We are back on the move and this morning saw us getting a regional train to head out to Delft. We had planned to leave a bit earlier but as luck would have it we did not need to go down to the central station but could hop on the train at the station directly across from our hotel. An hours train ride saw us arriving at our destination. Along the way the scenery was breathtaking. Fields of tulips, windmills, horses, cows, ponies, sheep and beautiful countryside to admire.
Once we arrived in Delft we stopped at the tourist information kiosk for a map and before I could ask for directions the man said to just go out of the station head straight ahead and turn right at the second bridge. A very short walk indeed and we were in the heart of it. My friend FC and I had googled what we would want to do here and we came armed.....oops I mean ready! We had a list of places to see, eateries to try, delicacies that were a must and I can report that we checked every item on our list, even if we arrived at the museum just as it was closing (we saw the lobby).
We started our day, as suggested, with coffee at Uit de Kunst coffee house. Right outside is an old telephone booth that is touted as the worlds smallest gallery. It hosts the art of different artists. It was interesting, the coffee lovely and the apple pie delicious. Sadly I was the only one to give it a try as my fellow travellers are still having to be super careful with what they eat still. Once we finished the coffee and I finished my super delicious treat we headed out to the Oude Kerk, a fabulous piece of architecture. The stained glass began with the nativity star and told the biblical stories. It was extraordinary to look at and the sun shone in to light up the glass beautifully. From here we headed off to the Nieuwe Kirk. Another fascinating and imposing structure. Here the opportunity was offered to climb the 370steps to the top of the tower. No sweat I thought. Well it was a 370 step spiral staircase, about three feet wide and steep, steep steep! I keep saying to my friend PC I’m getting dizzy! Narrow steps, tiny hand rail, getting intimate with strangers as they squeezed by and you hugged the wall what more could one ask for. Determination. Finally we arrived. The view was awesome and you could look for miles and miles. We enjoyed the view and horror of horrors we forgot to take the requisite selfie. It was only as we came outside on wobbly knees, and trembling leg muscles that PC and I realized that we had forgotten to take the selfie. But we would not reascend for a photo opt.
More wandering took us to the Vermeer centre, a coffee shop for tea, a picture session with red clogs, lots and lots of Delft pottery and the final stop Bakkerij Diamanten Ring for a few treats before heading back to the train station to head back to Amsterdam. The biggest challenge thus far, not to take out a bicyclist. While we are used to looking for cars we forget the cyclists and DH keeps saying don’t forget to look for the bicycles.
Thought I should try on a red pair
Town house in the square
Sculpture of a pottery maker
One of the many canals
Shall we ascend? 376 stairs and yes they were just as steep as they look
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The view from the top
Looking down on the Kerk
The tulip fields. Row upon row of majestical colour
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More fields of colour
If you look closely you will see the fields of colour beyond the houses
Some of the scenery as we went by on the train
Just outside the train station in Delft, giant tea cups
Another canal view
Smallest museum. Today's art
Inside the Old Kerk, centre aisle
View of the back
Pulpit in the Old Kerk
Some of the stained glass
Tombstones of the rich who could afford these graves
The impressive arches
Fiber artwork, Jackie Howard Artist.
This piece is called Supplication
House of my Mother
Birth of a Messiah
The New Kerk, PC and I climbed to just below the bells
Centre aisle
We all agreed that while the city was lovely there is nothing quite like the small towns for exploring. So many hidden treasures so near by. It is with thanks to the lady at the train ticket office that we had this experience today and it is definitely one that we were happy to have had suggested to us
This is awesomeness indeed! Thanks for sharing!
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