#Sarphatipark

[dutchjan]

February 23, 2024

[o-the-mts]

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Books in a tree, Sarphatipark, Amsterdam, May 2010.

Each day in 2023 I will be posting one of my favorite photographs from the past.

[copperbadge]

I feel like I could write roughly ten thousand words about my newly formed and extremely complex relationship with Amsterdam, given I only spent six hours there and two of those were in the train station. I have three or four posts in my head about it, from "Why is every indoor space in this city kept at roughly the boiling point of Tungsten" to "The Nice Things That Happened To Me In Amsterdam" to "That Time Someone Stole My Stroopwafel" but I think you all will be most entertained by the fact that I have a new feud, and it is with the entire Rijksmuseum.

I've been in museums that were a bit crap and museums that didn't interest me and even museums like today's that were physically uncomfortable, but I have never so hated a museum as I hated the Rijksmuseum by the time I left it.

And it's not the Rijksmuseum's fault! Yes, there are issues with the museum's physical structure -- the insane number of stairs and lack of lifts, the fact that the thermostat could be turned down from "temperature of the sun" to "next door to hell" if they wanted, the bizarrely poor lighting -- but not all of those can be fixed, and they're clearly doing their best. Plus it was mad crowded. But I've been in crowded, poorly-designed spaces before and always found something to love. There was nothing for me in the Rijksmuseum.

So I don't think it's the museum itself. I think that museum and I have some kind of spiritual feud. I think the museum feels actively malevolent to me in a way few buildings ever have because it hates me, personally. I don't know why -- could be to do with my Dutch ancestor who left Amsterdam (the infamous Mennonite Pirate) or perhaps it knows my heart truly belongs to the Art Institute and this is spite. In any case, it may think it has won, but I'm retreating strategically. Someday I will come back to Amsterdam and I will fight the Rijksmuseum and we will settle this once and for all. Bicycles will undoubtedly be involved.

I will eventually do a post about the lovely things I did in Amsterdam, including the grocery store (also kept at the melting point of steel, unfortunately) and Albert Cuyp Market, where I got the stroopwafel (eventually) and bought a nice new bag, and even the genuinely best part of the day, where I walked down a side street to Sarphatipark and discovered that Amsterdam is really very beautiful and quiet if you step off the main roads. @rumtastique I have to apologize for being mortal enemies with the Rijksmuseum but as mentioned in comments you did absolutely save my life when I consulted my notes from talks we'd had about Amsterdam and took advantage of all your good advice (particularly the advice about having cash on hand). (Josh, I didn't get to the bakery you recommended but I really wanted to. I'm keeping it in my notes for next time.)

Still, while I will make those posts, I have been awake since 3am and that's part of the problem, so I'm going to set an alarm to wake me before we reach Paris, and sleep until then.

This isn't over, Rijksmuseum. And next time I'll come prepared: I'll wear a tank top.

[have-you-been-here]

Sarphatipark, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

[shivadh]

One of the things I thought about a little, while in Amsterdam, was one of the short stories I'm working on to go with the Shivadh novels -- it's a flashback to 2012, where Gregory is at the London School of Economics and not doing well mentally. He calls up Jerry, currently living in Amsterdam, to see if he can come over and hang out for the weekend.

What I was thinking about was that Amsterdam is visually dense in a way I'm not sure I can vocalize properly, and after the Rijksmuseum and then wandering a while, I asked myself, could Jerry handle LIVING here with rampant undiagnosed ADHD? I'm medicated and my diagnosis is milder than his and I'm not doing super well with it. I thought perhaps I should move him to some other city with good drugs and nightlife, which is his whole reason for being there.

But then I turned off the main road near the market because I was a block from Sarphatipark, where I had placed Jerry's flat overlooking it, and wanted to see it. The second I got off the main roads it felt like someone just muffled all the noise and chaos (most of which was likely in my very tired mind in any case). The streets around the park are lovely and quiet and I had three or four people make friendly conversation with me -- one clocked my Roma jacket and wanted to talk football and his buddy joined in -- and then I spent a few minutes in the park and it's absolutely delightful.

So Jerry gets to stay in Amsterdam and oscillate between loud nightclubs and afternoons on pretty tree-lined streets bullshitting with strangers.

[tomorrowingray]

[camillevanneerart]

'Sarphatipark' (32 × 24 cm, red chalk on 120 gms paper)

[achildmiseducated]

Amsterdam, the Netherlands - March 2019

[huariqueje]

Sarphatipark in the Summer , Amsterdam   -    Thomas Johannes Cornelis Marinus Carel 'Ton' Meijer .

Dutch, 1892-1984

oil on canvas,  100,1 x 80,2 cm

[dutchjan]

October 07, 2023

[logicofspace]

#Sarphatipark Amsterdam 2019

[rjt4]

Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, and Jimmy Garrison, pushing Dutch jazz musician and critic Michiel de Ruyter through Sarphatipark in Amsterdam, 1963 (photo: Ton van Wageningen)

[pkfashionclub]

@pk63.fashionclub #abayafashion #trending #follow_me #summerstyle #beechtreepk🔔 #sarphatipark #winterflashsale #beautiful #designerwear #design #lovesongs❤️ #beechtreepk🔔 #sarphatipark #janatmirza #alishbaanjum #plaindress #hijab #hijabtutorial https://www.instagram.com/p/CMjHxjVHGLt/?igshid=1jt7fnuudu9i

[pinkedamsterdam]

Sarphatipark, Amsterdam. August 2017.

[etherealfaeri]

Hii! I saw you had some Amsterdam posts so i'm not sure if you're there but I'm going there this sunday and was wondering if you had any tips and suggestions on what to do? :)

hellooo yes I used to live there!! off the top of my head:

food: men impossible for vegan noodles if you’re into that (you need to make a reservation though but it’s the best food in town), foodhallen (food court + bar venue in a railway building), señor mostachio (mexican food with a cool canalside vibe, try the cactus burrito!!)

cafes: yuzu (nice cakes), de koffieschenkerij (picturesque cafe neighboring a church), bar botanique (tropical plant themed cafe by day bar by night kinda vibe)

art & culture: van gogh museum, stedelijk (for modern art), if you’re into history (and even if not) there’s a super cool lil place called the museum of our lord in the attic which is like a tiny church & museum in a canalside house

general: walk around the 9 straatjes area and check out the lil boutiques!! also albert cuypmarkt has a bunch of cool food stalls and vintage shops scattered around — i really like the area of de pijp in general!

summer specific: monte pelmo has gelato comparable to italy, waterkant is a big canalside bar that’s quite nice, sarphatipark is a good albeit small alternative to vondelpark which gets quite touristy!

wow this was long but lmk if you want more specific recs!!

[tomorrowingray]