I found this bench nearby filled with yellow flowers to be terribly symbolic. Apparently your father and your still-born older brother (also named Vincent and born exactly one year before you…) are buried nearby, but I did not notice their graves… Then, again, maybe they are at the bottom of this picture. Either way, I was too absorbed in Yellow.

Then I went around the back to get a closer shot of the bell tower…

And just as I took this photo, the church burst into song.

Apparently it was 6pm, and the hymn was Angelus. This I would not find out for months. At the time, I was chilled. At precisely that moment, the rain stopped, and I knew it was time to go.

On my way out, I ran into the street named for your lover there, Margot:

And right underneath that sign, these tender flowers…

She was delicate too, and folded under the pressure of both you and her parents pulling her in opposite directions. She tried to commit suicide by ingesting poison right before she saw you. Luckily, you saved her life.

As I finally began to walk away from that lovely town, I saw – you and her. Together.

Next week, we go to Paris! Delicious!

First, I set off in the rain, for my 5km walk:

Then, as I see the windmill and step in front of one of the signs/markers, it begins to speak to me. I realize after the fact that there’s a button to push to let you hear a related quote from one of Vincent’s letters, but I swear I didn’t push it this time. Must have a motion detector or something. I don’t know, but it creeped me out. Once I recovered, I started taking a video, because the quote was great and the actor actually quite good. Ah, Nuenen in the rain…

It starts raining even more, and I LOVE it!

Last, but certainly not least, I explore the strange alley behind Vincent’s house, and have a sudden revelation…!

The back of the house, with Vincent’s studio in the foreground.

I like to imagine this is the door Vincent snuck out of when he couldn’t take his parents anymore.

Corner of his studio. I touched the brick here, it’s as close as I got.

Now, the first statue of Vincent I saw on my trip. I approached from behind, and already I liked it. At this point I was also looking for a place to sit inside and get a cup of coffee, and there was a cafe right next across the street from him called Comigo. At the time, I read it as Conmigo, “with me” in Spanish, and took it as a sign since I am half Spanish. However, it’s actually Portuguese. Nonetheless, I still find it strange that there is a Portuguese restaurant in a small town in the southern Netherlands… Oh, never mind.  Back to the man.

Made by Klaas van Rosmalen, in 1984.

Ready to draw.

I liked that leaf, and his foot.

I liked that he leaned forward, ready to engage.

Also fitting is the rock he stands on: “The pedestal, originally from the Southern Ardennes, is a 2 ton heavy carbonic limestone, which is at least 300 million years old.”  That’s from the little map they gave me. I think the rock is wildly appropriate. A man of the earth, of the ages. This was my first and still my favorite statue of him.

I sat at Comigo, put down the leaky umbrella, took off the poncho, relaxed a bit, and enjoyed my view.

Last but not least (for today, there are still more photos of Nuenen to come!), I want to leave you with some signs from the town. I found it really striking to see so many things named after Vincent, and maybe you’ll find it quirky too. Don’t forget to click on the photos for more!

Later this week I’ll be putting up some videos from Nuenen, so keep an eye out!