Incredibly Interesting Itinerary!
Delightful Day Did Dutifully Dawn
I had a fairly relaxed morning, showering, picking up my room and repacking so I could relocate rooms. I went to breakfast late on purpose- making it brunch. The hotel has a nice spread, but it cost 17E. (basically $17 as the Euro and Dollar were about neck and neck then) The rest of the tour had breakfast included for us at no extra cost.
Meeting Mates Makes Morning
Much More Meaningful
After I ate my breakfast, I went to my room to pack up and check out. My luggage went back into storage until my new room was ready. I grabbed my phone and a book and sat myself down in the lobby. I was almost immediately joined by a kind looking gentleman and a couple on the next sofa. I asked the single man if he was on the RS tour and he said yes. He introduced himself as Pat from Texas. I felt an instant kinship when he told me he was married and his wife was at home- as she just didn't like to travel. My husband and I can relate! He got out his list of tour members and then wrote down some info about me to help him remember.
We turned to the couple next to us. "We're not on a list," the man informed us. "I guess we're not part of the club," he joked. He and his wife were from Canada, had just finished a trans-atlantic cruise, and would be spending the next two months touring through Holland and Belguim. They were very nice and chatted with me and Pat for a long while, as we were all killing time until we could get our rooms.
Soon it was close to 2:00- time for the tour to officially begin. Pat and I went back into the Egyptian themed breakfast room and sat down at a round table with our complimentary drinks (water, juice and coffee) and stroopwaffle. Other folks slowly started to trickle in Everybody was excited to see each other for the first time and introduce themselves.
Once everybody was seated, our guide Dimitri came in. He introduced himself, and Jessie, another guide who would be in charge of the tour leaving two days after ours. Jessie was going to hang out with us for the day.
Dimitri told us what we could expect in the days to come. Then we went around the room and told a bit about ourselves. Just as I hoped, I ended my little spiel by saying I'd just been to Bruges, and I'd brought a bit of chocolate for everybody. You should have heard the happy little roar that went up! I passed the bag of chocolate around. It did help me to meet people, as most came up to me later to say thanks. Then we just kept chatting. Everybody was very gracious. It was a great ice breaker- just as I'd hoped it might be.
Our meeting lasted for about an hour. Then Dimitri released us to check in to our rooms. We were to meet in the lobby 45 minutes later, for our group tour of Haarlem with a local guide.
We turned to the couple next to us. "We're not on a list," the man informed us. "I guess we're not part of the club," he joked. He and his wife were from Canada, had just finished a trans-atlantic cruise, and would be spending the next two months touring through Holland and Belguim. They were very nice and chatted with me and Pat for a long while, as we were all killing time until we could get our rooms.
Soon it was close to 2:00- time for the tour to officially begin. Pat and I went back into the Egyptian themed breakfast room and sat down at a round table with our complimentary drinks (water, juice and coffee) and stroopwaffle. Other folks slowly started to trickle in Everybody was excited to see each other for the first time and introduce themselves.
Once everybody was seated, our guide Dimitri came in. He introduced himself, and Jessie, another guide who would be in charge of the tour leaving two days after ours. Jessie was going to hang out with us for the day.
Dimitri told us what we could expect in the days to come. Then we went around the room and told a bit about ourselves. Just as I hoped, I ended my little spiel by saying I'd just been to Bruges, and I'd brought a bit of chocolate for everybody. You should have heard the happy little roar that went up! I passed the bag of chocolate around. It did help me to meet people, as most came up to me later to say thanks. Then we just kept chatting. Everybody was very gracious. It was a great ice breaker- just as I'd hoped it might be.
Our meeting lasted for about an hour. Then Dimitri released us to check in to our rooms. We were to meet in the lobby 45 minutes later, for our group tour of Haarlem with a local guide.
Group Gala
Happy Haarlem
We were thrilled to meet Jodi, pronounced Yodi- NOT Yoda (as one tour member called her). She is a busy, 27 year old from Haarlem. When not giving local tours (which she loves), she waitresses at a local Indonesian restaurant AND works as a microbiologist in the town of Utrecht. She also has a twin sister! Most of that information I pried out of her later at the bar.
Jodi took us all around Haarlem, showing us key sights, such as St. Bavo's, the Corrie Ten Boom house, and other places of interest. She also discussed Dutch philosophies on politics, religion, healthcare, crime and anything else a person might be curious about. The Dutch people pay almost 30% taxes with even higher taxes for those with incomes over a certain level. Haarlem, Holland itself, has very low crime. The most common crime is bike theft.
Wonderful windmill
We walked down to the docks and to a big windmill. Inside, we were treated to water and bitterballen. It's a fried dough with meat and other things inside (tastes a bit like a chicken pot pie). It's a popular snack, usually dipped in a mustard sauce. I tried one, but when I took a bite it exploded all over my hand, scalding me pretty good! I didn't care for the mustard sauce, but the snack was ok. It was fun to try something new.
After our snack, we divided into smaller groups and toured the windmill!
After our snack, we divided into smaller groups and toured the windmill!
Delightful Dutch Doors and So Much More
We were then taken into the old part of Haarlem. On the way, Jodi told us how much she liked their traditional green Dutch doors with the mail slot. She informed us that they are given special stickers to alert the mail man as to whether they wanted the daily newspaper and whether they wanted junk mail.
On the oldest street in Haarlem, we were told to look at the bricks outside of the businesses. In the old days when most people were illiterate, the picture bricks in the sidewalks would tell the people what the business was.
On the oldest street in Haarlem, we were told to look at the bricks outside of the businesses. In the old days when most people were illiterate, the picture bricks in the sidewalks would tell the people what the business was.
Incredible Indonesian Eats
Jodi then took us to the Indonesian restaurant where she works. She was our waitress for a traditional rijstaffel dinner- basically a rice buffet. Indonesian food is very popular there. I am such a very, very picky eater, I wondered how I would do. I can honestly say I tried almost every dish but two. One was spicy- and I don't handle spicy well. Neither was I brave enough for the shrimp dish. I tried a bite of everything else (which pretty much filled the plate), and even had 2nds of a couple of things. While I can't say I'm a convert, I enjoyed the meal a lot and am glad I tried most everything.
Gregarious Group Justifies Gin
After dinner we were basically done of the night. We were invited to accompany Dimitri and Jodi to a local joint to try some Dutch Graanjenever (grain gin tasting) and most went along. Somewhere along the way, I missed the part about it being gin. I was just eager to "get the party started" so to speak. I wanted to have fun and loosen up after a year and a half of being focused on studying. Add to that the stress of planning a wedding for 125 people in five weeks- I needed to relax! It was great to start to get to know my fellow tour mates and guides.
We were taken to a back room to sit together and relax. The bartender, another good looking young man, came back to read to us the list of drinks and to bring us samples. He must have spotted the sucker in me right away, as he kept calling me, M'lady- which I think I will insist upon being called from now on! I don't think anybody was too convinced to become regular gin drinkers. The tasting tray was brought out, but after a few sips, most people left the glasses alone. I was always raised not to waste, so I drank what I could.
After about an hour, everybody started to get up and filter back to the hotel. Soon it was just me, Dimitri and Jodi. The three of us sat and talked for another hour or so. Then Jodi had to catch the train for home. Dimitri and I left with her and headed back to the hotel.
We were taken to a back room to sit together and relax. The bartender, another good looking young man, came back to read to us the list of drinks and to bring us samples. He must have spotted the sucker in me right away, as he kept calling me, M'lady- which I think I will insist upon being called from now on! I don't think anybody was too convinced to become regular gin drinkers. The tasting tray was brought out, but after a few sips, most people left the glasses alone. I was always raised not to waste, so I drank what I could.
After about an hour, everybody started to get up and filter back to the hotel. Soon it was just me, Dimitri and Jodi. The three of us sat and talked for another hour or so. Then Jodi had to catch the train for home. Dimitri and I left with her and headed back to the hotel.
Home Happy Home
My new room was #134 in the main building. To get there, you'd need to go UP the lift to the 1st floor (yep, that's what I said), Go down the long hall, go up the stairs, zig-zag, go down the stairs, zig again, walk down the hall, zag again, go down three steps, take three steps, go up three steps and you're at my room! Outside my window, across the alley was a lively bar scene. Dutch bars are open until 2AM, and the Dutch are outdoor people. Lively, social people. Their reverie didn't stop me from sleeping like a log.
Memorable Moment
Curious Capture
We had a hilarious moment when we stopped outside of a Coffee shop (Where pot is sold). Jodi was giving her thoughts about marijuana use in Holland, when a good looking young man came to the door, with a giant doobie hanging out of his mouth, blowing smoke in our faces as he feigned great interest in listening to her spiel. I cracked up laughing, wondering if any of our group standing by him might catch a buzz. The kid then disappeared and reappeared again with a new, unlit joint which he held out to us. "Here you go- who wants it?" We were all so stunned that nobody said a thing. Finally, Dimitri grinned, took the joint and stuck it in his pocket. I found out later he gave it to a tour member- though I won't say who (not me). After all, what happens in Haarlem- stays in Haarlem!