Elephants, Swans, and funny signs

I'm pretty sure this is a sign for "cooking school", but I think I prefer the American-interpretation!  

I'm gonna sign up for that workshop.  Another stylish custom paint-job on a bike in Delft

Painted elephants found everywhere in Amsterdam will be auctioned off to raise money for an elephant reserve.  

A swan family taking an afternoon swim in a Delft canal.

They make a lovely "whistling" sound.  Who knew?

I think the gray swans are the youngsters.....

The film crew has been shooting for 3 days in Amsterdam, Delft, and The Hague, sometimes moving back and forth between cities in one day.  This portion of the little project wrapped this evening, and we took the train back from Delft to Amsterdam, arriving at 10:15 pm.  I had no internet connection yesterday, despite efforts to locate a hot spot in Delft in multiple locations.  So much for good T-Mobile coverage in that area!  

Today was more of the same (no internet access) so I had to wait until we got back to our hotel room after dinner in Amsterdam.  The temperature has cooled off considerably since two days ago, so we are back to wearing layers.  

Tim is busily hanging our laundry (that he washed, I might add) up in our hotel room.  It looks like a tenement in here!  Everyone in Amsterdam will be thankful that my black skirt and leggings are going to be clean when I hit the streets tomorrow.  Ha!  I bought a light-weight black wraparound skirt in LA this summer and it has been a big hit on this trip:  it layers well over leggings (or black tights) and many shirts, as well as under a dress that is constructed of similar black fabric and I wear as a long tunic.  I brought some black slacks that I haven't worn since I was in New York moving my daughter into her dorm.  

Today I took a ton of photos in the various spots where we spent time, and also spent some time sketching.  I was disappointed in myself for not bringing a graphite pencil.  I didn't bring much in the way of art supplies because I didn't have room, but I really pined for a pencil.  I wanted to take some rubbings in the Old Church in Delft, but Tim was concerned that the guy who overseas the building might frown on it.  Since they were filming I decided not to rock the boat in any way.  Oh!  how I wanted some of that script!  The crypt covers on the floor were mostly too dimensional to take rubbings, but the lettering was a different matter.  I'll post more photos of the stonework in a later entry.

I spent some time playing with two little kids from Houston out on Market Square in Delft.  They were running around playing tag and I struck up a conversation with them (ages 4 and probably 6-7).  Their parents eventually came over to see if I was someone they should worry about-ha!  The father is a pilot with Continental and they were in the Netherlands vistiing his brother, who was transferred to The Hague with an international company.  I enjoyed talking to them very much.  The father said, "Come on kids, you shouldn't bother her (me), and they replied, 'It's okay, dad.  She's nice and she likes us!'".  Too cute!