Utrecht

Here is John speaking about prayer: ‘ This is the confidence that we can have in Jesus/ God, that if we ask anything according to His will to save us, He hears us.’ 1 John 5:14. ( It is so important to be heard. Sandy has made this verse her own.)

A vase of cow parsley and grasses.

It is a Mobach vase. Mobach Karamiek was established in Utrecht, Netherlands in 1895 and is a renowed family-run pottery workshop famous for handcrafted, high-quality, and modern ceramics. It is known for robust designs with unique in-house glazes. I spotted it in a shop filled with second hand treasures.

The lady who sold it to me said: ‘ You can stand on that vase but you’ll probably roll off, it is that strong. The family are still making them here in Utrecht.’

We were in Utrecht with its canals that feature unique two-tiered structures, where lower levels (wharf cellars) were historically used for storage and transport but now are used as cafes and restaurants.

Let us look from above and then below.

The southern part of this canal was started around 1122 after the water levels of the Rhine River changed , which meant a new canal system was needed. It was designed to link the city to trade routes and protect the town, with the excavated soil used to raise the banks reducing flood.

Now looking at the canal from water level this pancake restaurant has pleasant views and served large portions; Roy and I were happy to share a savoury one and then a cherry one. I include this for my friends who love cooking. The cherries were not at all sweet, I would say poached in water. The building was kept much as it was, painted and clean but still had a feel of what it was, a place to store goods.

The Dom Tower is then hard to ignore. It is the tallest church tower in the Netherlands at 112m. It has been a symbol of Utrecht for at least 600 years. The Dom tower has been recreated in Japan but they have put a lift in theirs, we didn’t climb the stairs.

Did I ever get to photograph it properly? Here are some of the streets where I tried.

Utrecht is a modern, clean university town with young people everywhere. Those I spoke to were eager to go the extra mile to help with directions or information. The city has a welcoming creative vibe.

One of the narrower streets leading to the tower. There is a mark in one of the streets which shows where it would land if it fell over. The church did partially fall down in a storm in 1674.

Homes lining the carefully bricked road with The Dom Tower at the end. Here I managed to be further away and get one of the more modern streets with planting and trees at the end.

A closer look at the brick work and how well trees with their spring leaves are growing close to it.

Notice the brick work on the road and the older style building of the city hall on the left. The Dom Tower is seperate from Domkerk and is surrounded by buildings of different styles and uses.

The inside of Domkerk is airy and filled with light. It’s height is awesome.

A fine space to worship in.

Again notice the fine brick work at our feet and the canal far below.

It was really cold but the sun shone between the showers.

Sandy at 70 and Roy at 69!

Here we are in Utrecht the Netherlands.

We enjoyed this beautiful city and feel privileged to have been here.

Here are some things said about this city:

‘ Gezond Stedelijk Leven voor iedereen.’ ( The healthy Urban Life for everyone.) This is an official slogan.

And

‘All the charm without the chaos.’ Is said when comparing it with Amsterdam.

Take care,

Sandy 🙂