[NAIROBI]
Visiting the Delft
city could be one of the most interesting things to do while in The Royal
Netherlands. Alighting from the tram one finds that Delft is a labyrinth combining historical
beauty and modernity, setting the town as one of the most thrilling places with
compelling eye-catching scenes and amazing architectural works in a country
renowned for traditional blue colour mark.
And for visitors like me, this is a city with something for
everyone, all year round. It offers something for culture lover, the
fun shopper, the historian, the scientist, the gourmand, and the sporty.
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| Town Hall |
It has museums, monuments and churches which forms part of
its tradition and culture, excellent shopping and dining outlets and exciting
backdrop of events. With more than six hundred national monuments, the city is
truly one huge monument. According to Delft Tourist Information Point, the
sixty bridges, the merchants’ houses, the mansions and gable houses along the
canals, the old shop fronts, the churches and the almshouses are shining
illustrations of the Dutch architecture.
The many historic buildings are used in daily life by the
town dwellers and can, therefore, be admired from outside. But many of the
monumental buildings house museums with exciting content and offering an ideal
way of enjoying the riches of this city.
One such is the Museum Paul Tetar van Elven which is a
former residence of the painter and collector, Paul Tetar van Elven [1823-1896],
with the period of rooms from 17th, 18th and 19th
century.
From the Technology of Museum Delft, one can meet past and
present technology and the people behind it. The Vermeercentrum takes you to a
fascinating voyage of discovery through life and work of the famous 17th
century Dutch painter, Johaness Vermeer.
The monuments include Maag, which is a city weighing house
from 1644, the Vleeshal, a front gable with sculptured cow and sheep heads.
Those who get fascinated with artillery hardware will enjoy the Armamentarium
which is a former artillery house warehouse of the state of Holland and West-Friesland.
Where shopping is a
joy.
Shopping in Delft
city is a joy. The city center is divided into a number attractive, mostly car
free, shopping areas, often with underground car park within walking distances.
The old historic city center with numerous small shops gives delft a special
touch.
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| Shopping for Delft blue ceramics |
Most shops in the old city center are located in historical
buildings and teeming with beautiful gables and appropriate ornamental stones
dating back to hundreds of years. Around the market [Oude Delft, Choorstraat,
Voldeersgratch, Wijnhaven, Hipolytusbuurt, Vrouw Juttenland] there are many
galleries, gift shops, exclusive fashion outlets, little shops with
knickknacks, and cosy cafes to relax in after all that shopping excursions.
On nice days here—when the temperatures are not extremely
cold—there is always an outdoor café to enjoy. Even more gratifying
about this place is a walk along the canals and to browse in one of the unique
shops. The neat alleys are a pleasure to walk along.
One could also savuour the richness of two modern shopping
centers in the new city
center; In de Veste and Zuidpoort. Here congenial shop streets like Branbanste,
Turfmark with their wide range of clothing boutiques, cheese and wine shops and
speciality shops are a natural transition to modern shopping centers.
Dine Well
You can dine well here and you can tell by the number of
restaurants in the city center how the people of Delft enjoy their food and drink, but more
importantly by the quality of the outlets. Everywhere you find a multitude of
restaurants, atmospheric grand cafes and romantic eateries where one can enjoy
dishes from all parts of the world on a 24 hour basis. Whether it is Greek, Turkish,
Indonesian, Surinam,
Thais, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, French, African or Mexican tastes, they are
all there. And not forgetting traditional Dutch dishes. The many outdoor cafes
found in the old city makes it a really attractive and fun to roam around.
Recreation in Green
Spaces
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| Indiase TVploeg |
Green Oasis-Delftse Houts, just a short distance from the
city center, is one such space that offers an extensive wooded area with active
and passive leisure for the young and old. Walking, cycling, rowing, pedalos,
windsurfing, swimming, Delft
has it all. There is a water playground,
a city farm, a running track, a deer
park and an arboretum to make your visit a maximum
fun. And restaurants are never far away from which ever part of this green
oasis you are in.
A number of Delft tourist
attractions are great fun for kids; talk of a canal trip, the horsetram, or the
Delft blue
train. And you can’t afford to miss Reptile zoo Serpo. Several museums often organise
children’s activities. You can not miss something sporty, something on the
water, a playground or a children’s paradise that thrill them to the fullest.
The city center which is largely pedestrianised is accessible
by car, train, tram, bus and bicycles. Research has also demonstrated that Delft is the most popular
Dutch city for walking. There are several themed walks-on your own, in groups,
guided or combined with a trip on the Delft
canals.
Discover the old and
churches in Delft
The Helige Greeskerkof is one of the finest places within
the city center. It houses Delfts most ancient church dating back to 1246. The
Oude Kerk [Old church] is an exciting site with its charismatic leaning towers.
It has a splendid interior that includes beautifully crafted pulpit dating back
to 1548 and 27 very special stained-glass windows.
There is also the Nieuwe Kerk [New Church]
which dates back to 1496 and is located in the market.
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| Delft: View of Old Church leaning tower |
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| A magnificent interior of a hotel |
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