Aaha, Haarlem, finally!

After all these visits, I must confess that on a new visit to a city, I do not pay the same degree of attention that I did on my first two visits. Knowing each name, writing it down correctly in this blog, were all terribly important to me. Now, being able to wander at a leisurely pace, people watch without expectation of interaction, just take photos of what catches my eye is more than enough.

Do I miss out on what makes each city special? I probably catch some details but miss many others. But the small things are really more than enough for me.

I had never visited Haarlem and was eager to remedy that on this visit. We planned this day as part of what my sister thought up as a typical Dutch three-city day. We started in Leiden, drove out to Haarlem, wandered around and then headed out to Amsterdam for dinner.

A Dutch city and no flowers? Impossible!

The photographs that follow were shot around the market streets of Haarlem, while we walked and shopped leisurely.

 

On our Haarlem list was a visit to De Hallen and the Frans Hals Museum where an exhibition on Dutch art depicting the sky--an amazing part of the Dutch landscape--was underway. 

And in addition to the random lines at all angles in the woods, I also love the straight lines and regular angles of lines in city construction!

This, of course, is a view of the cathedral in Haarlem.

And one of our takeaways from Haarlem--this bouquet of iris and white rose!