Woman’s history of Holland heritage
She’s on a small platform of the Gouda city hall. It’s almost as if she steps forward to offer us the chalice she holds in her hand. Her whole being radiates with gratitude and humility. Or is it a sign of resignation? Does she know she is going to lose her Holland heritage?
Delft route blue love & kisses
On this Delft route blue love & kisses you'll pass the unseen borders of the city and countryside. You'll step on the crossroad of farms and greenhouses accompanied by the famous Delft kissing couple. You follow the water and feel the city's connection with its green surroundings and watermanagement. Use these route suggestions on Valentine or at dusk or dawn and fall in love with the city and its amazing Dutch landscape.
Delft route: blue kiss, royal love
Two shy teenagers, waiting for the other to take the first step. It makes sense to start our Delft route blue love & kisses at the Delft blue factory. The place where love stories are told through ceramics. While we're looking for the famous Delft blue kissing couple, we bump into these two farmers' kids. Is this the moment before their famous kiss or did they just have an argument?
One of my favorite stories in this museum is about the royal love. Every celebration or big event the Dutch royals immortalize in a plate, cup or even a full dinner set. To mark their love for their better half and for Delft pottery. And the Delft blue factory is proud of its connection to the royal family.
The park where Delft city connects with countryside
A few kilometres further on the Delft route blue love & kisses we pass Land Art Delft. In this park they've found a fascinating way to show the connection between city, urban life and the countryside, the land surrounding Delft city center. Near the A13 highway they've placed a gigantic tulip vase. In the 17th century Queen Mary Stuart was in love with tulips. To display these expensive flowers she ordered special tulip vases made of Delft blue ceramics. This giant tulip vase pyramid is an art work Land Art created in collaboration with Royal Delft. More about it in the video below or via this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqTVnhkCNXY
Delft route water management
Now we have to get to the other side of the water to continue the Delft route. If we take the longer option we see beautiful examples of Delft's connection with water management
Delft heart beats on a bridge
It's the view on the bridge on a warm summer night that takes your breath away. Romance is in the air tonight.
Having crossed the water, we follow it into one of Delft's neighborhoods where tourists are hard to find. It's fascinating to again see the connection made between city and countryside. This part of the city literally is connected to its green surroundings. By bridges. Bridges with beautiful imags of all Delft is proud of. From William of Orange to Hugo Grotius. And when it comes to love, it is the depiction of the iconic Delft heart & the endless expression of love: the Kissing Couple.
Delft route connecting flowers & food
One of the many bridges leads straight into the beautiful nature area around Delft, Midden- Delfland. As we hit the water, it might well be we spot the Kissing Couple again, this time floating by on one of the decorated boats of the Floating Flower Parade.
Didn't get the chance to see the famous Delft couple? There will be other signs of love passing by. The Delft - The Hague- Westland Flower Parade is one big expression of love. Love for all things they produce on their land and in the greenhouses. Flowers, vegetables are creatively combined in arrangements.
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https://veritasvisit.nl/en/2016/08/07/impressions-flower-parade-westland-hague-float/
The forbidden marriage of Vermeer
We follow the water and the flower parade to one of my favorite places. This church always reminds me of the marriage of Delft painter Vermeer. He was a protestant, his fiancee a catholic. At that time a marriage between these two religions was forbidden. So they went to Schipluiden, a small village near Delft. In a barn that served as church they got married. The church on the picture is part of another story in which green plays an important role. Happy to share the story with you on a tour or celebration.
From this magical & romantic spot it's a 15 minutes bike or boat ride to Delft city centre where we'll end with a kiss. A kiss of death.
The final kiss of Delft
The market square is usually the spot where many historical events happened. Same goes for the main square in Delft. To me it always seems cold there. Now that I know Jacqueline's story, it makes me think. Maybe the gloomy vibe I get there is the result of her tragic story.
Her kiss is one of the few on this Delft route blue love & kisses that has little to do with love. The Kiss of Delft is a famous one. In 1428 Jacqueline of Bavaria kissed her nephew after having signed a peacetreaty. In the Middle Ages it was common to seal a deal with a kiss. With the kiss she lost her titles, her fortune her land. Was it a kiss of death as well? Read it in my next blogpost.
Hope you enjoyed our Delft route blue love & kisses. Off course there are many more off the beaten path stories & alternative daytrip programs in Delft and its green surroundings. Check the link below for some ideas or contact me for your customised Delft group activity.
https://veritasvisit.nl/en/destination/delft-en/
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