An Afternoon in Trinidad, Cuba

Street of Trinidad ©2019 Bo Mackison

Walking along old cobblestone streets and alleyways in Trinidad, past the tile-roofed and pastel-colored buildings. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Museo de Historia Municipal.

Trinidad’s main museum, this once grand mansion is only steps from Plaza Mayor. It belonged to the Borrell family from 1827 to 1830 and then was owned by to a German sugar baron named Kanter. Though in poor condition, it gives a glimpse of the once highly decorated style.

Fountain ©2019 Bo Mackison
Corner Protector ©2019 Bo Mackison

Large posts are set at the corners of many of the buildings as protection from passing vehicles. A bit of graffiti on the post; hand created tablecloths blowing in the background.

Street in Trinidad ©2019 Bo Mackison
Once Governor’s Home, On the Square ©2019 Bo Mackison
Iglesia Parroquial de la Santísima Trinidad amidst Palm Trees ©2019 Bo Mackison

Iglesia Parroquial de la Santísima Trinidad ©2019 Bo Mackison

This church on the northeastern side of Plaza Mayor is a popular stop, but it was closed when we visited on a Sunday afternoon. Rebuilt in 1892 on the site of a church destroyed in a storm, it houses artifacts dating to the 18th century,

Museo de Arquitectura ©2019 Bo Mackison

This architecture museum showcases the upper-class domestic architecture of the 18th and 19th centuries. Housed in buildings erected in 1738 and 1785, the two homes were connected in 1819. Once the residence of the wealthy Iznaga family, it has displays of some family heirlooms.

Palm ©2019 Bo Mackison
Ironwork in the Plaza ©2019 Bo Mackison
Streets of Trinidad III ©2019 Bo Mackison
Artist of Trinidad ©2019 Bo Mackison

This woodcarver is featured in the 19th-century Palacio Ortiz house on the southeastern side of Plaza Mayor. He carves full-sized portraits from vintage doors he scavenges on the island. Incredible work.

Day 12: Amsterdam and Van Gogh

Painterly © 2018 Bo Mackison

The light in Amsterdam is a painterly light, indeed.

Amsterdam Centraal Station was designed by Pierre Cuypers who is also designed the Rijksmuseum. It’s an impressive work of architectural art. We were racing the clock as we walked by Centraal Station, on our way to our timed admission tickets at the Van Gogh Museum.

Van Gogh Museum ©2018 Bo Mackison

And here we are — two buses in busy Friday afternoon traffic — but we all arrived in time to claim our tickets. This museum is BUSY.

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers ©2018 Bo Mackison

No photographs allowed — though their were plenty of visitors taking photos while pretending not to be taking photos. This copy of Sunflowers was one of the few permissbale photo stops.

Van Gogh ©2018 Bo Mackison

Of course, there was no limitations on photos of prints in the gift shop, so I made do with a photo of a copy. But mostly I enjoyed studying the many paintings. There is an extensive display of his self-portraits — so many self-portraits because Van Gogh would not have had the money to pay a model, thus he painted himself. For free.

Bob the Artist ©2018 Bo Mackison

Bob found a “Bob the Artist” book and was more than content to share.

van Gogh Museum ©2018 Bo Mackison

The van Gogh Museum’s new entrance hall opened in 2015. The curved glass structure, positioned between the museum’s two buildings, connects the spaces while providing shelter for waiting visitors.

Mirroring Cube ©2018 Bo Mackison

A mirroring cube between the entrances of Stedelijk Museum and van Gogh Museum, it reminds me of The Bean in Chicago’s Millennium Park with people talking photos in the reflective surfaces.

We walked past the Rijksmuseum  and through its center tunnel. It was designed by Pierre Cuypers and opened in 1885. It consists of two squares with an atrium in each square. In the center is a tunnel with the entrances at ground level and the Gallery of Honour on the first floor.

The Rijksmuseum ©2018 Bo Mackison

The Rijksmuseum is on the Museum Square near the van Gogh Museum.

Amsterdam is famous for its canals and its lovely light. Well deserved.

Painting the Town Red ©2018 Bo Mackison

Painting the town red.

 

Amsterdam ©2018 Bo Mackison

 

Light on the Canal ©2018 Bo Mackison

 

Van Go ©2018 Bo Mackison

A decorated bicycle near the Amsterdam Harbor.

Last Toast ©2018 Bo Mackison

The last toast; tomorrow we fly home.

Day 12: Celebration Buffet on the Viking Sky

Buffet Cocktails ©2018 Bo Mackison

While we sailed our longest leg of our cruise at sea — 23 hours from Hamburg to Amsterdam — this delightful buffet offered us sustenance of the finest quality.

No words are really needed…

All the Fine Chefs in a Row ©2018 Bo Mackison

…except for commendations to the many chefs aboard the Viking Sky that made the food a cruise highlight.

©2018 Bo Mackison

Who’s that looking at me? Gah!

Dessert anyone? How I wish I had just a single sample now!

Cheers!