photography | Daydream Tourist

May 28

Normandy American Cemetery

This past weekend, Americans celebrated Memorial Day and spent some time remembering all those who gave up their lives in service to our country. This last March I had the chance to visit the D-Day Beaches in Normandy, France. I learned a lot in my visit and was struck at several points by the incredible difficulties faced by the Allies in leading such a massive and risky invasion. But what I returned to this Memorial Day were the individuals interred at the Normandy American Cemetery on the Landing Beaches. The cemetery was impressive in its size but also its reverence and honor of those buried therein.

May 20

Windmills: Then and Now

Last March we did a lot of driving through the Netherlands, Belgium and Northern France. Looking forward to the stereotypical windmills and tulip fields, I kept an eye on the landscape. Things were decidedly more modern than I expected.

Apr 17

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Dutch Interiors Spaces

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about genre paintings of the Dutch masters, it’s the importance of the domestic interior. In some of these paintings you see individuals, families, and colleagues carrying on their daily business with a quiet diligence. I am always impressed by the clean and orderly world these characters occupy. Nothing is ostentatious, nor it is boring. Judging from the open windows throughout Amsterdam, the modern Dutch have maintained their historic skill at creating peaceful interior design.

Here are just some of the modern and recreated examples of Dutch interiors I found in Amsterdam along with their art historical counterparts.

Rembrandt, “De Staalmeesters (The Sampling Officials)” 1662, Rijksmuseum Museum, Amsterdam

Apr 8

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Bruges in the Snow

Late March was unseasonably cold in the low countries – chilly temperatures, biting winds and cloudy days. The only redeeming thing about cold weather is lovely snow. We got a dusting overnight in Bruges which made the Medieval brick houses and empty cobbled streets really stand out. I gladly put on an extra sweater and enjoyed a peaceful morning stroll through town!

Apr 5

Flowers in the Hermitage Courtyard, Amsterdam

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Photo of the Week – Snow Blooms

The end of March in Europe this year didn’t quite feel like Spring, even though all the flowers of the Netherlands were trying to bloom! On my way into the Hermitage Museum in Amsterdam to see the condensed and temporarily relocated highlights of the Van Gogh Museum (I’ll take what I can get), it started snowing. As I rushed inside, I noticed that the courtyard was filled with lovely purple crocuses. For their sake, the snow was luckily not sticking.

So in honor of this week’s #FriFotos theme “Blooms”, here are those early flowers doing their best to kick-off Spring!