Wednesday morning (May 6) we had the chance to catch up with Esther in Delft, for cappuccino and a lusciously decadent slice of apple pie at Stadskoffyhuis, a local prize-winning coffee house in business for 60 years. You know those relationships that remain familiar despite time and distance? It’s like that with Esther. These types of warm connections feel so comfortable and comforting.
After chatting happily for a couple of hours we went off to do a bit of ambling, taking in the Vermeer Center, the Oude Delft Kerk (Old Delft Church) and the Nieue Delft Kerk (cleverly named New Delft Church). Separate posts about these.
Later we walked to Esther’s home for dinner and lots more conversation. She served a dish her family named “the mayor’s wife”. I will get the whole story on that but rest assured it was delicious. Chicken in a wine / crème Fraiche / cheese sauce. Esther lives in a neighborhood called Agnetapark, a UNESCO registered Dutch monument.
The land was purchased in the 1880’s by Jacques van Marken and wife Agneta, in order to provide housing and a community center for the workers in Van Marken’s nearby Yeast and Spirits Factory.
Van Marken was notably progressive for the times. In addition to providing housing, he set up a pension for workers, reduced working hours, and introduced days off.
Living in a Dutch monument is not the simplest as you can imagine. The homes must not change in appearance at all. The color of the trim, height of the hedges, panes of the windows, chimneys and well, every element must remain the same. There are fees that residents pay (I guess what we’d call neighborhood association fees) to keep the place maintained. No additions are allowed so no sneaking a tiny guest house into the back garden. Solar panels are allowed in they are small and placed on the back roof.
I didn’t take many pictures but I will take more this evening so you can get a better visual on the uniformity of the architecture .
Back Story
I think many of you know this story, but just in case you don’t and are curious…
33ish years ago, Esther and her family (husband Hendrick, kids Finn and Tess) exchanged lives for a year with Clayton (my first husband) and our sons Keagan and Brendan. Esther took Clayton’s job as an English teacher in Grants, New Mexico, while Clayton took Esther’s teaching position in Delft. Esther and family moved into Clayton’s home and vice versa. Clayton and I were divorced so I wasn’t part of the exchange. This gave me the opportunity to get to know Esther and Hendrick quite well during their year in the States.
Esther and Hendrik have since parted ways. Esther moved to Utrecht and taught there for many years. After she retired a few years ago, she moved back to Delft. Hendrik and wife Gina live in den Haag (The Hague). We spent time yesterday (Thursday, May 7) with Hendrik and Gina. Will do separate post(s) on our day in den Haag.