Thursday, March 14, 2013

Barber Family Reunion in Amsterdam!

A few weeks ago, I got a very-surprising e-mail from Dad saying that he has a Benelux trip planned.  Not much can get him to Europe, so when he's here (and within a couple of hours driving-distance), I definitely have to go visit him.  : )  I think my boss also realized that he didn't really have a choice when it came to approving my vacation day...

So here are a few photos from our day together in Amsterdam.

Here he on a bridge overlooking the Amstel, a river that runs all through town (Amsterdam is like an xxx version of Venice).

 


This was taken in front of Rembrandt's house / studio / shop... Rembrandt is one of Dad's favourite artists, so we had to check this place out.  One of the coolest things here was a still-life painting, and directly underneath the painting was a glass display case containing the exact artifacts that he had painted!  The same objects, colours, discrepancies... weird stuff.

 
 
 

Here I am in the Rembrandt house, next to a somewhat older map of Amsterdam.  Please take careful note of my new magenta purse strap!
 
 
 
 
We called this part of city the "Times Square of Amsterdam."   :)  On the left are several restaurants - we had dinner at the Mexican/Argentinian place.  Yum.  

 
 
 
And last but not least, I had to take a picture of this shop where they sell "Fantaseeds."  And we're not talking about normal seeds for a vegetable garden.

 
 
 
So what's the moral of the story?  If a Barber-Family-Member can't make it to Texas or if a Barber-Family-Member can't make it to Germany, then simply meet somewhere in the middle, like Amsterdam.