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My mini autumn vacation, Day 3/3 [Oct 7]
Ahw, my final day in Haarlem, so I'm saying goodbye to the fancy Royal Suite *happy sigh*. For my last bit of vacation away from home, I'm meeting up with brotherdearest H. He often cycles from Amsterdam through Haarlem to get to the beach and he was happy to show me a couple of sights that I had missed on my first visit.
The past few days were rainy, but we were lucky to have dry weather, so we could stick to our plan of cycling to the beach together!
Steep dunes and cloudy skies
Bye, massive shower (and awesome bathtub in the middle of the bedroom:)
Bye, funky hotel hallway and delicious breakfast.
Brotherdearest and I picked up OV bikes at the station and then cycled into town.
Bronze sculpture: Kenau and the Women by Theo Mulder (1973) representing the fight for independence during the 80-year war in the 16th century.
That sculpture is at the back of the Amsterdamse Poort (formerly Spaarnwouder Poort). Build in 1425 and the only one still standing of originally seven city gates.
I was intrigued by this cowlike sculpture across the road.
In the distance you can see the dome of the former prison (Koepelgevangenis), designed by Willem Metzelaar in 1901, closed in 2016.
The city's weapon is bricked in the wall of the Amsterdamse Poort and yes, we were there exactly at noon, haha:)
Just when we arrived to cross the Melkbrug (milkbridge) from 1887 (electric since 1971) a big boat was going through, so we saw the swing bridge in action!
Very cool to see this type of bridge open and close (and then cycle across it:)
City hall dates back to the 14th century; the part with the four pillars is the old Court of Justice called Vierschaar (it now houses tourist information:) I love the face of lady Justice. (Yay for the sun shining through the clouds so I could test my zoom again!)
From here brotherdearest and I cycled out of the city to the West through the dunes towards the sea.
A fascinating sculpture on the roundabout Brouwerskolkweg: Panta Rhei by Joris Verdonkschot (2014)
Ecoduct Zeepoort (near Bloemendaal) to connect nature areas in national park Zuid-Kennemerland
Made it to the dunes! Kennemerduinen/Bloemendaal. \o/
Look at those clouds, look at those waves <3
We parked our bikes for a well earned break.
Had hot chocolate with whipcream and also hot brownies with raspberry sorbet before we had a stroll on the beach:)
Socially distancing of course. Gosh, I love the beach.
We rode on towards Zandvoort; in summer there are hundreds of bikes parked along the boulevard.
We found a look-out point in the dunes where we could see all the way towards the sea; look how far we cycled!
Such a glorious windy day to be outside. Woohoo, going down the dunes was the best bit (cycling uphill not so much, but I DID IT)
Handed our bikes in at the Haarlem station and took the train to Amsterdam, where we had a pasta dinner (mine was with shoarma!)
For dessert we had baklava, so crunchy and sweet, mmmm.
After that we said goodbye, and I got back on the train home.
The end.
It was such a great little vacation.
J.
Day 1: Exploring St. Bavo & fangirl meet up [DW] | Day 2: Bubblebaths & fancy dinner [DW]
X-posted to https://beelikej.livejournal.com/563348.html
The past few days were rainy, but we were lucky to have dry weather, so we could stick to our plan of cycling to the beach together!
Steep dunes and cloudy skies
Bye, massive shower (and awesome bathtub in the middle of the bedroom:)
Bye, funky hotel hallway and delicious breakfast.
Brotherdearest and I picked up OV bikes at the station and then cycled into town.
Bronze sculpture: Kenau and the Women by Theo Mulder (1973) representing the fight for independence during the 80-year war in the 16th century.
That sculpture is at the back of the Amsterdamse Poort (formerly Spaarnwouder Poort). Build in 1425 and the only one still standing of originally seven city gates.
I was intrigued by this cowlike sculpture across the road.
In the distance you can see the dome of the former prison (Koepelgevangenis), designed by Willem Metzelaar in 1901, closed in 2016.
The city's weapon is bricked in the wall of the Amsterdamse Poort and yes, we were there exactly at noon, haha:)
Just when we arrived to cross the Melkbrug (milkbridge) from 1887 (electric since 1971) a big boat was going through, so we saw the swing bridge in action!
Very cool to see this type of bridge open and close (and then cycle across it:)
City hall dates back to the 14th century; the part with the four pillars is the old Court of Justice called Vierschaar (it now houses tourist information:) I love the face of lady Justice. (Yay for the sun shining through the clouds so I could test my zoom again!)
From here brotherdearest and I cycled out of the city to the West through the dunes towards the sea.
A fascinating sculpture on the roundabout Brouwerskolkweg: Panta Rhei by Joris Verdonkschot (2014)
Ecoduct Zeepoort (near Bloemendaal) to connect nature areas in national park Zuid-Kennemerland
Made it to the dunes! Kennemerduinen/Bloemendaal. \o/
Look at those clouds, look at those waves <3
We parked our bikes for a well earned break.
Had hot chocolate with whipcream and also hot brownies with raspberry sorbet before we had a stroll on the beach:)
Socially distancing of course. Gosh, I love the beach.
We rode on towards Zandvoort; in summer there are hundreds of bikes parked along the boulevard.
We found a look-out point in the dunes where we could see all the way towards the sea; look how far we cycled!
Such a glorious windy day to be outside. Woohoo, going down the dunes was the best bit (cycling uphill not so much, but I DID IT)
Handed our bikes in at the Haarlem station and took the train to Amsterdam, where we had a pasta dinner (mine was with shoarma!)
For dessert we had baklava, so crunchy and sweet, mmmm.
After that we said goodbye, and I got back on the train home.
The end.
It was such a great little vacation.
J.
Day 1: Exploring St. Bavo & fangirl meet up [DW] | Day 2: Bubblebaths & fancy dinner [DW]
X-posted to https://beelikej.livejournal.com/563348.html