2007 Rhine River Cruise:   Rotterdam and Delft

Monday, April 23, 2007 We had arrived in Rotterdam last evening thus were ready for our 8:30am departure for Delft.   Our first visit was to the Royal Delft Porcelain factory (Royal Blue Delft ware everywhere!) for a tour.   After the factory tour, we re-boarded our buses and were off to the city area. Little did we know how much more Netherlands history we had to learn here!   We were back at the boat around 12:30pm and set sail for Antwerp at 1pm.   This would be the last segment of curising.

We're now docked in Rotterdam and will go from here to...	Unilever building at the port of Rotterdam.   ...	From our boat's docking point, looking toward downtown...	A closer look at Rotterdam.    The tall white...	Another bridge in Rotterdam, this one a low suspension...
Putting it all in perspective, a broader look at...	And docked behind us was a very ornate river...	And now, we're on the bus and on our way to Delft....	A residence along the way.   This one is highly...	We've arrived at the Royal Delft Porcelain factory!...
Artwork at the entrance to the Royal Delft factory.	Just as we walk inside, we see a directions sign....	On wall in the visitor reception area is a sampling of...	This is the main sign before going in to the factory....	Hard to see in a photo from the front, a side view shows...
Porcelain is used everywhere.   This is the...	Before we head outside, a look up shows banisters of pure...	And now we're going into the inner courtyard of the Royal...	Another view of the inner courtyard.   Our...	A closer look at the colonnades.   Notices the...
And here's the closer look at the carvings on the wall...	One of the many commissioned tileworks produced by Royal...	This the the stonework above the door we came through...	Back inside, the view through a porthole type window back...	We learned that Royal Delft produces far more than the...
A full width wall of blue Delft tiles depicting a...	Here's the signature in the lower right corner for those...	Here we see one of the workers hand-painting a vase....	On the other side of the table, we see another artist...	And what an awesome reproduction of Rembrant's Night...
Blue Delft everywhere!   Even in the heart of...	Another famous painting done in blue Delft tile....	This liquer set was quite fascinating... characters and...	Here's a closer look at the description of the set.	In the factory, one of the workers ensuring the clay is...
Stack of molds ready for use and racks of fired porcelain...	Blue Delft for everything... even a cow!	Looking at the cow face on, we see the Royal Delft...	Royal Deflt ware with no blue!   It never...	In between rooms in the factory, we see a very narrow...
Johannes Vermeer's "Girl with Pearl Earring" done on in...	As you might guess, this cabinet of blue Delft pieces is...	A closer look at the unique vase.	More blue Delft.   The piece at the top center...	An almost Oriental looking piece of Delft ware....
Royal Delft bunnies.	Another painting replicated on Royal Delft tiles....	In the gift shop, a plastic fold-up with replications of...	Delft express street trolley.   No, this is not...	Ahhh!   There's Sandra waving for us to follow...
On the way to the buses, only about a block away from the...	Back on the bus and going into to old town Delft, a quick...	A look at a Delft church and its reflection on one of the...	Just couldn't resist this photo, reflections in the canal...	We're back off the bus and walking toward the Markt...
And now in the Mark Square, we see our Cruise Director,...	Jochen (our Cruise Director) & Sandra (one of his two...	On the east side of the Markt square stands the Nieuwe...	The City Hall on Markt Square.	Note the two steel cylinders with the red rings near the...
Statue of Hugo Grotius stands in the center of the Markt...	Rest home / nursing home for old men (Oude...	Reflections in one of the many canals of Delft.	Back side of one row of restaurants that front onto the...	The stately Vleeshal (Meat Hall).   It was...
A closer look at an open window pane shows it propped...	Another newborn chick.    April is a beautiful...	The City Hall and the New Church at opposite ends of the...	A side view of the Stadhuis (Town Hall).   ...	Front leaning facades of buildings along the square....
Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in all its glory on a...	On Markt square, Het Gulden ABC, a book binder's shop....	A look inside a restaurant on Markt square.   ...	Shops fronting on Markt square.	Tom in front of the Blue Heart of Delft.   ...
Here's a closer look at the Blue Heart of Delft.	And, now we're on the bus back to Rotterdam and once...	As we drive through Rotterdam, we see the ubiquitous...	We're getting closer to where we're docked and about to...	We're now back on board our wonderful Viking Sun in the...
The "Lady in Red" was our guide for the tour to Delft....	This is our last look at Rotterdam.    The Port...

Total images: 82 · Last update: 10/23/07 9:12 PM · ©2007 T&R Flinn Productions · Comments · Generated by JAlbum 7.3 & Chameleon