Fun fact, this residence was built for the one and only Dutch pope, who died after a short term in office & without ever living in this lovely building. I’m told he was rather unpopular in Rome because of his ascetic, non-partying ways, and the same source told me that the men who elect popes never again elected a non-Italian one, until they elected the first Polish pope during my own lifetime.
We’ve had a lovely spell of sunny days with nights cool enough to keep all the lovely spring flowers blooming longer. So on walks and bike rides I’ll see not only still-blooming daffodils & tulips, or cherry and apple trees, but also wisteria like this. Many homes in Amsterdam – and also, as you see here, in Utrecht – have gorgeous, big wisteria plants trellised and blooming in spectacular profusion. Sadly, when I see them in A’dam, it tends to be when I’m rushing past on my bike during the morning bike-to-work rush hour, with no ability to stop and snap a photo. Will try to change that in the weeks ahead, before I lose the chance this season…
Apple blossoms, I believe, along the Kromme Rijn, which I think carries some (small portion) of the water that’s in the Rhine when it enters the Netherlands. Lovely day walk last weekend along this path into Utrecht, with many photos yet to be posted of both that city and its rural agricultural riverside neighboring areas.
(so much world, so little time....) 