The first thing I noticed about Haarlem was bikes, and more bikes. As we came out of the railway station we saw this statue in a small park surrounded by bikes.

Our first stop was for coffee and hot chocolate at a cafe near the station - very quaint.

The most amazing thing happened in the cafe - we noticed the waitress move the chairs aside, we wondered what she was doing. Next thing she opens a trapdoor in the floor and disappears out of sight. She quickly returned through the trapdoor with some bread in her hand which she took into the kitchen. Unfortunately I was not quick enough with my camera.

It was a cold bleak wet day and Liesbeth & I spent some time peering in shop windows.

A lot of the old shops had narrow entrances and very long passages. Apparently in times gone bye the shopkeepers had to pay for the width of the shop and not the area or the length.

Garden of Oorschot. In 1300, on this place there was first the Heilige Geesthuis (Holy Spirithouse). Later there was a Kinderhuis (orphanage) was built from the legacy of Wouterrus van Oorschot famous Dutch poet from Amsterdam. In 1768 Wouterus van Oirschot instructed to establish this garden. In the 1960's this garden was contraversial because they had placed a statue of the first woman Eve without her clothes.

Garden filled with lavender - smelt wonderful in the rain.

Wouterrus van Oorschot Building. On top of the main building you can see a triangle with sculptured coat of arms and other decorations. The Hofje is separated from the street by a wonderful monumental wrought iron gate with an entrance in Rococo Style.

The street view from the gates of the Garden Oorschot.

Just another cheese shop - on a cold wet day - I love the bikes.

The Grote Markt with Sint-Bavokerk Church - built in the 1500's - the Vleeshal (Meat Hall)stands directly in front of the church.

Sorry I cannot remember what this is - Help !!!

Looking down the street to St Bavo Church and the Vleeshal (Meat Hall).

Leisbeth wandering down the back streets of Haarlem in the rain. She holds a printout of our Haarlem tour in her hand. The directions on the printout are sometimes difficult to understand.

The Prinsenhof was formerly a monastry for Jacobites. In 1477 was made a graveyard for monks. In 1721 it became a herb garden for Hortus Medicus and there was a school of medicine here. Here is one of the six Lourens Janszoon Coster statues. This one was placed at the Grote Markt for some time, but it was moved back to its original location after the big new statue on the Grote Markt was placed.

House where Nicolaas Beets was born in 1814 - Dutch theologian, writer and poet.

Van der Pigge", a chemist's that declined to move for Vroom & Dreesmann's new department store in the 1932. V & D's built their store around the pharmacy. Note the gaper at front of store.

Inside the Van de Pigge store. Note een gaper statues in the background. These were used in the 17th century as a sign for pharmacy shops. He is not yawning but has his mouth open to take his medicine. The statues are usually of men from the south.

For sale - Haarlem City markets.

Colourful Turkish Fruit Shop in Haarlem.

Water pump at St Elisabeth's Gasthuis.

The Hofje van Loo is a hofje in Haarlem. It was founded in 1489 by Symon Pieterszoon van Loo and his wife Godelt Willemsdochter. The hofje was later donated to the Sint Elisabeths Gasthuis. The houses in the hofje are built in the 17th century, and renovated in the 18th. This hofje is the most visible from the street of all the hofjes in Haarlem. The front-row of three houses was demolished in 1880 when the street in front of it, the Barrevoetesteeg, was widened. So instead of the typical U-shape of houses around a garden, one side of the hofje is now located at the street, separated only with a fence.

Easy Going Shop.

The Bruiningshofje was founded in 1610 by Jan Bruininck Gerritz (it is assumed). In the larger and older cities of the Netherlands you will find a special way of housing for elderly people, the so called 'hofjes', founded by wealthy (mainly childless) people who wanted their family name to live on through this work of charity. The small individual houses are mainly situated around a hofje.

It's amazing to know we walked down this narrow alleyway and through the closed door to find the beautiful garden of the Bruiningshofje - the garden was in such a tiny space.