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Below are some pictures and videos from the 24th and 25th. A quick explanation: On Christmas Eve we went to Delft and explored what are called the Old and New churches. In the Oude Kerk we looked at the graves and the tombs of two famous Dutch admirals, Admiral Hein and Admiral Tromp, and I told Buddy and Mary about Hein’s capturing the entire Spanish silver fleet in 1628. (He worked for the Dutch West India Company, which I'm writing about.) In the Nieuwe Kerk the kids played in the benches, looked at the skulls on the Prince of Orange’s tomb (he was the founding father of the Netherlands), held their brochures over the heater to make them fly into the air, ignored us when we asked them to stop running, etc. Then we climbed the huge tower. We were told before we began that young children were only allowed up if parents didn’t carry them, so Anna did the whole thing—hundreds of steps—alone, without my help. Buddy and Mary walked it too, but Mary was terrified all the way: clinging to my hand, thinking she was going to slip through the gaps in the steps. Once we got to the top she hugged the wall and didn’t even want to look over the edge, even though there was a metal railing. Anna stuck her head through the bars and hollered at the tiny people below.
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That night, with another family in our branch, we devoured two chickens, and on Christmas we opened presents and watched movies and played and read books and so on.
That night, with another family in our branch, we devoured two chickens, and on Christmas we opened presents and watched movies and played and read books and so on.
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The kids waiting as Kim buys the tickets for the churches.
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The Old Church (and Mary looking learned)
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A video in the Old Church
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Pete Hein's tomb (see explanation above)
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This bakery is about five hundred years old. It also used to be an inn, and the man who assassinated the Prince of Orange slept here before he committed the murder.
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The New Church (and the Prince of Orange's tomb)
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Buddy in the New Church
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Beginning our ascent up the tower. It was like this most of the way. The wooden pillar and steps don't inspire much confidence. No wonder Mary was scared.
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Not there yet
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The half-way point
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At the top. Mary would only just lean into the frame.
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Still at the top
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On our way down
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And we're down! This is the market from the video.
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An antique shop nearby
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Loading up to go home
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Christmas morning. About to open presents.
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Mary's turn
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Buddy's turn
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Mom's turn
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Anna playing with her new tea set.
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