Delft -- Vermeer Country!

Of all the towns I visited in Holland, Delft was my favorite.

Why? I'm not sure. It could be that I'm a huge fan of Delftware (and wanted desperately to own some).

It may have been it's beautiful town square.

It is here the the film "The Girl with the Pearl Earring" begins.

Perhaps it had something to do with the lovely canals, as all the Dutch towns I visited did.

The old churches (even the Nieuwe Church was old!) were lovely.

There were bicycles everywhere -- but then, by this time, we had come to expect them.

Perhaps it was the charming buildings that surrounded the square.

Or maybe, it was the view from above.

I suppose it could have been the bright tulips.

And if those aren't long-lasting enough for you, then these should certainly do!

It may have been the outdoor dining at the cafes on the square.

Or, it could have been the pretty painted door that simply captured my imagination.

No, I think it was the Town Hall that did it.

 

Well, I suspect the cheese had something to do with it.

The parking ramp was very clean.

And I had to say, I found Delft in waking up to the spring in early May, was a welcome relief.

It could have been that Vermeer hails from here -- his house is now a private residence.

 

(And as you know from the last post, I do like my Vermeer!) But I think that is a topic for the next time!

No matter what, I loved it! I hope you do, too!

Windmill Wonderland!

Yes. It's the ultimate Netherlands experience. 

You can't go to the Netherlands and not see a windmill. It just isn't done!

Today there are more than 1,000 windmills in the Netherlands, but the Dutch village of Kinderdijk is credited with having the most.

The windmills we would see here -- 19 of them -- were built around 1740 or before. They are well preserved today.

I learned that the windmills can manage water or grain. Those in Kinderdijk manage water.

And there is a lot of it. The wetlands were simply stunning on a gray, overcast morning.

We saw plenty of local inhabitants, too.

And some were very young!

The windmills of Kinderdijk have been considered a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997. Their literature states that the construction of the hydraulic works for the drainage of land...began in the Middle Ages and have continued without interruption.

So, here's a quiz for you. Why does every windmill have two doors?

The answer makes a lot of sense. Blades always face the wind and the wind can vary, so if the blades run in front of the door, it's rather dangerous. Consequently, using the back door is a safer bet.

Windmills can pump or grind, but not do both. The grinding stones cause enough friction that there isn't sufficient energy to drive a scoopwhile around.

And finally, what happens if there is a hole in the sail? Why, it's patched and patched again until it can be patched no more and then it is replaced, leaving the old sail as fabric for children's clothes.

I found Kinderdijk a magical place. Perhaps it was the overcast day.

Perhaps it was the nature.

Or maybe it was because it was all I had imagined Holland to be.

Yes indeed. It was.

Edam. More than Cheese.

After our double-visit to Volendam, I wasn't sure another town could reveal so many surprises or be as charming.

I was, of course, wrong. As we drove through the beautiful Dutch countryside, reveling in a warm, sunny day, our eyes and hearts were captivated by everything we saw.

But when we hit Edam, I felt as though I was in some sort of a movie set in a town I could never begin to imagine. A town of cheese! The Willy Wonka of Dairy!

You may well have heard of Edam cheese.

We were enchanted by its slightly soft consistency and slightly strong flavor.

The woman at the shop assured us -- this was really Edam cheese, and not that stuff they import. (Or export, as the case may be!)

But we were delighted to discover that Edam is much more than just cheese! 

 

It was a charming small town with picturesque streets.

 Again, the windows simply captivated me with their simple lace curtains like this one...

...and this.

...enchanting street-side homes...

...and shops. This one was clearly ready for Queen's Day!

I really wish I'd bought one of these wigs. 

 

Note the flag -- the Dutch flag is the three colors -- red, white and blue -- but on Queen's Day, an orange strip hangs alongside it.

 

As we entered the town we crossed this rather impressive bridge.

From that bridge I shot what might be my favorite photo from the trip -- a man with his dog and two cats, enjoying a warm day as he sat by the canal reading the paper. (Part of this may be cut off. as Blogger so often does with this template, so please click on the photo for full effect.)

And this was the view. Just look ahead and imagine what that town would be!

 

There were, of course, many canals. How I loved the canals.

 

The thought of living on a houseboat is a romantic one. And I'm sure I'd go crazy after the first week. But really, wouldn't you like to spend a night here?

And bicycles. Everywhere, bicycles.

Shopkeepers.

Carefully tended flower pots.

Everywhere I looked, I found something charming, something different.

I simply couldn't stop shooting!

In the end, I had to say Edam was more than just the cheese...

...but the cheese was pretty spectacular!

And it's not an overstatement to say I loved Edam.

A perfect day with perfect companions in Tara and David. Who could ask for more? Not me!