It's my Birthday! Two days ago.. xD

Yep, June 27 is my birthday.
I had no idea what to expect from the day. My boyfriend said he had been planning to take me out to dinner. The thing is I can only eat quite small portions, always been like that, so I asked if maybe we could DO something instead of just going out to eat, since I cant really enjoy it anyway. He said he'd fix it. :)

So, the day came and all I knew was that we were leaving around 11 to take a train to Den Haag. My mind was raising, where was he taking me? A market? A craft store? Concert? Theater? Movies? All wrong. I guessed correctly when he said we were close and right next to us was a parking garage for the "museum district". WOHOO! Museum! :D

When we arrived outside my boyfriend looked at me all expectant and I was thrilled, I was, but he seemed confused. And I must say I was shocked when he, probably the least art interested person I know, exclaims "don't you know who Escher is?!". Uhm, no. I'm sorry I don't. Turns out I do know some of his work but the man is also DUTCH. No wonder he'd heard of him then. It's easier to keep track of domestic artists. In any case, it. was. brilliant. The museum was about M.C. Escher.
Here we are in front on the museum.

M.C. Escher was a dutch lithographer. He was born in 1898 and in his lifetime he was a pioneer of how we could view art in new lights. He had a fascination for patterns, mathematical influences and optical illusions. Many of you have probably seen a few of his works without knowing it, as I had. One of his most famous ones is probably "Drawing Hands", google it. :)
He wasn't particularly good in school, except for art. He moved around Europe a lot but loved the hills of Italy and you can see much of his work portraying the landscapes in his own way.

It was an exciting experience and I urge you to check out his works. Although his work is from over 50+ years ago, his art is still fascinating and inspiring today. That a mind can see those things and put them onto paper is amazing to me.

The visit also provided a different kind of information for me. The museum itself was set in a building that had once been used by the Dutch Royal family. So in between all of Eschers works there was information about what that particular room had been used for by the royal family. Being an immigrant to the Netherlands it's interesting to me to learn about these things as well!
All in all, it was briliant. :D

The evening was spent on the phone. First with my mom and then my bff M.

Oh! I also wanna share some of the amazing gifts I got.
As a Harry Potter freak and a tea lover, I'm over the moon!

I also got a museum card that is valid for over 400 museums in the Netherlands for a year! Next stop, Rijksmuseum in Leiden, the Egyptian Exhibition! :D