The Kröller-Müller Museum stemmed from the collection of an early 20th century art collector (and manufacturing heiress) and her husband, who built themselves a lovey house on a lake north of where the current museum sits. Above is a main set of windows from their house, and below are some shots from the museum itself with various sculptures and windows plus another window from the house and shots from the house tour looking out. I’m back at work but for now still sticking with shots from the recent action-packed vacation even as work reabsorbs any extra energy I have :-).
I took this photo less than 24 hours ago at the lookout point called The Posbank, at the dizzying height of 90 meters above sea level in the Veluwe Zoom, oldest of NL’s national parks. I’d biked through the park from north to south Friday, en route to Velp where I spent Friday and Saturday nights. Quite amazing, really, that the fairly large city of Arnhem (capital of Gelderland in which I spent all my vacation) is only 10 kilometers away from this gorgeous spot which felt really rather remote, though yesterday morning quite full of walkers, bikers, and those who’d driven their cars up to enjoy the views and the well-positioned restaurant behind this photo.
Passed this lovely view en route both from Otterlo to Bussloo (Wednesday) and then yesterday from Bussloo down to Velp, final overnight location of this little jaunt.
This trip is built upon my years-long desire to finally visit both the Hoge Veluwe National Park (largest in NL, meaning probably comparable in size to Manhattan), and the Kröller-Müller museum which sits inside it. The museum is most famous for its large collection of Van Gogh painting as well as other beloved 20th century painters. I’d known it has a sculpture garden, but not quite how park-like and wonderful the garden is. It’s spawned a new series for me, because I spent today surrounded by nature both in the museum grounds looking at sculpture, and outside on my bike ride before the museum opened. More from the inside (and outside) later, but here a some introductory tastes of the museum’s sculpture park.
Even before I got into the Hoge Veluwe park and its renowned Kröller Müller museum this afternoon, I enjoyed the loveliest 15km or so bike ride through forest and field with nary a car in view, en route from the train station nearest to the geographic center of NL with easy onward paths to Otterlo. I’ve now spent three hours in the fantastic museum and its magnificent extensive sculpture park, and am very glad indeed that I can go back both tomorrow and Tuesday. An excellent start to Paul’s low carbon footprint countryside adventure. If things go as planned, I’ll explore the park and various surrounding towns – two more overnight destinations to go once I leave here on Wednesday – entirely by foot and bike, til next Sunday at which point I’ll be on train back to Amsterdam. Two additional points of note: it’s very agricultural and lots of horses here, which I’m guessing is why the main paths through the woods are sandy and unsealed, with only the narrower bike path sealed. The motorized farm vehicles can navigate sand, and it’s kinder on the horses’ hooves, I assume. Also: yes, there are hills! 🙂
Last shots from my early-July stay in Heusden for a work week, with one shot from a bike ride I did across the Maas in Geldersland, the church from the town I believe was Spijk below right.
(so much world, so little time....) 