Holland/Netherlands

The whole reason, initially for the European trip, was to see where my father was born. Although it was expanded to include several other countries, this was still the main point of going.

The Haarlem train station is a pretty good place to start. Dad was born not far from here in the town of Haarlem. I was told that this station was used in the film, Oceans Eleven, because it was much nicer than Amsterdam's.

This was a Sunday morning at the train station, with hundreds of bikes nearby. We drove into Haarlem on Friday and past the station, which then held thousands of bikes that from a distance looked like total chaos the way they're all locked up. Amsterdam is just a short train ride away for many of Haarlem's residents who work there. I was told that outside of China, there are more bikes per capita in Holland than anywhere else in the world, I believe it.

Every train that we saw while traveling throughout Europe was electric. 

Dad was born upstairs in this house during the summer of 1919. The First World War (then just called a world war) had ended just a year prior to dad being born. Even though the war was over, I'd have to think Europe was a big mess of destruction, still. 

I can imagine dad and his brothers or sisters playing here back in the 1920's in front of their house. The house was also a grocery store downstairs, so I assume Opoe would keep a sharp eye out from the front window on her young brood. One reason Europe leans towards small cars is because of streets like this, very normal here.

Cathedral Saint Bavo is the church my grandfather and grandmother hauled the Zwart clan to every Sunday. (and possible a couple times during the week) The Cathedral was built from 1895 to 1930, the year the family left for the states. My grandfather was a master carpenter and I would imagine he did some of the woodwork in the church.

While dad never talked a lot about his childhood, he did mention, more than once, about ice skating on the canals in the winter. This is the closest canal to dads family home, (maybe a couple blocks at the most) so maybe he skated here?

While I'm on the subject of canals, here are how important they are to the Dutch people. It's so common to see lots of folks sitting along the canals for lunch.

Kids trying their luck at fishing.

Throw a couple of beach chair onto the sidewalk and get a little sun.

My quest to find a barber, that also shaved, was not as easy to fulfill as one might think. It took four barbers before I was steered to Debbies shop, who did the shaving. Why did I want a shave? Just a hair up my butt to do something different while in Holland, plus I know it will grow back so no real loss. Debbie, cute little thing, first asks me if I'd like a drink, probably because she can see I was nervous.

With a straight razor in hand, I was hoping that Debbie didn't already partake in the scotch before I got there.

The first thing my sister Teri says is, "OMG, you look just like dad"! I'd consider that a compliment any day. 

The canal system is very important to Haarlem. Here is Jack standing on one of the drawbridges.

It's easy on the weekend to find someone parking their barge along the canal wall and having a party. This one, after asking about it, was a birthday party for a young man.

It is used as transportation.

Social gatherings. This boat must of called ahead to a restaurant near the canal and ordered some salmon and pickled herring. The waiter delivers and the boat continues motoring down the waterway. I was determined to eat and drink like a local this whole trip. While in a grocery store I noticed some pickled herring on sale, but then the sales clerk looked at me and said in a stern voice..."it's an acquired taste" Ok, I chickened out.

Tourist canal tours.

While this may not of been a live aboard, we did see many canal barges turned into houseboats.

Beautiful morning.

Nothing quite like having breakfast alongside the canal. The restaurant is across the street and some of their tables are outside. Just sit down and soon a waiter will cross the street to take your order. Scrambled eggs and toast means just that... They scramble the eggs and toss them on top of the bread, but who cares when you can eat in such a serene atmosphere.

We spent one afternoon on a canal cruise. There weren't many tourists like Jack, Joe and myself on the boat, seemed plenty of Dutch like taking their own tours.

A slightly different perspective from the water.

The whole time in Haarlem I never saw two of the same kinds of drawbridges. 

The Dutch and much of Europe (as we later found out) go to great pain and expense to keep their architectural history intact. As my brother Joe pointed out about the cobblestone streets. When they need to access underground pipe or wiring, all they have to do is pry the stones up. When the job is completed, cobblestones are easily set back in with no waste, as in concrete or asphalt.

This is the architecture they are trying very hard to maintain.

Speaking of Joe, we tried a few outdoor cafes and some good Dutch beer.

I can't imagine a successful restaurant in Haarlem unless it had outdoor seating.

Add a little sun and you don't even need tables.

Day or night, sun or rain...it made no difference to the Dutch.

In the 4 days we were in Holland, we only left Haarlem for one afternoon to meet some relatives from our past. Jack had arranged for us to meet Ineke, a second cousin at Elizabeths home outside of Amsterdam.

Elizabeth told us many stories of how my grandfather and grandmother during the 40' and 50's sent gift baskets of clothes to our Holland families who had a rough time, in and after the war. She showed us some sweaters that my Opoe sent in the late 40's.

After we left Elizabeth and Ineke we stopped a short way from their house to visit a memorial to one of my relatives murdered in the last days of the war.

In the closing days of the war, these five Dutch men were arrested as resistance fighters. They were only arrested, until other resistance fighters killed a bad policeman in Zaandam. The five were marched to this site near the Bernhard Bridge... and executed by the Germans. This explains why after 70 years, till her death, my aunt Marie never liked the Germans.

Before heading back to Haarlem we wanted to at least see the North Sea off of Netherlands. This spot in the town of Katwijk was a favorite for the beach crowd.

Zomers was a great place for dinner on the beach. The cabana's in the background were in the hundreds...it was explained that in order to have one, it must be rented for the whole summer season.

Joe and Jack are very comfortable behind the glass that keeps the north winds at bay.

This was the weather that morning at Zomers and the reason behind having a little protection from the storms while you eat. We beat the storm by 12 hours or so.

I can't leave Holland without a working windmill in the field.

I am trying to figure out how I might be able to rent a studio in Haarlem next summer. While there I felt sad that the family left in 1930. Yeah, there were wars and hardships, but today this is the coolest, most relaxing, beautiful and awesome place I have ever been to and I'd love to spend the summer, with just a bicycle for personal transportation.

Sorry this is so long...I seem to be unable to separate this into two or three different blogs.