Amsterdam is beautiful in any season, but the long days of spring add to the enjoyment. The light on the canals is particularly beautiful in early morning and evening.

Bikes comprise about 40% of the traffic in the city.  And of course bikes make fashion statements all their own.

Tulips are everywhere.

And paintings from the Dutch Golden Age, in the 1600s, are replete with the family pets beloved then, as now.

For some reason, dogs occupy a very special place in Dutch painting.  I guess they were a big part of the good life in the heyday of Amsterdam, when trading made its citizens some of the richest and most contented people in the world.  The city today, at least the parts that tourists see, seems equally fun-loving and prosperous, if a lot more egalitarian.

Join me next time for more explorations in the art and history of Europe!

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