artmusicfood

   Hey getting close to the end of my trip. Dropped Nik back to Lake Constance and had a last lunch with his lovely family then flew up (in cappaccino) through Germany to the Kroller Muller museum in Holland which I visited in 1984 and which has been my world favourite and gave me inspiration for the Egg. So I wondered if it could be as good 24 years later. It was better. Still has the free white bikes to cycle through the forest and the museum is set in a very large sculpture garden (forest) with works by Rodin, Arp, Maillol etc. and our very own Chris Booth who has done a very large stone sculpture (million dollar budget and a year to make) which holds up well against the international lineup. The museum houses a large collection of Van Goghs (marvellous) and important works by Tolouse la Trec?, Picasso, Cezzane, Pissaro etc and an artist I hadn't come across before but liked, Toorop. The whole experience is a great way to view art, relaxed and easy. 

     So to Groningen the northern most city in Holland to visit Gerben and Mirjam who stayed and worked with us at the Egg last year. They have a spacious flat within walking distance of the city centre and they welcomed me into their house and life (I am a rich man indeed!). Spent the next day in the far north amongst canals and windmills and dairy farms with huge houses and barns and fresian cows happy on good grass in the 32C heat. We have 4 million people in NZ on a land 8 times the size of Holland which has 17 million but in the north it feels like there is plenty of room.

     Did the city next day, a little run down round the edges but has a bustling centre with many cafes and a well designed museum (Mantini?) which is set in water and as you go down levels you get different views from the windows. A Chinese exhibition was showing with some way out stuff from when they broke out of the cultural dark times. Home to cook for my hosts and enjoyed meeting their friends for Gerbens birthday party

     Farewells next morning then meandered down the coast and across the big dyke built during the depression in 1932. Very windy and the sea brown so didn't take a plunge (haven't swum in the sea yet on my journey) and ended up at Martys place in south Holland. He is an artist and part of the Rolling Stones tribute band The Rollicks who I met when they toured NZ. He lives by himself and his house is typically Marty, shambolic, with guitars and sound systems and paintings and drawings all over the place. His 13yr old son stayed over so I took them to the Kroller Muller which is only an hour away and they hadnt heard of it!

      Played poker till 5am at a friends place so excuse the grammer im (I still cant find the apostrophe!) not at my best.

         Talk soon