Official Visit from Russia to Open Hermitage Amsterdam: June 19, 2009

[Al_bina]

It is good to know that Russian government promotes its country through art. I visited the Hermitage museum about 15 years ago and had a pleasure to see the collections that include thousands of masterpieces, demonstrating the versatility of artistic approaches and techniques. The Hermitage has preserved real treasures of the bygone eras.

[Marengo]

www.dumpert.nl - Maxima verkleed als Grover

'Máxima dressed as Grover' is the caption, Grover is the one from Sesame street.

[lucien]

While most of the above posts do belong in the fashion thread,and that blue fluffy thing in my broom closet,
my domestic didn't know where to turn without it yesterday.
I would like to return to the actual event.

The Russian official visit is over,Medvedev left the building....

http://gpdhome.typepad.com/royalblog...amsterdam.html

courtesy hja

After occupying several floors of the dishy and top notch Okura hotel,the President and Mrs. Medvedeva left yesterday afternoon after extensive talks with members of his 80+ delegation,both governments as well as on CEO level representing the major companies/industries
at the Okura Hotel.

http://www.okura.nl/en/

The Hermitage meanwhile,is enjoying its first of White Nights,(open for 36 hours,non-stop,with concerts and story telling to performances as ballet,and breakfast from 05.00AM ,might go have a bite there later)while I enjoyed a sleepy one here at home after being on my sore feet all day again at the Hermitage,meeting friends from boards and forums alike,and showing them around as it was my second visit yesterday.Still,there are new discoveries each and every time you enter the same room,and I think that will be the case every time you visit this absolute gem of an exhibition,you discover more each time blinded and overwhelmed as one is the first time 'round,it is both too much and never enough,there's more and more and even more still and you don't want to miss out on anything.

The grand piano,a gift from Nicholas to Alexandra:

http://gpdhome.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8...12f17c3970b-pi

It was busy but not too crowded as it is a very spacious building,everyone enjoying the sights and sounds.Sounds,concerts all day long,from Orthodox Choirs,beautifull,to Victoria Koblenko,actrice telling stories while Sergei and Maria Gortsevskaya played beautifull music,you hear Mussorgski,and then a tune on a balalaika somewhere in the Inner Court,to baeutifull church music in the room dedicated to the Russian Orthodox Church,with its array of golden bejeweled artifacts,its robes of Patriarchs,paintings and icons,to the music at the Imperial Balls in the grand Ball room while surrounded by moving plateaux with the most exquisite of Imperial ballgowns,the walls covered in wonderfull paintings of what was the "St.Petersburg society"at that time,the late 19th early 20th century,and,a especially beautifull painting stands out in that wall,Princess Zinaida Yusupova,what an incredibly beautifull Lady she was.

There are the treasure throves of museum shops,containing just everything you could imagine they would have,it is the Hermitage.

All books,each and every one on the Romanovs,and more specifically ofcourse Nicky's family,the milking cow and tuned up bank account of many an author or whom thinks go's by that discription....,it is all there.All.Yes Peter,....so are you....

The only thing that is awfully inefficient,and adding to the russian senses..... is the way the restaurant/café is running!Or the lack of it!Unbelieveble,people had to wait up to 1 1/2 hour to have a cup of coffee while too young and too in-experienced personel was running around the block like hens without heads,I told them ofcourse,and got the drinks and delicious looking cake/taart for the four of us myself,put on your friendliest smile and tell 'm to go some place else at the nearest possible moment......Inconvenient,but you'll survive it,just go one hour before you get thirsty and you'll have whatever you asked for in just under the next hour.....

On the other hand,staff acted swiftly as one of us got migraine and I had several paracetamols for him in under a minute,and there's the wonderfull peacefull and spacious inner court to take a rest under the old trees that survived the restauration of both building and garden.

I know of people hesitating to visit the Hermitage so soon after the opening event,but really,no worry,it is never overcrowded because of its spacious plan and you can really take as long as you like to look at whatever it is that next grabs your attention,or gives you goosebumbs because of its delicate beauty .

Hermitage Amsterdam,if you were ever short of an excuse to visit Amsterdam,and ofcourse,the Royal Palace,another gem that just re-opened its doors.You definitely ran out of excuses not to come since last friday.

Feel welcome to come and tell any of us dutch living in the vicinity,and one of us,or,scary....,more of us will take you out on a tour,if you think you can handle that.

Part of the Imperial Ball Room,the vitrines on plateaux slowly turn to the music of walses:
http://www.amsterdam.nl/contents/use...Hermitage7.jpg

Not for blogs without my permission.thank you.

[King's Mistress]

Seems like she rrreally wanted to impress our president.

[susan alicia]

had not seen the outfit from the back ,

she looks with the white pants like a skater from Holiday on ice (WHAT was she thinking when she put it on, clothes, makeup, brown roots at hairline etc)

Originally Posted by Marengo

www.dumpert.nl - Maxima verkleed als Grover

'Máxima dressed as Grover' is the caption, Grover is the one from Sesame street.

[lucien]

With all these fashion comments,in the wrong thread,I wonder.

[barber]

It's a pitty, I looked rader the picture with Maxima her head, sorry!!
They have so much clothes, not everybody looks the same well!!

[Marengo]

Somebody in the audience filmed the entire concert. Here the first part (of 7):

[sgl]

Lucien, thank you for your wonderful descriptions of the Hermitage. I hope to visit Amsterdam next summer, and yes, I will take you up on your offer to meet visitors at the museum!

Restaurants and cafes almost always experience craziness during their early days. I am sure that the museum will get this sorted out. It sounds like they are already quite efficient, especially when it comes to helping visitors who have fallen ill.

[lucien]

Originally Posted by sgl

Lucien, thank you for your wonderful descriptions of the Hermitage. I hope to visit Amsterdam next summer, and yes, I will take you up on your offer to meet visitors at the museum!

Restaurants and cafes almost always experience craziness during their early days. I am sure that the museum will get this sorted out. It sounds like they are already quite efficient, especially when it comes to helping visitors who have fallen ill.

As the Hermitage closed its doors a few hours ago after it was open for 36 hours non-stop celebrating White Nights,it was announced
that an amazing 15000 visitors enjoyed the exhibition in this short period of time.

Still,if you walk there,the spaciousness of the building makes it doesn´t feel nor look crowded at all,except in the restaurant `Neva`.

SGL,I will gladly receive you and take you on a tour!

[Elspeth]

Since the Dutch moderators aren't online, I've deleted some personal comments arising from the discussion of Princess Maxima's choice of outfit for this event. The consensus of the Dutch moderators is that as long as the Princess chose to make such a striking fashion statement, which rather overshadowed the rest of the proceedings, it isn't inappropriate to mention it here. However, now that hopefully everyone's got it out of their system, further discussion of her outfit should take place in this thread in the Fashion forum, and I'll thank the regular posters here for keeping their personal comments about other posters to themselves from now on.

Elspeth
TRF admin

[lucien]

As I mentioned before,the first weekend the Hermitage drew 15000 visitotrs during the White Night festival as the museum
was open for 36 hours non-stop.

ANP Beeldbank

courtesy Ade Johnson.

http://gpdhome.typepad.com/boeken_ro...jk-museum.html

courtesy hja

[lucien]

Originally Posted by lucien

As I mentioned before,the first weekend the Hermitage drew 15000 visitotrs during the White Night festival as the museum
was open for 36 hours non-stop.

ANP Beeldbank

courtesy Ade Johnson.

Boeken etc Royalblog.nl: Koninklijke opening voor een nieuw keizerlijk museum

courtesy hja

News Summary Royalblog.nl: Amsterdam showcasing czarist splendour

News Summary Royalblog.nl: Romanov opulence on display in Amsterdam

[auntie]

No gala? No splashing jewels and tiaras from the vault? After all, some of them originate from the imperialistic Russian era.

[susan alicia]

Lijfwacht Medvedev hinderde vrouw - Binnenland - de Volkskrant

a summery of what is said in the newspapers: .........

During the visit of the Russian president Medvedev to Holland to visit the Hermitage a member of his entourage, a bodygard misbehaved towards a 19 year old woman who worked in a hotel.
He was arrested Saterday morning by the police of Amsterdam after a complaint by the young woman and he was not staying in the same hotel as the president.

The bodygard paid a fine of 1000 euro to the court and a 200 euro to the young women. The ministery of foreign affairs does not find it necessary to make an official complaint and the matter is settled..........

[lucien]

Been to the Hermitage for the fifth day today,and still,every time you see new things,or things you've missed the previous time(s).

It is so impressive,so precious and breathtakingly beautifull,I just can't recommend it enough,so worthwhile a visit,as are the treasure
troves of shops in each wing.

While giving a dear friend a tour,other people listened in on what we had to say and so it happened we started with the two of us,and ended the tour of the cabinets at the Imperial Ball wing with 8 others in our slipstream.It is really nice to share once knowledge of the Family with others,more so even while looking at the items before you,once worn and or used by the Romanov Family.It all becomes a vivid story,comes alive really.

What is really worthwhile,as a sort of pause from the loads of impressions,is a short stop at the cabinet dedicated to the Russian Orthodox Church,admiring the items on display while listening to the beautifull chants of the Orthodox ceremonies.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_lis...ssich+orthodox


Unfortunately we all had to leave the Hermitage today,the alarm went off and all were requisted to leave the building,but that was after the blini's with salmon,cream and caviar,good lord,what a delicious russian style kitchen the restaurant has,we dined there last night as the restaurant,"Neva" , is open until 1AM while the museum closes at 5PM,which is rather early I think.

[sgl]

Lucien, I think that the museum needs to add you to their payroll! It sounds like you are an incredible tour guide. Why did the alarm go off today?

[Turkish Delight]

BelgaPicture - Category details
BelgaPicture - Category details

[lucien]

Originally Posted by sgl

Lucien, I think that the museum needs to add you to their payroll! It sounds like you are an incredible tour guide. Why did the alarm go off today?

False alarm apparently,thank goodness.Maybe even on purpose to train staff how to evacuate the building
within 3 minutes or something like that.
Good,but a pity to many as they were just having lunch,looking around or just arrived etc etc.

Payroll?I would even volunteer to tour the world around in the Hermitage,but don't tell 'm that please...
If you are short of an excuse to visit Amsterdam,again and ASAP,this is the best excuse you can think of,
the Hermitage,and I am not exaggerating in any way.

The magnificence of this more then impressive exhibition captures you instantly and won't let go till the next day or so.It is just too much to comprehend in one visit.And then telling what's what and why makes the time even fly more,as happens while doing what you love to do,but it is so wonderfull,you see that people are under the spell of what they are witnissing,and you want to ensure they live into the moment,and back in time a bit,give it your best so all understand/comprehend what they see and how it came about.I am not an expert,and I do not pretend to be one,but I share what I know,might be above average,yes,but that doesn't make me an expert.But what I tell is true,never tell 'm stories for stories sake.The wardens are watching me,greeting me even,maybe they think I'll be off with the wedding painting by Tuxen,such rare beauty really,it really is,watching it while hearing russian orthodox chants from the cabinet next door that is dedicated to the ROC,I tell you....you drift away in time...while guessing who's who in the painting....

The catalogue is a gem,a must have as all this is so unique,but then those two museumshops are downright treasure troves,loads and loads of books on the Romanov's-Russia-Jewellery,jewellery,icons,services,anything.....

There's the room showing the many links between the Houses of Orange Nassau and Romanov,which is new to so many,people have no idea further then our Anna Pavlovna,but then her sister Jekaterina gave birth to a daughter that became Anna's daughter-in-law,much to her dismay.....
Prince Hendrik's half-sister was the infamous Miechen,mother of Wladimir,the Romanov family treator,who's granddaughter Maria doesn't have my sympathy,sorry,,not,but that is besides the topic here really....Pauline Laws you see,and my wish to play it be these rules...if it was just to keep her out of sight...oh well...Romanovs you see,they invented quarelling,and then became masters in it.And then infected all those with a more then average interest and knowledge in this Imperial Family,as various threads in various Boards and Forums show.

In favour or anti whomever of this family,there's no way you can go around the captivating history of the Romanov's and more so each and every member,can you?They've displayed their wealth,and we display a wealth of thoughts on them.More then on any other Family in history maybe,and that alone is captivating don't you think?Even more,or maybe I should say,certainly more then on the Windsors,they're boring and poor compared to the Romanovs,even to this very day.Don't worry,I admire that impressive & charming octaginarian on Britain's Throne,she has my warmest sympathy,as does the Prince Philip,not inspite,but because of his gaffs..love the man!

Something very moving,I think,it the maternity ensemble of Alexandra,striped mauve and cream,with next to it Alexei's crib and baby shoes as well as his teddybear.
The gorgious and immense silver morning toilette set,Sasha's and Nicky's morning robes,Large and Little,allthough that nickname was Michael's and Johnson,but Alexander III was such a large man in that day and time,while Nicholas was
almost fragile and of limited height,if that is the expression.Fascinating men.

I could go on and on describing each and every cabinet,let alone the Imperial Reception room and the Imperial Ball room,from the one with
the gorgious fans,to the one with I haven't got a clue how many shoes,satin,silk and or studded with diamonds,shoes,in all colours.

Xenia's 1903 Fancy Ball costume,Paul I's Throne,the Romanov Throne we all know from the Throne room at the Winter Palace,the Imperial Court Dresses,the uniforms,the gala outfit of the house moor,must have been a giant,Baba what's his name..beautifull.

See you soon,petetre....

[Turkish Delight]

La princesa Máxima, una 'zarina' en el Hermitage de �msterdam