A Day in Delft

Delft is about 40 miles from Amsterdam and less than 10 miles from Rotterdam so it's very easy to get to by car or train. There are two main churches to visit. Oude Kerk, built in the early 13th century, with its slightly leaning spire makes for an interesting photo. Niewe Kerk was built in the 14th century and contains the supposedly magnificent tomb of William the Silent. It was being restored and unavailable for viewing when I was there. There is a great view of the town from the top of the tower. On a modern note, there is a shiny, glass-like statue of 2 large blue eggs behind the town square. It made quite a contrast to the traditional brick buildings surrounding it. Delft is famous for the hand painted blue and white pottery and you can watch artisans at their work in some of the shops. The porcelain is very porous and they must work quickly but carefully to make sure they get the painted designs right.

Quick Tips:

Delftware is fairly pricey because it is so labour intensive. Many stores sell 'knock offs' at a fraction of the cost so make sure you know what you're buying. If you want more info. on Delftware, you can take a tour at De Porceleyne Fles at Rotterdamseweg 196 where you can also shop. Besides traditional blue & white, Delftware comes in multicoloured patterns as well.

Best Way To Get Around:

The town is very easy to walk around. The porcelain factory is outside the town centre.

This 3 star family run hotel is actually 4 adjoining houses that were built in 1852. It is less than a 1 min. walk from the train station and is situated alongside the Houttuinen canal. My single room was extremely small and cost $85.00 (CDN). It a TV and modern, tiled 3 pc. bathroom (shower only)with hairdryer. The room faced a busy street but was surprisingly quiet at night. Breakfast was included and consisted of a large hot & cold buffet served in the dining room. There is also a bar and lounge with a copy fireplace. Free parking is included but I didn't need to use it. There is a pretty garden terrace for summer enjoyment. There is also a second location that has larger rooms with kitchens and apartments. You can see pictures and get more detail at www.hoteldekok.nl.

This is one of the many restaurants that ring the market square. I had goulash soup (excellent) and apple beignets served with whipped cream (good but heavy). The menu also included fish dishes and an assortment of sandwiches, among other items. The portions were large and service was friendly. There are indoor & outdoor tables, and it's fun to sit outside & people watch. Little sparrows flit among the outdoor tables and are so used to being fed that they will land on your table while you're still there, hoping for part of your meal. They can be pretty cheeky too. I left my table for about 2 minutes to talk to another diner. When I got back, one little fellow had actually perched on the edge of my soup plate - unluckily for him, I was finished and there was nothing left to share. I was there at lunch and didn't need a reservation but I'm not sure about dinner since the square is a popular spot with tourists and locals alike.

Instead of sidewalk tables, many Delft restaurants have flat barges that offer dining on the canals. The barges are stationary but on a sunny day, it's a nice way to eat as you watch the water. During the day, you can just order a drink, but after about 6 pm, you have to order a meal if you want an alcoholic beverage.

The tradition of weekly markets goes back hundreds of years when peddlers and farmers brought their wares to town and people shopped en masse. Although grocery and retail stores now get most of the business, the weekly market is still well attended by locals who come out to shop and visit and tourists who like to browse.

Delft's market takes place in the town square and has lots of household items as well as clothes, candy, produce, jewellery, etc. Probably the busiest vendor was the cheese man who had a wide variety of wedges and rolls of cheese. The fish stall had marinated, raw herring for sale, including raw herring and chopped onions on an open faced bun which I had no trouble passing by. Speaking of buns, the baker had all kinds of bread, rolls and pastries on display and did a booming business.

A couple of the hawkers were real characters - singing, joking, etc. while trying to entice me to part with my money, and they were partly successful. One enterprising fellow set up a curtained off dressing room so people could try on clothes before buying. It wasn't the highest quality of merchandise but I bought a cute sundress for less than $6.00 so couldn't complain. A couple of stalls had very nicely made silver jewellery at reasonable prices (about $12. for earrings).

I'm not sure what time the Market started, but by late afternoon, vendors were packing up to head home.

Around the square were many little restaurants and small gift shops selling tourist memorabilia. In a few store front windows, artists were putting the finishing touches on their Delft creations. Prices for Delftware vary greatly, depending on whether it's original or a replica. For example, one place had an authentic Delft Christmas ornament for $24.95 while a knock off one could be had a few doors down for $4.95.