Haarlem in winter
I’m -reluctantly- back in Haarlem, Holland. Even with more reluctance since it is winter now. Brrrr…..
Obviously this was NOT my view when I arrived this time. I took this picture earlier, in May this year.
I hate the cold and thus winter, so every time I go back home in november, I feel like I’m expelled from tropical paradise and banished to Siberia.
Okay, I know, I’m being overly dramatic. Haarlem is nothing like Siberia and there’s enough to love about being home in Haarlem. Even about being in Haarlem in winter, really! I just need to remind myself of that. #alwayslookatthebrightsideoflife
What I love about being in Haarlem
For starters I love my house. In every season. #homesweethome
Haarlem in summer is quite easy to love, at least for sure on those perfect summer days and evenings. It’s still the Netherlands, so it’s not guaranteed that we’ll HAVE nice days like that, but IF we have days like that, I enjoy them with all my heart, body and soul.
I love my garden in summer! Even more now that Frits has freshened up the whole place. Doesn’t it look cosy and happy?!
On such days it’s nice to walk through charming Haarlem; what it lacks in excitement it makes up for in history, heritage and charm.
The architecture and monuments.
The new Bavo church. It’s not new at all, but we have another Bavo church that is older. Hence we call this the new one.
Narrow streets in the centre and quiet neighbourhoods.
The many canals, from tiny ones to wide waters, and the river Spaarne.
Haarlem has lots of cute, indie shops, cafe’s and restaurants.
There are forests, dunes and beaches nearby.
In summer I go to the beach every monday to dance tango and watch the sunset. It’s magical.
And Amsterdam is only 20 km away from Haarlem.
So yes, summertime, and the living is easy …. also in Haarlem.
What I love about Haarlem in winter time
But it’s autumn winter now. (To keep things simple, I usually just skip the whole concept of autumn. It’s cold, so it’s winter, simple as that).
So how can I bring myself to love Haarlem NOW, in this season?
Walking around like a teddy bear
Well, I get to wear all my snuggly, furry clothes, which I looooove!
Reconnecting with friends and family
I get to see all my friends in Holland again, whom I love.
Here, in these pictures below, are a few of them, at random.
I know Marja, left, at least 35 years now. And Kimberley, on the right, about 15 years, I think.
Some friends I may even be going to meet on the beach or in the forest. That’s right; during winter. Brrrr….yes, I’m usually freezing my ass off and complaining loudly about it. They know me by now and they just let me vent and rant. My bark is louder than my (frost-)bite. (pun intended)
Ans, upper left, and I were in the same class when we were 10 years old. Upper and bottom right: former colleagues from when we al worked in a mental institution. Bottom left: friends from tango.
And during those walks, sometimes the scenery looks like this. How amazing is that?!
Winter Wonderland.
Exploring Haarlem and Amsterdam
Maybe there will be new murals in town?
Pretty mural in Haarlem.
I can visit musea in Haarlem and Amsterdam AND every year in winter there’s the Amsterdam Light Festival!
Visiting Amsterdam and a map of the Light Festival, last year. I’m going back this year. In my snuggly clothes. That’s right!
Soon Frits will join me here and we will spend time with his children and with my family.
Re-u-ni-ted and it feels so good…. (soon!)
Christmas is coming
It’s gonna be Christmas soon, so I get to set up my hot-pink tree with tons of gorgeous ornaments in it. Yay!
And there will be Christmas markets in town.
I might stumble upon a faux-dog with a christmas hat or spot a statue wearing a winter hat. Or even see a guy in drag wrapping my groceries at the mall. Things like that for sure brighten up one’s day, right?!
I could buy ‘wrong sweaters’ at the Christmas market. Are you familiar with that phenomena? Do you own and wear any?
Maybe this camp-y miniature display will be there again.
Miniature-retro-kitsch fair. Fan-Tas-Tic!!!!
People in Holland are quite crazy (in my eyes). It was around Christmas time last year, cold and drizzling, but there were still lots of folks who chose to sit on an outdoor terrace….bizar! On the right you can see palm trees and a terrace covered in snow. Really????!!!!!
Embracing tango, curling up in front of the fireplace and snoozing under artsy blankets
I will pick up tango again and am scheduled to DJ in two salons, one in Haarlem and one in Eindhoven. Missed that!
And if I really can’t stand it outside, I can always light up the fireplace or snuggle up under one of my new artistic blankets. (this one is based on Breaking Bad, best series ever)
So yes, I’m gonna be okay, even during wintertime in the Netherlands.
But I WILL be counting down the days until I can fly back to Singapore’s scorching heat eternal summer!!!
How about you? Are you one of those freaks diehards people who love and need ‘seasons’, who gladly sniff up the “crispy freshness of cold winter days”, who would gladly do winter sports all year round? Or are you a warm weather lover like me? #seasonsareoverrated
Haarlem is lovely and you certainly don’t get the snow or cold we do!
That said, I wouldn’t like to live in a place where it is hot all the time. The heat bothers me as much as the cold.
Give me a temperate climate like Vancouver Island and I’m happy.
You can do outdoor sports all the time or hike all year round and never get too hot or too cold. It’s like Goldilocks and the Three Bears…just right!
Suzanne
Gosh Suzanne, what is the temperature like then? In Vancouver Island?
Greetje
This was a lovely post. I can hear you saying these things haha. And yes I am one of these annoying people who likes seasons. I could do with a little less rain, but I am fine.
Greetje