My trip to The Netherlands

I am dwelling with a lot of recollections and shots of my rapid excursion to The Netherlands. It was magnificent! I felt absolutely peaceful and comfortable there, and generally felt like I could find my way all around when I was on my personal.

I went to go to my close friend Bonnie who lives in the vicinity of Haarlem, which is in a awesome central place, not considerably from Amsterdam and Utrecht.

She’s at first from Texas so it was neat acquiring yet another American who was intrigued in performing matters in a distinctive way. 

Of class I was also fascinated with folks biking and the incredible infrastructure that is constructed to support the use of bicycles. 

Almost everyone, it appears, has a bicycle. 

I saw so quite a few sorts of bicycles, like some quite exciting types for offering mail and food items, and kinds to maintain little little ones. I observed loads of mother and father and grandparents riding all-around with additional than one kid. They were all cycling industry experts!

You absolutely need to seem at the ground to see which route goes the place. The good thing is factors were being frequently shade coded, which tends to make a lot of sense. Cyclists normally have the correct of way!

I discovered myself wanting at the ground rather usually. There was just so significantly to see! Glance at this stonework. So lots of different types in such a smaller place.

This crossing in Haarlem is interesting!

The flowers were being gorgeous and really cost-effective. There were lots of modest shops that had wonderful flower arrangements, like these types of hydrangeas and roses. What lovely colours.

I didn’t recognize that so many persons speak English in The Netherlands. Most shop assistants could communicate a minor English if I had a issue or two. I did not have any troubles, though when I ordered a slice of pizza at a small shop, and the teen who served me acquired a little flustered with owning to communicate English. He was resourceful, though. He swiftly pulled out his cellular cell phone and made use of Google Translate to clarify my order particulars.

Some collaging, far too!

1 of the very best things about my excursion was having to fulfill up with a bunch of wonderful individuals from the Collective. We satisfied at a attractive property, hosted by my friend Petra.

There were being all over 10 of us collected at a substantial table, where by we talked and laughed, and shared our initiatives and papers. These are some of Petra’s perform. Wonderful!

After lunch we pulled out our most current jobs and obtained occupied, generating and studying from every other. 

It was this kind of a wonderful ambiance and even while most of us experienced only satisfied, we were being fairly comfy with every other, it appeared to me.

Much more many pics

I stayed in Velserbroek, not much from Haarlem. Every little thing is incredibly green. Not stunning with the amount of money of rain that they get. It was raining just about the total time I was there–and I loved it! What a transform from dry California.

Town center in Haarlem. There ended up so quite a few awesome stores to stop in and have a seem. I bought a ton of loose tea from a store named The Artwork of Tea. It is so wonderful to have tea in the morning at household and be reminded of where by I was.

If I could have suit a post box like this into my suitcase, I seriously would have considered it. What a magnificence! (Petra, this 1 is your neighbor’s!) 

One particular of my collages.

Me, in Haarlem.

❤️💜💙