Delft to Gouda

A great sleep and anticipation for the day ahead makes for a great start to the day. We are looking forward to exploring Delft. It has been a few years since we have been here and we have great memories of our time here.

Binoculars provided in the room is not a perk we have had before. They came in handy last night watching the sunset and the birds.

Our home away from home for a night.. We’re a curious mix of contrasts…we love where we live and we love to be on the road…nomads at heart I guess.

We enjoyed our stay here at the Westcord Hotel Delft. Our room was comfortable and spacious. The common spaces like the huge lobby are beautifully appointed and popular for groups to gather. We liked the Delft blue throughout…note the fireplace. The hotel also has a floor devoted to work spaces, comfortable chairs and complimentary coffee.

The beautiful Delft blue and white China is synonymous with the identity of this historic and charming small city. We love it here and there is much to see and enjoy.

Vermeer was born in Delft in 1632 and lived his entire life here until his death at the age of 43. Most of his paintings were created in two small rooms of his Delft home.

An iconic view of Delft, the row houses often centuries old, canals and last but not least, countless bicycles.

It is Sunday and there is a pottery market of local artisans in the City Square.

We both loved this woman’s pottery in such lovely shades of blue.

The Delft Museum had a display including two men from the museum demonstrating their technique of painting a design on the china.

Horse drawn carriage tours are very popular. Walking in the midst of such history, it seems right to hear the clip clop of horses as they pass by.

This man on his motorized Segway shows that there are many ways to get around the city square. The child really enjoyed the view from its “front row seat”.

What a treat it is to wander through beautiful shops like this.

Dogs are wonderful companions, especially breeds like this golden retriever. This woman and her husband are from Britain and are travelling by motor home. When Barry went over to chat, the retriever leaned in, eyes closed enjoying a cuddle while Barry visited.

It is always fun to encounter and talk to a cyclist who also rides a recumbent and in this case a recumbent trike. He is from Britain.

Sightseeing and visiting is hungry work. We sat a cafe in the square and had a coffee and bitterballs….Dutch beef croquettes. Delicious.

Feeling the historic presence of life in Delft from centuries ago is palpable while riding around the narrow streets and along the canals. Removing 20th century elements like hydro lines, cars etc, it is easy to imagine and visualize life here, centuries ago.

No matter how narrow a roadway is, there is always room for bikes and pedestrians. It is a joy to feel so welcome as a cyclist in any circumstance here.

This photo shows the typical style of living on the canal. These historic row home have endured for centuries. When we last visited Delft, we stayed in a home like these and our room was on the 3rd floor. The stairs were a bit challenging, but we loved our stay.

Heading out of Delft on a pretty route along a canal.

The riding is splendid today, the weather is fine and the route is good. 👍

We are hot, but not complaining. It isn’t raining and cold as we experienced for so long earlier on the trip.

We love the Dutch/Belgium number system of navigating by bike or on foot. Stress free with excellent signage.

The grace and beauty of living life by the canal.

This water tower is no longer in use. Its capacity was 500,000 litres and it supplied water for 10 municipalities in the area.

This local couple were out for a ride and chatted with us about the history and importance of these water towers.

There is an ambitious plan to convert the water tower into a B&B. We wish them luck and will check it out one day!

We enjoyed our stop here. Sometimes the unexpected gems we encounter on a ride are the best.

We see few tandems and it was great visiting with this young Dutch couple. They are soon setting off on a grand venture with their tandem. They plan to ride across Europe to Turkey, ride to Nairobi and finish in South Africa. Their plan is flexible, but they hope to be on the road for a year. We wish them well.

Riding through the countryside, we have seen little commerce since leaving Delft and we are hungry. We stopped at a Pannenkoeken (Pancake) place for a meal. Barry chose the apple and walnut pancake….delicious.

A cormorant drying its wings and just hanging out.

A contented group enjoying the canal life.

Today's ride: 58 km (36 miles)
Total: 1,921 km (1,193 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	5
Comment on this entry	Comment	2

Karen PoretThank you for sharing!
Reply to this comment
6 months ago

Barry BartlettThanks Karen. Sometimes it can feel like a chore, but we do love being part of this community which shares its love of cycling and touring. We like sharing our trips.
Reply to this comment
6 months ago