Delft

I'm taking classes in Delft University of Technology (DTU), in the Department of Applied Sciences. This works great for me since it's an excuse to visit another place, especially since it's so different from Rotterdam.

It was pronounced a city about 750 years ago, so you can imagine how old some of the buildings are. It has also been victim of a few disasters, like being struck by lightning in the 1500's (more precisely, the tower of the Nieuwe Kerk was struck by lightning), and an explosion of a gunpowder magazine in 1654, known as the "Delft thunderclap." But even though the damaged parts were reconstructed, it still kept that cozy, Dutch vibe, compared to Rotterdam's modern, cosmopolitan atmosphere (at least that's the impression that I get from them).

The first place I saw was, of course, the train station and the bus station. The train station is really tiny, and everything around it is under construction. There are only 3 tracks, coming from Rotterdam you get off on #1, and when you're going back, it's on #2. You have to walk some huge stairs to get to the other side of the station, where the bus stop is. The TU bus (the one that takes you to DTU) stops every half hour. It takes you about 40 minutes to get from Rotterdam Alexander to Delft, and then about half an hour to wait for the bus (if you miss it), and then you have to walk to building #22. So every Thursday I have to leave home at 7:30 am so that I can be on time to my 9:30 am class. Whew!

The University is really big, with lots of green areas to sit down and relax, canals, and awesome buildings. One of them is the Library, with a ceiling that starts on the ground and goes up in a vertical line, covered by grass and a huge white cone. So you can actually walk over it, sit down, and soak up the sun. It's actually pretty cool! The inside of the library is very different from any other library you've ever seen, and the book shelves are one on top of the other, until they reach the ceiling. The wall behind them is bright blue. If you're a guest, you just need a form of ID and they'll give you a daily pass to use the computers, but you need to be a registered student to have wi-fi access on your laptop (and I'm not, so that sucks).

DTU has a botanical garden, or Botanische Tuin. It houses very many kinds of plants, used for research purposes. You can find anything from poisonous, to medicinal, to seasoning plants. It's a nice garden and there are a lot of interesting pieces of art around every corner, bird cages, greenhouses, and an apiary. But it's only a must-see if you are infatuated by plants. The entrance is 2 euros.

After the botanical garden, I followed the arrows that pointed to the Centre/Markt (downtown Delft), and I was surprised by the Oostpoort or East Gate. I smiled from ear to ear! Finally! A monument! It was built around the 1400's and is the only remaining gate. It is now a private art gallery or something like that.

I kept walking on Oosteinde St. until I reached the Markt. There is a huge plaza, with the Nieuew Kerk on one side, and the City Hall on the other. On the sides, restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops. Gorgeous! I was instantly drawn to the Nieuwe Kerk and it's big-ass tower (pardon my French!). It's 2 euros to go inside if you're a student, and it also includes the entrance to the Oude Kerk. Perfect!

If you wish to google the Nieuwe Kerk, you'll see it has A LOT of history, so I'll just go to the basics. The inside of the church is full of mausoleums. Everywhere you step, you're stepping on someone's grave (although I thought I heard from the lady at the front desk that no dead bodies were under there anymore, phew!). The mausoleum of Prince William de Orange, father of the country, is there, and it's quite impressive. Also, the royal burial vaults are there, but that's restricted. I believe it's tower is one of the biggest, of not, the biggest, in the Netherlands, and it is possible to go all the way to the top and enjoy the view of Delft and Den Haag, which is worth it (still in my to-do list).

The Oude Kerk (Old Church) is the oldest church in Delft (duh!). It is also the resting place for many wealthy and important people, like Johannes Vermeer, and the tower leans towards the canal. Lots more facts, so google it.

I'm now going to watch some MTV (one of the few channels in English) and eat some stroopwafels before going to bed. Back with more adventures this week! :)