WestCord Hotel Delft

in Den Haag or the Hague, whichever you prefer.

I was going to join some other couchsurfers in Rotterdam, a half hour train ride away, but I'd much rather just have a half relax day and update my internet stuff, search for some couches, etc.

I'll head back into Rotterdam in a ...

... We asked about camping somewhere between Rotterdam and Amsterdam. He found us a place in Delft. I explained about trying to find Roger, the man said he would telephone Nokia. He said the office where he worked is about 25 minutes down the road and if we wanted to catch him at work, being Friday, we should call now. We said we didn’t have a mobile, so he called for us. No luck ...

... and there were police everywhere! Very impressive! On the way back from getting food, I passed the doorway again and the doll was still up there - clearly I took a photo this time!

So, I'm now in my base for the weekend - Delft - I am going to save telling you about my favourite thing about where I'm staying until another entry (as I've not taken photos yet, and this can't be done justice with just words!) It is 'special'!...

... littered with cute little canals, Beautiful cathedrals and churches and rich with history. Shane, Samuel and Daniel had driven back from France that day after a week of snowboarding on the slopes of Val Thorens and Petra and I had driven 2 and a half hrs from the north of Holland to meet up with them so, as you can imagine ...

... une agréable surprise. Je ne m'attendais pas à rencontrer ceci le long de l'ocean. C'etait tentant d'aller faire un p'tit tour de moto pis de ne pas avoir à pédaler, pour faire changement....... Faits négatifs......hmmmmmmm...ah oui, j'ai perdu mon Camelback. Pas une grosse perte car il était un peu fatigué de la vie. Il était attaché sur ma remorque pis il est tombé sur la piste cyclable entre ...

... was our first proper examination of a windmill and the Miller went into great detail about its operation. The grass around the Eenhorn was so lush and green. It reminded us how little of it we see in Melbourne these days. We had lunch at the Theehuis Cruquius, a tea house next to an historic pumping station used to empty Holland's largest lake ...

... Frankhuis is really a special place. When you are in a location where real facts took place, it gets to you in a way that no fictional place could. We wondered around in the rooms where about 8 people were hiding to save themselves from the Nazis. Throughout the place there were TV screens where you could watch interviews of Anna's father (the only survivor of the family) and his secretary who along with a few ...

... with the address. Aside from this, you would not know the building is the embassy. There are no signs, no flag, nothing! So anyways, we made it there and of course, Andrea decided to snap a quick photo of the building. Within seconds of taking the picture a security guard came out of the building and informed us that pictures were not allowed of the embassy. No big deal, Andrea apologized and stated that she didn't know. He ...

Today Rob and Mireille gave us a tour of Delft and Den Haag. Delft is a city famous for blue and white painted pottery AND wooden shoes- (they really have them here!), although few actually wear them. The cities here are so beautiful. There are canals between nearly every street with old multi-colored buildings on either side, and BIKES bikes & more bikes... the bikes ...

... It's a national garage sale and everybody dresses in orange and parties hard. In fact a lot of folks start the night before! Last year's entry (Apr 30, 2003) provides more details on Queen's Day itself. This year was much the same only better due to good weather. Lots of people came into the streets and there was a genuine air of happiness and celebration in the air. Also, because Chris was here this year he ...