Rick Steves' Best of Europe in 21 Days - Spring 2024
Postcards from Mike & Jen
Day 1 - Haarlem
Goedemorgen from the Netherlands!
Canal Boat Tour
Today's adventures began with a canal boat tour with Smidtje Canal Cruises. The weather was chilly and threatening drizzle, so we opted for the covered boat rather than open air. Comfort won at the expense of glare in our photos - no regrets!
The Müller Pipe Organ & Interior of Grote Kerk (St.-Bavokerk)
The organ builder Christian Müller and the sculptor Jan van Logteren, built the instrument in 1735 -1738. For many years the largest organ in the world. It was played by G.F. Händel in 1740 and 1750, who travelled to Haarlem especially for this purpose, and in 1766 by the then ten-year-old Mozart.
Our Tour Begins
We returned to the hotel in time for our 3:00 PM tour kick off meeting and were greeted by our warm and charismatic tour guide, Matthias Unger. The whole group did a round robin of introductions and picked our tour buddies. Next, we met local guide Jody for an orientation walk in Haarlem. She was very enthusiastic and informative about her city's history and architecture, including the Corrie Ten Boom House and the Red Light District. We also were treated to a genever tasting together at the Grand Cafe Brinkman. Genever is a juniper-flavored liquor similar to gin that originated in the Netherlands and Belgium. After drinks, we went to the Dutch-Indonesian Restaurant Flamboyant and had a rice-table dinner. We were so charmed by Matthias and our new traveling companions we forgot to take any photos. The food and conversation were both delightful.
