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Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Rotterdam and Delft
Chicky Wicky got restless in the cabin and wanted to stretch her wings in Rotterdam and Delft.
Chicken Watch
Arthur and Hazel were our dining companions and we loved meeting them and getting to know them. They are from Dublin and hopefully we will get to see each other again soon!
The Laurenskerk, or Church of St. Lawrence, originally arose on the banks of the River Rotte and its location can truly be called the very birthplace of Rotterdam. It is an imposing church built between 1449 and 1525, and it is Rotterdam's only surviving late Gothic building. After the bombing of Rotterdam in the Second World War, the image of the heavily damaged church and the reconstruction works that followed became a symbol of all that the city and its people had endured.
Rotterdam is an interesting mix of old and new since so much was destroyed in WWII.
This is what a Cube House looks like inside:
We saw stuffed animals in the window of one and Vivi asked if they would fall out. The guide told us that if the windows are open, things do, in fact, fall out.
Here is a video from YouTube showing one of the Cube Houses:
but wait...let's go back to some of the old. How about that Cathedral door?
Thanks for the background information, Wikipedia, because my Dutch isn't good (nonexistent) so I couldn't read the other pages.
The Blaaktoren is a residential tower on the Binnenrotte at the Blaak in Rotterdam . The distinctive pointed roof of the building derives its more famous nickname "The Pencil". It is one of the most striking buildings in Rotterdam and forms with the adjacent cube houses a famous landmark in the city.
If you’ve ever wondered whether Delft pottery and Chinese Ming porcelain had anything to do with each other, then you're on the right track! Until the late 16th century ceramics were only available to the rich. But in the early 1600s, the Dutch became acquainted with porcelain from China. It became so popular that local potters had to do something to save their trade - so they imitated the porcelain and created Delftware. Asian scenes gave way to Dutch imagery, and a national icon was born. To this day, Delftware remains popular with collectors.
Delft factories
Of course, true Delftware comes only from the city of Delft. Between 1600 and 1800 Delft was one of the most important ceramic production centres in Europe. Delftware products have been an important export product from the Netherlands for 400 years and Delftware is still well known around the world. The 17th-century Royal Delft Factory (Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles) and De Delftse Pauw are the only original Delftware ceramic producers still in operation. The charming town of Delft and its pottery factories and shops make for an interesting day trip from Amsterdam.
Buying the wares
Delftware is made from a clay mixture that is covered with a tin glaze after it has come out of the kiln. Delftware painters paint the traditional decorations on the porcelain items entirely by hand – and it doesn’t only have to be in blue. Galleria d'arte Rinascimento in the Jordaan has a large assortment of antique and new Delft pottery from the Royal Factory on offer. Another fine place to source your wares is Jorrit Heinen Royal Gifts and Collectables, located in the Munt Tower. If you're watching your budget and less concerned about authenticity, the Christmas Palace near the Flower Market has a selection of charming and affordable blue and white ornaments.
a painter at work on Delft pottery
painters discussing specific pieces of pottery
pretty...and pretty expensive!
Though the town is very picturesque, we didn't explore it because Viv was wiped out and just plain exhausted. So we sat in a cafe and talked and that was a wonderful way to spend our afternoon. Sometimes it's nice to hear what's on her mind rather than going 100 miles per hour trying to see as much as we can.
She's been thinking a lot about school in America compared to school in Belfast and I'm realizing it's time for a change. Her opinions are well-reasoned and her observations are intuitive and I want her to maintain a joy of learning for the sake of learning.
We also talked about the limits of the universe and the end of time and the likelihood of life on other planets and if Chicky Wicky was enjoying the hot chocolate. It's always a variety of topics with that girl.
That night was the gala dinner, which Vivian said, "it's just like all the other dinners, but they turned off the lights." True, but I didn't break the news to her that all the other people on the boat stayed up much, much later.
La-la-la-la-la, here we are sailing. Tra-la-la-la-la...WAIT. Is that an ARK? Yes. It is.
The Ark of Noah replica was built by The Ark of Noah replica was built by Johan The Ark of Noah replica was built by Johan Huibers from 2008 – 2013. from 2008 – 2013.
Vivi took a picture of me.
Mikayla, Vivian, and Vivian
This is Beata, who Vivian LOVES. She still says she misses her. Beata is wonderful and I'm happy we are now friends on Facebook so Vivian can see pictures of her.
Everyone has been asking about the food (rightfully so):
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