Gay with a Pearl Earring

Well Vermeer is here, kinda. He lived in every house almost but there’s one that is now his museum, the Vermeer Centrum Delft. However his paintings have been hoiked to Den Haag. This morning I met a fabulous local Lucy who knows everyone, seriously everyone stopped to say hello to her. She told me about a friend who offers a “dress as Vermeer” photography session but she was closed for the day. So for €7.50 in the market I bought fabric and took along my blue scarf that Sally bought me too. Where to get me a big pearl earring? Idea! Vermeer’s House. Well they had the exact thing and when I told them my plan they kindly allowed me to do it there with a large ceramic version along side me. Thanks to the fantastic museum staff.

While you’re here why not take a look at Artsy who are making great waves in promoting arts and education though internet accessibility. Their Johannes Vermeer page is packed full of examples of his work, exclusive articles, a biography and will keep you up to date with all the places you can go to to see his amazing paintings in their exhibition listings.

The National Gallery of Art in Washington is due to exhibit Vermeer and the Masters of Genre Painting: Inspiration and Rivalry. Go see some great art and if you can’t get to Washington you can get to Artsy. Be inspired to enjoy art your way. Maybe get some fabric like me and recreate yourself as a Vermeer masterpiece. It’s great fun and so is art. Enjoy it your way and when you do, upload the pictures here for me to add to this blog. I’d love to see more people as art.

Coffee is just my most favourite daily drink. Everywhere I visit I spend too much time finding the best baristas. Here in Delft I struck lucky on my first morning trip out. Take a seat in Koffie & Zo with the coffee obsessive Denis and let him brew you the best roast that Delft has on offer.

Gasping at the Gapers

In De Salamander chemist shop in the market square I learned from the extremely kind owner all kinds of fantastic stuff of old. Gapers, Dutch for yawners were the traditional symbol for a chemist shop in Holland. It demostrates that Arabic world was medically superior at the time. You find them all over if you look hard enough.

 

Many Gapers had the latest pills on their tongues.

“There’s a guy in this place, he’s got a bittersweet face and he goes by the name of Ebeneezer Goode.”

(The Shamen)

 

 

The salamander is also used often as the symbol of Alchemy. Most likely because when you light a fire the salamander flees the scene in terror.

Dutch Definitely Daft For Delftware Everywhere

 

Ok ok so you’re famous for that blue and white ceramic thing but honestly banning all other colours from the world is a tad excessive. No wonder everyone was staring at me eating chips in a yellow jumper. I felt like the obvious Brit abroad. Or was it that pearl earring I left in. Hehehe