Leaving Amsterdam

This week has gone so quickly but I have seen alot. Today at 2 p.m. 1400 I will meet the tour group for the first time. I moved my bags to the hotel this morning. My hotel Groenhof was as expected not too great but ok for one night and convenient to the B & B and the next hotel Vondle is one block away.

Today I have been doing a walking tour of the Jordan area. Took lots of photos but still not able to plug in camera. The architecture is fascinating and most of the buildings date to the early 1600's known as the Golden Age. It is also so the period in which my ancestors walked these streets.

Wednesday in a pouring rain I took the train to the Hague. I first boarded the wrong train and the wrong class car. However it was a simple train change at Leiden, the university city, and actually I gained some time. My destination The Hague and the National Archives and Central Genealogy Bureau. I had moderate success but unfortunately could have learned more if I had ships names for the family that worked for the East Indian Company. I am rereading Coffee Trader by David Liss and he names some of the ships and indicates the company was involved in the coffee market.

I also visited Martihuis, the gallery which has the original Vermeer of the Girl with the Pearl Earring. It is stunning and just glows! Another of his famous paintings, scene of Delft is there as are Rembrandts including Anatomy Lesson. The building is part of an old Castle and interesting in itself. I also had a delicious sandwich there. I had hoped to include Delft in this day but felt it was too much. Instead I returned to Amsterdam and was able to get in a visit to the Historical Museum I was really exhausted on my return to the B & B and the rains had begun again. I just had tea and toast for dinner in my room.

Thursday I moved to the hotel prior heading for Oude Kerke and my appointment. A very lovely lady assisted me and had the family in her church record book. Adrians Hendrick de Wees and wife Hillegont Goeverts are there but her burial place is not indicated. He was buried in what was an outdoor chapel but is now with in the building. There is major renovation but we found the stone and I was able to take a photo. Probably his bones have been removed according to the records. It still was exciting for me (only another family historian could probably understand) and I looked around to share it with someone to no avail. The church lady though knew my excitement. Adrians was originally a shoemaker but later an official art dealer. I had learned this from another source but was happy to know it was in the church records.

I next made my way to the Amsterdam Archives. The people at The Hague facilities recommended this. I did not have too much luck. They indicated that going back to the 1600's was difficult. However I did locate the microfilm of the Will of Adrians which had been sited in another's research. I was able to copy the pages. Now I need to find someone who can read old Dutch! Some of the information from the Central Bureau is also in Dutch.

Today is sunny and quite cool but at least no rain. Even in the rain people are out on their bicycles with their children front and back. I'm eager to post some photos. Not sure of my next post as we'll board the barge tomorrow, Saturday.