Journey Around The Globe

City of blue and white – Delft, the Netherlands

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Globe Runner

DELFT, THE NETHERLANDS: Delft is the type of city where I don’t mind going over and over again just to hang out and enjoy Dutch people and their culture. Yes, it is a typical Dutch city… meaning small canals running thru the city, old windmills here and there, cheese stores (one of my favorite features of Netherlands), and not to mention the crazy bikers. It is not a heavily touristic city, like Amsterdam, but the charm here is no less than Amsterdam. This small town is world famous for its history, famous University (TU Delft), and its tradition with blue and white ceramics. Even if you are not into ceramics, you will love watching master painters working on their projects and how they have kept their traditions alive over the centuries. Delft is also very close to (less than half an hour drive) Rotterdam, Gouda, Leiden, Dan Hague…perfect to combine these places.

: Old town of Delft, the Netherlands

TIME OF TRAVELLING: This month my sister and her husband came to visit us from the USA. They’ve visited Amsterdam before. Delft being only hour and half drive from our home in Tervuren, Belgium, Delft was where we wanted to go before their flight back the next day. Although it was almost mid-June, it was a windy and cloudy day, no sun at all.

WHAT TO BUY AND EAT IN DELFT: The most memorable (and expensive) souvenir you can buy from Delft is of course the blue and white Delftware. If you want to be cheap or don’t care about real stuff, you can get these ceramics in replica items in any store in the old town. But if you want real hand-painted Delaware made in Delft, then you gotta empty your pocket bad. But hey, who knows when you will go back there again…so why not get the authentic Delft porcelain for some a lot more extra cash? Other than that, you will find wooden shoes, tulips, Dutch cheese, miniature windmills in almost all the souvenir shops.

: Original hand-painted Royal Delftware

If you want to try typical Dutch dishes, have a raw herring fish sandwich with onion, or battered deep fried fish. You will usually find people selling these in the open marketplaces on weekends. We had our lunch in a restaurant little bit outside of the old town. I had a croquette (kroket in Dutch), which is a deep fried Dutch snack prepared with minced beef, potato, and breadcrumbs. It looked like a hot dog when the lady put it on a bun with ketchup and mustard.

PLACES WE VISITED: We spent about half a day in Delft, mostly in the old town. I just wish the weather was more favorable. If we had more time we could have check out some other famous pottery places in town. Another fun thing to do in this town would be taking a boat tour around the canal, which we didn’t do this time.

1) ROYAL DELFT (KONINKLIJKE PORCELEYNE FLES): Royal Delft, established in 1653, is one of the original 32 Delftware manufacturers and is the last remaining Delftware factory from the 17^th century. The world famous Royal Delftware is still entirely hand-painted according to centuries-old tradition.

: Master painter at work in Royal Delft

Royal Delft is about 20 minutes of walk from Delft Stadhuis or New Church. It is open every day from Monday to Sunday and all public holidays from 9-5pm (closed on Sundays and public holidays from November to March). There is an entrance fee of 12 euros per person to enter the factory that includes an audio tour (available in 8 different languages). The tour starts with 2 short films (1^st one is the history of Blue Delft and Royal Delft and the last one is more like an interactive movie on its development and production process). After that you get to see the master painter at work, antique Delft pieces, building ceramics, ceramic tiles, one of a kind courtyard, the factory and finally their showroom. The museum also features a collection of Delftware that was owned the Royal Dutch families. Good part about the showroom is that while it has a comprehensive collection of hand-painted Delft Blue by Royal Delft, it also carries an extensive selection of earthenware and souvenirs from other Dutch companies. There are other stores in the old town which sell Royal Delft products and what I have seen, prices are the same.

: Historic garden of Royal Delft

2) TOWN HALL (STADHUIS) & HUGO de GROOT MARKT: Delft Town Hall is located in the heart of old town, surrounded by many old buildings, Blue Delft shops, cafes, and other souvenir stores. Facing the town hall is a big bronze statue of Hugo Grotius (1583-1645), a jurist in the Dutch Republic.

: Delft Stadhuis (Town Hall) in Groot Markt

3) NEW CHURCH (NIEUWE KERK): New Church was built between 1383-1510. Its present spire dates from 1875 and is 375 ft. in height. Many famous Dutch citizens and royal members were buried in this church including Hugo Grotius. The church is huge inside but rather a simple one with no grand alter or eye-catching ornaments. The stained-glass windows are also beautiful to look at. But the Mausoleum of PRINCE William of Orange, the FOUNDER of Dutch independence, in the back (1^st to be buried in this church) is the focal point of this church. The tomb is nicely decorated with marble pillars, coat of arms, 4 female figures on the 4 corners, and then an image of the lying, dead Prince in the middle.

: New Church (Nieuw Kirk) of Delft

New Church is also located in Hugo de Groot Markt, facing the Stadhuis. The church is open from Monday to Saturday 9-6pm. It is 3:50 euros to go inside, which covers entry to Old Church too.

: Tomb of Prince William of Orange in New Church of Delft, the Netherlands

4) OLD CHURCH (OUDE KERK): This Brabant-Gothic style church is Delft’s oldest church, being built in 1246. This looked very similar to the New Church, especially its floor, organ, seating arrangement, altar, and the stained-glass windows. This also houses tombs of famous Dutchmen including famous Delft painter Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675). All the way in the back is the tomb/monument of Lieutenant-Admiral Piet Heyn, which is there since 1639. The most INTERESTING FEAUTRE of this church is that it’s 75 meter high brick tower, built in 1350, LEANS about 2 meters from the vertical. During the construction, it became apparent that the base soil was not strong enough to support the building, so the church began to lean. Eventually they had to compensate for the tilt by building counter curves on the upper part of the tower.

: Inside Old Church (Oude Kirk) of Delft, the Netherlands

Summer festivals season is here: Delft (lasusea.wordpress.com)
Introducing Delft INA (lasusea.wordpress.com)
blue and white (trinketspotter.wordpress.com)
A real ‘Loes van Delft’ (ninthlabel.wordpress.com)

Next destination Milan, Italy

Posted on June 10, 2012 by Globe Runner

2 Comments

It’s almost time to go to Milan, Italy. I don’t know what is it about Italy that makes me so excited. Is it the landscape, charming people, “ciao”, gelato, true Italian pizza, ancient history, Italian leather purses… hard to decide. Nevertheless, time to pack for my most favourite country in Europe or may be in the world. Sheesh, no wonder I loved Olive Garden back in The States…

Ti amo l’Italia e ci vediamo presto 🙂

A True Italian Restaurant Experience in Milan, Italy (ethnostravel.wordpress.com)

Old town of Aachen, Germany

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Globe Runner

4 Comments

AAC HEN, GERMANY: Aachen is one of the great small European cities that definitely deserves more visitors. The good part of it is that, though the city has the site first to be recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage in Germany, you don’t have to be lost in a crowd of hundreds of people to get there. I must say this place is more intimate and welcoming than other big German cities. Aachen was the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany back in old days. You can still find medieval architecture by your side when walking around in the old part of it. The city was heavily damaged during World War II (like medieval Church St. Foillan) and this was the first German city to be captured by the Allies.

: Pedestrian street in old town of Aachen

TIME OF TRAVELLING: My parents were visiting us from the USA in end of May, 2012. They wanted to get some TASTE of Germany during their stay. Aachen being only an hour and half drive from Tervuren, Belgium, it was a perfect place to make a quick day trip. We enjoyed the hot sun after the long winter we had this year in Europe. Kids were also happy to run around in the cobbled streets of Aachen in their shorts and sleeveless t-shirts after a long time.

: The square in front of Aachen Town Hall

WHAT TO BUY AND EAT IN AACHEN: We went to Aachen on a Monday, which was a government holiday (White Monday in Europe or Memorial Day in the USA) here in Europe. We found every store closed, except for the cafes and some bakeries. We couldn’t buy any souvenirs, but treated ourselves with some German-style big dishes followed some pastries afterwards from local bakery shops. I can’t remember the name of the restaurant, but we had our lunch right by Aachen Cathedral, which not only had great food but also had awesome customer service.

: My yummy treat after lunch

PLACES WE HAVE VISITED: We mostly stayed in the old town of Aachen for the whole day.

: Cafes and restaurants near Aachen Cathedral

1) AACHEN CATHEDRAL: This is the OLDEST cathedral (dates back around 792 A.D.) in northern Europe, and beautifully situated in the heart of old town of Aachen. Due to its great significance for the history of both art and architecture, Aachen Cathedral was the FIRST German historical monument admitted to the UNESCO World Heritage list of cultural values in 1978. It’s gorgeous golden ceiling, marble wall, beautiful altar, mosaic floor will take you back in time of the Early Middle Ages.

: View of Aachen Cathedral from the town hall

The cathedral is open from 10-6 everyday. There is no charge to enter the site but you have to PAY an euro to TAKE photographs inside the cathedral. That one euro is worth every bit of it, believe me. Despite of its size, this is has to be the number one place to visit in Aachen.

: Beautifully designed ceiling, marble pillars and stone walls of Aachen Cathedral

2) ST. FOILLAN CHURCH: This is an old church standing beside Aachen Cathedral in the pedestrian zone from the year of 1180. The church was almost completely DESTROYED in air raids during WWII in 1944. Anyone can locate this church by its tall neo-Gothic spire which boldly dominates Aachen’s sky.

: Tall tower of St Foillan Church, which dominates the sky of old town Aachen

3) TOWN HALL/RATHAUS: In the place of today’s town hall there once stood the Palace of King Charlemagne of Aachen in the 8^th century. King Charlemagne started building his favorite palace in Aachen from 789 on, and after his coronation in Rome in 800 it became his permanent seat of residence. The present town hall was built in the 14^th century on the foundations of the former palace, and within some of its surviving outer walls. Later, this Rathaus went through numerous renovations and restorations transforming from Gothic Town Hall to a Baroque style, and finally to a neo-Gothic Town Hall in 1901. It’s 20 meters tower is preserved in its original Carolingian state. The building suffered heavy damage from bomb raids during WWII in 1944.

: Aachen Town Hall in the heart of old city

This beautiful and elegant town hall is open to the public everyday from 10-6. It’s only 10 euros for the whole family to go inside and an extra 1.50 euros for audio tour guide. Tourists can visit the beautifully decorated rooms with high ceilings, Assembly Hall of the City Council, marvelous looking Coronation Hall, and the Ark Staircase.

: Coronation Hall on the 3rd floor of Aachen Town Hall

4) OLD TOWN AACHEN: The old part of this city gives you a medieval taste of its past. The lively squares, small cafes, and old buildings offer a relaxing yet charming atmosphere for the locals as well as the visitors. Aachen Cathedral, St. Foillan Church, Rathaus (Town Hall) are all located here within walking distance. Don’t forget to enjoy the artistic statues and sculptures while roaming around this old town.

: A statue in old town of Aachen, Germany

A Day in Aachen (porterstakeduesseldorf.wordpress.com)
Aachen on a rainy day (lilyblu.wordpress.com)
Nazi war criminal Klaas Carel Faber dies in Germany (bayreuthgermany.wordpress.com)
New World Order: Europe hammers out plan for new financial confederacy of Eurozone states (theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com)
Aachen Revisited: Culture, Cosmetics, and Toy Stores (beyondbeirut.wordpress.com)

Capital of Diamond – Antwerp, Belgium

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Globe Runner

6 Comments

ANTWERP, BELGIUM (Dutch: Antwerpen):I think, Antwerp is mostly known for being the capital of diamonds. This is the most important financial center of the world’s diamond industry. But the city has more to it than just trading diamonds. Antwerp is one of the major destinations in Belgium in the region of Flanders, situated by the river Schelde. It has a major European port. The city has a historic old town in one side and other side, you will see the trendy shopping stores, international cuisines, designer shops…a perfect mix of past and present life.

: View of parked boat by the river Schelde from the boardwalk

TIME OF TRAVELLING: Antwerp is about 45 minutes of drive from Tervuren, Belgium. We went there on a Sunday morning in Mary 2012 and stayed there until late afternoon, covering almost all the places we wanted to see. It wasn’t cold, but a bit chilly.

: Old buildings by the river Schelde

WHAT TO BUY AND EAT IN ANTWERP: Of course, you can buy diamonds as souvenir while in Antwerp, if you have lots of euros to spare. Other than that, there are some Belgian lace stores, ceramic stores, and regular souvenir stores selling key rings, t-shirts, post cards, and mugs in Grote Markt. Most of the shops are closed on Sundays, but the stores in Grote Markt are usually open every day.

We had lunch in a restaurant in Groenplaats, if I can remember correctly, the name of the café was Cave (or something similar). I ordered chicken with mushroom, my friend ordered a Caesar’s salad with chicken, and my daughter ordered a trio plate containing cannelloni, lasagna, and ravioli. I must say all of them were out of this world, simply delicious.

: My lunch in Antwerp, chicken with mushroom

PLACES WE VISITED: Antwerp has many things to offer to its visitors. We spent about little more than half a day to explore the city. May be another couple of hours would have been perfect to learn about other parts of the city. But fortunately, we can always go back.

: Statue in front of Het Steen

1) HET STEEN (The Stone): This is a rather small medieval castle by the bank of the river Schelde. You can go to the inner courtyard but not inside the castle. The stairs after the courtyard will take you to the starting point of the scenic boardwalk. Enjoy the beautiful river in one side and the old, medieval buildings on the other side. This is very close to Grote Markt and Vleeshuis.

: Medieval Castle, Het Steen, in Antwerp

2) VLEESHUIS: This is the old meet house from around 1250. It is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Antwerp. The building is made to resemble stacks of bacon, switching between white stones and red bricks. This was the guild hall for the butchers and functioned as a meat market where butchers could sell their merchandise. Only 2-3 minutes of walk from Grote Markt and can been seen from Het Steen. Vleeshuis is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. We couldn’t go inside since it was already closed by then 😦

: Vleeshuis in Antwerp, Belgium

3) ST. PAULUSKERK (St. Paul’s Church): Although we couldn’t go inside the church because the church is open from 2-5 everyday (I think), we had to get as close as possible because of its bold gothic shrine that catches your eyes right from the boardwalk near Het Steen. This 16^th century church has a very clam and quiet inner courtyard surrounded by very old church walls with a statue of Virgin Mary in one side. We enjoyed the charm of this church even if we couldn’t go in. The church is located right beside Sint-Paulusplaats, which is a nice little square with some shops and cafes. Everything was closed on Sunday except for the café/restaurants.

: Statue of Virgin Mary in the courtyard of St. Paul’s Church

4) GROENPLAATS: This is one of the major squares of Antwerp old town. Statue of the famous painter of Antwerp Petro Paulo Rubens dominates the square. Surrounding the statue are the cafes, shops, flower vendors, and hotels. It is a perfect place for lunch or to just sit down with a drink and watch people go by.

: Groenplaats with Cathedral of Our Lady in the back

5) CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY (Onze Lieve Vrouwekathedraal): This is one of the most impressive and largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. You can see its 400 ft. tall tower from almost any part of the old town. The cathedral is standing there since 1351 and features some of Ruben’s most famous paintings. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is a 5 euros fee to enter the cathedral, but we didn’t pay anything because there was a mass service starting in 10 minutes. We saw some of Ruben’s paintings from distance and they looked gorgeous. Also we couldn’t see the altar because it was going thru restoration.

: Grand entrance to the Cathedral of Our Lady

6) CITY HALL & OLD MARKET (Stadhuis & Grote Markt): This is another UNESCO World Heritage Site of Antwerp. This may not be as big as the “Grand Place” of Brussels, but definitely as beautiful. This is the heart of the old city and like any other Flemish historical town, it is also surrounded by the typical medieval guild houses. The tower of Our Lady Cathedral in the background completes the magnificent view of this market place. We took a double-decker horse-carriage ride from Grote Markt. It was 6 euros per person (including toddlers) for a wonderful 40 minutes ride through the old town. It runs beginning of every hour (last ride of the day starts at 6pm) and you can buy the tickets right there.

: Our double-decker horse carriage in Grote Markt

In the middle of the square stands the Brabo fountain from 1887. Brabo was a mythical Roman soldier who killed a giant, called Druon Antigoon. Brabo removed its hand after killing and threw it in the river Schelde. The story goes saying that this would have created the name Brabant.

: Antwerp old City Hall with the statue of Brabo in the front

The Gothic and early Renaissance style city hall was built in the 16^th century. The façade is richly decorated with statues, ornaments, and coat of arms. Usually the main facade of the city hall is decorated with 87 flags adding multi-colors to the square by showing off flags from different countries and regions. The central flags on the bottom row represent Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium, Europe and the United Nations. The other flags represent countries that are member of the European Union and nations that have a consulate in Antwerp.

: The guild houses in Grote Markt of Antwerp

A Two-Minute Tour Of Antwerp (schwingeninswitzerland.wordpress.com)
Let’s put Belgium on the map: International Scratch Day 2012 @ Antwerp (fatherinastrangeland.wordpress.com)
Police now investigating fired Antwerp graders (gemmanews.wordpress.com)
Traveling in Europe: Antwerp Part II (colleenanderson.wordpress.com)
10 Fun Facts About Belgium (journeyaroundtheglobe.com)

Brussels revisited in Black & White

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Globe Runner

2 Comments

Everytime I go to Brussels city center, it feels like I am going there for the first time. I look at those guild houses in Grand Place like I have never seen those before. Whenever we have guests from U.S.A or other places, I get so excited that I can go visit Brussels one more time. This time my dearest friend Farida and her husband from The States were with us. It was like the old days in Portland, Oregon to hang out all together, but this time it was in Europe…in Brussels.