KONINGINNEDAG – kids in the park on Queens Day

Amsterdam's Vondelpark was a sea of orange for the annual Queens Day celebrations.

The Vondelpark is traditionally the place where children can perform, play, sell the toys they’ve grown too big for and the outfits they wouldn’t be seen dead in now that they’re sophisticated 12 year olds.

SATURDAY PHOTO #10 – Accordions

Accordions in the Woonboot (Houseboat) Museum, Emmer-Compascuum, Netherlands

There’s something about old instruments.

We may prefer not to hear all of these played together, but they do look good en masse. They’re in Nelis and Leentje’s private museum in Drenthe – the Woonboot.

After tours of the collection of ‘things from grandma’s day’, owner Nelis plays his accordion and wife Leentje leads the singalong.

Not to be missed (though you probably won’t ever go there.)

Taken with Canon 500D, 17-85mm lens.

REMBRANDT IN LEIDEN – nice place to be a kid

This artwork stands in Rembrandtplein, Leiden, the little square opposite Rembrandt's birthplace. Good idea, but I think the master's work was better.

‘You interested in the Royal Wedding, Edwin?’ I asked my friend and occasional cycling partner.

‘No.’

‘Me neither. How about we ride to Leiden?’

‘Sounds good. My mother was born there,’ he said, ‘so I’m half Leidenaar.’

‘Rembrandt was born there too,’ I answered. I’ve been to his house in Amsterdam and the church where he married Saskia in Friesland. I’ve seen his paintings in the Rijksmuseum and the Westerkerk where he’s buried. Visiting his birthplace would complete the set.

DRENTHE, NETHERLANDS – a step back in time

Drenthe people don't all drive Citroen 'ugly ducklings', but a few of them do.

Drenthe, in the north-east Netherlands, is the least populated province of one of the most densely populated countries of the world.

REMBRANDT HOUSE MUSEUM, AMSTERDAM – learning from the master

Crush a few coloured rocks, add oil and alcohol, smear onto canvas and there you have it - a Rembrandt!

In the studio where Rembrandt created The Night Watch, I started at the beginning, learning how to make paint.

SATURDAY PHOTO #9 – Rowers

I did nothing clever to take this photo, except get up early in the morning (they say that’s when the light is best) and pedal out to the Bosbaan rowing course.

After that it was just point and shoot while the scullers did the work.

Taken with the Panasonic Lumix FZ18.