My Visual Travel Experience: Hong Kong

In 2005, I had a brief stop-over at Hong Kong airport on my way from Delhi to San Francisco. Just seeing the city in the distance was enough to make me want to come back and explore it - it had that vibrancy about it! Then 3 years later, I went and spent around 5 days exploring Hong Kong, and then subsequently, visits to Hong Kong became a lot more regular after my sister in law and her family moved next door to Macau in 2014.

Hong Kong became a British colony after the first Opium War (1839-42). Japan occupied it in WWII (from 1941-45) and then the British resumed control till the 1997 handover to China. It is now a Special Administrative Region within China, and has its own currency and separate visa. 

A truly international city, Hong Kong is very active in the global financial sector. It has a population of close to 7.5 million spread over its area of about 1,100 square km, making it one of the most densely populated places in the world. About 90% of the population is ethnic Chinese, largely from the neighbouring Guangdong province. Hong Kong has a very high average per capita income of over US$ 55,000 p.a.

View of Hong Kong, Victoria Peak

Hong Kong consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon to the North, the island of Lantau (which has the airport and several of Hong Kong's attractions) and several other islands.

Victoria Peak lies on a hill in Hong Kong Island. To get to Victoria Peak, one has to go up on a steep tram, called the Peak Tram, which was built in 1888 and goes up a 27 degree angle. Victoria Peak has always been the preferred address of wealthy residents – in colonial days, Chinese were not allowed to buy real estate there. From the top, there are spectacular views of Hong Kong. The Peak Mall has Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, and lots of options for shopping and dining. Nearby, there's also the Trick Eye Museum that's worth a visit.

Peak Mall, Victoria Peak

Amitabh Bachchan at Madame
Tussauds, Victoria Peak

Bruce Lee at Madame Tussauds, Victoria Peak

Elvis Presley at Madame Tussauds, Victoria Peak

Buddha Statue at Trick Eye Museum, Victoria Peak

Peak Tram, Victoria Peak

Statue Square is in the heart of Hong Kong Island. It gets its name from the statue of Sir Thomas Bart. The square has the HSBC Building, built in 1985. On either side of its entrance, there are majestic bronze lion statues. Every evening, visitors can experience a beautiful light show, with beams of colourful light projected on the building, as well as on the adjacent Standard Chartered Building and the Bank of China Tower. The Legislative Council on Statue Square is another landmark. It used to be the Supreme Court. It has the blind-folded statue of Themis, the Greek goddess of justice. A building from the British period and completed in 1911, it has a beautiful white exterior and a majestic dome. Statue Square also has the War Memorial, dedicated to soldiers who died in the 2 World Wars.

HSBC Building at night, Statue Square

Lion Statue at HSBC Building, Statue Square

Legislative Council, Statue Square

Statue of Sir Thomas Jackson Bart,
Statue Square

Kowloon, North of Hong Kong Island, is best accessed by the Star Ferry. The 44 meter tall Kowloon Clock Tower is the only remnant of the former Kowloon Station. It is also called the Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower. Nearby, there's the Avenue of Stars, modelled along the lines of Hollywood's Walk of Stars. The avenue has stars dedicated to over 100 Hong Kong film stars, and there are also statues of top stars like Bruce Lee.

Star Ferry

Bruce Lee Statue, Avenue of Stars

Kowloon Clocktower

The Big Buddha Statue (known locally as the Tian Tan Buddha) on Lantau Island was completed in 1993 and ranks among the world’s largest outdoor seated Buddha statues. It has a height of 34 meters. Perched on top of a hill opposite Po Lin Monastery, it can be seen from miles away. The statue sits on a lotus throne and is surrounded by six smaller statues, called “The offering of the six Devas”. The statue can be approached by taking a long cable car ride from the nearest metro station - from the cable car, one gets good views of Hong Kong International Airport. The Po Lin Monastery boasts of the stunning Ten Thousand Buddhas Hall. It also has a popular restaurant serving vegetarian food. From the cable car station to the base of the Big Buddha, one passes through Ngong Ping Village, full of eateries and souvenir shops.

Big Buddha Statue

Deva, Big Buddha Statue

Distant View, Big Buddha Statue

Po Lin Monastery

Vegetarian food at Po Lin Monastery

Paintings on sale, Ngong Ping Village

Hong Kong Disneyland also lies on Lantau Island. The theme park opened in 2005. The themed areas include Main Street USA, Fantasyland, Adventureland and Tomorrowland, among others. There is a train that goes around the park. The park is full of attractions, eateries and shops.

Main Street Station, Disneyland

Fantasyland Castle, Disneyland

Cinderella Carousel, Disneyland

Mickey Mouse Fountain, Disneyland

Taxi Cab, Disneyland

Disney Train, Disneyland

Ocean Park was Hong Kong’s first amusement park and opened in 1977. It faced severe competition once Disneyland opened, but it remains a popular attraction. It has a scenic cable car going around it. The park’s attractions include Giant Pandas, a sea lion and dolphin show, an aquarium, an aviary, many eateries and numerous rides.

Sea Lion show, Ocean Park

Old Hong Kong Gateway, Ocean Park

Macaws at the Rainforest, Ocean Park

Cable Cars, Ocean Park

Hong Kong Museum of History was established in 1975, but moved to its present location in Kowloon in 1998. The museum has sections depicting archaeology, natural history and local history. A great place to learn about Hong Kong's history and culture.

Model of a tram, Hong Kong
Museum of History

Exhibit on trade with Britain, Hong Kong Museum of History

Exhibit on Dried Salted Fish, Hong Kong Museum of History

Exhibit on Peking Opera, Hong Kong Museum of History

Exhibit on Prehistoric Man, Hong Kong Museum of History

Temple Street Night Market in Kowloon has a popular night market, selling inexpensive clothes, accessories and souvenirs. The area is buzzing with life at night, and has numerous eateries and massage parlours around it. The area is closed to traffic at night. Bargaining is the name of the game for shoppers, and one can get oneself great deals.

T Shirts, Temple Street Night Market

Paintings, Temple Street Night Market

Peninsula Hotel in Kowloon is a luxury hotel that opened in 1928. It has a large fleet of Rolls Royce cars, and has many high end luxury stores.

Peninsula Hotel

Hong Kong has several well known temples. One of the most popular ones is the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, which is perched up on a hill.

Pagoda, Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery

Buddha Statue, Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery

Stanley was originally a fishing village and was Hong Kong Island's largest settlement before the British moved in. Situated at the south of the island, today Stanley is a good get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and is well known for its eateries, markets and waterfront promenade. Murray House is a popular building, with shops and high end restaurants. Stanley also has the Tin Hau Temple, dating back to 1767, and dedicated to the sea goddess.

Murray House, Stanley

Stanley Main Street, Stanley

Souvenir Shop at Stanley Market, Stanley

Figures at Tin Hau Temple, Stanley

Main Deity at Tin Hau Temple, Stanley

All in all, I really enjoyed Hong Kong, with its theme parks, its temples, its eateries, its shopping, its numerous modes of transport (I found myself travelling by flight, ferry, car, bus, metro, tram, city escalator, and cable car!), its museums, its blend of Chinese and Western culture and its overall buzz! Yes, I didn't always find it the world's friendliest city, with a few unfortunate exchanges with unfriendly immigration officers and people from whom I asked directions, but nevertheless, it's a place I enjoy visiting again and again.

My Visual Travel Experience: The Netherlands

Before 2017, I had traveled to The Netherlands on several occasions, in 2001, 2004, 2009 and 2010, but it was always on short visits, and I had spent most of my time in Amsterdam. Then in 2017, I spent around 10 days in The Netherlands. I traveled extensively around the country in those 10 days along with my wife, Reshmi, and our 2 and a half year old son, Rehaan.

For several days during our stay, our hosts were my cousin's daughter, Shweta, and her Dutch husband, Ron, who stay in a small town called Rosmalen, on the outskirts of Den Bosch. Staying with them was really great, because they were very hospitable and welcoming, and it was lovely having close family in a foreign land. A cousin, Priya, also came with her husband, Conrad, and 9 year old daughter, Oona, all the way from Switzerland and met us in Amsterdam for a day. That was really very nice and little Rehaan was very happy spending some time with another child - Oona was really very good with him! Reshmi also met her Loreto House Kolkata school friend, Aditi Chatterjee, who lives in Eindhoven. We went and spent an evening over a delicious barbecue dinner with her, her husband and their 2 daughters at their beautiful house. Another classmate and friend of theirs, Tonuka Ghoshal, also happened to be in The Netherlands then, and she joined in too for a mini reunion!

I rented a car and drove everywhere. That gave us a lot of flexibility and mobility. In hindsight, the only drawbacks were first of all, my young son got a little restless sitting in the car for extended periods of time, and secondly, I wasn't always careful about the speed limits, and when I came back to India, I received fines amounting to some 500 Euros!! We were also perhaps a little too ambitious, and we managed to pack in an amazing amount, which was great for me, but it was exhausting for my family, as they're happier with a slower pace of life on travels.

The Netherlands, known informally as Holland, is a beautiful, small sized country. Netherlands means "lower countries" and the country's name is due to its very low altitude (less than 50% of the country is more than 1 meter above sea level). The population of Holland is approximately 17 million, spread over some 40,000 sq km. The country has one of the highest per capita incomes in Europe, at over USD 50,000 per annum. For tourists, there is an incredible amount to see, from big cities like Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam, with their fascinating art museums and churches, to the tulip gardens of Keukenhof, to the windmills of Kinderdijk, to the canals of Giethoorn. There's something for everyone, whether one likes the buzz of a big city, or the serenity of the countryside.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam, a city with over 850,000 inhabitants, is the capital of The Netherlands, though the seat of government lies in The Hague. The city offers a lot to visitors. 

Dam Square lies in the heart of the city. The Royal Palace, on Dam Square, is a classical building completed in the 17th century. It was originally built as the town hall, but later became the royal palace. It is still occasionally used for official functions by the Dutch royal family. The National Monument on Dam Square is a white coloured obelisk, commemorating Dutch casualties of World War II. It is surrounded by two lions, symbols of The Netherlands. The structure has bas-reliefs depicting the horrors of war.

National Monument, Dam Square, Amsterdam

Royal Palace, Amsterdam

The Nieuwe Kerk or New Church on Dam Square isn't exactly new and dates back to the 14th century. Since 1814, all Durch kings and queens have had their coronations here. The church also has the Tomb of Michel de Ruyter, a 17th century admiral.

Nieuwekerk, Amsterdam

Madame Tussauds also lies on Dam Square in the heart of the city. It has wax sculptures of Dutch as well as international celebrities.

Van Gogh, Madame Tussauds, Amsterdam

Rembrandt, Madame Tussauds, Amsterdam

The Gothic Oude Kerk or Old Church dates back to the 13th century, Highlights include the stain glass panels, the great organ and the gilded ceiling with vault paintings.

Oude Kerk, Amsterdam

Nave, Oude Kerk, Amsterdam

Amsterdam’s famous Red Light District is spread over a large area, consisting of a series of criss-crossing lanes and canals, and having windows with scantily clad women prospecting for business, as well as a large number of night clubs, and sex shops. Located on multiple floors on Damrak, Amsterdam’s Sex Museum, or Venus Tempel, is an interesting museum, with numerous erotic exhibits. There are wax sculptures of Hollywood sex symbol Marilyn Monroe, Mata Hari (the early 20th century spy), call girls of Amsterdam, as well as paintings from Kamasutra and a marble sculpture of Venus (the goddess of love) and photographs from the early era of erotica. The lively Damrak has many souvenir shops, restaurants, bars, hotels and even a casino.

Wax Sculpture of Marilyn Monroe,
Sex Museum, Amsterdam

Wax Sculpture of Mata Hari,
Sex Museum, Amsterdam

Casino, Damrak, Amsterdam

Begijnhof was originally built in the 14th century for the Begijnjes, a Catholic sisterhood, who lived like nuns and took care of the poor and old. The enclosed complex still has a very peaceful and sanctified feel to it, and houses the English Church, a lawn in the centre, and rows of old houses (including the city’s old house at no.34).

Church, Begijnhof, Amsterdam

Courtyard, Begijnhof, Amsterdam

The Anne Frank Huis is the house where the young Jewish girl, Anne Frank, and her family lived and hid from the Nazis during WW II. The moving cupboard, which was actually a secret door, is still on display. The young girl kept a diary, which was published after her death at a concentration camp. A solemn reminder indeed of the Nazi atrocities in Europe. The Westerkerk is a large church that lies close to Anne Frank Huis, between two canals, the Princengracht and the Kaizersgracht. The church was completed in 1631 and has an 87 meter high tower, making it the city's tallest church tower. Just above the clock of the tower, there is a carillon with 51 bells. Rembrandt, who died in poverty, was buried in the church in 1669, but the exact location of his grave isn't known.

Westerkerk, Amsterdam

Amsterdam’s Centraal Station lies at the northern end of Damrak. The station is housed inside a beautiful Gothic / Renaissance Revival building which is one of the city’s major landmarks. The station first opened in 1889, and was designed by the same architect who designed Rijksmuseum (there is a big similarity between the two buildings).

Centraal Station, Amsterdam

Rijksmuseum is one of the world’s finest art museums, housed inside a very impressive building. The museum has masterpieces by Rembrandt ("The Nightwatch", "The Jewish Bride"), Vermeer ("The Kitchen Maid", "Woman reading a Letter", "The Love Letter"), Van Gogh and many other masters. The current building was opened in 1885. Besides paintings, the museum also has a small section of Asian sculptures.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Rembrandt's The Nightwatch, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Van Gogh's Self Portrait, Rijksmuseum,
Amsterdam

Vermeer's The Love Letter, Rijksmuseum,
Amsterdam

Asselijn's The Threatened Swan, Rijksmuseum,
Amsterdam

Hals' The Merry Drinker, Rijksmuseum,
Amsterdam

The Van Gogh Museum has a very impressive collection of the troubled Dutch artist’s paintings. Born in 1853, the artist killed himself in 1890 after a long battle with depression. The museum has masterpieces like "Vase With Sunflowers", "The Potato Eaters", "The Wheatfields and the Crows", "The Bedroom at Arles" and "Pieta".

Vase with Sunflowers, Van Gogh Museum,
Amsterdam

Van Gogh's Self Portrait in a Grey Felt Hat,
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Sint Nicolaaskerk was completed in 1888 and is dedicated to the saint of seafarers. It is the primary catholic church in Amsterdam and replaced numerous clandestine catholic places of worship that sprang up in the city after it turned protestant.

Sint Nicolaaskerk, Amsterdam

Amsterdam is famous for its pancake houses. One of the best known ones is Pancake House du Carousel, where an old carousel for children is present inside the restaurant. The sheer types of pancakes available is quite staggering. Delicious stuff!

Pancake at Pancake House du Carousel, Amsterdam

No visit to Amsterdam is complete without a canal cruise. The city has many canals that go around it like little rings. A great way to see the city!

Canal cruise, Amsterdam

Keukenhof

Keukenhof is one of the world’s largest flower gardens. The garden is in Lisse, at a distance of about 40 km south-west of Amsterdam. It is spread over 79 acres and every year, 7 million tulip bulbs are planted. The garden is open annually from mid March to mid May. The garden was established in 1949. Attractions include flower decorations at Wilhelm Alexander and Oranje Nassau, a windmill, and a big lake with a fountain.

Windmill, Keukenhof

Tulips, Keukenhof

Cow, Oranje Nassau, Keukenhof

Elephant, Oranje Nassau, Keukenhof

Wilhelm Alexander, Keukenhof

Hillegom

Hillegom serves as a nice base camp to explore the gardens at Keukenhof. The town has a population of about 20,000 and lies around 40 km south west of Amsterdam. The town's main pedestrian street is Hoofdstraat. Sint Martinskerk and Sint Martinuskerk are two well known churches, one of either end of the street. The Stadhuis is another town landmark.

Stadhuis, Hillegom

Hoofdstraat, Hillegom

Sint Martinuskerk, Hillegom

Kinderdijk

Kinderdijk is a village about 100 km south-west of Amsterdam. Kinderdijk is situated at the confluence of two rivers. Around 1740, 19 windmills were constructed to drain water away and prevent flooding. This is the largest concentration of old windmills in The Netherlands. In 1997, Kinderdijk was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Windmills, Kinderdijk

Windmill with a goat in the foreground,
Kinderdijk

Visitor Centre, Kinderdijk

Museum Windmill Blokweer, Kiderdijk

Bed at Museum Windmill Blokweer, Kinderdijk

Giethoorn

Giethoorn is a village around 125 km north-east of Amsterdam. Vehicles are not permitted in the village. It has a network of canals, and the only way of getting around the village is either by boat or on foot. Giethoorn has about 180 bridges, and is known as the Venice of the North. 

House by the Canal, Giethoorn

Mineral Museum, Giethoorn

Amethist, Mineral Museum, Giethoorn

Rhoda Pottery, Giethoorn

Cheese, Rhoda Pottery, Giethoorn

Utrecht

Utrecht is a city with 340,000 population, around 50 km south-east of Amsterdam.  Utrecht’s best known landmark is the Dom Kerk, with its 112 meter high Dom Toren. Dom Kerk is also called St Martin’s Cathedral. The church dates back to the 16th century. In 1674, there was a major storm, and the nave of the church collapsed. This has left the Dom Toren isolated. The location of the erstwhile nave is occupied by a large square with trees. 

Dom Toren, Utrecht

Nave of Dom Toren, Utrecht

Cloisters at Domkerk, Utrecht

Domkerk seen from the Cloisters, Utrecht

Oude Gracht is a canal that runs through the heart of Utrecht, not far from Dom Toren.

Oude Gracht, Utrecht

Other landmarks in the heart of Utrecht include Pieterskerk, the Stadhuis (the town hall) and the University, all of which are housed in grand buildings.

Pieterskerk, Utrecht

Stadhuis, Utrecht

University, Utrecht

The Hague

The Hague is the seat of the Dutch government parliament (though the country’s official capital is Amsterdam), and it has a population of about 520,000. After 1815, Belgium and The Netherlands were combined to give the United Kingdom of The Netherlands in order to combine their forces against France. In 1830, Belgium broke away as an independent nation, and Amsterdam became the capital of The Netherlands, but the government was situated out of The Hague. 

Grote Kerk (St James Church) was completed in the 16th century. It has a 93 meter tall tower. It has some beautiful stain glass work, a wooden carved pulpit, as well as splendid sepulchral monuments.

Interior of Grote Kerk, The Hague

Nave of Grote Kerk, The Hague

Mauritshuis is a museum spread over 2 floors and 16 rooms, that contains a collection of over 800 paintings, largely paintings from the Dutch Golden Era. Some of the masters featured include Rembrandt, Vermeer, Rubens and Steen, to name just a few. The museum's most famous paintings include Vermeer's "Girl with the Pearl Earring" and Paulus Potter's "The Bull". The 17th century building was the erstwhile residence of Count John Maurice of Nassau. It now belongs to the government of the Netherlands. The building was opened as a museum to the public in 1822.

Mauritshuis, The Hague

Vermeer's Girl with the Pearl Earring,
Mauritshuis, The Hague

Paulus Potter's The Bull, Mauritshuis, The Hague

Rembrandt's Self Portrait with a Gorget,
Mauritshuis, The Hague

Rubens and Brueghel's The Garden of Eden and the Fall,
Mauritshuis, The Hague

Steen's As the Old Sing, So Pipe the Young,
Mauritshuis, The Hague

Binnenhof is the Dutch Parliament. It consists of a series of buildings near the Hofvijver Lake. A large part of the complex dates back to the 13th century. The Gothic Ridderzaal is at the centre of the complex. The king holds his annual speech from the throne every September from this hall. It is supposed to be the world’s oldest parliament.

Binnenhof, The Hague

The Peace Palace houses the International Court of Justice, as well as several other organizations. The building was completed in 1913. It contains busts of various peace campaigners from across the world.

Madurodam is a miniature theme park. It has replicas of well known Dutch landmarks on the scale 1:25. The park was opened in 1952. It was named after George Maduro, a Jewish law student who was killed in a Nazi concentration camp in 1945. All proceeds from the park go to support various charities.

Entrance, Madurodam, The Hague

Peace Palace (The Hague), Maduroram, The Hague

Westerkerk (Amsterdam), Madurodam, The Hague

Basilica of Our Lady (Maastricht), Madurodam, The Hague

Domtoren at Utrecht, Madurodam, The Hague

The Sting is a well known department store in the centre of The Hague. The circular shaped building has a beautiful stain glass ceiling.

The Sting

Den Bosch

Den Bosch, locally called s’-Hertogenbosch, is a city with a population of over 140,000 and is the capital of the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands. The artist Jheronimus Bosch is probably Den Bosch’s best known son. Glimpses of his works can be seen across the city.

St Jaanskathedraal was completed in 1530. In 1629, Protestants took over the church. In 1810, when Napoleon visited Den Bosch, he  made it a Catholic church again. Under the 73 meter tall clock tower, there is a carillon. The church also boasts of one of the country’s best known organs.

St Jaanskathedraal, Den Bosch

Nave of Sint Janskathedraal, Den Bosch

Dome Interior of Sint Janskathedraal, Den Bosch

Sculpture of St Isabella, Sint Janskathedraal, Den Bosch

The Jheronimus Bosch Art Centre is a centre dedicated to the works of the well known artist, Jheronimus Bosch (1450-1516). The centre has prints of the artist’s best known works, the originals of which are in museums across the world. The centre is housed inside an old church.

Jheronimus Bosch Art Centre, Den Bosch

Crowning with Thorns, Jheronimus Bosch
Art Centre, Den Bosch

Organ, Jheronimus Bosch
Art Centre, Den Bosch

The Markt is in the heart of the old town. It is in a pedestrian zone, full of shops and restaurants. The large square has a statue of Jheronimus Bosch, the Stadhuis (the Town Hall), as well as a covered well and a Mary Column.

Jheronimus Bosch Sculpture, Markt, Den Bosch

Markt, Den Bosch

Stadhuis, Den Bosch

Rosmalen

Rosmalen is a suburb of Den Bosch. It has a population of about 35,000.  The town’s best known landmark is the Sint Lambertuskerk, a church in the heart of town near the Markt. The tower dates back to 1430 and the nave was built in 1550. In the course of its history, the church has been used as a prison and as a town hall. Dierenpark Maliscamp is a farm with farm animals, and is popular with children.

St Lambertuskerk, Rosmalen

Graves outside St Lambertuskerk, Rosmalen

Dierenpark Maliscamp, Rosmalen

Beekse Bergen

Beekse Bergen is a large safari park, a short distance from Den Bosch and very close to the town of Tilburg. It was set up in 1968. Visitors can go around the park in their own cars, by bus, by boat or by foot. Driving through the park, being among the giraffes, zebras and wildebeests, gives visitors the feeling of being in the wilds of Africa. The park also has several restaurants, as well as rides for kids.

Tourists with Giraffes, Beekse Bergen

Lion, Beekse Bergen

Hippos, Beekse Bergen

Baboons, Beekse Bergen

Llama, Beekse Bergen

Rotterdam

Rotterdam is the country's second largest city, with a population of 635,000. It is a major economic centre, and has Europe's largest port. The city is known for its unique, modern architecture. This is exemplified in Kijk Kubus, a set of apartments that are built inside a series of diagonally placed cubes! These apartments were built in the 1970s by architect Piet Blom.

Kijk Kubus, Rotterdam

Apartments seen from inside the courtyard, Kijk Kubus, Rotterdam

Interior of an apartment, Kijk Kubus, Rotterdam

Museum Boijmans van Beuningen is Rotterdam's best known museum. It opened in 1849, and has a very impressive collection of works by artists like Rubens, Degas, Munch, Van Gogh, Monet and Cezanne.

Degas' Ballet Dancer, Museum
Boijmans van Beuningen,
Rotterdam

Munch's Two Girls under an Apple Tree,
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen,
Rotterdam

Cezanne's Landscape at Aix en Provence,
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen,
Rotterdam

Kokoschka's Mandrill,
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen,
Rotterdam

Van Gogh's Armand Roulin,
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen,
Rotterdam

The Stadhuis or Town Hall in Rotterdam is one of the city's most attractive buildings.

Stadhuis, Rotterdam

Rotterdam has a well known War Memorial, dedicated to those who perished in World War II.

War Memorial, Rotterdam

Delft

Delft is a town with a population of 100,000. It is famous for its Delft blue pottery. It was also the place where the famous Dutch painter, Vermeer, lived. Delft's most famous site is the Nieuwe Kerk, built in the 15th century. It contains the Dutch royal family's burial vault. 

Niuewe Kerk, Delft

Tomb of William of Orange, Nieuwe Kerk, Delft

The Stadhuis lies along Markt, the large square in the heart of town that also has the Nieuwe Kerk.

Stadhuis, Delft

The Oude Kerk is another well known church, which has the tombs of famous personalities like Vermeer.

Oude Kerk, Delft

Het Princenhof was built in the middle ages as a monastery. It later served as the residence of William the Silent. William was murdered here in 1584. Bullet holes near the staircase are still visible from the murder. The building was converted into a museum in 1911 and has a collection of Dutch Golden Age paintings.

Het Princenhof, Delft

Staircase, Het Princenhof

All in all, The Netherlands is a beautiful country, and I highly recommend it to travelers who love art, history, culture, good food, or nature. People are largely friendly and helpful, and a majority of people speak English, at least in the big towns. Rarely in all my travels have I come across so much to experience in such a small sized country! For shoppers and souvenir hunters, things to look out for include Delft blue pottery, Dutch cheese like Gouda, Dutch chocolates, tulip bulbs, and the famous Dutch clogs!