Den Haag, 2 great shows

Thursday, day trip to Den Haag by train. First photo shows why we chose not to bike. Katie saw this photo, reaction was "impressionist view, train station in the rain".


Yes it was rainy, cold to boot, but the weather did improve a lot as day went on.  At least, it stopped raining, even if it didn't warm up much.  I'm starting to become obsessed with temperature as I'm slowly freezing to death.  The Dutch are a hardy race.

So anyway, our main purpose in visiting Den Haag (other than just to see the place... and I was prepared for some reason to not like it, but it really is a nice city) is the Mauritshuis museum.  Great paintings!  In addition to being a hardy race, the Dutch can really paint.  Interiors, landscapes, portraits.  Good stuff.  These guys could probably knock my socks off with their fingerpaintings.

The one downside to the Mauritshuis venue.  It's crowded.  We arrived at opening time and it was already getting busy.  I could whinge about school children, geriatrics, tourists, Japanese tour groups but I won't since I'll qualify for at least 3 of the 4 at some point in my life.  Just advise you to get there early.

Then, a special bonus for children of the 60s: a show of M.C.Escher's work at Het Paleis, the old royal home.  Very cool.  Don't know if he could paint but boy could he draw.  Even impossible things.  Maybe especially impossible things. As someone who can barely draw a stick figure, I'm pretty impressed by a guy who can draw water running uphill.