Haarlem.

Went to Haarlem today. It was raining, windy, chilly, wonderful. I didn't get lost. I visited the Teylers Museum first. The Michelangelo drawings are wonderful, as expected, but the museum itself took me by surprise. Their permanent rooms are old school - turn of the 20th century old school. They have things on shelves in glass cases and glass topped tables, the floors are wooden and unvarnished. In one room they have paintings stacked two or three high the wall and they date from 1600s to one done in 1972. All along the wall in one not so large room. The sofa in the middle was a wonderful royal blue oval shaped sofa with the highback middle.

The second museum of the day was the Frans Hals museum. I love that place. This is the second visit (the first was about ten years ago with my cousin N.) and it was a great experience. Finally, I have learned not to test my endurance - the visit began with a light lunch in the museum cafe. For my sister - two slices of brown bread with fantasticly crunchy crust, a little bit of butter and two slices of gouda; on the side were two slices of tomato that could have served as a model for an artist's rendering of what a tomoato looks like after falling prey to the vampire bunny. Though, it did add a lovely tang rather like any unripe fruit might have added.

So. The Frans Hals museum is great. Go there. Do.

After that, I ventured out into the occasionally horizontal rain. Where was I headed you ask? A yarn shop, of course. Wollana on Templiersstraat. The yarn is organized by color. Visually and texturally wonderful. I picked up a double skein of self-striping Lana Grossa sock yarn. From Wollana I walked up the main shopping street to the Great St. Bavo's church (there is another smaller one in town simply called St. Bavo's church).

It was done by Berkheyde and the original is in the Frans Hals Museum. The walking figure in the left foreground was discovered during restoration of the painting. The church and the square pretty much still look like that - only there are some trees and public art. While in the church I had a tea and cookie break. I almost passed it by, but am glad I didn't. They have a little counter in one of the alcoves where you can buy coffe, tea, hot chocolate or a cold drink. It was fun to have tea and a cookie in a church that has been in existence since the 13th century.

I think, partly, my day was so nice because I did take breaks every couple of hours.

I was home around 4:30pm. Went shopping with M. for dinner. Cooked dinner. Watched Charmed, Sex in the City, Desperate Housewives, and the Gilmore Girls. It's good for me that I have the same taste in t.v. as A. and M. While watching too much t.v., I finished my second moebius scarf (this one fits much better). Am now off to sleep.