EUROPEAN RELOCATION: DELFT, THE NETHERLANDS

I AM SO GLAD WE STOPPED AT THE QUAINT TOWN OF DELFT. IT'S JUST SOUTH OF AMSTERDAM. THE SMALL CITY IS SO PICTURESQUE WITH THE CANALS AND BRIDGES AND LITTLE SHOPS.

YIKES! NOT MUCH ROOM TO PARK!!

CITY HALL BUILDING

LUNCH IN DELFT

WHERE'S MY FOOD?? I'M STARVING!!

HAVE TO BE CAREFUL LEAVING OUT THE BACK DOOR AROUND HERE!

THIS ANTIQUE SHOP HAD A GREAT COLLECTION OF OLD DELFT PIECES. I ALSO LOVE THE COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE ICE SKATES - MADE FAMOUS SO LONG AGO WHEN THE CANALS ACTUALLY USED TO FREEZE OVER!

MY PURCHASE. 1892

WOULDN'T WANT TO MAKE A WRONG TURN AND WALK OUT THAT DOOR WAY UP TOP!!

THIS IS OUDE KERK, OLD CHURCH. A GOTHIC PROTESTANT CHURCH. IT WAS BUILT IN THE 14TH CENTURY BUT OF COURSE MANY RENOVATIONS AND REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE OVER THE YEARS DUE TO A FIRE IN THE CITY IN 1536, HARSH WEATHER AND A GUNPOWDER EXPLOSION IN 1654. THE 75 METER TOWER LEANS ABOUT 2 METERS FROM VERTICAL. IT IS THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE NEED TO MOVE THE CANAL OUT OF THE WAY DURING CONSTRUCTION. THE TOWER HAS BEEN STABILIZED AND IT IS CLOSELY MONITORED.

RENOVATIONS IN PROCESS

THE PLASTERWORK WAS OVERHAULED IN 2000;

THERE WAS A DEVASTATING FIRE IN 1921. AT THAT TIME THEY SOLD THE PEWS AND CHANDELIERS TO PAY FOR THE RESTORATION.

THE MAIN ORGAN BY BATZ-WITTE, 1857

RESTING PLACE OF PAINTER, JOHANNES VERMEER

SAW AN ADVERTISEMENT IN AN EYEGLASS SHOP WINDOW WITH THIS PARODY PAINTING OF THE FAMOUS VERMEER PAINTING, "GIRL WITH THE PEARL EARRING". THOUGHT IT WAS A PRETTY CLEVER AD - ESPECIALLY IN DELFT.

FOLLOWING ARE PICTURES OF NIEUWE KERK, NEW CHURCH. THE TWO CHURCHES HAVE A LOT OF SIMILARITIES. THEY SHOULD BE CALLED TWIN CHURCHES. IT WAS BUILT IN THE EARLY 1400s AFTER DECADES OF CONVINCING THE POWERS THAT BE IN DELFT THAT MYSTIC VISIONS OF A CHURCH ON THIS SITE WERE HAD BY A BEGGAR NAMED SYMON AND ANOTHER CITY RESIDENT NAMED, JAN COL.

INSIDE THE CHURCH IS A MEMORIAL TO THE NATIONAL HERO, WILLIAM THE ORANGE. FAMOUS FOR FIGHTING TO FREE THE NETHERLANDS FROM SPANISH RULE IN THE 1500s. HE WAS SHOT IN 1584 BY A FRENCH HIT MAN ON ORDERS OF THE SPANISH MONARCH. THE MEMORIAL ALSO PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE HERO'S DOG WHO, IT IS SAID, AFTER HIS MASTER'S DEATH REFUSED TO EAT AND HE DIED. HE IS MEMORIALIZED LOYALLY AT THE FEET OF HIS MASTER.

YOU CAN CLIMB THE 376 STEPS AND GET A NICE VIEW OF DELFT.

THE TOWER LOOKS LIKE IT MAY HAVE SUFFERED A FIRE BUT IT HAS NOT. IT IS MADE OF BENTHEIMER SANDSTONE. CHEMICAL REACTIONS FROM RAIN HAVE DARKENED IT. THE TOWER IS DARKER ON THE WEST SIDE BECAUSE THE WIND IN THE NETHERLANDS USUALLY COMES FROM THE SEA.

JUST PAST THE FOOT OF THE BRONZE STATUE YOU CAN SEE WILLIAM OF ORANGE'S LOYAL DOG.

ANOTHER BATZ-WITTE ORGAN. HE WORKED ON THIS ORGAN FOR 2 YEARS, FINISHING IT IN 1839. IT HAS 3000 PIPES, 42 STOPS. IT IS USED EVERY WEEK AT SUNDAY SERVICE.