
Beyond Amsterdam Network
Amsterdam is always interesting. There are so many things to talk about this beautiful city; the people, the entertainment and so on. But what are also amazing and become a legend of Amsterdam are the canals that can be found throughout the city. With more than a hundred kilometers of big-small waterway and water alley, this is no longer just water transportation; this is a network.
Amsterdam was founded in the mid-13th century as a mere dam across the Amstel River. Its fortunes were stimulated by the 1602 founding of the Dutch East India Company, whose ships and sailors brought back treasures from the far east. Soon a network of canals helped transform the city into a huge port. Square riggers could unload cargoes of silks, Moluccan spices, Chinese Export porcelain and other riches for barge transport straight into the warehouses and merchant's home's.
There are three main canals of Amsterdam, i.e.: Herengracht, Prinsengracht and Keizergracht. But when they're being dug during the 17th century, the Gentlemen's Canal was the smartest address in town. Along its banks stand an assortment of canal houses built three centuries ago by maritime merchant princes. Today there are several hotels occupy old townhouses along the Gentlemen's Canal. Every morning people who stay at the hotels step outside to find the canal waters sparkling, elm trees aglow in the yellow summer sun, and the sky a delft blue painted with white clouds. The long rows of gingerbread houses with lace curtains made the kind of picture that people could imagine unfolding from a children's pop-up book.
Although Amsterdam is often compared with Venice, many people gratefully observed that it lacks the Italian city's occasional aroma, since sewage doesn't end up in the canals and garbage is regularly removed. A system of sluices and pumps renews the whole network with fresh seawater about every three nights. All of us know that Amsterdam lies largely below sea level. Without dunes and dikes on the North Sea coast, it would disappear under water.
Near sunset the canal banks filled with Amsterdammers pedaling their bikes home with bright bouquets in their baskets. But don't think that Amsterdammers only live in a city of water. They sometimes dwell right on it. Houseboats, often beautifully painted, line many banks. Along the Singel canal there's one houseboat that serves as a kind of Noah's Ark, where enthusiastic volunteers take care of homeless cats.
Not so far to the northwest Amsterdam visitors will pass near the Jordan district. This name is said to come from jardin, the French word for garden. This old neighborhood has a village feeling and a bohemian spirit and it can be seen from its cafes, antique shops, picturesque houses and pretty little streets and canals.
Along the banks of most of the canals stand rows of Amsterdam's trim, narrow canal houses. The older facades are mainly red or black brick, pattern with a panoply of gleaming windows. Capping the tops are gables festooned with ornaments: scrolls, fruit, or flowers painted confectionery white, looking remarkably like the whipped cream that Amsterdammers heap on hot chocolate.
Amsterdam is really a city with many personalities indeed..., and one where just about anything goes.
The many faces of Dutch Delftware
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Holland Dutch Hand Painted Delft Blauw Floral Clog #100 $15.75 |
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VINTAGE Hand Painted Blue & White Delft Plate w/ scene of Dutch Wind Mills $28.95 |
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ANTIQUE HOLLAND DELFT SUGAR JAR AND MINI MUG IKLA DUTCH HAND PAINTED VERY OLD! $9.99 |
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Miniature Hand Painted Bells - EH Delft Blue Dutch Couple 2 3/8" High $0.01 |
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Dutch Delft Hand Paint Polychrome Veldheer-De Klomp Holland MI Windmill Vase $19.99 |
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Delft Hand Painted Dutch Windmill Shoe Ashtray $4.50 |
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4 Vintage Vandermint Delft Shot Glasses Hand Painted In Holland Dutch Windmill $17.95 |
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VINTAGE DELFTS ASHTRAY DUTCH HOLLAND SHOE Hand Painted Pottery SIGNED MARKED $0.99 |
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blue delft dutch boy and girl kissing hand painted vintage $12.99 |
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Hard painted DELFT BLAUW Dutch Shoe Porcelin/ Ceramic, exc cond, 7 inches $5.00 |
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VINTAGE BLUE DELFTS HAND PAINTED DUTCH SHOE ASHTRAY $15.00 |
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DELFTS 6" PORCELAIN DUTCH SHOE WITH BLUE PAINTING, 2 WINDMILLS, 1 COTTAGE $16.00 |
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Vtg Set of 2 Delft Blue & White Dutch Couple Miniature Bell Hand Painted People $6.99 |
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VINTAGE DELFTS ASHTRAY DUTCH HOLLAND SHOE Hand Painted Pottery SIGNED MARKED $0.99 |
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Fine Rare Signed Antique 18thC Dutch Delft Pottery Plate Dish Painted Views $250.00 |
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Fine Rare Signed Antique 18thC Dutch Delft Pottery Plate Dish Painted Views $250.00 |
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Delft Blauw Hand Painted Hotel Okura Amstredam Shoe Ashtray Dutch Windmill $17.95 |
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Vintage Miniature Porcelain Hand Painted DUTCH KISSING COUPLE DELFT BLUE Holland $5.99 |
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Vintage Hand Painted Dutch Delft Blue Clog Ashtray $12.50 |
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VINTAGE BLUE DELFT HAND PAINTED MINIATURE SHOE BLAUW HOLLAND DUTCH WINDMILL $6.99 |
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VINTAGE BLUE DELFT HAND PAINTED MINIATURE PITCHER DUTCH ZENITHHOLLAND BLAUW $8.99 |
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VINTAGE BLUE DELFT HAND PAINTED MINIATURE VASE BLAUW HOLLAND DUTCH $6.99 |
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MADE IN HOLLAND,DELFT HAND PAINTED DUTCH SHOE ,DELFT BLAU,WINDMILL,FARM ASHTRAY $25.00 |
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Delft Blue Holland Hand Painted Mug Stein Windmill Ships 140 710 Dutch Collector $31.99 |
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DUTCH DELFT BLUE WHITE FLOWER VASE HOLLAND 293 HAND PAINTED $13.99 |
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DELFT-STYLE HAND-PAINTED DUTCH BOY & GIRL SALT & PEPPER SHAKERS/SET-MINT! $10.00 |
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Vintage Delft Blue White Milkmaid Dutch Woman Figurine Windmill Painted $13.59 |
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Hand Painted BLUE DELFT Ceramic Dutch Shoe W Price Tags Still On The Bottom $8.00 |
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Vintage Old Tile Delft Blue Dutch Antique Hand Painting $36.95 |
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Hand Painted Delft Blue Miniature Basket Dutch Scene Windmill DA $18.95 |
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Antique Dutch Delft Blue & White Pottery Ware Tile Panel Painting dep Cattle $825.00 |
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DELFT Hand Painted TILE vintage Holland Windmill Canal Cottages Dutch $40.00 |
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HOLLAND DELFT HAND PAINTED FINE CERAMIC DUTCH SHOE $3.99 |
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New Dutch Creamic Delft Blue Pair of Clogs Shoes Hand painted $6.50 |
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Delft Blauw Hand Painted Floral Flowers 6" Dutch Tile Trivet Wall Decor-Holland $18.00 |
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Finely painted Dutch Delft plate "De Porceleyne Byl" $449.00 |
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Finely painted Dutch Delft plate "De Porceleyne Byl" $449.00 |
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Hand Painted E H Delft Blue Dutch Couple Miniature Bell $17.98 |
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DELFT DINNER BELL HAND PAINTED- VINTAGE- Windmill Dutch $14.00 |
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Holland Dutch Hand Painted Delft Blauw Floral Clog $15.75 |
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Top Quality Delft Blue Dutch Windmill Lamp, Made in Holland. Hand Painted! $55.99 |
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2 DELFT BLAUW BLUE HAND PAINTED DUTCH SHOE CLOGS~PLANTERS~WALL POCKETS~FIGURINES $14.99 |
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VTG DELFT BLAUW DELFT BLUE HAND PAINTED DUTCH BOWL DISH $12.99 |
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1993 DELFT DUTCH HAND PAINTED WHITE AND BLUE TILE $29.02 |
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1987 DELFT DUTCH HAND PAINTED WHITE AND BLUE TILE $29.04 |
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DELFT DUTCH HAND PAINTED WHITE AND BLUE TILE $29.05 |
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Hand Painted Delft Blauw Dutch Porcelain Shoe #4 $17.99 |
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Vintage Delft Blauw Hand Painted Dutch Planter Windmill $10.00 |
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DELFT Dutch Art Pottery Orchid FlowerPot Hand Painted HOLLAND WindMill $15.29 |
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Vintage Delft Blauw Hand Painted Dutch Shoe Planter $9.99 |
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DELFT blue WHITE painted SHOE figurine VTG ceramic DUTCH porcelain SHOE $10.99 |
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Old Delft Blue Hand Painted Ceramic Dutch Wooden Shoe Holland Windmill Vintage $19.99 |
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Hand Painted Mini Delft Dutch Shoes Signed Quaint $9.99 |
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Genuine DELFT BLUE Hand Painted Dutch Shoe - Holland $22.99 |
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Beautiful Dutch Souvenir Ceramic Delft Blue Blauw Clog Collectible Hand painted $29.50 |
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Boska Holland Tapas Cheese Fondue, Delft Blue $39.95 Delft blue is as unmistakably Dutch as windmills, tulips and cheese. The typical blue decoration on tin-glazed earthenware is showing signs of revival. We find the fresh design more and more on the shelves. It has now found its way to the cheese shelves! The Delft blue decorations on the pottery are hand-painted.... |

US $15.99














