Morning commute

8:00 am - as I cycled out of the center of Delft this morning, I could hear a nice carillon in the aptly named Oude Kerk (Old Church).  It's so old, in fact, that it's leaning left by a couple of meters.  Luckily the clock and the bells still work!

This lovely stretch runs next to a canal connecting Delft with the outskirts of The Hague.
I usually see a heron perched along the side in the grass, or on a wooden pole.  Today there were two rowers.

At the end of the canal, passing beneath the highway, I found the heron I was looking for, or did I?  This doesn't look like the other herons I saw earlier this week.  Can someone identify this bird (Dad?)

8:25 - I've reached the outskirts of The Hague, and I've got miles to go before I work.  I do like all the clock towers though...

A fountain in the middle of a traffic circle, of sorts...

It's hard to ask for directions in a city with such long street names, but the buildings are beautiful (see below too).  That man is riding on the wrong side of the bike path, and yes, without a helmet, as all the Dutch do (except in our family).

The space in this building is for rent (Te Huur). Look at the beautiful details around the windows...

Biking along the

8:50 - Uh oh,  I guess I got distracted by all those ads for political parties.  The Dutch elections are September 12th.  Can you count the number of political parties represented on that billboard?

9 am - Now I'm getting close.  The
World Forum is the convention
center.  Now we know we're in the Hague - note the flags which always provide backdrop to any news shot about anything remotely having to do with the Hague.

9:09 - Phew - I have arrived. I'm ready to sit down with my coffee and begin.  In case you are wondering, when not snapping pictures, that morning commute is down to 53 minutes, with a little effort and some strengthening leg muscles