I am house with heaps of recollections and pictures of my brief excursion to The Netherlands. It was wonderful! I felt fully comfortable and at ease there, and often felt like I could come across my way close to when I was on my have.
I went to pay a visit to my mate Bonnie who life in the vicinity of Haarlem, which is in a awesome central location, not significantly from Amsterdam and Utrecht.
She’s initially from Texas so it was neat possessing one more American who was fascinated in performing issues in a unique way.
Of study course I was also fascinated with men and women biking and the amazing infrastructure that is constructed to support the use of bicycles.
Virtually anyone, it seems, has a bicycle.
I observed so a lot of sorts of bicycles, together with some quite attention-grabbing types for offering mail and food items, and ones to maintain compact small children. I saw a lot of moms and dads and grandparents riding around with more than a single baby. They were all cycling professionals!
You certainly need to have to glance at the floor to see which path goes exactly where. The good thing is matters were usually shade coded, which can make a good deal of sense. Cyclists often have the ideal of way!
I located myself hunting at the ground quite generally. There was just so significantly to see! Glance at this stonework. So quite a few unique varieties in this sort of a tiny area.
This crossing in Haarlem is amazing!
The flowers ended up attractive and quite cost-effective. There have been quite a few tiny retailers that had awesome flower preparations, like these types of hydrangeas and roses. What magnificent colours.
I didn’t know that so several folks speak English in The Netherlands. Most shop assistants could discuss a very little English if I had a question or two. I did not have any problems, while at the time I ordered a slice of pizza at a tiny shop, and the teen who assisted me acquired a minor flustered with having to converse English. He was resourceful, although. He swiftly pulled out his mobile cellular phone and utilized Google Translate to clarify my get particulars.
Some collaging, way too!
1 of the finest matters about my journey was finding to meet up with up with a bunch of amazing men and women from the Collective. We fulfilled at a pretty residence, hosted by my good friend Petra.
There were being close to 10 of us collected at a massive table, where by we talked and laughed, and shared our initiatives and papers. These are some of Petra’s function. Remarkable!
Right after lunch we pulled out our most current initiatives and bought occupied, producing and discovering from each individual other.
It was this kind of a great environment and even however most of us had only met, we have been very comfy with every single other, it seemed to me.
Additional several images
I stayed in Velserbroek, not much from Haarlem. Every thing is pretty green. Not astonishing with the amount of money of rain that they get. It was raining practically the whole time I was there–and I liked it! What a alter from dry California.
Metropolis middle in Haarlem. There have been so quite a few great shops to stop in and have a seem. I acquired a whole lot of unfastened tea from a shop termed The Artwork of Tea. It is so awesome to have tea in the morning at dwelling and be reminded of wherever I was.
If I could have match a put up box like this into my suitcase, I critically would have regarded it. What a elegance! (Petra, this one particular is your neighbor’s!)
One particular of my collages.
Me, in Haarlem.
❤️💜💙
