We were given a day off on Friday to go on an exursion. My friend Allison had a class assignment in Delft to do, so I decided to tag along. After switch trains, laughing at the Spanish boys for getting yelled at in first class by an old man, and slaughtering the pronounication of all the Spanish and Italian names of those that went with us, we arrived at Delft.
Delft was the stereotype of a picturesque Dutch town. Canals with lily pads floating ontop murky water separated cobblestone streets. In the skyline, I could see the tower of a large church. The serenity of the landscape quickly ended with the ringing of bike bells for being in their way. 
Once at the musuem, again I saw painting after painting of men and women in frilly collars, depicted with bland colors, and had to deal with humdrum of 15th-early 18th century Dutch art. Not that I don't appreciate the works of Vemeer, or the cultural and historical value of Dutch art. One just gets bored with the lack of variety. Of course there was one exception that made the museum worth seeing. The bullet holes of where William of Orange was murdered are still in the museum. The Spanish boys we went with thought it would be funny to record their own rendition of the murder, so did so in the middle of the quiet and austere musuem. I don't know how they didn't get kicked out, but the video was amusing. 
In the church, Vemeer was buried. It was interesting to see that in the Netherlands some people are literally buried in the church. Their tombstones are part of the floor. It was eery to walk over graves like that.
After lunch we went to visit the "new" church (the church was completed in 1496). You'll notice how the top of the church looks black. That is from it being struck by lightening, once in 1536 and another time in 1872.
We decided to climb the 356 steps to the top of the tower. That may not sound like much, but climbing the stairs quickly becomes a workout. To get to the top, you must climb up a narrow and winding staircase. At times the ceiling is low, and once I bumped my head.
Here I am almost to the top of the church.
After climbing the tower of the New Church, we went inside the actual church, where William of Orange and the royal family are buried. Here is William of Orange's grave. When I first glanced at it, I couldn't help but think Dumbledore, what are you doing buried in a Muggle church?! Ha, ok just kidding. But seriously, if William of Orange had a beard and a crooked nose, and got rid of the poofy collar, his grave would look exactly how it was described in the book.
The stain glass in the windows of the church.
This is the way they get to the graves under the church. It's creepy to think I'm walking on top of the royal family.
This is an example of what their tombstones look like. It is near impossible in some places of the church not to walk on them.
Here I am after souvenir shopping.
Allison and me wanted to take a picture in the clog, but the little boy wouldn't leave.
Delft was the stereotype of a picturesque Dutch town. Canals with lily pads floating ontop murky water separated cobblestone streets. In the skyline, I could see the tower of a large church. The serenity of the landscape quickly ended with the ringing of bike bells for being in their way. 
Once at the musuem, again I saw painting after painting of men and women in frilly collars, depicted with bland colors, and had to deal with humdrum of 15th-early 18th century Dutch art. Not that I don't appreciate the works of Vemeer, or the cultural and historical value of Dutch art. One just gets bored with the lack of variety. Of course there was one exception that made the museum worth seeing. The bullet holes of where William of Orange was murdered are still in the museum. The Spanish boys we went with thought it would be funny to record their own rendition of the murder, so did so in the middle of the quiet and austere musuem. I don't know how they didn't get kicked out, but the video was amusing. 
In the church, Vemeer was buried. It was interesting to see that in the Netherlands some people are literally buried in the church. Their tombstones are part of the floor. It was eery to walk over graves like that.After lunch we went to visit the "new" church (the church was completed in 1496). You'll notice how the top of the church looks black. That is from it being struck by lightening, once in 1536 and another time in 1872.
We decided to climb the 356 steps to the top of the tower. That may not sound like much, but climbing the stairs quickly becomes a workout. To get to the top, you must climb up a narrow and winding staircase. At times the ceiling is low, and once I bumped my head.
Here I am almost to the top of the church.
After climbing the tower of the New Church, we went inside the actual church, where William of Orange and the royal family are buried. Here is William of Orange's grave. When I first glanced at it, I couldn't help but think Dumbledore, what are you doing buried in a Muggle church?! Ha, ok just kidding. But seriously, if William of Orange had a beard and a crooked nose, and got rid of the poofy collar, his grave would look exactly how it was described in the book.
The stain glass in the windows of the church.
This is the way they get to the graves under the church. It's creepy to think I'm walking on top of the royal family.
This is an example of what their tombstones look like. It is near impossible in some places of the church not to walk on them.
Here I am after souvenir shopping.
Allison and me wanted to take a picture in the clog, but the little boy wouldn't leave.
