Tuesday - Detours and Delft
Armand is excited for us to get to Delft. It's his home town and he's looking forward to giving us the tour...
Today's ride will be short as we will ride only in the morning, then meet up with the boat to pass through Rotterdam.
Our ride today is forced to make several detours as parts of the bike paths that pass through farm areas are closed due to concerns over hoof and mouth disease. We see a dead sheep at one farm, but finally decide it's on the roadside for pick-up by one of the roving carcass trucks - large trucks with hydraulic graspers that can lift a cow.
Though we have the option of biking through Rotterdam, everyone decides to take the boat. We'll have a good view of the harbor, plus the wind is really gusting today, and it's pretty cool - though the sun does come out for the boat trip.
Rotterdam is interesting from an architectural standpoint. As a major harbor, most of the city was severely bombed during WWII. It must have been a designers' field day after the war as the city was rebuilt. Here you see beautifully designed bridges and buildings that can literally take your breath away.
neat building 
the "swan" bridge
We pass through a lock to move to another canal and they pack the boats in like sardines - right in the middle of the city.
heading for the lock..
very close 
We dock in Delft. We bid farewell to four of our companions - the Canadians depart. They are replaced by a couple from Florida and two New Zealanders.
Dinner tonight starts off interesting: a prosucitto and melon appetizer. Then they bring out large bowls of what at first looks like boiled brains with brown gravy, though actually it's just a whole boiled cauliflower, which complements the pork with brown gravy and potatoes. Dessert is the ever-popular pudding.
After dinner we stroll through town with Armand, who points out the finer
points of his home town. We see the famous "Leaning Tower of
Delft" - part of the "old church", a church built around 1200
with a leaning bell tower. The lean is not caused by the ground sinking,
it was built that way. We also see the "New Church", built around
1300, where members of the ruling House of Orange have been buried since William
of Orange was assassinated here in 1786. (The town is gearing up for the next
round of state funerals since some members of the royal family are getting up in
years and the funerals are good for business. The highlight is a piece of public
art - a large blue glass heart, though if viewed from the right angle it is
known locally as the "Giant Blue Testicles of Delft" 
(I was without a
camera this night, but thanks to Bob Drewes, I have a memento).
With the previous night's political discussions in mind, I wisely decide to head back to the boat for a beer rather than trying one of the local taverns. As I sip my beer, I notice four locals standing at the railing of a nearby canal bridge. At first, I thought they were just enjoying the view of the canal and the docked boats, until they zipped up and went on their way.