Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Rotterdam , Delft and The Hague

We have been to places all over The Netherlands.. Just when we had come to terms with the fact that we were in the Netherlands and not Holland, today we arrived in Holland!!
We started in Rotterdam and drove to The Hague. We think it is a bit like Canberra with a Royal Palace instead of a Governor General's Residence!!

The stunning feature was the Peace Palace built by Andrew Carnegie using left over bits of steel from his US plants! It is a stunning building and has a wonderful message. It was completed just before the outbreak of WWI.




There were also lots of Embassies and Government buildings. The Royals have a house tucked away in the woods along with the ceremonial castle.

Delft is a historic centre. We visited a church from the 13th century called the new church. We went over to the old church and it dates from the 11th Century.

We did not buy any Delft ware but it is a very beautiful and historic city.


                                               The Town Hall both old and new!


                                                            The town has gone green!!


                                                                A Delft street lamp!



                                                                A Delft seat in a park!


                                 Sitting for the milking exam for the local cheese industry

We spent time in Rotterdam last night , this morning and again late today. It is a very modern city as most of the old town was bombed in the early 1940's Modern buildings provide a contrast to the old.


                                                            Gail in the Cube Houses.


                                  There is a real sence of community in the common areas


                                 Juxtaposition of the old Pre War with the new. Stunning contrast.


                                            Stunning architecture. It polarises! You love it or hate it!!





                                                  The entry to this vast and modern building

2 comments:

Miss Di said...

Having learnt from the interwebs source of all (AKA Wiki) that one of the large cube houses is now a hostel I've put it on my bucket list! Certainly more interesting than that other post-war housing trend Le Corbusier is to blame for!

Speaking of brutalism, the Sirius building is going to be demolished.

Amanda said...

Looks interesting, the cube houses look so off balance!