Vermeer

Yesterday we took a train to Hague (or Den Haag) because everyone wanted to see Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring. You know the one. It's famous.

Once again, there were no pictures allowed and that rule was enforced.

The museum was a beautiful, three-story palace with grand staircases and high-ceilinged rooms with paintings all over the walls. It was a bit small for the ticket price of 12 euro, but oh well.

There was a small exhibit on some of Vermeer's early work, and of course the famous Girl. I love Vermeer's style, and I love that particular painting, but I couldn't get too worked up about it. It was cool to see a favorite painting in real life, but that was it. For Mimi it seemed more like a religious experience. She couldn't take her eyes off her. Maybe I'm just burned out on art after all the museums we've been to lately.

But I do understand the draw of that painting. Most portraits, especially of women, make the subject look vacant and unreal, like a doll. Only a few make you feel like you're looking at a real person, and even fewer show the kind of love and attention that makes Girl with a Pearl Earring so striking and enigmatic.

We caught the train back to Amsterdam and went out to dinner.

It was one of those times when we were so hungry and the food was so good that no one thought to take pictures until after the plates were cleaned. I think one day I would like to live in Amsterdam and, day by day, try every meal on every menu.