Concertgebouw

 We boarded Viking ship Tuesday morning in Amsterdam. I went on a walking tour, with tour guide Anni, directly from the pier. It was neither historic nor charming: passenger ship terminal, commercial buildings, and train tracks. But she gave a good introduction to Amsterdam and gave me a crucial bit of information. We never would have made it to the Concertgebouw (a worldclass classical music venue) for the orchestra concert that evening without knowing how to walk to the Centraal Train Station AND that tram 2 and 5 go to Concertgebouw. CRITICAL! I enjoyed the mile walk, but did wonder if it would be safe at night on our return from the concert (It was).

After the walking tour, I stopped at an Albert Heijn supermarket (they own Stop & Shop, Hannaford, Food Lion, and Giant) and bought fresh herring and mild kwark (a northern European food like Greek yogurt but not sour), and a chicken sandwich for Jim. They didn't offer me a bag, but I managed to balance the three items for the remaining half-mile back.

That evening we walked to the Centraal Station, tapped our credit cards at entering and leaving, and rode Tram 5 along the west side of Amsterdam. In front of the Concertgebouw (literally: concert building) we join a stream of Koreans. They had come to hear the Korean National Symphony Orchestra perform. I wondered if they live in the Netherlands or were friends and family traveling with the musicians.

We heard Mozart's The Magic Flute Overture, Variations on a Rococco Theme in A Major by Tschaichovsky with 18-year-old cellist Joemin Han, and art songs in Italian and Korean by a flamboyant soprano, Sumi Jo. Her dress was one of a kind. Full-length colorful scarves at each shoulder and colorful fabric bunched up and hanging from the hips. Shumann's Fourth Symphony ended the program.

The Concertgebouw opened two years (1888) before Boston Symphony Hall. They are similar in design and have excellent acoustics. Both have composers' names lining the balcony ledges and walls. The walls and ceiling are creamy white and the seats plush red. We sat in the balcony nearest the stage and enjoyed the energy of the orchestra and the acoustics.

Afterwards, we followed the tram tracks and found a pizza shop for a late-night snack. He didn’t take credit cards, so I gave him a €20 to pay for €14 pizza. He handed me my change, carefully pointing out that it was three coins, two euros each. I felt he was watching over an inexperienced tourist.