Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Delft Lemonade


Once again, it's my turn at Vision & Verb. If you click there and also on my Shutterchance image today, you'll see two other views of this Oude Kerk (Old Church, 1246) in Delft, Holland...and why I have titled this Delft Lemonade.

Yes, THAT Delft. The home of Delft Blue pottery and Johannes Vermeer, one of the great Dutch Masters. Remember The Milkmaid and Girl with a Pearl Earring? It doesn't get much better than that. So, yes, it was important to me to see where he was buried here in this Oude Kerk, my first stop on my 3-hour photo-hunt.


See the plate with the Oude Kerk in the background? The gift-shop lady told me it is the view Vermeer had of the church from his studio window.


Johannes Vermeer, 1632 - 1675 (only 43 years)


From the Oude Kerk I walked the short distance across the market square to the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church, 1396) where I climbed the 356 steps to the top of the tower. From there I was able to take pictures of the Oude Kerk, which you can see in my V&V post. Don't you love how old this new church is! It blows my mind. Astrid says that Dutch royalty is buried here.

It was such a gloriously sunshiny day. It reminded me of why I love this country (not that I need reminding) with all it's history and incredible architecture. My mom loved stuff like this...history, especially. I think of her and wonder if she can see everything through my eyes, even as I see it through hers.

If you read my V&V post, you'll discover that I have now climbed the two tallest church towers in all of Holland. The first one, in Utrecht, I climbed with Astrid 2 years ago. She was missing this time so one day we will go back so that she, too, can climb it. You know how it is with things in your own backyard. Sometimes it takes someone from the outside for you to discover it.

If you want to see more, here's my photo album of Delft. I do these more for myself than anybody...for posterity and the sheer delight of fresh lemonade!

And oh yes, in case you were wondering, we picked up our Granny Towanda yesterday evening. She's our Greenpeace baby, our impish Troll, our Grasshopper, our Kermit and our Elpheba...all mixed into one delightful addition to our family! If the weather cooperates on Saturday, we plan to take her out on her first photo hunt. Stay tuned.

10 comments:

  1. Amazing photo album, I am so happy that you had this wonderful day to Delft/Rijswijk.
    That blue sky is a treat, the pictures a joy to the eye.
    As you know I have never been to Delft, it is a city I might once like to go with you, you can be the guide.... ;)
    To me it is fascinating how Holland looks through your eyes, I now do understand why it is loved by so many tourists, sometimes we do forget to look in our own backyard.
    Our Granny Towanda is a darling car......it drives great and I just checked the weather, so far it will be partly sunny on Saturday.....so...do we have a date?? :) :)

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  2. I'm glad to see these other views here.

    Granny Towanda, so funny. Won't she have fun with you young ladies!

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  3. Oh the photo hunt sounds like so much fun! I really want to be excited again about a photo hunt....

    Can't wait to see the photos!!!!

    I'm so happy for you guys for getting the car. I want a new car, but I'll settle for enjoying your next photo hunt first. ;-)

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  4. Astrid: Whenever we go to Delft together, I will be glad to be your guide, meer dan je weet! :) And you can translate everything for me. That's a deal. HA! And yes, we have a date for Saturday, rain or shine. Driving the backroads of Holland will be a real treat for me!

    Ruth: The problem is there are always too many views! How do you choose which one(s) to show. I feel so lucky to have that "dilemma." The Granny part is a play on words of both Granny Smith (your idea about calling her Apple) and our age, so adding "young ladies" is more special than you think. :)

    ET: They say you should continue doing in marriage what attracted you to each other in the beginning, so photo hunts will hopefully always be in the ball game for us. We are such gluttons! And you're a sweetheart to appreciate the fun we're having. Thanks.

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  5. What a wonderful place you are living in! Someday Jane and I hope to get there. In the meantime, we will rely on your photo explorations. Don't stop.

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  6. I love the Delft pottery. When we were in Holland I bought a nice Delft hot plate tile and every time I use it I think about Amsterdam. I looked at your Delft album as a slide show – very nice. What a sunny day – the pictures with the canal are so pretty – I like the arty one of the steps reflecting in the water. Now about your car - I guess that even though Daihatsu is majority owned by Toyota, it is not a Toyota. My Scion is also a Toyota owned car but Toyota told me that Scions are manufactured a different way. It is 4 years old and I only have 15,000 miles on it, which for the US is not much for a 4 years old car. I do most of my traveling by plane, but it’s nice to have a small car to go in the country. You are going enjoy your Granny Towanda a lot.

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  7. Ted: Come when you can and let us know ahead of time! We will love to be your hosts/tour guides! You'll love it here.

    Vagabonde: Thanks for looking at the pictures, which are my world these days, as you know. Yesterday we took Granny Towanda out for 100 km and had a grand time seeing the closeby area. I hate it that Toyota is having so many probelms these days. I'm glad I had a Honda hybrid but I've had Toyotas in the past. I could have had one of their Priuses and feel sorry for those that worry about having a run-away failure. Sigh. Maybe it's a big wake-up call for the car industry?

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  8. see it all, do everything, do things more than once, cuz you just never know if you'll ever get another chance!

    love the stories and photos!

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  9. Did we ever tell you that our son spent a semester in Holland? It was a great program.

    http://www.emerson.edu/external_programs/castle/index.cfm

    He enjoyed every second of his stay, but we never got the shipment of tulips that he promised! He is now the sound designer/engineer at Hartford Stage.

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  10. Don: I totally agree! Do it all now, for sure . I want to see every square inch of this country. :D

    Jane: No, I didn't know that! And you never went to visit him?????

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