We're still dreaming of a White Christmas.....

We're still dreaming of a White Christmas:

Thanks to Jacqueline for the picture!

The warmest Christmas Eve ever here in Wabern! At least as far as I can remember. Birds are singing like they normally do in Spring. I do expect the crocuses to blossom any day now. Oh well.....

Merry Christmas!!!

Getting ready for X-mas!

We're getting ready for X-mas! Snow's here, bulbs are in the tiny outside-xmas-tree, caramels & cookies are being made.....

Creative again.....

Did have some creative time again this week. Will be available for sale soon.......

Amsterdam - Rembrandt

On Friday I visited the Rembrandthuis Museum. It is always hard to find the right time to visit popular places without getting lost in the crowd, but friday morning was not bad timing. I have been here before, but probably DID get lost in the crowd back then, as I have seen so many things now that I can not remember having seen before..... Maybe I'm just getting old.....

Museum "Het Rembrandthuis"
Jodenbreestraat 4, 1011NK Amsterdam

Rembrandthuis Kitchen

Rembrandthuis Living Room

Rembrandthuis Print Room
"Caemer agter de Sijdelcaemer"

Gravure & Etching Tools & Techniques

Rembrandt's Atelier

Pigments & Oils

and here a picture and collage of Rembrandt's most famous painting "Nachtwacht" (on display in the Rijksmuseum):

"Nachtwacht"

Amsterdam - The Golden Age

I was on a mission in Amsterdam!! Had to gather information about Henry Hudson and his Halve Maen ship! So first stop was the Scheepvaartmuseum! I spent half of my morning in the library reading books and articles on Henry and his adventurous journeys way back in 1610/1611. After I finished my research I did a tour through the museum itself. And as it has way too much stuff to see in one day, I concentrated on a few exhibitions, like "See you in the Golden Age". This a short summary from their homepage:

"In the Netherlands, we refer to the 17th century as our Golden Age. In those days, the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands was one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world. And that was primarily thanks to seafaring. 

No country in the world had as many ships as the Netherlands. Thanks to seafaring, trade flourished. The Dutch East India Company was founded in Amsterdam and developed into the 'world’s storehouse': goods from the four corners of the world could be had here from the company’s massive stocks.

It was not just trade that flourished in the Golden Age: Dutch artists and scientists of the time are still world-famous today. The Republic was also known for its tolerance, something that attracted many people from all over the world.

But the Golden Age also has its dark side. Many of the Dutch merchants who became rich through trade with far-flung countries were ruthless, even cut-throat businessmen - literally. Some wiped out whole villages to get what they wanted."

The biggest attraction of the Scheepvaartmuseum is the real size replica of a VOC ship, the "Amsterdam". I made a ton of pictures here, I'll just share a few with you:

Another museum of interest is the Science Museum NEMO, also located in the harbour, and only footsteps away from the Scheepvaartmuseum. As the Scheepvaartmuseum was rather quiet, NEMO was loaded with (screaming) kids of all ages and I just did not feel like joining the crowd that day. Sorry NEMO....... 

Instead I took a long hike to the Rijksmuseum, which is being under construction right now, and reopens again in 2013. It was getting late and I decided not to do the whole tour. Instead I visited the museum shop and found (& bought) another nice book and took some pictures outside, from the "I Amsterdam" sculpture which is very popular with tourists. Well, I ain't a tourist right? Am I?????

"I amsterdam" behind the Rijksmuseum

Hans found a sushi bar just around the corner from our hotel and we decided to have dinner there.

"Zushi", Amstel 20, 1017AA Amsterdam

Amsterdam, here I come!

Hubby had to go to Amsterdam for a conference, and I had the opportunity to join him for a few days, so I did!

That wednesday 31 October started sunny in Wabern, but Berne Airport was suffering from heavy fog: departure delayed! So instead of 11.10h departure, it was 12.50h when my plane took off. While waiting in the departure hall, an airport employee was noticed running around outside wearing pink butterfly wings, a pink skirt and striped tights??? And as you can see in the picture, the 70-seat plane was loaded with only 10 people....

"SKYWORK, your personal way to fly....."

from Berne Airport to Schiphol Airport

It was a short train ride from Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Centraal Station, but then I couldn't find the tram that would give me a ride to the hotel. No wonder, it was blocking the Damrak as it was involved in a traffic accident just a few minutes ago. Nothing very serious, but traffic jam as a result. So I deceided to hike to my destination, not that much of a distance, but when you are pulling a suitcase over these cobble stones....

Hans & I had dinner at a lovely Indonesian restaurant: Sampurna. We were there very early for dinner, so in my pictures the place seems empty, I can assure you this place is full from 18:00h on until late!!! We had one of their lovely rijsttafels:

Sampurna Restaurant

We decided to replace the sate kambing (goat) with rendang (beef). It was all very spicy and delicious!

Oktober Snow two days later

And after just two days, it was pretty much all gone.......

left 28/10, right 30/10

Snow!

Overnight we just got our first snow of the season! It's not going to last here (we hope) but the mountains may have gotten a nice load too! Get the ski's out!

our backyard

frozen berries

at least 10cm of snow!!

Some new polymer clay pieces.......

I've made a couple of polymer clay covered perfume sprays lately, they were gifts and given away before I even thought about taking pictures of them. This pinky blue refillable purse perfume spray is the only one left and I made a few pictures today. You can pull out the inner glass vial, screw the top off and fill it with your favourite perfume. Put it back together again and voilà. It has a matching pen to go with it!

Home again......

Were home again, most of the laundry is done and were getting back to normal. I'm working on all the pictures I took in London, and I'm trying to update my blog as quick as I can. So keep coming back!

LONDON - Day 10 - More Museums & More Harrods

Today was our last day in London. We still had a full day in London as our flight was leaving at 18:30 h from London City Airport. And as we got kicked out the Science Museum yesterday (because it was closing time!), Nelson definately wanted to go back and see some more. This time, Hans and Naomi joined us.

Hans and the kids had lunch at Nando (chicken) and I got to visit Harrods and a GAP store right next to it.

We took a rather early tube train to London City Airport as we didn't want to get stuck with our suitcases in the middle of rush hour. So we were at the airport rather early and spent our last few pound sterling on coffee and tiramisu (yummie!) while waiting. Our flight was on time but fully booked, and this time we even got an iPad for entertainment on board! So we were back in Bern in no time!

and off they go! (the postcards)

they are still here and everywhere, the bright red Royal Mail mailboxes!

Pictures taken at the Science Museum, Flight Hall:

M.'s paradise 1

M.'s paradise 2

 Hawker XP831, a V/STOL fighter jet

panoramic view 1

panoramic view 2

After our visit to the Science Museum, we made one last stop at the Museum of Natural History:

Naomi made this picture of  H., N. and me in front of the Diplodocus dinosaur

gotcha!

And then it was really time to go home, we got our suitcases from the hotel and headed towards London City Airport:

I think this is Bank Station.....

DLR to LCA

our last ££ were spent on coffee and tiramisu at LCA

our Skywork plane (ready for) boarding

boarding completed and ready for take off
Bye bye London!

LONDON - Day 9 (2) - Natural History Museum & Science Museum

London has the most fantastic museums, and best of all, most of them are free! It's hard to make a choice, but we decided go to the Natural History Museum first, and after that, for the remainder of the day, the Science Museum which is located just behind the NHM.

So we saw a slice of a 1000 year old sequoia tree, and minerals, and minerals, and more minerals, and then dinosaurs, more dinosaurs, and even roaring dinosaurs, and mammals, and more mammals........

In the Science Museum we saw so many different things, the pictures will only give you a small impression of what we've seen!

Nelson @ NHM

Nelson & Meteor

Fluorescent Minerals

Nelson & Diplodocus

Nelson's Wishful Thinking

They actually DO sleepovers for kids at the museum!!
"snuggling down at midnight after the excitement in the shadow of our Central Hall Diplodocus skeleton for the night"

Nelson & the 1000 year old Giant Sequoia

the Giant Mammals Hall

And then we went to the Science Museum until we were kicked out because it was closing time:

Wells Cathedral Clock, still producing lots of noice!

I have a TON more pictures, but you better go look at the stuff in the museum yourself!!