BRUGGE AND DELFT

This was the view from our hotel window in Brugge. I have to tell you a funny story about the bells on this church clock tower. At first we didn't pay much attention to the bells, but after a couple of hours we realized that the bells were going off at different intervals... all the time. It would chime at 11:17, then not again til 11:33 and then when ever it felt like it after that. We were always checking our watches...then laughing to each other.

This was quite a treat. The Madonna and Child by Michelangelo was stunning. This was the only piece by Michelangelo to leave Italy during his life time.

As we stopped to take a picture here another tourist stopped and asked if we wanted a picture of the two of us. It was obvious she was from the States and come to find out she is from Tahoe. We talked for a little while.

We only had two days in Brugge and we definitely could have stayed there for a week.

Shortly after this picture we found a vendor selling crepes...Lynners, I most assuredly got the Nutella Crepe...miss you.

Clock tower from the opposite side of town.

The next day we traveled to Delft. A very cute little town and we kicked ourselves we didn't arrive sooner so we could shop and explore more.

We headed straight for the Delftware Factory. For those of you who don't know about Delftware...it's the little blue plates and figures that you see in antique shops.

We were able to watch a master painter at work.

The paint is originally black, then when it is fired the cobalt blue comes out.

This is made of tile pieces about 5x5 inches put together in an exact replica of one of Rembrandt's most famous pieces, The Night Watch, which we were able to visit at the Rembrandt Museum in Amsterdam. It took two master painters 7 years to complete it.

Isn't he cute!!!

Last set of pictures coming soon...