Sunday -June 20- Delft (maria)

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Sunday continues to be cool and windy but I soldier on. After a hearty breakfast, we tram it south to Delft (c.1075) known for its weaving and brewing industries. This pretty town is very picturesque with many canals and a central Markt square. It is also known for its blue and white hand-painted earthenware; an idea the Dutch “borrowed” from trading in Chinese porcelain. We specifically wanted to visit the Johannes Vermeer museum (sited in the building where the painters' guild of his day met). After lunch, we walked around the Markt square and then headed back to the north-bound tram station.

Back in Den Haag, we walk to the Madurodam from our hotel. The Madurodam depicts the Netherlands in miniature (1:25 scale ) by replicating historically significant buildings and regions. It opened in 1952 by Queen Juliana and was built by JML Madurodam in memory of his son who died at Dachau concentration camp in 1945. It is a pretty cool place and we quite enjoyed our visit. **Today's observation: despite my mild queasyness, I find the strength to eat (tonight at a great little Italian place (La Bruschetta) near our hotel) and watch World Cup soccer.

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