Haarlem Deux

So, as promised, a few more pretty pictures from Haarlem. As you know from the last entry, it was market day here as we arrived.












It had the standard stalls from flowers to Stroopwaffeltjes as well third world textiles. Look how inexpensive these NIKE socks are... err... NKE socks.


The farmers / scalpers market was just on the opposite side of the Grote Kerk. All three other sides are bordered by little shops which buttress up against the church fortress. These winkeltjes have existed for centuries.











Inside the church was the traditional magnificence with goddy art spanning the ages. Click on the boobie!


two Euro-bits for the traveling calliope man...












For lunch we his a nice bier-café on a canal. I ordered the asparagus-salmon salad special (see menu stand behind Rob.) Behind me, foot and fiets traffic wanting to cross the bridge across the canal must wait as the bridge swivels open to allow a sailboat to pass.


At the end of the day we road the brick lain bike path through the lush dunes back to our home away from home in Zandvoort.

Haarlem Lite?

As in, very white, very Dutch... New York's (originally "New Amsterdam's") Harlem can hardly be confused with its namesake.

We rented standard issue Dutch bikes from our hosts and pedaled the short 8 Km to Haarlem's town center.
















Haarlem's centerpiece is the Grote Kerk, so named since the Protestants claimed it from the Roman Catholics who had christened the church "St. Bavo" in 1559. The city square is the Grote Markt and it turned out to be market day today.






You can get everything on the big market square on market day. Cheese goes without saying.









And with a last photo to show just how Holland this all is...

It's just about 1AM, so we'll have to close for now. Check this entry again for more pictures tomorrow. Welterusten!