We really enjoyed our final evening at the De Utrechtsche Hotel. Our bikes had been nicely garaged in a locked room attached to the Motel. We rose early, before dawn had arrived, in order to see if we could get away by 9am. We always enjoy the Hotel breakfasts, so it was a little disappointing that we did not have time to linger over breakfast today.
I need to clarify some miscommunication in yesterday’s blog that I can blame on an error in translation. I referred to the local delicacy as a ‘stoolwaffle’, which has created some humorous controversy back home. Looking again at the note that the dear Dutch lady wrote the name of their national snack, it was actually ‘stroopwafel’. Apparently the resources of Google have been overheated by the barrage of requests for ‘stoolwafel’. Hopefully an international incident has now been averted!
At just after 9am we hesitantly maneuvered our bikes through the narrow cobbled streets of Gouda, which were wet and slippery due to overnight rain. Everything was still very wet, with the temperature hovering at about 6C but feeling much colder. However, we felt quite comfortable on the bikes.
We left Gouda by the southern exit, which after a few turns and twists to get over the series of main roads that cross at the southern entrance, we found ourselves back in farm country, with lush pastures on both sides, with cows, sheep and swans in every direction. The bikeway was probably the least standard that we had encountered in Holland, although it wasn’t too bad, but it was two narrow bitumen paths intended for vehicle tyres, but which required intense concentration on bikes lest we ran off the narrow tracks into the adjacent water courses running parallel to the tracks. This was particularly important when taking photos with one hand while holding the bike straight with the other!
Within 10K we found our way through the tiny community of Moordrecht, from where we had to zig-zag to the north again and slightly westward, eventually arriving at the village of Zevenhuizen. Responding to the call of nature, we chose a very classy store with a small coffee area at the rear. The store sold the most expensive, high quality clothing – coats, hats, boots and furniture that were mostly sourced from Scotland. We enjoyed coffee and scones while being distracted by such beautiful, quality clothing, lamenting the fact that we couldn’t carry any of it home with us!
At the edge of Zevenhuizen we enjoyed a lovely ferry that took us across the canal for 90c each! There was no easy direct route to Delft. We had to continue zig-zagging across country, being very meticulous on checking the bikeway markers frequently to ensure we did not get lost or doing unnecessary distance today. Sadly we met another canal which we had to cross, but there was neither bridge nor ferries running. We tracked for several kilometers to the north (Delft was west) until we eventually found a bridge, and then tracked all the way back the other side of the canal. The bright side of this was that near the bridge, we also discovered a row of beautiful, historic windmills which took our photographic attention for quite some time.
We came south to the village of Bleiswijk along this canal, then turned due west again. We were tracking through lovely farming country again, although this didn’t last. The closer we got to Delft, the more we were negotiating around large industrial sites, especially humungous green houses that seemed to be growing plants – these were acres in size which stretched almost as far as the eye could see.
Somewhere through here I could feel what most cyclists dread to feel – the slight wobble of a wheel that isn’t turning quite as neatly as it should. Much to my disappointment, I could see that I had my first flat tyre since starting the trip 3 weeks ago in Frankfurt. Murphy’s cycling law always applies when touring – it is always the rear wheel which has all the bags on the back.
Fortunately it wasn’t raining, and we stopped at a very convenient parking area beside one of these large industrial complexes. We pulled the bags off the bike, the wheel came off easily, my trusty assistant held the bike off the ground while I easily took the tyre off just using my hands (I didn’t even have to get the tools out of the bags!). I found the leak, but there was nothing stuck in the tyre. The new tube was in, pumped up and back on the bike all in about 15 minutes which isn’t too bad considering the conditions.
We were away again, the signs telling us that Delft was a mere 8k away. As we turned the next corner, we could see the magnificent spire of the Nieuwe Kerk which is also the burial place of William of Orange. The final few kilometers into Delft were again through muddy fields with plenty of water filled with bird life particularly swans. It was actually quite an easy entry, but a particularly very pretty one.
Delft is a very beautiful town. Famous for its Royal Blue Delft porcelain, it has a number of other claims to fame. William of Orange, considered the father of modern Holland, who led the Dutch revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs that set off the 80 years war and resulted in the independence of the united provinces in 1648. He became Prince of Orange in 1544, and the ancestor of the Monarchy of the Netherlands.
The story of the life of William of Orange is quite fascinating. However, Prince Phillip II of Spain put a price on his head. The Frenchman Balthasar Gerard, a sympathizer with Prince Phillip, decided to earn the reward, purchased two pistols and visited William at his home in Delft (now the Prinsenhof Museum), and shot him fatally in the chest. Gerard quickly tried to escape to claim his reward but was captured before he could clear town. Put on trial and found guilty, he was brutally, slowly put to death by means that were considered extreme even for those times. Suffice to say he probably regretted coming to Delft!
William of Orange now lays at rest in a magnificent mausoleum in the Niuewe Kerk in the main market square of Delft.
We found our way easily to the market square, dwarfed by the beautiful Cathedral at one end and the magnificent Stadhuis (Town Hall) at the other. Being Thursday it was market day, so the entire square was filled with busy market stalls. Considering it wasn’t much more than 6C outside, it was credit to the storeholders for persevering all day in the cold!
There are beautiful canals running in parallel throughout Delft. We left the market square and rode our bikes through the narrow streets to the main canal, turning left on Koornmarkt to find our beautiful Hotel Leeuwenbrug. It wasn’t an expensive place but was far more upmarket than any other of our hotels, almost too good for muddy cyclists. As we have always found, the staff are incredibly hospitable. Within no time, our bikes were secure, and our bags were safely in our room.
We didn’t bother to shower. We were very keen to see some shops and explore the market area before dark. Our trip today was a mere 43k, but it took until 2pm or so to get here with many stops, coffee, a ferry and a flat tyre plus a maze of roads and paths to negotiate. It was an enjoyable day though.
We had a great walk in the near freezing conditions, explored the genuine Blue Defltware store, and enjoyed a plate each of fried fish from one of the stall holders which for us was both a late lunch and an early dinner.
We walked some more before calling it a day, enjoying a warm room and a warm shower and an early night. Tomorrow we can afford to linger long over breakfast. We plan to head to the city of Leiden to the north west of Delft. It will not be a big day, perhaps 35k. We can enjoy the journey without too much of the stress that comes when we know we have to beat the curtain of darkness.
Weather for the next few days is predicted to be sunny, but as a result the morning temperatures are dropping closer to zero. We never mind as long as it’s not raining. In two days time we will be back in Amsterdam.
From our very excellent room at the Hotel Leeunwenbrug, we send our love.
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