Gouda is another city in south Holland that deserves more attention IMO.

Those Hansa cities are wonderful and also include Zutphen, an often overlooked gem. The entire surrounding countryside is gorgeous by the way: all nobility and patricians estates and great for bike touring.

And I'll just recommend Groningen: 3 hours by direct train from Schiphol and the southernmost Scandinavian city in Europe. A mini Copenhagen, beautiful with a very innovative cycling infrastructure. If you think there is a lot of cycling in Amsterdam: Groningen has two times that.

annhig: thank you, I'll note down about that shop when I plan to go to Delft.

FF - when you do, can you bring me back a new bowl please???

Alright, I can bring you one but I don't know how to give it to you, you guys have chosen to leave us (not you and bilbo personally) and I might not be able to go to UK freely as before ;)

there will probably be a huge tariff imposed on that bowl - head up to Stow-Trent and Wedgwood?

there will probably be a huge tariff imposed on that bowl - head up to Stow-Trent and Wedgwood?>>

Pal - sometimes you are priceless.

1. it's a joke. we're joshing each other.

2. tarrif? why would there be a tarrif? we haven't left the EU yet, and by my reckoning, we've got at least another 2 years before anything actually happens.

3. it would probably be cheaper for me to go to Delft and go to the shop myself than to go to Wedgwood, who would not in any event have a bowl to match the ones we've already got.

I too was joking too! there probably will never be a tariff with EU.

I too was joking too! there probably will never be a tariff with EU.>>

I certainly wouldn't be prepared to say that, Pal, given the current circumstances but probably not this year or next.

Delft is a very popular city in the western Netherlands and this area is famous for Delftware or Delft pottery that is made here from the 16th century.

Delft is a very popular city in the western Netherlands>

Western Netherlands - how wrong - how about more eastern (near Rotterdam) than western?

Name a prominent town in Netherlands that is more western than Delft. The Hague is the only one I saw on a map.

>>Western Netherlands - how wrong - how about more eastern (near Rotterdam) than western?<<

Maybe you are looking at the map upside down. >) Delft is in the western Netherlands. (as is Rotterdam BTW)

Hope the tours she/he is probably spamming are a bit better at directions than that. Obviously knows little about The Netherlands outside of Amsterdam.

Or perhaps she/he just made a stupid mistake- any Dutch person should or would know the difference I would hope. so benefit of the doubt.

Amsterdamtours - please explain!

PQ: >>Or perhaps she/he just made a stupid mistake-<<

Please note it is you who put Delft in the wrong part of the country, and no one is calling you stupid.

>>Hope the tours she/he is probably spamming<<

What spam? Yes -- AmsterdamTours does list a tour company in his/her profile, but this post doesn't appear to be advertising anything. (Fodorites w/ commercial websites are OK to participate here -- as long as they don't advertise in their posts)

Please note it is you who put Delft in the wrong part of the country, and no one is calling you stupid.>

Yes and only now did I realize it- I admit to being stupid on this and apologize to Amsterdamtours! Still can't believe what a stupid mistake -I have biked several times between Delft and Venlo so should have know because the winds nearly always blow from east to west.

Janis I did not callhe/she stupid but said a stupid mistake- big difference, right?

Funny, the winds here normally blow west to east. Maybe they turned just to make life hard for you Pal.

You would have enjoyed a very Dutch event here last week- a race against the wind, on a bike with no gears and only a back pedal brake. Wind force 9-10, (100km/h gusts) over the Oosterscheldekering. A distance of 8.5 kms. The winner did it in 22.30 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl2AUON9Y6U

I especially like the Oracle at Delft.

@hetismij friends of mine competed, it was hilarious and scary at the same time.

@WoinParis : Delft is where we bury our oranges