The Wonderful City of Delft / 美丽的城市 - 代尔夫特

The city of Delft is like a smaller version of Amsterdam. Basically without the added bustle of bustle of being a top tourist destination but still having it's own unique Dutch charm. To put it simply, I loved it.

A beautiful and quaint town with all the scenic ingredients you'd expect from Holland. We went for a short walk into the heart of the old town. I soon recognised familiar roads and alleyways which made it is super easy to navigate through.

The Old Church and City View

Firstly, we went to visit the Old Church Oude Kerk, which was currently under construction at the time. So we had no choice but to admire the building from afar. The architecture is suitably impressive; the age of the building alone is mind-blowing, being founded way back in 1246.

I enjoyed walking down in the main square and taking some pictures of this historic structure, however was surprised to find you the church leaning to one side. Apparently when it was built, they failed to take into consideration the moisture levels on the ground beneath so it gradually sank down over time. Though it somehow seems to give it more character so all was not lost in the end.

We all continued out trek through the city and many narrow, cobbled streets as well as several little bridges, canals, local shops and superb looking restaurants. I could easily envisage myself spending a few weeks in this picturesque and idyllic town. Taking the boating trip along the canal also appears to be an enjoyable option. Next time, as I'm sure I'll return to Delft again someday.

The "Cycle" Culture of the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, one of the most common sights you'll come across is the traditional Dutch bike. It is said there are more bicycles than residents in the Netherlands, lol! Wonder if that's true?

Here, the bike has fast become an integral part of everyday life for Dutch people therefore they don’t concern themselves with having the latest model of bike. It is the longevity and lifestyle that takes precedence. So the older, the better. Very often, I would hear a bike approaching from behind me with the mudguard rattling against the wheel, lol. I can tell having a tatty old bike affords more status in Holland as it attests to a long and lasting love for this practical and economical mode of transport!

Market Square

Following along the cobbled stone walk ways, we came to the Market Square (Markt), where the City Hall of Delft is located. The building is absolutely stunning with period architecture that has been well maintained and preserved.

The City Hall is a Renaissance style building and features a predominantly red and grey façade. The fine details in those red shutters make the building appear very distinctive from all the rest. Also, the City Hall dates back to the seventeenth century. It's just a magnificent piece of work!

The City Hall dominates one side of Delft Market Square whereas the new Church (Nieuwe Kerk) dominates the other.

The church itself is very beautiful and of great historical importance. It says many of Netherlands ancestral royalty is buried there along with a monument paying homage to William the Orange. You can also climb up the tower if you wish to get a speculator view of the old town of Delft! Though be warned there are hundreds of winding steps to climb to get to the top!

Some Delicious Treats

After some time, we decided to have a little break at the Market Square. I was thrilled at the amount of options in terms of restaurants and bars, but we finally opted for a nice, tucked away coffee/sweet shop called Otelli.

I went for the freshly made chocolate waffles and it certainly did not disappoint. It was warm and quite rich in flavour but not overly sweet. With the cream on the side, it was heavenly!

@ezzy opted for his usual favourite Strawberry delight with fresh sweet strawberry and vanilla ice cream! That was also super yummy.

(You wouldn't believe how tasty this dessert was!)

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Some Other Cool Things I Saw in Delft

The market square is chock full of delight and decorative shop stores, which offer everything from specialist cheese houses to Delftware pottery shops.

(The Dutch version of Santa looks slightly different than the one we are used to, lol)

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(A shop full of traditional Delft Blue Pottery)

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(@exyle looking right at home relaxing in that oversized clog!)

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(A few vintage Dutch Wooden Clogs.)

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Delft is one seriously beautiful little town with some rich and varied historical significance for Holland and has a friendly, inviting appeal to it. The calm and peaceful canals amid the commercial city centre just adds to it's allure. We had a fantastic time there and a visit to Delft comes very highly recommended.

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代尔夫特市可以说是阿姆斯特丹的一个小版本。虽然并不是最热门的旅游圣地，但它拥有自己的独特魅力。 希望大家看完帖子以后也会和我一样爱上它！

代尔夫特是一个美丽而古朴的小镇，拥有所有荷兰的特色。我们在老城区出发，发现这里的道路和小巷一点儿都不难找，挺适合步行的。

老教堂和街景

我们首先去参观老教堂Oude Kerk。由于它正在修建，我们只能欣赏教堂的外部。老教堂建于1246年，是一座具有超现实主义景观的建筑。在我拍照的时候，我很惊讶地发现塔身比垂直面倾斜了。后来才知道这座教堂在建造的时候没有考虑到地面底下的潮湿度，所以教堂的一边随着时间的推移逐渐下降。不过这也造就了它的独特之处！

我们继续往市中心的方向走，看到了狭窄的运河和小桥，还有两旁的商店，咖啡馆和餐馆。我可以想象在这个美景如画的小镇上住，该有多诗情画意啊，呵呵。其实乘坐运河的观光窄船也是不错的选择。也许下一次吧！

荷兰的自行车文化

在荷兰，你最经常能看到就是传统的荷兰自行车。 据说荷兰的自行车比它的居民更多，不知道是真是假，呵呵！

在这里，自行车已经成为荷兰人日常生活中不可缺少的一部分。他们不太在乎自己有没有最新款的自行车，而是看重它的年龄。越老的车，越宝贵！很多时候我会听到身后的直行车发出咯登咯登的响声慢慢向我靠近，呵呵。所以说，“古董”自行车在荷兰更受欢迎，因为骑得越久的自行车越耐用也越有感情！

代尔夫特中心广场

沿着碎石路往前走，我们来到代尔夫特市政厅所在的中心广场Market Square。市政厅是一座非常精美的文艺复兴风格建筑，以红色与灰色为主色调。红色百叶窗非常引人注意，使得这座建筑显得与众不同。

市政厅的历史可以追溯到十七世纪，到现在它还保存得非常好。数百年来，当地市民都会在这里举行结婚仪式。

新教堂（Nieuwe Kerk）也在代尔夫特中心广场，就在市政厅对面。它修建于14世纪，是荷兰的皇家陵墓，颇具历史意义。有兴趣的游客还可以爬塔楼，眺望鹿特丹的全貌。不过要提醒大家，这里面有376个阶梯盘旋而上，而且里面空间不大，你们要有心理准备哦，呵呵。

美味的甜点

走累了，我们就在广场边上的一家名叫Otelli的咖啡/甜品店坐下了。

我点了新鲜制作的巧克力华夫饼和绿茶。松软的饼底加上甜而不腻的巧克力酱，果然没有让我失望。@ezzy选了他个人最爱的草莓圣代，新鲜的甜草莓配上香草味冰淇淋，也是超好吃！

商店和礼品店

临走前，我们还逛了代尔夫特中心广场上淋漓满目的商店。从奶酪屋，代尔夫特蓝瓷店到荷兰纪念品店等等，真是应有尽有。

代尔夫特是一座非常美丽的小镇，让我难以忘记的除了它独特的风景，更有其独特的历史文化。我非常享受这里的运河风景，当地人也很热情友好。我们在这里度过了一段美好的时光，非常值得非常推荐。