Last night, I downloaded photos and then I went to sleep with the TV on, and my glasses on too. Bob got up and turned off the TV. But this morning, I couldn't find my glasses. I tore everything apart looking for them (and missed many idyllic photos as we were
Coming into Arnhem)
but did not find them until Bob looked under the bed (where I had looked several times previously, but you really can't see to find your glasses if you need glasses). After Bob found my glasses, we had to get to breakfast ASAP as our tour was leaving at 9:00, and it was now almost 8. I was afraid to order something so Bob just got me a selection from the buffet.
Our table companions were a widow from Costa Rica and a widower from Austria who were traveling together and a lady from Canada. After we ate, I put on my sweater (and Bob put on one too) and we got our safety cards (cards which you take with you when you leave the ship) and our color card for the tour (ours was
yellow). We put on our communication devices set to
yellow, and went out and got on the bus.
We were about the first ones on. Our guide this time had his microphone on the whole time and did not know it so I heard a lot of stuff that I probably was not meant to hear. But a lot of it was in Dutch so I didn't understand it.
We had two choices of tours today - one to Arnhem Bridge & Arnhem Airborne Museum and the other to Het Loo Palace. I decided on the palace, which was the residence of the Dutch Royal Family until quite recently and was said to have been restored to be 'cozy' as if the family could still live there. I was thinking something like Queluz. It was a little more like Peterhof I think. Our guide was a sort of doddery old man, but at one point he said that when the Nazi's told everyone in Arnheim to leave in 1944, he was two years old - so that made him two years younger than my sister and about five years younger than I am. The day was mostly sunny, but windy.
house in Arnhem
Road to Het Loo
We drove past a big pink bicycle and some pink bicycles on lamp posts - that is apparently for a bike race ending in Italy which is sponsored by what the guide said was a pink newspaper - whatever that is.
Pink Bikes
We got to the palace about 10,
Welcome sign at the gate
along with another bus from our boat, a couple of Viking buses, a couple from AmaStella and at least two other buses. The roads and paths around the palace were paved with brick which made the going very bumpy, but not as bad a gravel or actual cobblestones.
Path to the Palace
Diagram - we walked from the lower left to the red area
We got our tickets from the guide
Ticket
From the entrance building to the courtyard
Queen Julianna statue
and also a booklet explaining the palace, and he tried to explain the various monarchs - Kings and Stadhouders which were apparently place-holders for Lords or Princes. I didn't understand it until I looked it up later.
As we exited the Entrance building we entered the Stables Square (with peacocks on the lawns).
Royal Stables
The stables were built between 1907 and 1909 at the orders of Queen Wilhelmina (1880-1962). The stable had room for 88 horses. Most of the horses are gone but there are two retired horses still in the stables.
Royal Stables
Royal Stables
A section of the stables is still used by the Royal Stables in The Hague. In the middle are two large coach houses. Royal carriages and sleighs as well as liveries (uniforms of the coachmen) are on display here. We didn't visit here because by the time I got back to this area my back was too painful for me to continue
Royal Garage
Opposite the Royal Stables was the Prins Hendrik Garage. In the 1920s when horses and carriages were replaced by cars, Prince Hendrik, the husband of Queen Wilhelmina had this addition built for the cars. Highlight of the collection is the Cadillac Convertible Sedan. The car was bought in 1949 and used by Princess Wilhelmina. Near the Prins Hendrik Garage there is a playground for children.
Diagram of the site - Entrance lower left
The palace has two restaurants and a Kiosk. We didn't see the Kiosk which is at the back of the gardens behind the Colonnades.
We didn't go out into the gardens because it was cold and the pathways were gravel which might have been difficult with a scooter.
The first restaurant we saw was the Grand Cafe of Paleis Het Loo at the Prins Hendrik Garage. It is a self-service restaurant. This restaurant is outside the gate where they take your ticket. You do not have to pay for admission to go to the stables, this restaurant or the playground.
Tickets are punched at the palace gate. First we went to a building which houses the second restaurant - Restaurant de Balzaal which is located in the west wing of the palace and overlooks the croquet court. That restaurant was not open when we were there - it is the one which is in the former palace kitchens and can be set up as a ballroom. The walls are covered with hunting tableaux painted on gold leather from the Rubens estate.
Restaurant/Ballroom
Model of the Groene Draeck
Dinner services
Display case and stairway
Before and after we entered at the gate, we took some photos of the palace itself. The guide explained that when Napoleon's brother lived here, he had the palace plastered in white. When the decision was made to make the palace into a museum, it was restored to the original 17th century appearance outside (i.e. they removed the plaster) We did not go to the West Wing which has temporary exhibits.
West wing
Palace through the trees
Blue Entrance booths
Outside the fence of the palace
Lawn area with tree before we entered the East Wing
The guy at the gate who punched our tickets said that the elevator was on the left.
East wing from outside the palace gates
Fountain in the middle of the palace entrance
Flag on the palace
Eventually our guide pointed us to the left and said to go in that way instead of going down the steps with the dangerous step at the bottom. We rang the intercom bell and someone came and unlocked the door and we went in - there was an elevator there to take us up to the first floor.
Disabled Access To Het Loo Palace
We did not do the tour in order - we started out at Prins Hendrik's Staircase #29 and then went to #31 the Hunting Room of Prince Henrick which had a wall covered with hunting trophies (antlers), and also a cuckoo clock. At the end of the first floor and we went up the elevator to the second floor. But for the purposes of this narrative, I am putting the photos in the order in which one would normally encounter them.
The Het Loo Palace was the former residence of the Royal Family of the Netherlands. It was open to the public after the restoration of 1984. In 1684, stadtholder Willem III (1650-1702) purchased the medieval hunting lodge ‘Het Oude Loo’ together with the surrounding buildings, woods, estates and water courses. He wanted to build a new hunting lodge on this site, one which would compete with the country estates of other European royalty. There are more than thirty rooms in the Palace which are numbered and organized more or less in chronological order.
Fireplace in the Vestibule (Room #1)
The first place most visitors see is the Vestibule or Entrance Hall which is hung with tapestries.
Het Loo Palace #1
Het Loo Palace #1
The sign in the room tells us about the portrait of Willem III when he was King of England,
Willem III
and also Queen Mary II his wife.
Het Loo Palace #1
After you exit the Vestibule, you go into room #2, the Bentinck Room (behind the audio tour counter)
#2 Bentinck Room
which is named for Hans Willem Bentinck, the Duke of Portland. He was an advisor for Willem III. The ceiling with painted clouds and a frame of imitation marble is from the 17th century. The rest of the room is of the 19th century as it was later used by Sophie (sister of King Willem III) You can look into this room from the Vestibule, but you can't go into it.
From the Vestibule, you pass through the Old Dining Room #3 . This was the dining room of Stadtholder Willem III before he became King of England. A dining room was something new in the 17th century. People just ate wherever they were - if the Stadtholder said he wanted to eat, a table would be brought to him wherever he was.
Floor boards (and the edge of the carpet) Room #3 -Old Dining Room
Ceiling detail in the Old Dining Room (Room #3) - Old Dining Room
A characteristic of all the apartments of Willem and Mary are the wood carved door frames with oak and acanthus leaves.
Next was the New Dining Room. Because we were going around on our own (and I just took photos without stopping to read the signs), I did not appreciate the NEW Dining Room.
Het Loo Palace- The New Dining Room
Het Loo Palace - The New Dining Room
Willem III had Daniel Marot design this room in 1692. Daniel worked for King Louis XIV, but when Louis XIV made it a punishable offense to be Protestant, Daniel fled to Holland, and became the head decorator of Willem III. This room remained the royal dining room for many generations. Commoners were allowed to watch the King eat, and during important dinners there would be musicians. What I thought was most interesting were the dishes in the shape of birds with tail feathers - one with a peacock tail feathers, and one with pheasant feathers.
Het Loo Palace - The New Dining Room
Het Loo Palace- The New Dining Room
The chandelier is a copy that Queen Wilhelmina had made of a 17th century Andre-Charles Boulle gilded bronze chandelier so it would make the room reflect the era of Willem III.
Het Loo Palace - The New Dining Room
the tapestries were based on a design by Marot and symbolize the power of William and Mary
Marble topped table with flowers
The Portrait Gallery (Room 5). In the booklet about the palace, this is called White Hall or Stone Room. Most of the time in the 17th century, there were no halls - the rooms just connected with each other.
Portrait Gallery in Room #5
Bob's picture of me in the Portrait Gallery
The walls of this area are hung with portraits of the Frisian Nassaus. They were the branch of the family of a brother of Willem of Orange. When Willem III died childless, Willem IV came from this branch of the family. I wondered about the equestrian portrait which reminded me of one I saw in the Prado.
It turns out that it is a portrait of Prins Frederik Hendrik van Oranje Nassau (1584-1647) attributed to Jacob Fransz van der Merck, date unknown. My photo is a little skewed because it was taken from a lower point since I was on a scooter and not standing.
Room #6 is the chapel - we do not seem to have any photos of the chapel which was originally Anglican, built for King Willem III and his wife Mary. After her death in 1962, Queen Wilhelmina lay in state here.
We apparently skipped room #7 (Cabinet of Stadtholder Willem IV) and room #8 the Frisian Cabinet. After Willem III's death, it was 45 years before an Orange was named Stadtholder of the whole Republic. Eventually William IV (who was married to Anne - the daughter of the English King George II) became the new Stadtholder. After room #7 and #8, most people walked up stairs. We took the elevator up
elevator
to Room #9 the Cabinet of Stadtholder Willem V. We are now into the 18th century, Willem V (1748-1806) was fond of luxurious furniture and loved things from the Far East.
Room #9
Room #9
Room #10, the Library is once again back in the 17th century -
this was a room used by King Stadtholder Willem III. Incidentally, Willem III was both a King of England and a Stadtholder of the Netherlands. I wondered why the library was called a Bibliotheek which was so close to the French word for library. I guess maybe both words come from the Latin.
Bibliotheek - Room 10
The ceiling (stucco with mirrors c 1692) was made by traveling Italian plasterers .
Mirrored ceiling of Room 10 - Library
The Gallery (#11 Called Royal Showpieces) was under construction so the next thing I have photos of is Room #14 the Bedchamber of Queen Mary II (17th century).
Mary would receive guests here after she made them wait in the antechamber. She had a marvelous bed here that she could show off.
Bed of Queen Mary II
Ceiling painting and chandelier
I also thought the ceiling was interesting. At first I thought it was copper. There was an chamber screen c 1685 which was embroidered (wool and silk) in cross stitch. You also have a good view of the garden from here (and from many of the upstairs rooms), but there was scaffolding outside the windows when we were there.
The next room (#15 the Dressing Room, Private Closet and Bookroom of Queen Mary II), was very pretty, with a fireplace and tea table. It was hung with tapestries.
Tea table and fireplace
Bob's photo of the tapestries with me on the scooter
The description said that Mary could read or drink tea from her Chinese porcelain and be undisturbed. There is a painting of her in this room (which I don't think I took a photo of) when she was 15 - the age at which she married Stadtholder Willem III, There is a Gueridon in the shape of a Moorish woman (Antwerp c 1675) by the fireplace
Around in the back of Queen Mary II's Private Closet was a very strange room which had wallpaper depicting plates on the bottom and on the top there were actual plates hung on the wall. In the 17th century it was fashionable to decorate small rooms from top to bottom with porcelain.
This set was made in the period of the Chinese emperor Kangxi for export. After that we went past #16 the Main Staircase.
I only have one photo of this, but this area was designed by Daniel Marot as a square temple in the middle of nature with wall paintings of Eastern princes leaning over the balustrades. During the reign of King Louis Napoleon the 17th century wall paintings were in poor condition and he had them plastered over. In 1902, Queen Wilhemina had them restored.
Next was the Audience Room -The floor rug is the one that Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard stood on at their wedding in the Hague. When King Willem I was at Het Loo he would hold an audience every Wednesday. Originally the Audience Room (Room #17) was the largest reception hall, so it would be held here.
King-Stadtholder Willem III would receive guests standing before his walnut armchair in front of the fireplace. Over the fireplace, the chimney breast (c1680) features the crowned cypher of King-Stadtholder Willem III and Queen Mary II.
Room 17 - Audience Chamber
The original wall paintings and hanging have been preserved.
The ceiling has been painted in such a way as to make the room seem even more imposing.
Then we went into Room #18 which was the first room in the apartments of King-Stadtholder Willem III. This room has leather wall paper which the sign says is practical because leather neutralizes unpleasant odors
Next were the rooms (19-20) of King-Stadtholder Willem III. He worked in his bedroom because he was very busy and often was ill. He suffered with fainting spells, severe colds and shortness of breath. But even when he was in good health, he would receive counselors in the bed chamber.
The bed, wall and chairs are covered with red damask which was the fashion of the time. I thought it looked a little like a bordello.
Red damask bed hangings
After the Bedchamber of Willem III, we entered the 19th century Drawing Room of King Willem II (Room #21) He was the second Orange King of the Netherlands. He is famous due to his part in the success at the Battle of Waterloo. His state portrait hangs on the rear wall. There is a small painting next to it of his wife Queen Anna Pavlova. She was the sister of two Russian tsars. Typical Russian touches in this room are the desk items of green malachite.
The Queen's Bathroom puts us firmly in the 20th century. Queen Wilhelmina had her bathroom (Room 24) remodeled with marble walls in 1904 - with modern touches such as heated towel racks and a shower.
Het Loo Palace #12 - The Queens Bathroom -Room #24
The fixtures were redone for her daughter Juliana in 1948. Even though this is a royal bathroom, it is still small so taking photos is a little more difficult
Room 25 - the Bedroom of King Wilem III. When Stadholder Willem III became King of England, he decided to sleep in this room from then on. Since then all the Stadtholders and Kings of the House of Orange-Nassau have slept here when they were staying at Het Loo.
Side of King Willem III bedroom
Nubian cherub lamp
He was the first king to have his photograph taken. Photos of him and Queen Emma are on either side of the bed.
King Willem III bedroom
The furnishings date from the time of King Willem III. In 1890, he died here. Next to the toilet table is his poo chair. At the time the palace did not have running water or sewers.
Majolica vase in the king's bedroom
The Prince Hendrik Staircase-Rm #29 was actually the first place we saw when we entered the palace. Prince Hendrik was the first prince married to a Queen. He was the consort of Queen Wilhelmina. In the time of the Kings Willem (I, II and III) this was the entrance to the apartment of their wives on the ground floor.
Portrait of Fredrich Wilhelm
We did not see room #30 the Boudoir of Queen Sophie because this was down the stairs from Room 29. So the next place we went was the Hunting Room of Prince Hendrik (Room#31)
Many antlers
We were immediately struck by the plethora of tiny little antlers on the wall. The description of this room says "Prince Hendrik, the husband of Queen Wilhelmina did much for the game population on the Veluwe. He had woods planted on the expansive Royal Estate. Like most of the inhabitants of Het Loo, he was also a hunting enthusiast. The trophies on the walls are from the Netherlands and Mecklenburg, the area of Germany from which he came
Desk in the Hunting Room
Room 32 was Queen Emma's Drawing Room. She was the second wife of King Willem III, Het Loo Palace, 1888. This room was reconstructed in 1983 with original furniture, although it had originally been in another room of the palace. Emma took the embroidered and printed silk wall coverings to a palace in The Hague when she vacated Het Loo to make room for the next queen
Fireplace
Reflected in the mirror
Fancy chandelier
Another photo of the chandelier
Right after Queen Emma's drawing room was Room 33, Prince Hendrik's Drawing room. Heinrich Vladimir was the third son of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg. When he married Queen Wilhelmina, his name was officially changed to the Dutch and was known for the rest of his life as Hendrik, Prince of the Netherlands. Prior to his marriage he made a long journey to India and his drawing room contains souvenirs of that trip including a wall lamp made from an elephant's trunk
Bear rug on the floor
Between Prince Hendrik's Drawing Room and Queen Wilhelmina's Study was the music room (Room 34) The Queen's study (room 35) is where Wilhelmina painted and wrote her memoirs after she abdicated in September 1948. There is a model boat, and a brooding statue which I presume is Shakespeare.
Shakespeare and a model boat
Chandelier
Study desk
Bookshelves
Book Rack in the study
Chair either in the Prince or the Queen's drawing room
Princess Juliana's Bedroom was Room 36. This has always been the room for the prince and princesses - near to their mother's rooms. When Princess Juliana reached age 18, she decorated the room with contemporary 20's furniture. When she moved to Soestdijk Palace she took a lot of the furnishings with her. After her death they were returned to Het Loo. Also here are the photos of the music room where she took her violin lessons next to the grand piano.
Princess Juliana's Bedroom
Piano in the music room (Room #34)
Chandelier (music room) and pictures
Pictures in the music room (Room #34)
Desk in the music room
This is the final room in the Het Loo Palace
We got back to the original elevator
and went back down to the ground floor where we had to wait for some time for the man to come and unlock the door to let us out. Givng me plenty of time to take photo of the area.
Koning Willem
Tile picture of Willem III
Queen
stairs to the rest of the palace
Door that has to be unlocked
Then we went back to the ticket office place, used the bathrooms and got back on the bus. My back was really hurting so I went back to the back of the bus and lay down on the seats for awhile - that helped.
Lying on the back seat of the bus looking at the sky
Bob was talking to some people who had moved to Belize.
Road from the bus on the way back to the boat
Bicycle Car
Canal on the way back to the boat
Don't Drive Your Car into the Canal sign
When we got back to the docks, they were busy setting up for King's Day.
Following another bus
River front restaurant
Following the bus around the waterfront
AmaViola from the bus in Arnherm
We had a towel rabbit on our bed.
Towel Rabbit
We went to lunch and I didn't bother with the buffet - had the ravioli soup, and the Fisherman's pot which had swordfish, shrimp, calamari and mussels - kind of a Dutch bouillabaisse.
Fisherman's Pot
Then the boat set sail for Nijmegen. This was a great afternoon - we were able to relax in our room and watch the scenery and life on the river as our boat passed.
Small boat and red marker
Ferry
House on the bank
Ducks on shore
Signs on shore
Coal barge
Tug with bikes
Tree branch pattern against the sky
Riprap
Beach
Shoreline
Clouds
Stern of a tug with cars
Tug with a car on deck
Clump of trees on shore
cows in the water
Cows playing by the river
Building on shore
Biker on shore keeping pace with us
Bike rider by the river
Shore and hills
Walkers on shore
green shore and green channel markers
and then when we got to Nijmegan
shore near Nijmegen
Strange building
Red and white striped aid to navigation
Boats moored
local barge boats
Nijmegen boat - blue
Pedestrian bridge
Pedestrian and road bridge
We went under a big bridge
bridge
Bridge end
Looking under the bridge
Green channel marker
Radar under the bridge
Nijmegen Bridge
Bridge with green channel marker
Nijmegen Bridge
Nijmegen Bridges
Viking docking point - Nijmegen
Nijmegen waterfront
Ice Cream cones - restaurant on shore
Crewman hanging off the side of the boat to help docking
tour boats
Bow of a moored river boat
Our boat reflected in another river boat
Tauck boat moored at the Nijmegen docks
Tauck boat central logo
Stern of a Swiss river boat
Man and his children watching us dock
When we got to Nijmegen, I did not get off the boat to walk up the hill to town
Steeple
Chimney pots
and those people that did said it was a very steep hill and very cold and windy. I just wrote up the 22nd and edited photos. Today photos were easier than yesterday because I had the time synced on the cameras and yesterday Bob's was 6 hours ahead of mine. At dinner we ate with three people from Idaho. I had a shrimp appetizer,
Shrimp and Pineapple Salsa
Poultry broth soup
and
Beef Rib eye, baked potato and white asparagus
Bob had the same. then I had Ice Coupe for dessert.
Church in the landscape from out cabin
We will be in Antwerp tomorrow.
