Day 2 - pre tour

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  Haarlem, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Sunday, August 31, 2008

SJ - another 6:30 am blog.  Slept pretty good except there was little bear in the bed snoring next to the big bear - we took a few turns waking each other up.  At least there's no competition for the two PCs in the hotel.  Can't upload any pictures yet.  There is no access to any of the USB ports on this computer, but as soon as that changes I'll add some pics.  Never did figure out how to get pics on my BB for upload.

Yesterday was a nice day.  Not so many zaney anecdotes, but a cool day nontheless.  After blogging in the morning I brought Heidi her coffee and announced that I would be spending part of the day trying to track down some phone place to try to help me get my BB working. 


... ah  - for those of you now thinking "what about your 'perfect''vacation and all that 'good fortune(?!)' - read on eagerly...

Heidi informed me, rather gently I must say, that my BB repair plan was nixed and I'd be doing whatever sightseeing adventures were on the agenda.  After 18 years I understand when the non-negotiatble moments arise and begin processing this adjustment.  A trip to the nearest ATM seems a good way to clear the buffer so I exert my independance that way.  I head out solo and and lo and behold "The Phone Store" is right across the alley.  I make a note to stop there after breakfast

And what a breatkfast it was...

After hooking up with Don and Judy about 9:30am we walked to a nearby outdooor cafe.  They had something on the menu called "English Breakfast".  2 Eggs 2  (Yes 2!!!) types of meatand toast - I gues the Dutch don't know about hash browns. 

Did I mention 2 types of meat?  Bacon and some very, very yummy sausages.  Judy got the same with Heidi and Don ordering the 'small' breafast consisting of a croissant and not much else. How sad.  Of course, when breakfast comes both of them assume the English breakfast was for 2.  I remained hunched over my plate, growling the entire time.

I'm finally getting the message that water is not part of the normal service here.  It's not free and last night when I asked for ice water, I got the crusty ďgnorant American" look and a distainful "we don't have ice"comment from the waitress.  I've decided that the Dutch are a largely dehidrated people.

After breakfast they went back to the room and I went to "The Phone Store" to try to get some help with the BB.  I approaches a very sweet looking young lasy and told her that while I could see I was attached to a network in the Netherlands, I still didn't have a signal" She looked up at me, eager to help and asked "Have you tried turning it on and off?" - apparrently the Dutch believe that all Americans are simple. Resisiting the urge to resume my earlier growling, I simply said, "yes, I tried that".  I'm sure you can all predict what she did then.  Yep, she turned it off.  argh.  Good thing I'm on vacation and not having this same exchange with Dave R.  I can't complain though because they figured it out.  The auto-find Network feature was selecting a network that didn't like my service.  She showed me how to scan and find all of the available networks and cycle through them until one send a signal - 5 bars.  So the phone works and I ám able to troll for networks the next time this happens.

First stop is the Market Square. Right in fron of the big Church - how come I don't know the name yet???  some traveler I'm turning out to be.  A bunch of locals set up booths with their wares.  The most impressive of which is the flower stand - wow - so many varieties, so fresh and beautiful.  And guess what was right next to the biggest flower stand???

The freakin' fish vendor - AAAAGHH - I couldn't believe it.

We went from there to check out the Teyler Museum - some very rich merchant dude that was a major patron to the arts and sciences during the 16/1700s [need to check dates].  Very cool exhibits from paleentology to physics, electricity and beatuful paintings.  An awesome collection in a very ornate, antique setting.  very cool.

Next is lunch and my next stop on the European Beer tour. Grolsh this time.  I'm starting to acquire a slight taste for this stuff.  Heidi orders a ham sandwich, I order a prime rib sandwich and Don and Judy split a Brownie.  No wonder they forget stuff - they are sorely undernourished.  The food comes to the table.  Heidi's sandwich looks nice, my Prime rib looks....

raw

not just under cooked, but purple raw.  I bite in and it's very salty.  I decide it's pickled.  YIKES.  I order another beer.

After lunch we go to a shopping mall that has on observation deck that has a terrific view of Haarlem.  We sit and chat, enjoyning the view for a time.  Very nice.

Then back to an outdoor cafe by the hotel for, you guessed it, another beer - Brand this time.  Judy and Don go off to look for some print(s) to buy,  and come back shorlty, empty-handed with the report that "ëverything closes at 4:30".  I decide this is a factor of the Dutch people's innate thirst and they must need to knock off early to hydrate.  After about 1/2 of a beer, Don begins getting melancholy over his the waste of his wonderful tomaotes going unpicked on the side of his house.  Judy even tears up a little.  I order another beer.
Dinner time arrives and we go to a spot mentioned in Rick Stevé's book.  One of those - if you're looking for something unusual  - kinda places.  I'm actually quited interested when I hear they serve "Meat Pancakes".  After some struggle finding the place.  Including a dash in to the train station and an announcement over the PA - "Does anyone know where they serve meat pancakes around here?!"- just kidding.
we find the place and the more adventurous in the group order the pancakes.  I order some schnitzel and, you gueesed it, a beer - Warsteiner this time.  The schnitzel is delightful,  the pancakes... wéll, you'd have to ask DJH, but I can say they were HUGE - at least 12" across.  During dinner, we got the quote of the day.  Judy had hinted several times about wanting to attend service at the Big Church on Sun (tomorrow) - most of her reasoning around the fact that we haven't gone in side yet and it was closed to the public on Sun.   At dinner, she direct y asked Don, "Do you want to go to service tomorrow?".  His response was "Not really.  You realize the sermon will be in a language you don't understand, right?"
Ahhh... I love that guy.  Such simple reason.

After dinner, back to the Gelato stand for Amarretto this time for Steve and Heidi had Green Apple.

Back to the room and another early pass-out.

EOD

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