What do you think of when you hear Delft? Part 1

Say Delft to me and these things come to mind, in this order
Bicycles
Huge church
Quaint sights
Sharon and Betty, Jane and Chris
Delftware
Vermeer
William of Orange

So, bicycles... There is little parking in the older parts of town especially and few cars or other motorized vehicles but that doesn't mean no traffic or even traffic jams. I saw endless varieties of bikes.... Some with little cars behind them for dogs, for kids, saddlebags to load up on market day, two baby seats on one bike, the very young and the pretty old (bikes and people), people riding while eating, talking on the phone, carrying an armload of groceries, and texting...









Waiting for a lift bridge to close. Guess I didn't take as many bike pictures as I thought but they are everywhere as is the sound of bike wheels and chains....part of the charm.


There are two large Protestant churches here called the "old church" (built in 1240) and the "new church" (built in 1381). Both have been harmed and interiors mostly destroyed by fire and fighting during the 1500's.

The old church is not as impressive nor as much a presence in the city as the new church. But it contains the graves and mausoleums of many famous people including the artist Vermeer and Anthony van Leeuwenhoek, as you all surely know was the physician who invented the microscope. Here are a few pictures. It was odd walking inside as much of the floor is graves...


















The "new" church dominates the town. It is the second highest tower in the Netherlands and has 350 steep narrow steps you can climb but I have not done this. It is the burial place of Prince William of Orange (who led the resistance against Spanish rule of the Netherlands in the late 1500's) and many royal family members.
This church is very tall and maybe the fact that it is narrow emphasizes this but I was amazed at how high the ceilings and stained glass windows are!
So, some photos of this - and I have to admit, this was photographed by me just a few too many times from the town - you just keep seeing new views of it...

First view is out the window of our room...



















Mausoleum of William of Orange


The highest stained glass windows


This picture begins quite high off the ground









On left is the back corner of the church which is right out our window. And what we are told is the most photographed bridge in Delft.









Ok, I'll stop but I have more of this church....

Some cute sights around Delft...



























Ok, that's it for cute and quaint - you'll have to go yourself to see it all.
But not done with Delft - I'll do the rest in the next entry...