Today, we purchased train tickets at Amsterdam Centraal to Delft, with possible stops in Leiden and Haarlem.
The train ride to Delft was uneventful. We got off the train at Delft and walked to the city center. We noticed a considerable bicycle parking lot near the train station - something that has become a common sight in the Netherlands and unimaginable in the United States.
We explored some of the old towns, including shops and restaurants. There were some unusual sculptures, like the one below.
The canals in Delft are not as comprehensive or extensive as the ones in Amsterdam.
Delft has a beautiful City Hall. We did not go inside but enjoyed it from the outside.
There are two significant churches in Delft - The New Church (Nieuwe Kerk in Dutch) and the Old Church. Surprisingly, the Old Church looks newer due to restoration.
The New Church is quite tall and imposing.
Inside, the New Church is plain (not as ostentatious as Churches and Cathedrals in other European Countries, especially France and Italy).
The Church has a fascinating mechanism for playing different bells to make music during other hours of the day.
I decided to climb to the top of the tower and take some photos of Delft.
We decided to stop by Stads-KoffyHuis (Stad's Coffee House), a restaurant recommended by Rick Steves.
We had a delicious fruit salad and a sandwich.
After we rested and savored our lunch, we decided to explore the Old Church (Oude Kerk in Dutch). As you can see, the Old Church looks newer than the New Church!
After visiting Delft, we examined the fine china produced at the nearby Royal Delft factory.
Royal Delft had an expensive entry fee to see the small museum of Royal Delft china. Royal Delft also showed us a film describing the history of the Royal Delft Factory and the many commemorative plates produced there.
We also toured the factory, which seemed a bit primitive (compared to high-tech manufacturing at other companies). Royal Delft still employs artists who paint most of their china by hand and seem bonded to tradition.
Here are some photos of the beautiful Royal Delft china.
The train ride to Delft was uneventful. We got off the train at Delft and walked to the city center. We noticed a considerable bicycle parking lot near the train station - something that has become a common sight in the Netherlands and unimaginable in the United States.
We explored some of the old towns, including shops and restaurants. There were some unusual sculptures, like the one below.
The canals in Delft are not as comprehensive or extensive as the ones in Amsterdam.
Delft has a beautiful City Hall. We did not go inside but enjoyed it from the outside.
There are two significant churches in Delft - The New Church (Nieuwe Kerk in Dutch) and the Old Church. Surprisingly, the Old Church looks newer due to restoration.
The New Church is quite tall and imposing.
Inside, the New Church is plain (not as ostentatious as Churches and Cathedrals in other European Countries, especially France and Italy).
The Church has a fascinating mechanism for playing different bells to make music during other hours of the day.
I decided to climb to the top of the tower and take some photos of Delft.
We decided to stop by Stads-KoffyHuis (Stad's Coffee House), a restaurant recommended by Rick Steves.
We had a delicious fruit salad and a sandwich.
After we rested and savored our lunch, we decided to explore the Old Church (Oude Kerk in Dutch). As you can see, the Old Church looks newer than the New Church!
After visiting Delft, we examined the fine china produced at the nearby Royal Delft factory.
Royal Delft had an expensive entry fee to see the small museum of Royal Delft china. Royal Delft also showed us a film describing the history of the Royal Delft Factory and the many commemorative plates produced there.
We also toured the factory, which seemed a bit primitive (compared to high-tech manufacturing at other companies). Royal Delft still employs artists who paint most of their china by hand and seem bonded to tradition.
Here are some photos of the beautiful Royal Delft china.
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