Rotterdam and Delft

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Today I took the train to Rotterdam for a day visit. The city was largely destroyed in World War II and one of the few remaining buildings is the town hall which now has a statue out front entitled “strength from adversity”. Rotterdam has become an architectural laboratory where many of the world’s leading architects try out new designs. The library is a case in point with its multilevel white and glass exterior, neon lights, and yellow external tubing. The Cube Houses are something of a Rotterdam landmark. These are actual homes that are highly sought after by certain free-thinking individuals. I returned to Delft in the afternoon and followed Rick Steves’s walking tour. I visited the Old Church (1050) and the New Church (1381). Like most churches in the Netherlands, they have very plain, whitewashed interiors. I don’t plan to go out to see the factories where the famous Delftware is made, so I took a picture of some samples in a shop window.

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