June 14, 2016 – Delft

Made it the town of Delft and checked into a hostel sharing it with 8 others. It’s clean that’s all I care about.

Hostel Delft, Voldersgracht 17

Tuesday…1 year ago today I criss-crossed the United States in my 15 States in 15 days journey…Michigan to California. 6-thousand miles…all by myself. Now that was quite the American adventure. Then when I got back Eric and I went up to Oregon and Washington State. That too was wonderful, seeing old friends and meeting new ones.

Now, here I am on this journey of my heart and soul. Loving it except maybe the heavy rain…like this morning.

After breakfast this morning checked out of the Hostel and when to the “Escher in Het Paleis” exhibit. I was totally taken away by the story of his life and his creative magical world.

…nothing is as it seems in the work this world famous graphic artist creates; it lets your imagination run free…

The story continues…Piet Mondrian is here too. I did send out ten postcards today (thanks hostel) and wrote out two more later in the day.

By the way, for all those beautiful people out there who have kindly helped me do this, you make me feel very blessed and loved.

This morning walking over to the exhibition I walked through this red brick courtyard with a water fountain trimmed in gold leaf (see the photo) and cobblestone grounds.

There were guards manning the place and blue carpet rolled to make a clean path from side to side and door to door. Also, places for the press. Strange, I was unclear where I was…

Yesterday, I was on the back side near the garden pond with its water fountain waiting the opening of the Mauritshuis Museum. Guards, well-kept cars, strong steel metal road protectors that moved up and down…and very beautifully dressed men and women in their finest wears.

I thought for a moment I was in a James Bond movie (wrong country).

Well, today I asked the woman selling postcards on a cart in the square what was this place. She smiled and said,”(in her heavy Dutch accent) It’s Parliament”. Oh!

Equal to our White House and Congress, in Washington D.C. I thought that was funny I was just walking around taking pictures and no one seemed to mind.

The art show was also in an old state palace and very romantic. The former palace of Queen Emma…afterwards I went back to the hostel to get my backpack and found my way to Delft. In the center of town is a very old looking church that people here call Neuse Kerk: The New Church/Nouvelle Eglise. You could have fooled me…also, they have another church nearby (that looks just as old) called The Oude Kerk Old Church/Ate Kirche. Old Church called Alte.

Stopped by an old doors cafe called Bagels and Beans…just like the bookstore yesterday. Lunch was a whole wheat bagel with a thick slice of feta cheese with honey poured on top of it with whole walnuts…I simply love the way food is presented here in the Netherlands. The rich dark coffee was very fresh, too. Umm…

 

 

Sat there listening to the church bells…eating such lovely food to restore my strength. Took out a map and found the hostel, which was right around the corner. I am very blessed with a very strong sense of direction.

Found the address 17 Voldersgracht easy. A young lady was standing at the door and struck up a conversation with me and helped figure out if they had any beds for the night…Yes, but didn’t open till 16 hours (4pm). So, I sat down in a chair next door and everything was still wet from the morning rain. The store owner came and informed me I just couldn’t sit there, so I offered to buy a drink. That was perfect.

The young ladies name was Amy and she just finished her time working at this sweet cafe named “PLECK” a place to “eat and shop”. Looks beautiful…and done right. The owners name is Anita. Liked the soup sign in the window called: Courgette and Green peas. I was told to wait for the owner named Carola. She arrived and I checked in. All is well…

Wrote out two postcards then went out to explore the village o fDelft. This town is famous because it is the birthplace of the artist Vermeer (you know, “The Girl with the Pearl Earring”).

 

Fact of the day: Gouda cheese is named for its shape; round (at least that is what a cheese shop woman told me) Is there another truth? It does come in different ages…like any high quality cheese. The older the better as far as I am concern.

By the way Amy is from Montreal, Canada. She found herself here by way of San Francisco. (She meet her friend in a hostel on Mason Street about a year ago and moved here with him.) Cool.

Well another day has passed and it has had its beauty. Thinking of everyone and wishing to you all that is good. Peace…Zeerijp. Towards the end of the day saw this quote on a Hills & Mills cafe window…”About Happiness “.

 

 

 

—“Can a cafe be as much about happiness as it is about food and superb service. We believe a cafe has the ultimate potential to elevate and celebrate the human spirit. At Hills & Mills

People practice happiness and inspire others to do the same

Get Pure.

Get Right.

Get Together.

Perfect to end the day…