Preparing to leave!
My departure is in just over a month! This is a photo of the garden at the Royal Delft factory in Delft. The company now creates products of all qualities, from inexpensive tourist gifts to hand-painted objects that cost thousands of dollars. They also have a line of contemporary designs. During my stay last year, I had my eye on an oval dish, and finally, the week before I left, I splurged and bought it. It was labeled oven dish, so I used it for an apple crisp almost immediately. Fine cracks appeared in the glaze. I emailed the company, and, to my surprise, received an immediate response that the dish was not intended to be used in an oven! I gently suggested that perhaps the labeling needed changing. I received a response telling me to show the email at any of their stores to receive a replacement dish. I recount this story because it shows a blend of what I found in the Netherlands: occasional glitches and kind, often very informal people. Can't wait to go back.