Tag Archive: Travel


Galerie Dior in Paris

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June 9, 2023

I love Dior but I wouldn’t have included this in our travel itinerary. My 2 young travel buddies are both into visual arts, fashion and merchandising. We had a list of art galleries and museums on our itinerary along with visits to selected stores. I must confess I am not familiar with many of the new brands. But Dior, I know. I remember buying my first Dior skirt out of my first paycheck many moons ago. A set of suitcases and a Dior skirt totally wiped out my first pay check. And from my first Christmas bonus, I bought myself a Dior purse. And another skirt. And then began my loyalty to Diorissimo, that perfume line with a floral (lily of the valley) scent. So yes, I’m a Dior loyalist. But still, this was their idea, not mine.

The Dior Galerie was impressive. Well-curated and creatively set up to tell the Dior story.
It may not be my idea but I’m glad these 2
dragged me here.

Christian Dior died in 1957 but his house lived on, ably led by a line of creative directors many of whom have since set up their own haute couture house. Think YSL (he was only 21 when he took over the helm upon CD’s death), Gianfranco Ferré, who designed that famous and classic Lady Dior bag, among others. Yet 75 years after his first show, this art museum was set up in the same prestigious address amidst the uncertainties brought on by the pandemic (2022). To this day, the Dior brand still evokes elegance, luxury, superior quality and above all, sensuality — just core femininity.

Haute Couture!
Timeless elegance.

Christian Dior was born into a wealthy family. Their former home in Normandy has since been converted into a Dior Museum. Long after its founder has gone, the fashion house has ventured beyond luxury clothes and now into jewelry, watches, fragrances, bags, makeup, body care, skin care, etc. Of interest is how some of its brands have survived through the years like the Dior fragrances for men and women. Classic brand equity. Unbeatable in this day and age. (Trivia: The perfume line “Eau de Savage” retained Johnny Depp as model/brand endorser amidst all the controversy surrounding the actor. While other brands have cancelled him, Dior stuck with Depp and that daring, albeit risky move, turned out to be a major play that saw Sauvage sales skyrocket. Consequently, Depp’s contract was renewed.)

Coffee and The at the House Cafe.

The House of Dior has nurtured a loyal clientele and retained its reputable brand of luxury and elegance. You get the same brand of class and restrained beauty and grace as you get seated to a table and served a pot of tea or a cup of coffee and bruschetta in the Galerie cafe. Christian Dior has a rich history and his house and galerie succeeded in telling and retelling its story. If one can’t wangle an invitation to the house’s fashion shows, your best bet is to buy a ticket online to get admitted to its galerie. Being here is akin to attending a semi- permanent fashion design show. Though it opened only a year ago, it has attracted much interest from the ladies (only saw a few men in line) across generations. So artfully curated!

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Dining Around Provence

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June 8, 2023

We could have covered more in Provençe in 10 days. In 2003 and 2004, I managed to include Le Baux, Aix-en-Provence and Marseilles. All very beautiful destinations. The kids wanted to go to Nice and Cannes (French Riviera) too but we decided to just cover Luberon and the Van Gogh trails. No regrets. The rest can wait for another trip. But there were highlights to this Provençal trip. Before we left the area for the City of Lights (Paris), we talked about what thrilled, surprised and pleased them most. Guess what — they loved all the food, ice cream/sorbet and even the grocery purchases in Provence. We even made sure my Instagram account (jolli.belly) chronicled all our food and snacking adventures!

Le Cheval Blanc in front of the Arenes de Nimes.
La Dolcezza (Nimes) is one of our 2 fav gelaterias.
Restaurante Mercadante in Nimes

Since we stayed longer in Avignon, we had more meals here. And more ice cream / sorbet where Regal Glacé with its 74 flavours won hands down. Twice a day we’d troop to this gelateria after lunch at any of the bistrot along Hotel de Ville (City Hall) area. First off, we tried La Grande Brasserie Le Cintra nearer the walls. Salad, entrecôte and pasta composed our first lunch in this walled city. The next day, we hopped on a train to Tarascon and found a tiny, family-run cafe/bistrot and enjoyed the best chicken burger, dorade and a big chunk of steak. On our way back to the train station, we stopped by an oyster stall — happiness in a shell!

La Grande Brasserie Le Cintra
Le Bistrot des Anges de Tarascon

Around the Hotel de Ville area, there’s a row of restaurants just past the carousel. We tried the Restaurant Le Venaissin (the paella and Magret de canard were 👍), La Civette Avignon (try the Boeuf Charolais — that French breed of cattle), and Le Citron Vert (I should have tried their Moules Frites than the very dry and grilled entrecôte and sauce-smothered dorade). “Jolli.belly” on Instagram has snapshots of the food we ordered. Had to load/post them photos right away lest we forget where we ate. Naturally, we failed to do this each time and yes, promptly forgot the Resto name.

Paella and Magret de Canard at Le Venaissin
Steak Charolais, risotto and fillet mignon at
La Civette Avignon
What we stuffed into our mouths in Provence!
(Check out jolli.belly on Instagram)

The trips to Carrefour and the desserts at Regal Glacé or that other gelateria in front of Palais de Papes have become rituals during our stay. So with “a proper lunch” in a brasserie or Bistrot, and a salad and wrap/ sandwich off the Carrefour shelves for dinner in our hotel room. Trips to the Boulangerie or Patisserie for our croissants and pain au chocolat and ahem, let’s not forget the occasional crème brulee. On a Saturday Market Day in Avignon, we had a home cooked lunch of pasta and pizza at Mama Rossa who gladly wrapped our leftovers to take back to our hotel. The portions were so generous that I had them for dinner and breakfast the next day!

Mama Rossa’s Pizza at the Saturday Market in Avignon
That bowl of Bolognese was hardly touched and saw its way back to our hotel room for an eat-in dinner.
Soft-serve, gelato or sorbet in a cup or cone,
granitas to cool off!

So, yeah. Food is always a big part of our travels. And we never hesitate to repeat or head back to a fav restaurant and order the same stuff. My 2 young travel buddies love their meat while grandma prefers seafood. They eventually got hooked on salads (for dinners) which are quite filling — think salad nicoise and some other Mediterranean salad with pasta shells and big chunks of grilled chicken, or with couscous or quinoa. Somehow, we managed a “balanced diet” with delightful purchases of fresh white asparagus, peaches, strawberries, etc. as in-between snacks. 😊 Eases the guilt off the sugar spikes from the ice cream and crème brûlée.

Crème Brûlée
Guilty Pleasures
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Vincent in St. Remy de Provence

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June 7, 2023

It was the last stop for the day. My recollection of my 2003 visit here was driving through Roman and Greek ruins which are the iconic landmarks of this ancient town. Think Julius Caesar. But we didn’t come here for these archaeological sites. Nor did we visit because it’s the birthplace of Nostradamus. We came for Van Gogh. That genius of a man had himself admitted in Saint-Paul de Mausole’s psychiatric institution as he sensed his mental health deteriorating despite the hospital treatment he was getting in Arles. Arles and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence are nearby towns not too far from Avignon and Vincent stayed in the monastery cum psychiatric clinic here for a good one year.

The Greek and Roman ruins of St. Rémy de Provence. This is the image in my mind from my 2003 visit.
Saint Paul de Mausole along Van Gogh Avenue

While he only stayed a year here, his 150 or so paintings are among the popular pieces spread and displayed in prominent museums all over the art world. His lonely and desolate rooms were painted on canvas — the bed, the chair, the window, the landscapes and blooms viewed from the window. Since he stayed a year, his works captured the seasonal changes including the mistral as well as the dry spells brought in by the Provençal summers. The farms, the peasants, the flowers and trees — all these were reflected on the 150 inspired works of art. Walking around Van Gogh Avenue, there would be repros of Vincent’s artworks against a backdrop of the actual scenes. One can say Van Gogh simply never stopped painting. Whether art was his therapy or not, it certainly occupied his mind 24/7.

The monastery garden and courtyard provide enough inspiration. Very beautifully laid out. Amidst arcades, fountains and beds of flowers, one feels compelled to sit for a few moments and space out. The gardens behind the monastery can be viewed from Van Gogh’s room and studio, so it is easy to imagine how the blooms change with the seasons. More so how the landscapes changed as viewed day or night. A pity we were a couple of weeks early till the lavenders fully bloom. That must be a pretty sight. The flowers were just starting to sprout when we visited but we can already sense a faint smell of the soothing buds.

The monastery courtyard.
In summer, this field is littered with lavenders!

Our driver guide gave us enough time to linger. We made a second pass of the artist’s quarters and the back gardens before settling down in the courtyard. Seeing my nieta open her sketchbook and watercolours, I gingerly turned back towards the museum shop. Heaved a sigh of relief that the weather cooperated so we can enjoy the sunlight rather than the forecast of showers and gray skies. While loitering around gardens, I spotted a young man with an easel seemingly looking for a quiet corner. His search ended with a good spot amidst the arcaded passageways between columns but a perfect view of the courtyard bathed in sunlight. Bless these artists for cheering us up with their creations!

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Van Gogh in Arles

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June 5, 2023

A dream come true for Nieta y Nieto. For their abuela too. Prepped ourselves good with an afternoon visit of Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, read up on countless books and articles on this genius, and checked out his many artworks both popular and not so. There were many of the latter too. After all, Van Gogh was such a prolific painter (over 2,000! — nearly half of which painted in Provence in his short life’s last 2 years) that countless works didn’t earn as much distinction as those made into posters, postcards and other merch. Being big fans of Vincent, we made sure we didn’t miss the Van Gogh Tour as a day trip from our Provençal base in Avignon. The driver guide we had for this adventure was named after the artist. His namesake, another Vincent. He wasn’t the best driver and the 3 of us had vertigo spells as Vincent weaved through the traffic and hardly stepped on the brakes. We leaned left, right, forward just like Van Gogh’s sunflowers caught in a mistral. But he was a good guide, and obviously loves the place of his birth, Provence. In Arles, he brought us first to the garden park where Van Gogh painted many landscapes. The “lighting” and bright colors he was searching for, he found in the south of France. The trees have grown since over a century ago, and the layout must have changed. But the sheer thought that we are treading on the same soil and may have stood on the same spot as the great artist is mind-blowing. The apos were thrilled!

Espace Van Gogh

A marker stands by the park’s frontage. A loving dedication to a most venerated visitor-resident who moved from Paris to this Provençal town. He may have been “chasing the softer light” in Provence but I suspect what he found as well was something to “quiet” his soul and pacify his troubled mind. Away from the city chaos, Vincent painted away madly in Arles, as he did in St. Remy de Provence while in asylum and finally in his last residence in Auvers-sur-Oise. The exhibit we viewed — “Final Moments in Auvers” — at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam prepared viewers to the artist’s mind’s turmoil as he moved from Arles to St. Remy to Auvers. In today’s world, science may have tagged him as bipolar or suffering from ADHD. Who knows? What’s known for sure is that he painted a lot in a very short period of his artistic life. Darn, he painted madly in his short life. Dead at 37, he left behind many sketches, etchings, paintings of landscapes, nature, still lifes, peasants, and quite a pile of self-portraits. In all this, he proclaimed: “Art is to console those who are broken by life.” Poignant message. Pierces the soul.

Street Scene in Arles?
A Roman Arena in Arles

Who can say what he found in Arles while he lived there? Stayed 15 months, created over 300 masterpieces. Just like Picasso, Arles ignited his passion and provided him innumerable objects of inspiration. He loved painting nature, and painted it in bold, dramatic hues. He may have exaggerated the “force” of the howling wind from the Mediterranean, brightened up several notches the starlights and the moon and the sun, deepened the blue hues of the sky. My apologies — I’m rambling. No art expert here. Just a regular fan’s musings. Indulge me. 😊

Espace Van Gogh

For sure, he found time to indulge himself. The Cafe de Van Gogh is marked as a tourist trap but how can you dismiss nor ignore this place? He painted Cafe Terrace at Night with this inspiration. The starry night background started a series and it is reported that Van Gogh has developed a stargazing habit which may have been prompted by some religious attachment. He proceeded to paint more star-filled skies after this, the most epic of which is “Starry Night”. At the same time, his stay in Arles was marked by an ear-slicing incident that brought him to a hospital just before Christmas. He had a serious altercation with Gauguin who lived with him in Arles briefly in a two-storey yellow house immortalised in a painting. Sadly, this incident marked the start of the artist’s deteriorating mental health. It won’t be long after this hospital stint that Vincent volunteered to be admitted in an asylum in St. Remy de Provence. Amidst all this turmoil, he created many works of art. The hospital courtyard is now called “Espace Van Gogh” and is included in every typical Van Gogh Tour around Arles.

“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” — Van Gogh

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What’s in Senanque Abbey and Gordes?

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June 4, 2023

We are at least 2 weeks early. Those lavender fields when abloom make postcard-perfect sceneries. Yeah, I’ve seen the postcards, the posters, the photos. I’ve even watched the video clips! But we’re too early. Abbaye Notre Dame de Senanque drew out cash from our pockets as we enjoyed their shops but no luck with those lavender fields. Just the same, this 12th century abbey near Gordes, is still a functioning abbey run by Cistercian monks who hold spiritual retreats and pray 7 times a day. We prayed that next visit we make, the field of lavender would bloom so profusely for us.

What we dream of vs reality

But Gordes was truly a surprise. Apos each love Ménerbes and Roussillon but their grandma favours Gordes more. We even chanced upon a wedding in the local church at the time we visited. As Italians proclaim “La dolce vita”, the Frenchies say “La vie est belle”. Life is beautiful indeed. And the locals here in Gordes exude that relaxed way a la Provençal!

Named one of the most beautiful villages in the Luberon area — alongside Ménerbes and that red city Roussillon — it is quite an experience weaving through its narrow, cobblestoned streets while spotting a Renaissance castle, some fountains, a flight of stairs to get from one level to another, emerging onto tiny plazas and a spotting of impressive maison or mansions and chateaus here and there.

Oh, Provence! Have I actually romanticised you or are you really such a beautiful province of France? Between the Rhone and the Mediterranean, I “hear” and sense your cultural identity speaking much louder in the countryside than in the big cities. Luberon Valley is truly a gem and we can just imagine how even lovelier you must be in July when those fields of lavender are abloom in all its splendour. For now, we’d settle for poppies, the fragrant jasmine flowers, some other spring blooms and the occasional sunflowers. The young lavenders, we smell you as you start to sprout, and that’s enough for now.

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A Day Excursion To Menerbes and Roussillon, Provence

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Our day excursion to Luberon covered 4 hilltop villages. Just when I dropped my trainers, and donned my wedge espadrilles, our day tour included many uphill climbs on uneven paths. Not the best decision. In Ménerbes, we walked around winding roads in this rocky outcrop named after the Roman goddess Minerva. Home to only 1,000 inhabitants, this village retained its exceptional old world charm with its architecture and character.

La Vie Est Belle. Life is Beautiful.
Ménerbes is a walled village atop a hill in Luberon.

La vie est belle. Life is beautiful. Many of the windows of these stone houses look out to a panorama of green meadows and pastures. Driving along the winding roads can be a chore, more so the parking, because of the narrow and steep inclines. We spotted the huge stone building acquired by Picasso and given as a gift to one of his (many) mistresses Dora Maar, who is an artist herself, but more popular as Picasso’s muse in many of his weeping lady paintings. She died at a very old age and was reportedly so invested in the Provençal lifestyle when still alive. After her death, the property transferred ownership and is now used as a retreat house for artists, poets and novelists.

These houses can do with some scrubbing but I’m not sure if the charm rests on its worn-out look.
In Menerbes, we saw the huge building Picasso gifted his mistress, Dora Maar.

Roussillon is just as sparsely populated but as the guide promised, it is so different from Ménerbes. It sits atop one of the largest ochre deposits in the world and these deposits give the village its natural reddish brown appeal much like how Colorado in USA is. Unfortunately, my nieto suffered a vertigo spell here so after viewing the cliff side views, we sat it out by the pharmacie waiting for the meds to run its course. Besides, the heat was really getting to us. Tropical babes that we are, it was just so hard to walk uphill with the sun shining fiercely and sweating profusely as the walks generated heat against this onset of summer temps.

The ochre cliffs of Roussillon
Roussillon Pharmacie

Tourism is alive in the Luberon area. There were many groups who came in vans good for 8 pax. No big buses , perhaps because of the narrow roads in the area. It’s always a good idea to visit Provence. Though Provence has been a part of France for well over 400 years, it has retained its cultural identity much like the Catalans and the Basques in Spain have. Same, Same but different. And I wouldn’t even venture to clearly define the dividing line here. La vie est belle . 😊 Smile!

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Tarascon On A Whim

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June 3, 2023

From our Avignon base, we hopped on a train for Tarascon- sur-Rhone. We passed this small town on our train from Nimes to Avignon, and thought it’s worth a visit judging by the castle and old stone buildings we spotted along the way. It took less than a half hour on the train and as soon as we stepped out of the lonely station, we felt like we stepped into a ghost town. Hardly anyone was outside the apartments or homes. Heard none nor saw any children. Many shops were closed and the cafes that were open were few. Where is everyone?

A medieval castle and a church dedicated to St. Marthe
Inside the Church of St. Martha

At the time we visited, the temps rose to 29C with hardly any breeze. We were sweating as we headed for the castle and the church. Interesting trivia here is the legend where St. Marthe was able to tame a monster that ruled the town. The monster was called “La Tarasque” so we all know where Tarascon got its name. In the local museum we visited, there was a representation of the amphibian dragon monster that really looked more cartoon-ish but then again, it’s a legend and it stuck with Tarascon! Trivia aside, the town does have its own charm. The narrow, cobble-stoned and winding alleys and the colorful windows and pastel- coloured stone buildings compose a fairy tale village. Like Beauty & the Beast. Somehow, I was expecting either Belle or Gaston to peek out of those blue windows.

Picturesque row of stone buildings
No one is home? Population: 15,000

Tarascon takes pride in its own theatre and as the site of the Souleiado Museum. Souleiado is synonymous with high-priced, unique, Provençal fabric. Established in 1806 in a former Capuchin convent, the brand has since put on sale scarves, skirts, blouses, table linen, curtains, dresses using this Provençal fabric made in strong, vibrant colors. If you’re interested in fashion, this special museum will interest you.

Tarascon Opera House seems to have lined up a lot of shows. Speaks volumes of its small community of 15,000!
Inside Souleiado Museum

On our way out of town towards the train station, we chanced upon a food stall selling oysters and mussels. I was so delighted with this random find that I ate a dozen off the street. The vendor happily shucked the oysters open for me, gave me a lemon and watched me devour the oysters. All told, this wasn’t a wasted afternoon. A castle, a church, a couple of museums, rows upon rows of stone houses, an oysters stall. Oh, I shouldn’t also forget we had a wonderful lunch here.

My reward!
Lunch at Le Bistrot des Anges Tarascon
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A Week in Avignon

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May 29, 2023

We are spending 7 days, 6 nights here in Avignon. That’s after 3 nights in Nimes. Soak up a bit of Provençal life and do day trips from this walled city to explore other parts of Provence. My 3rd trip here, actually. The first time, a friend and I drove from Paris through Tours and Lourdes to Provence before meeting up with friends in Barcelona. That was in 2003. Soon after, I headed back after visiting Lourdes, hopping on a train to Toulouse then boarding an onward train all the way to Avignon. In both trips, I felt shortchanged that I didn’t spend as much time as I could. All rushed, busy with day trips to explore Arles, Nimes, Aix en Provence, Le Baux, Saint Remy de Provence and Marseilles. All touch and go. Just “sightseeing”. I’m not doing that again. I’m spending a whole week in Avignon!

Palace of the Popes best viewed & enjoyed with sorbet on a hot day.
Having my Quiche Lorraine in my hotel room.

This time, we checked out the Saturday Market in Avignon, did some retail therapy, dined in French restaurants and a pizza parlor in the city center and ate a lot of ice cream and sorbet! I love Provençal cuisine as it blends French with Spanish dishes with a sprinkling of Italian from its being under the Romans for some time. South of France literally means near the border of Northern Spain. Also, Avignon is NOT exactly that provincial — the city vibes are there, in the shops, in the many touristy stalls, cafes, theatres, gelato bars and restaurants. But so much more relaxed and milder in temperament or character than Paris. Easy to cover the entire walled city in 2-3 days but it’s a convenient base for excursions to explore more of Provence. We enjoyed the spacious hotel room we booked, unpacked with comfort, claimed the 3 closets in the room and made good use of the sitting room for our dine-in dinners while our laundry dries.

The Papal Palace Garden
Avignon has many “old” and modern spots.

The ticket costs only €13 for the Palace, Garden and the Bridge. The tablet guide they give you is so high-tech it took some time to figure out how to make it work. Took an hour and a half but going to the viewpoint for St. Benezet Bridge or Pont de Avignon requires some uphill climb. If you don’t care to walk or climb, just hop on the tiny, silver Choo-choo train for €10. I won’t tire you with details on the Papal Palace and the Avignon Papacy. Suffice it to say that 7 popes lived in Avignon rather than Rome from 1309 to 1376 because of conflict with the French crown. Thus, Avignon holds that distinction of being the papal capital for some time.

Avignon Bridge or Pont d’ Benezet
Inside the Palais de Pape

We enjoyed our twice-a-day ice cream sessions here. And the punishing summer heat (29C) must have worked up our appetites too. The outdoor cafes and restaurants offered many options. Paella, steak Charolais, fillet mignon, salmon risotto, entrecôte, salad nicoise, Magret de canard, pizza and pasta. And some ice cream and granita bars offer as many as 74 flavours! You can’t go hungry in Avignon. C’est La vie!

We enjoyed many good meals here. No French portions; the servings overwhelmed me!
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Brugge Vibes

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It’s 2023 and it’s been 4 years since I first visited this capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. Just a day trip from Brussels then but as I mentioned in my last blog, I’d head back for at least a couple of nights here the next time around. And so it went, a weekend in Brugge or Bruges or however it’s spelled. Stayed in a hotel housed in a 17th century structure that used to be a brothel just a few blocks from the plaza.

Bruges at Sundown
Bruges without the tourist crowd

As soon as we checked in, we stepped out to have brunch at House of Waffles. Easily found a table and enjoyed our savoury and sugary waffles and liege. The next few times we passed it, there was always a long queue of tourists. So we satisfied our hunger in a burger joint with the most splendid view. That, and a visit to the old brewery where locals congregate for happy hours. Proost!

House of Waffles
Burger King Snacks with a View

There is this old brewery which seems to be favoured by many locals called De Halve Maan (Half Moon). We asked for the blond beer, which tasted a tad sweet, def not bitter, just like ale. From here, we walked back to the city hall area where a free concert was about to begin. We claimed our seats and listened as the orchestra played for a good half hour.

Blond Beer from De Halve Maan
Enjoyed an orchestra playing for a half hour here.

We had a lovely weekend here. Our hotel provided breakfasts and we chose to have it in the tiny garden and braved the slight chill. Enough to perk us up every sunny morning. Choosing to stay nights here was a good decision. We found and enjoyed Brugge sans the tourist crowd. Indeed, this medieval city is like Disneyland. You get the crowds from morning till early evening, then have it quiet, serene and lovelier without the crowds by sundown. Perfect!

The canal cruise
Have you watched the movie “In Bruges “? That’s the wooden house in that film.

Check out my blog on Bruges from an earlier trip:

https://lifeisacelebration.blog/2019/06/04/its-a-crime-to-miss-bruges/

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Oh, Van Gogh! Oh, Magritte!

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May 24, 2023

We covered a lot of museums in Amsterdam. Like 7! But only 1 museum in Brussels. Both cities proud of their Van Gogh and Magritte. One with a troubled Dutch mind who found expression in his art. Another who was quite happy with his life as artist, husband, leader and friend and expressed his joys in his art.

The Van Gogh collection is impressive. In his short life, Vincent was prolific, painting almost every single detail of his brief existence. With his numerous self-portraits, you can say he indulged in selfies. The dark rooms and galleries are intended to safeguard and protect his many artworks. The art world has Theo (Vincent’s brother) to thank for supporting Vincent throughout his turbulent moods and insecurities. This brother’s love is soooo moving, and one can understand how and why Theo passed nearly as soon as Vincent left. And just as touching was how Theo’s wife Jo made sure this Van Gogh collection found their way into our world today. Once more, the power of love made everything possible. How wonderful!

On the other hand, I find René Magritte’s collections so well-curated in the museum in Brussels. For less than half the admission price of major museums in Amsterdam, the Magritte Museum is truly value for money. The museum is massive and the collections hung so impressively. Like a lot of thought went into planning how the artworks should be displayed. It is easy to spend a whole afternoon here, and even to “space out” to enjoy this master’s works. The crowds are mostly locals, like Belgian schoolchildren and young adults likely studying art here.

I know. You love Van Gogh. Can’t miss it in Amsterdam. But do visit Magritte Museum in Brussels too. Twice as big if not more than Vincent’s museum in Dutchland, and equally impressive.

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