In May 2018, Debra and I spent five days in the Netherlands – three days of sightseeing in Amsterdam and two days on tours in other parts of the country. Click HERE to read a short introduction about our fabulous trip.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our day in Rotterdam, Delft, and the Hague.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our day in Rotterdam, Delft, and the Hague.
Amsterdam, Netherlands (May 6, 2018) When Debra and I planned our itinerary, we booked two tours with Lindbergh Tour & Travel, an Amsterdam-based tour operator. Today, which was Debra's birthday, we went on Lindbergh’s “Grand Holland Tour.” We visited Rotterdam, Delft, and The Hague, learned more about Dutch history and culture, and saw the beautiful countryside as we drove from one city to the next.
The weather was picture-perfect – a blue sky and 50 degrees when we left our hotel. It warmed to the upper 70s in the afternoon.
Many of the places we visited in Amsterdam the past couple of days were within walking distance of where we stayed, the Albus – Design Hotel. Today, though, we climbed on one of the city’s distinctive blue and white trams just a few steps from the entrance of the Albus and rode it on the Rokin, which is one of the major streets in Amsterdam. We arrived at a sales office for Lindbergh ten minutes later and boarded our coach bus to begin the tour.
The weather was picture-perfect – a blue sky and 50 degrees when we left our hotel. It warmed to the upper 70s in the afternoon.
Many of the places we visited in Amsterdam the past couple of days were within walking distance of where we stayed, the Albus – Design Hotel. Today, though, we climbed on one of the city’s distinctive blue and white trams just a few steps from the entrance of the Albus and rode it on the Rokin, which is one of the major streets in Amsterdam. We arrived at a sales office for Lindbergh ten minutes later and boarded our coach bus to begin the tour.
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Rotterdam
Rotterdam, a port city located about 50 miles southwest of Amsterdam, is the second-largest city in the Netherlands (pop. 625,000). It was founded in 1270 after a dam was constructed on the river Rotte – thus the name of the city. The Rotterdam Blitz, an aerial bombardment by the German Luftwaffe in May 1940, destroyed much of the historic city center. So, although Rotterdam’s history goes back more than 700 years, it is a relatively new city in terms of its residential and commercial buildings. Debra and I saw contemporary architecture with bold designs as we drove through the city.
Rotterdam, a port city located about 50 miles southwest of Amsterdam, is the second-largest city in the Netherlands (pop. 625,000). It was founded in 1270 after a dam was constructed on the river Rotte – thus the name of the city. The Rotterdam Blitz, an aerial bombardment by the German Luftwaffe in May 1940, destroyed much of the historic city center. So, although Rotterdam’s history goes back more than 700 years, it is a relatively new city in terms of its residential and commercial buildings. Debra and I saw contemporary architecture with bold designs as we drove through the city.
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Our first stop was at one of the highest towers in the Netherlands. Standing about 600 feet tall, the Euromast was designed by Dutch architect Hugh Masskant for the 1960 Floriade, an international horticultural exhibition and garden festival that was held in nearby Het Park. Debra and I rode an elevator to the first observation deck (370 feet), which encircles Euromast. We were told that on a clear day we might see Antwerp, which is about 60 miles south of Rotterdam. Well, we didn’t see Antwerp, but we did enjoy breathtaking, 360-degree views of Rotterdam!
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Next, we headed to Markthal ("Market Hall"), the first covered market in Rotterdam. Debra and I loved the architectural design of the building, which opened in 2014 – exterior edges softened with rounded corners, apartments built into the tall arched space, and large glass windows at either end that said “Come in and take a look.” And that was what we did.
The market was extensive – we walked past stalls with fresh meats, fish, pastries, vegetables, fruits, and more. There was truly a smorgasbord of good things to eat! We stopped at a bakery, where we bought a few pieces of pastry that we enjoyed on our bus ride to Delft. And here in Markthal, I finally did “it” – I ate raw herring, a hugely popular (and strong tasting) dish with a 600+ year history in the Netherlands. Hmmm? Yep, one and done for me!
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Delft
Delft, located 10 miles northwest of Rotterdam, is a canal-ringed city (pop. 100,000) that dates to the 14th century. Like Rotterdam, Delft was founded on a waterway – a canal called the “Delf” (no “t” back then), which meant “to delve or dig.”
The first landmark we saw was Oostpoort, the eastern gate of ancient Delft. It was built around 1400. Its brick Gothic design was typical of European architecture at that time. Oostpoort is the only gate that remains; all the other gates were torn down in the 19th century.
Delft, located 10 miles northwest of Rotterdam, is a canal-ringed city (pop. 100,000) that dates to the 14th century. Like Rotterdam, Delft was founded on a waterway – a canal called the “Delf” (no “t” back then), which meant “to delve or dig.”
The first landmark we saw was Oostpoort, the eastern gate of ancient Delft. It was built around 1400. Its brick Gothic design was typical of European architecture at that time. Oostpoort is the only gate that remains; all the other gates were torn down in the 19th century.
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Debra and I exited the bus a short distance from Oostport to continue by foot to our first destination. We walked along a shaded tree-lined street with shops and a few restaurants, crossed a bridge that spanned a canal, and arrived at the quaint Delft Market Square. There we had free time for lunch and shopping. “First things first,” we thought, when we spotted a cafe with patio seating as we entered the market square. The menu was displayed on a lunch board. It didn’t take long to make our choice – we both had schnitzel and, for me, a local beer. Mmmmm!
Debra and I strolled around the square after lunch. We stopped to watch a shoemaker make wooden clogs, and otherwise enjoyed the “old-world” architecture of the buildings that surrounded the square. At one end of the square was City Hall, a Renaissance style building. The original town hall was built in the early 17th century; the current structure reflects a 20th century restoration. And at the other end of the square was Oude Kerk (“Old Church”), which traced its roots to 1246. The famous Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer (The Girl With the Pearl Earring) was buried there. Debra and I loved the history told though the historical buildings that surrounded the square!
Delft may be best known for Delft Blue, the world-famous blue and white ceramics – dinnerware, vases, figurines, and more. So, it was no surprise that we stopped at the Royal Delft factory.
Our factory guide shared a brief history of Delft Blue before we started the tour. This distinctive pottery, inspired by Chinese porcelain, was first produced in the 17th century. The production process used then is the production process used today: Potters created their pieces from clay made of 10 raw materials. A tin glaze was added after these pieces air-dried; then they were baked. Next, the potters used crushed oxides to paint scenes, figures, and other objects on their pottery and baked the pieces again. This second firing produced the Delft Blue color. Rich families collected Delft Blue and would show (or was it show off?!) their collection to friends.
On the tour, Debra and I saw this production process from start to finish. One of the more fascinating aspects of the tour was watching a painter who was hand-brushing an intricate design on a large vase. I asked our guide how long it took to paint one vase. “Two weeks,” he said. Can you imagine?!
Our factory guide shared a brief history of Delft Blue before we started the tour. This distinctive pottery, inspired by Chinese porcelain, was first produced in the 17th century. The production process used then is the production process used today: Potters created their pieces from clay made of 10 raw materials. A tin glaze was added after these pieces air-dried; then they were baked. Next, the potters used crushed oxides to paint scenes, figures, and other objects on their pottery and baked the pieces again. This second firing produced the Delft Blue color. Rich families collected Delft Blue and would show (or was it show off?!) their collection to friends.
On the tour, Debra and I saw this production process from start to finish. One of the more fascinating aspects of the tour was watching a painter who was hand-brushing an intricate design on a large vase. I asked our guide how long it took to paint one vase. “Two weeks,” he said. Can you imagine?!
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At the peak of production, there were 33 factories in Delft. Today, this Royal Delft Factory was the sole remaining producer of Delft Blue in Delft.
We exited the factory and entered the gift shop. Delft Blue was beautiful to look at, but it wasn’t our style – we left the gift shop with the same number of Euros we entered with!
The Hague
It was a short drive (seven miles) to The Hague, which is located on the North Sea coast of the Netherlands. The Hague is the third largest city in the Netherlands (pop. 1 million) and the seat of Dutch government. We were at The Hague to visit a park, not see the government buildings. However, as we drove through the city on the way to the park, we saw the Gothic-style House of Parliament (the world’s oldest) and stopped for a photo op at the Peace Palace. Opened in 1913, the Peace Palace houses the International Court of Justice.
We exited the factory and entered the gift shop. Delft Blue was beautiful to look at, but it wasn’t our style – we left the gift shop with the same number of Euros we entered with!
The Hague
It was a short drive (seven miles) to The Hague, which is located on the North Sea coast of the Netherlands. The Hague is the third largest city in the Netherlands (pop. 1 million) and the seat of Dutch government. We were at The Hague to visit a park, not see the government buildings. However, as we drove through the city on the way to the park, we saw the Gothic-style House of Parliament (the world’s oldest) and stopped for a photo op at the Peace Palace. Opened in 1913, the Peace Palace houses the International Court of Justice.
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We arrived at the outskirts of The Hague, and over the next 90 minutes, we took a tour of all of the Netherlands. “Howard, I know that the Netherlands isn’t a big country,” you might say. “But how were you able to see the entire country in 90 minutes?” The answer, my friends, is Madurodam, a four-acre park that opened in 1952. There, Debra and I took a leisurely stroll through a miniature landscape that included exact replicas, in 1:25 scale, of many famous Dutch landmarks – historical buildings, windmills, castles, industrial projects, and more. There was even a replica of the Heineken brewery in Amsterdam! The details were amazing – not only the structures themselves, but everything else you would expect to see in real life, from people to vehicles to manicured trees and shrubs.
The park was named in honor of George Maduro, a Dutch student who joined the resistance movement to fight against German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II. He was captured by the Germans in September 1943 and died in a concentration camp the next year.
The park was named in honor of George Maduro, a Dutch student who joined the resistance movement to fight against German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II. He was captured by the Germans in September 1943 and died in a concentration camp the next year.
As Debra and I walked through the park, we saw many of the places that we’d seen the past few days, including Rijksmuseum and canal houses in Amsterdam, windmills in the village of Kinderdijk, and Binnehof in the Hague. Madurodam was a great way for us to relive these moments and see more of the Netherlands than we were able to during our five-day trip.
We arrived back in Amsterdam early evening. The bus dropped us near the Lindbergh sales office, and we walked a short distance to Bravi Ragazzi Ristorante. We had a relaxing dinner before taking the tram back to the Albus.
Our Holland Grand Tour was memorable, and an unforgettable way to celebrate Debra’s birthday!
We arrived back in Amsterdam early evening. The bus dropped us near the Lindbergh sales office, and we walked a short distance to Bravi Ragazzi Ristorante. We had a relaxing dinner before taking the tram back to the Albus.
Our Holland Grand Tour was memorable, and an unforgettable way to celebrate Debra’s birthday!