Haarlem... Another enchanting location

Grote Kerk Cathedral, Haarlem, The Netherlands

On our first day of our tour, we met up with our tour group, got acquainted with our tour guides and had a nice, Indonesian family-style dinner with the whole gang. The folks in our group are fun and we enjoyed getting to know them during our social time.

Dinner was followed with a tour around the city of Haarlem, and it just so happened one of the waitresses at the restaurant we ate at gave us the Haarlem tour. She was a native Haarlem resident named Hodie and explained the many nuances of Haarlem's culture, the surrounding business, politics and Holland people.

This is Hodie. Not sure if I'm spelling her name correctly. (c;

What we learned:

• Holland could be viewed as the "tolerant country" because of the things they've allowed (they don't like to call it legalizing). Namely, prostitution and marijuana use in public coffee shops. What's refreshing to understand is their allowing these graces eliminates avenues for organized crime that we U.S. citizens are all too familiar with (crime in general). Prostitution is regulated, they have a union, benefit and the element of a pimp is non-existent. This approach provides safety to those in this profession and they video record every "session" for additional security. I like the Holland people's idealism of "it is what it is" so they let it be. They know it will happen with or without the allowance, so why not tax it? This approach makes it non-emotional as well.
• Hollanders look out for each other. It's just how they live. In the town of Haarlem for instance, the shops have living quarters above them. Tradition is to keep their windows uncovered (curtains remain open). They're not private people and trust one another. Leaving the curtains open facilitates keeping an eye on the shops around them and the shops have their stores lit a certain way so these residents can be the eyes for them. As a result, they have each other's back and there is no theft or vandalism.
• Bike riding is THE mode of transportation. They are simple people, so a quick trip via bike to the local market for a few odds and ends is all that is needed. Some of the bikes are cart-like to hold groceries, their 3 kids or bagged goods. The road system is built to accommodate riders and pedestrians must yield to them. Their flat landscape lends well to bicycling around and they ring their bells if you're in the lane their riding in. You have to look both ways at all times and watch out.
• They have a deep appreciation for history, art and architecture. Store owners, who wish to operate their business in town, and who are wanting to work out of the more historic areas cannot modify the storefront facade. The community wants to keep the integrity of the original construction. To help, the government will subsidize the cost of renovation using the proper standards, yet keeping the original design unchanged. In the olden days, storefronts were identified by a brick-tiled "floormat" outside of the store, as well as embellishments on the woodwork around the windows. For instance, a barber shop would have a scissors design at their door or a pharmacy may have a design of scales to indicate to customers what kind of store they were.

Storefront design elements in old Haarlem

Above, a resident uses pants to symbolize what the building used
to be a business for. A tailor. It so happens the resident is a relative
of the merchant who worked from this building long ago.

Haarlem was a city of great charm, beauty, and comfort. We were out of the traditional hustle and bustle Amsterdam demonstrates since it wasn't so much of a "tourist trap" and we loved it!