I took a train to Leiden Centraal and checked into the Rembrandt Hotel. With only four days in Leiden and much to see, I was quickly on the move to maximize my experience. I started walking and passed a war monument. I walked by a nice canal to the Rijksmuseum van Ouheden, an archaeological museum. I paid the 12.5 Euro entry fee and was not disappointed. The ground level floor was filled with a large selection of fine old Egyptian artifacts. I took my time checking out the exhibits. Then I walk up a spiral staircase to the next floor. (This is called the second floor in the USA, but in the Netherlands they call this the first floor.) I think I started with Roman artifacts, but am uncertain. This floor had mostly all nifty Greek ... read more

I always had a fascination for old city gates on fortified city walls, to protect their old cities. Around 1400 AD Delft built a wall around their city with eight city gates with drawbridges and moats (or canals) for defense. The city gates had soldiers, and they were open during the daytime for commerce when not under attack. This East City Gate is the last remaining old city gate for Delft. This is an impressive structure by the canal that was functional long ago. I had a nice walk through, around, and under the East Gate. For contrast I live outside of the oldest permanent settlement in Spanish Tejas; that was established as a Spanish Mission on July 9, 1716. The oldest remaining building in Nacogdoches (Sterne House Museum and Library) was constructed in 1830. completed ... read more

I walked to Maria van Jessekirk and found a very nice church built in the late 1800s. When I got inside (free admission with this active church) I saw a couple getting married by the alter. Out of respect I left the beautiful church intending to return the next day and walked back to my hotel. I forgot to return in favor of other things. After I returned home in Texas I looked up Maria van Jessekirk on the internet and was surprised to see how beautiful it was inside the church. Dang, I really lost a good visit. completed... read more

I had a good long day starting in Utrecht, then taking a train to Delft. After a very nice walk through Delft, I wanted a nice even in my room at the Hotel Delft. Delft is known for its good ceramic products with very nice blue art on their products. The ceramics in my hotel had good Delft art, including the most beautiful toilet I have ever seen. (Later I purchased some Delft ceramic products at their Markt.) Unlike the locked windows in the hotels in the USA, my hotel room had a large window that opened, letting in the cool evening air. Sitting and relaxing by the window I saw the moon looking like it was setting over the Old Delft Station. The Old Delft Station was in operation from 1885 through 2015; and was ... read more

I took a morning train to Delft; then checked into Hotel Coen. I started on my enjoyable walk to Oude Kerk (Old Church) and passed the nearby Old Delft Station. It was a beautiful day as I walked by very nice canals lined with nice row houses. From the distance it looked like the Oude Kerk tower had a lean towards the canal. The outside and inside of Oude Kerk were impressive with large stained glass windows and other neat features including the large tower that dominates the skyline of Delft. (This is much like other fine old churches in this general area in Northern Europe.) I took my time walking inside this fine old church with a large pipe organ, high ceilings, and nice large stained glass windows. According to Wikipedia, this church was founded ... read more