May 15 2014 Sunny Days in Haarlem NL

We brought lots of sunshine to this beautiful city of Haarlem. We found our apartment and it was awesome. The nice lady who rented us the apartment asked us to please eat the food from the fridge, play with the cat, drink the wine, and use the bikes. We told her we would try our best. :)

We have been successfull on all the tasks we were assigned. One of the cats was missing its owners, the upstairs neighbours Ainka and her two daughters, so she needed extra attention in the middle of the night. Cats around here are almost communal property, and of course a communal responsibility. 

We caught up with A'na, Maurice and family. Went out for dinner and after dinner drinks where I finally got to try a couple of the famous local aperitifs Jenever. The taste changed remarkably Gin from to Wiskey like as it ages from 5 to 15 years. The next day we were hung over and agreed that we didn't really need to drink all that Jenever.

Arriving at our apartment. The cat awaits us and checks our luggage upon arrival.

Al checks the fridge for expired food, but finds good stuff in with the bad, we tossed the bad a carried on from there.

Yoly makes dinner and everyone settles, including the cat (George) as we call her.

We have forgotten how many bikes there are here in the Netherlands.

Sun seekers.

We think Hugh should get one of these cars from the future.

Well it was the car of the future back in the day.

We had a tour at one of the wind mills in town. 

They add a sail to the mill blades and still use it to grind corn.

The local jail.

A double leaf bascule bridge opening to let the a big boat through.

Other bridges swing.

I miss my dog Xela,  I see her everywhere.

We like our new neighbourhood streets and the neighbours are nice too.

Playing great tunes in a plaza on a modified 1967 Impala convertable.

Practising riding a dutch bike it is a bit small and I am glad I didn't ride that seat all around France.

Yoly got the good bike.

But there are other even cooler bikes to buy at the bike shops. 

A wooden bike!

We went hunting for Fran's long lost cat George, Yoly and Fran were going to take this one home but I wouldn't let them because it wasn't George and I didn't want to get shot by Maurice for bringing home a stray cat. This is a better cat than George and would make a fine addition to their home. I recommend going to get it when they get back from their next trip.

Dinner at a french restaurant, luckily in Holland they didn't make us eat snails or liver.

An dog with a big smile, he loves going for boat rides! Who doesn't?

There were lots of people out enjoying the sunny weather on the canals.

We took the bike paths to the beach.

Lots of people took the bike paths to the beach.

But we found a shady spot anyway.

Sand art!

There is Maurice sitting in his underwear drinking beer, no wonder his kids don't introduce him to the other parents.

A pretty good crowd assembled around a fresh water pond on the sand dunes beside the North Sea.

Yoly chilling on the sand dunes.