Een, twee, drie

My Dutch vocabulary is slowly expanding. I have a little competition with myself to see if I can get through a store and check out without someone noticing that I'm not Dutch. If the check out person is not very chatty, then I can usually get away with it! It's harder at the market, where you have to specify how much of what you want. I don't think I'm "winning" my game at the market. My best order was "een kilo tomaten alstublieft... dank u wel." Sounds easy, but it's all about the pronunciation, and I'm definitely still learning the basics. The water polo players and swimmers are my best help, especially with numbers. I'm starting to understand the swim sets.

My past week was pretty busy with classes, but now I'm done with my five day, all day, enhanced oil recovery class. There's no exam, just 2-3 assignments per class that I have to finish in the next two weeks. Don't worry, that's not holding me back from an awesome spring break with my sister.

Gina arrived yesterday after a 17 hour journey from LA. Oh the sacrifices to visit her sister! We're having a blast so far. Gina managed to bring California weather to Delft. Yesterday was the prettiest day (without snow) yet! We took full advantage of it and walked all over Delft's city center, around the market, had a cappuccino, climbed the stairs of the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) tower. It's the second tallest building in the Netherlands - 108 meters.

Now for some great pictures from a beautiful day in Delft.

Feeding the ducks

Looking the other way on the canal

Gina!

Looking touristy by the canal

"Gina, hold that bike and pretend it's yours"

Lovely day

What market stall are YOU looking at?

Eating a stroopwafel ("syrup waffle")

Poffertjes (panckes) and stroopwafels are very popular here.

We're planning to go to an authentic poffertjes place in Amsterdam tomorrow.

This is how stroopwafels are made

Famous Dutch haring

Preparing the haring

Just so you know, this is how you're supposed to eat the fish...

We skipped out on this, didn't look to appetizing after a sweet stroopwafel.

Time for koffie!

Gina's caramel capuccino

Mine looked nice until I decided to dump chocolate power on it...

What a nice Dutch girl

Artsy shot of the day #1

View from the koffie shop

Kaas!

Meer kaas!

The famous blue and white Delftware

(If anybody wants some, let me know and I can bring back a few things in May)

Music/circus truck

Gina in front of the Nieuwe Kerk on the Markt square. I love the colors on the church.

At the Nieuwe Kerk gift shop, we saw postcards with pictures of the Dutch royal family, which I did not know much about before. Big news over here right now is that Prins Friso was trapped in an avalanche and now is in a coma. Everybody is following the updates on how he is doing.

Artsy shot #2

Climbing the tiny stairs

Passing zone 

Everybody goes up and down on the same little stairwell

Tiny door in the tiny stairwell

Anyone home?

So twee!

View from level #1

It's windy up here!

Gina don't fall!

Very windy...

Arty shots #3

View from the next level up. Can you see Ikea?

I need a scarf up here!

Not exactly the best place to pose

That's a blue heart, not what you think it might be...or maybe it is?

Breathtaking

This is the Markt square with the old city hall directly across from the Nieuwe Kerk

Such a beautiful town

We had to befriend a Dutch dad with his kids to get this photo taken. 

They seemed to get a kick out of the fact we were from Texas!

A few more ---

Looking up at the clock

Looking up at the spire

View from the next level up

Ikea!

At the top

Showing off her Cali weather :)

So glad you're here!

Markt from the tip top

Well, that's about it for a fantastic Saturday in Delft. Off to Amsterdam for the day, so more pictures to come. We will travel to Vienna Tuesday-Friday next week where some of my exchange friends will be as well. Stay posted!