State of the iPhone: I've Got a Little List

So, I've continued to enjoy my iPhone so far; it's been fun fiddling with the various apps floating around. Surprisingly, it seems like my most-loved ones have been organizational and practical, rather than entertaining.
 
One of my most frequently used apps is something called List Master, which is a flexible tool for organizing and maintaining various lists and ledgers. It is easy to create sub-lists, and to change the parameters of each list depending on the subject matter.

London to Los Angeles Flight

Well, it's over. I'm disappointed that I have no vacation time left, but it was genuinely a relief to have a couple of weeks where work was not on my mind.

After arriving in Copenhagen, I settled in to my Bed and Breakfast (a 3-bedroom flat north of Amalienborg palace), I headed down the Strøget shopping street, and toward Tivloi Gardens, the country's old-school theme park. I didn't go on any rides (each ride costs a few extra tickets), but I got a drink, began to fill out postcards, enjoyed a parade and a concert, and took in the ambiance.

I then headed over to the Nyhavn port for a tour of the canals, which was a restful introduction to the city. I followed up my tour with a visit to the Little Mermaid statue in Kastellet Park, and later strolled through the park and the central barracks. Finally, I treated myself to dinner at Nyhavn, and returned home quite late. When the sun doesn't set until 10 or 11, it allows one to tour more extensively, but it also makes it easier to forget when it is getting late.

Flight from Amsterdam to Copenhagen

So, after a somewhat difficult airport security experience, I made it onto my flight.

On Thursday, I started by going over to the Amsterdam History Museum, which was not yet open. I then headed down to the nearby Begijnhoff, which contained the sole remaining wooden house in the city (the rest had burned down in a fire), and the "English Church," where the Pilgrims worshiped before heading off to America.

Afterwards, I headed to the Leidseplein looking to get on a semi-secret boat tour (Guild of St. Nicholas) that had been recommended by one of the hosts at my Bed & Breakfast. One had to arrive in-person in otder to make reservations, and the tour reservations were operated through the Boom Chicago comedy club, which had not opened yet.

So, I went down to the Van Gogh museum to finish my visit (fortunately, I was able to complete the audiotour without repurchasing it). The museum was noticeably more crowded than it had been on Wednesday, when I arrived shortly before closing time, so I'm glad I was able to make it out on Wednesday, In addition to the Van Goghs, which I had mostly been able to see on the previous day, I was able to see works by Van Gogh's contemporaries (which were in the permanent collection) and a temporary exhibition of posters and other artworks about Montmartre).

De Keuken Van 1870, Seated Next to a Sleeping Black Cat

Amsterdam has been really fun so far. The weather has cooperated, too; after some initial cloudiness, the sky got clearer and the temperature warmer. I have had fun exploring and walking around the town.

On Tuesday, I went to the Rijksmuseum, which was undergoing renovation but was still quite impressive. I saw a couple of personable Frans Hals paintings (including a large double portrait of a married couple), some lighthearted Jan Steens, a peaceful Vermeer (the one with a woman pouring milk into a jar), and some stunning Rembrandts, including the Jewish Bride, De Staalmeesters, and the Night Watch. The Rembrandts in particular were exciting to see in person, because the impasto technique lent an air of three-dimensionality that resists reproduction.