Every once in a while, an event takes place which is impossible to miss. One such is the current Vermeer Exhibition being held in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. ODs are a cultured bunch and when something as rare as the biggest ever collection of Vermeers is exhibited in one place, tickets are bought, bags are packed, accommodation secured and off we go. Tuesday 16th to Friday 19th May.Johannes Vermeer was born in Delft in 1632 and died in the same city, having pretty much never left it, forty-three years later. Today he has only thirty-five paintings attributed to him and twenty-seven of these were on display in the Rijksmuseum when we visited on Thursday 18th May.The exhibition which runs from the beginning of February to the beginning of June was sold out within days of being launched. We were lucky enough to purchase fourteen tickets.
OD trips like these serve several purposes; the first obviously, to satisfy the reason for the trip in the first place, in this case the exhibition. But it is also for ODs and their wives to spend time with each other and get to know those who did not share the same years at Bishops. It also provides an opportunity to cast our net slightly wider in terms of history of our target destination and so decided that not only would we visit the exibition in Amsterdam but also make a detour to Delft to get a better and close-up look at Vermeer's life and times.
Interspersed in all this were some very "gezellige" meals and drinks, and being able to meet with young ODs — Campbell Frost (S, 2011), Murray Robertson (F, 2011), Will Makin (K, 2020) and Michael Foxcroft (W, 2011) — based in The Netherlands.
To view the tour brochure, click HERE
Please click on the photos to enlarge and/or download them
DELFT
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The group: back: Margie Charnock, Waine Lawton (F, 1965), Steve Hofmeyr (O, 1973), Peter Arthur (W 1965), Audrey Hofmeyr, Niall Carroll (O, 1981), Sue Carroll, Mark Charnock (O, 1962)
front: Diana Arthur, Liz Lawton, Nicky Bicket (F 1973) and David Jordan (W, 1962)
AWOL: Cormac Petit (O, 1973) and Des Bravington (W, 1991)
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| David Jordan, Audrey Hofmeyr, Sue Carroll and Peter Arthur |
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| Niall Carroll and Diana Arthur |
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| Mark Charnock and Waine Lawton |
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| Diana and Peter Arthur and Mark Charnock |
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| Sue and Niall Carroll |
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| Warming up for supper at 't Postkantoor: Audrey and Steve Hofmeyr, Sue Carroll, David Jordan and Niall Carroll |
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| Liz and Waine Lawton, Margie and Mark Charnock |
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| David Jordan and Niall Carroll |
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| At table in 't Postkantoor |
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| Steve Hofmeyr may be a KC, but Celine had him in knots as she cross-examined him on his menu choices. So much for Roman Dutch law. |
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| David Jordan, Margie Charnock and Niall Carroll |
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| The majestic Town Hall |
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| The Neuwe Kerk Steeple, climbed by David Jordan! 736 steps - one way! Two of the windows and the magnificent organ casing inside the Kerk. |
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| Not known for his paintings of vegetables, Vermeer nevertheless must have taken his inspiration for colours from the fresh produce in the market place |
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| Nidas (centre) was our expert guide who showed us around and explained the secrets of Delft |
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| The St Luke Guildhouse where Vermeer was a member |
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| Quietly leaving Garden The Prinsenhof ("The Court of the Prince"). William the Silent (the original William of Orange) was murdered here in 1584 |
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| The view of Delft. Having lunch where Vermeer painted (and probaly had lunch too) his famous landscape of the city. |
AMSTERDAMWe sped down to Amsterdam for a quick change of clothes and then, as guests of Cormac Petit, to the fabulous Konnklijke Industrieele Groote Club (right on The Dam) where we were joined by Campbell Frost (S,2011) and Murray Robertson (F, 2011). We were extremely grateful to Cormac for not only introducing us into the Club, but for very generously donating the drinks and wine.
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| David Jordan and Waine Lawton |
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| Cormac Petit and Peter Arthur |
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| David Jordan, Waine Lawton, Mark Charnock, Cormac Petit and Peter Arthur |
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| Steve Hofmeyr, Waine Lawton and Mark Charnock |
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Left: David Jordan, Campbell Frost and Murray Robertson
Right: Murray, Nicky Bicket and Campbell |
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| Bespoke menus for our dinner. The language might have been double Dutch, but the food was elegant and competely understandable |
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| Steve Hofmeyr, Peter Arthur, Niall Carroll. Campbell Frost, Liz and Waine Lawton, Audrey Hofmeyer and Cormac Petit |
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| Peter Arthur, Cormac Petit, Mark Charnock, Audrey Hofmeyr, Campbell Frost, Waine Lawton, Sue Carroll - and the rest |
The exhibition (before and after)
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| Des Bravington and Niall Carroll, the ticket; Audrey and Steve Hofmeyr |
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| David Jordan, Nicky Bicket, Margie and Mark Charnock and LIz and Waine Lawton |
At the Cafe Wildschut for pre-dinner hydration. We were joined by Will Makin (K, 2020) and Michael Foxcroft (W, 2011)  |
Top: David Jordan, Michael Foxcroft, Peter Arthur, Mark Charnock, Diana Arthur and Margie Charnock
Bottom: Will Makin and David Jordan; Michael Foxcroft and Peter Arthur |
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| David Jordan, Margie Charnock, Nicky Bicket and Mark Charnock |
Dinner at Brasserie van Baerle |
| Michael Foxcroft and Peter Arthur; Niall Carroll and Mark Charnock |
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| Nicky Bicket motivating the manager, Florentine, Niall Carroll, Mark Charnock, Will Makin, Liz Lawton, Des Bravington and Sue Carroll |
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| Diana Arthur, Steve Hofmeyr, Audrey Hofmeyr, Waine Lawton, Margie Charnock, Michael Foxcroft and Peter Arthur |
