What’s Happened Here
As you can imagine it is very strange being in a different country during these unprecedented times … being so far away from family and friends, living in a much smaller space with everyone being home, not being able to read all of the new procedure signs in stores, roads or navigate shopping online in Dutch!
The good news is being able to ride bikes to an endless number of new destinations throughout this beautiful country. It is truly amazing how the entire Netherlands is networked by bike paths through a stunningly beautiful countryside. I am sharing not only some of our experiences, but how the Netherlands has handled the pandemic.
COVID-19 Timeline in the Netherlands
March 12th: Sporting clubs, gatherings over 30/40 banned, gyms all closed
March 15th: Restaurants, clubs, bars, schools closed until April 6th
March 23rd: Services including direct contact (hairdressers, nails) closed until April 6th
March 31st: All restrictions above extended until at least April 28th
As of April 15th: In this country of 17.5 million there have been 27,419 cases, the largest percentage in the southern provinces. However, the number of new cases have been on a steady decline and the number of positive tests is the lowest since March 23rd. Sadly, there have been 3,134 deaths.
At present: Approximately 40% of non-essential shops are open and more are opening each day. Shops must maintain protocol to control distancing and numbers of people inside. We can walk, ride bikes, have a snack to go, get takeout or delivery. We can explore the dunes, flower fields etc., however, while respecting social distancing. Over Easter weekend some popular beaches, scenic roads, and tourist destinations were closed. There are no plans to recommend wearing face masks and there are discussions of relaxing some measures soon Province by Province.
Right Before it Started
On Saturday, March 7th, my childhood friend Julie and her son, William, came for a visit. At the time of Julie’s flight departure from the US, there were 82 confirmed cases in the Netherlands. We had a fun 2 days exploring Haarlem and the beach followed by a visit to Bruges, Belgium. We returned to Amsterdam on Wednesday, March 11th, Julie and William headed to their hotel in Amsterdam and I back to the family in Haarlem. On Thursday, March 12, I awoke to text messages from Julie saying her husband had called in the middle of the night to tell her to go to the airport … Trump was closing the borders. Julie, a travel agent, was able to get them on a flight home. On March 12th, 5 days since Julie had arrived, there were 421 more cases in the NL and one case in Haarlem … and the closings began. I am so grateful for having this time with Julie and William … it was wonderful to hang out with William as a young adult and to have a getaway before the world stopped.
Bruges, of course, is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, and it was so nice to visit again to see even more of it. Highlights include the chocolates, waffle and canals; Belgian Beer at Half Moon Brewery; Basilica of the Holy Blood where it is believed there is a vial containing the actual blood of Christ that was brought back from a Jerusalem crusade in the 12th century; the Belfry and Carillon date back to the 13th century where climbing the 400 steps offers stunning views of the city.
Exploring around Haarlem by bike
Vogelenzang is a little village in the bulb region about 6 miles from our house. Unfortunately, the Kuekenhof (famous botanical garden) is closed but the nearby fields are still blooming in the neighboring villages such as Hillegom.
(click on any image to enlarge)
Nearby Parks
National Park Zuid Kennermerland is one of 21 national parks in the Netherlands and is approximately 9390 acres between the Randstad (metro areas of Utrecht, The Hague, Leiden, Haarlem, Amsterdam) and The North Sea. The Visitors Center is 4 miles from our house and from there … miles of bike trails, dunes, lakes, Bison and beaches!
Elswout Estate (part of the National Park) dates back to the 17th century and is 2 miles from our home. Little remains of the Golden Age today, only the gate house and carriage houses with the current Great House and grounds dating to the late 1800’s.
Other areas surrounding Haarlem include small old villages, historic windmills and ancient farms.
Easter Weekend Road Trips
We asked the kids to research and plan 2 road trips over the long weekend. We couldn’t do everything, but we really saw some amazing places … including many that were researched and planned by Ellerbe. Here is the presentation Ellerbe put together including many of her and Sebastian’s choices.
Blokzijl is a small town founded in the 1580’s as a trading post for peat.
A first for us!, a self-service store!
Geithoorn “Dutch Venice” is a beautiful small village of 2,620 residents known for thatched roofs, canals, mostly car free and serenity.
Hunebeds in Drenthe “Dutch Stonehenge” are the oldest monuments in the Netherlands. They are prehistoric tombstones built by the Funnelbeaker people during the Ice Age. The province of Drenthe has 52 hunebeds in a 30 kilometer radius.
Broek in Waterland is another beautiful Village of 2,350 residents just 5 miles from Amsterdam. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the town was a popular residence for merchants and seafarers from Amsterdam. The homes are painted in high gloss, almost like shellac!
The former island of Marken is located on Markermeer Lake and is connected to the mainland by a 1 mile long causeway you can cross by bicycle or car. The unique green wooden houses alongside the harbor are built on stilts or poles, or clustered on man-made hills to provide protection from fluctuating tides.
Greenjoy boat rental is a self-service company here in Haarlem where you book your electric boat online and your access and use is activated through your phone. Amazing! We rode on one of the main canals from Haarlem that leads to the North Sea.
EASTER and Masses in Europe
While we were watching the Pope stream Easter mass from the Vatican in Italian and Latin, it reminded us of all the masses we’ve been to throughout Europe:
Our church here in Haarlem (Picture of Elle and I reading on International Women’s Day) in Dutch language, where we attended weekly before the recent closures.
San Sebastian, Spain in Basque language
Amsterdam, where we attend periodically their English mass
Mass with the Pope in Italian and other languages
Hamburg, Germany in German
The Easter Bunny did find us!
We hope that all of you had a nice Easter or Passover celebration amongst family and friends, and that you are staying safe, healthy and positive during this time of change. We feel fortunate to be together, safe and healthy here in the Netherlands, but do sincerely miss our family and friends.
Now to conclude this post, please enjoy the following images taken by David during this Easter season:
Big hugs and love to all!