A place to make you ponder while you wonder. A museum of world cultures, world press photos, and a space that forces you to examine very tough questions like, if you had to flee your country with a single bag, what would you take? Heartbreaking documentaries and dioramas real enough to transport you to the Dutch Colonial age and centuries beyond. World Press consisting of 16 amazing photographers from World Press Photo’s African Photojournalism are on dazzling display. This outstanding museum opens your view to the world, and cracks open the book to the human story and examines so much, especially the healing factors over the millennium from shamanism to voodoo to all the medicinal traditions around the world. The building design is brilliant, a cochlea of three floors surrounding a marbled lobby, a sunny courtyard cafe that begs for hot chocolate, wine or a croissant. It’s difficult to explain the feelings evoked from such a venue; I suspect the essence will take hours, if not days for me to really assimilate it all.
On our way home we went through Oosterpark, another jewel in the AMS greenway system. It was an unexpectedly warm day, and the sun and the Saturday brought out the population. Dogs were flying around having the time of their lives and everyone wandered so contentedly. Without the privilege of back yards or large decks, the Amsterdammers head for the parks, and all are welcome. There is such a happy, accepting vibe here, so completely non judgemental, that somehow I feel there is a lesson here for us all.
Covid tests are done, as efficient as unpleasant as they were. Results in 24 hours. We celebrated with a beer at the Irish pub, and then another one in a bar next to Albert Heijn’s. Tomorrow, we will put the pedal to the metal. Time to bike the Netherlands. Two days to go!
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