and embryological museum began as the private teratological collection of Gerardus Vrolik (1755-1859) and his son Willem Vrolik (1801-1863). Both were professors of anatomy at the Athenaeum Illustre, the predecessor of the University of Amsterdam.	No cameras allowed in the Red Light District... oops.	'Til next time.