Delft

Warning: This post is photo-heavy. Hope you don't mind! 

After last weekend's failure to make it to Delft, we were determined to try again. We made the hour and a half trip by bus and train on Saturday. The town, home to Vermeer (Girl with the Pearl Earring) and Delftware pottery, oozes with charm and beautiful, old buildings and churches. The town was incredibly busy with a flea market taking over the canals, a farmers market in one square and a massive traveling carnival in the main square. 

Traveling around Europe with a baby is different in many ways from our previous trips as a family of two. For starters, everything is on "Jude-time." I really don't want to jinx it, but Jude is coming on a week straight of consistent hour and a half morning naps in his crib. This is wonderful, except for when you want to get out the door to do something (daytrip to Delft for example!). So Pete and I were all packed and ready to go and just waiting on Jude to wake up! Once in Delft, it continued to be about Jude's timing. Due to all of the town's activities, it was very noisy in the streets for napping and also difficult to maneuver the stroller. As a result, we ended up spending a lot of time in the churches Oude Kerk and Nieuwe Kerk, but I didn't mind. They were beautiful! And the stained glass! I could have stared at it for for hours! Churches also make great places to nurse. It was easy to find a corner pew to have some privacy. Alas, what goes in, must come out and unfortunately there was "an incident" in Nieuwe Kerk. Gives new meaning to the phrase, "Clean-up in Aisle 9!" 

As we settle into life in Amsterdam, the day-to-day seems so normal that I often forget that we are in Europe. But then we take a day trip to a place like this and I am instantly reminded of where we are and how fortunate we are to be here! 

Oude Kerk

Vermeer is buried here

It was no Sagrada Familia, but the stained glass was still incredible.

And the light shines in!

I can't get enough of it! 

Last photo of the stained glass I promise (until the next church....)

I felt awful rolling the stroller over the tombs, not to mention the noise it made bumping over the beautiful stone carvings!

Back outside wandering the canals. Love the fall colors. 

Hard to sit and eat lunch with a squirmy 5 month old. Pete's brilliant idea to get stand-up food from the fried fish vendor!

Nieuwe kerk 

And waffle with hot chocolate sauce for dessert!

Maria van Jessekerk.

Inside Nieuwe kerk. All of the Dutch Royalty are entombed here, starting with the first, Willem van Oranje, who led the revolt from the Spanish in the 1500s.  

Willem van Oranje's mausoleum.

Pete and Jude after "the incident." Luckily, Jude had a change of clothes. Poor Pete did not. 

Carnival in the square.

Stadhuis (Cityhall)

Nieuwe kerk: The leaning tower of Delft. Note the blackened part of the tower from a fire in 1536.

xoxo