Noordwijk aan Zee

For some reason I'm not that into the Hague. There's nothing wrong with it, but it seems a little too sterile and business like. We're staying in the business center and that may be why. It's clean, like all Dutch cities but my first impression is that it's lacking in soul.

I find it incredibly dangerous to walk in. Bicycles rule here and they ride on the sidewalk, the bike paths, the tramways and then park their bikes across the sidewalks. I'm a bike enthusiast, but this is crazy. There are no clear pedestrian street crossings in many places, so it's like in SE Asia where you just try not to get hit. I haven't seen this in any other European city but somehow it works.

We went to Delft for the day. It's the hometown of the painter Johannes Vermeer, who did most of his work there.

His most famous piece "Girl With A Pearl Earring" is here in The Hague at the Mauritshuis Museum. Delft is a great little town just down the tracks with lots of canals, a fair amount of tourists, and a free windmill museum that we toured. They still grind flour with it!

On a whim, we decided to visit Breda, which is south of Rotterdam, near Belgium. It was just another 37 minutes away in comfy seats and bathroom access onboard. I joked with Deanne that we could just take short train rides instead of paying a euro to pee. Intercity trains in the Netherlands leave every 10 - 30 minutes. That's faster than trying to catch a bus across town in Madison! I think I'm in heaven.

Of these three cities, we liked Breda the best. It was the warmest day of the trip, and so that might be why. No tourists, an amazing central park, a charming square full of smiling people in cafes, beautiful architecture.... that's our idea of fun. We're 9 weeks into an 11-week trip and at this point enjoying the local culture is more interesting than museums.

"Den Haag" did redeem itself over the next few days. It was another 75+ degree (24 C) day yesterday and everyone and their mother went to the beach. We met a couple from Cologne Germany that drove 3 hours just for the beach.

Scheveningen strand is just north of town at the end of a tram line. It's a fantastic soft sand beach rivaling the world's best, and I've seen quit a few. Nobody will rob you here like in South American or South Asian beaches. It goes on for miles and has a Coney Island like atmosphere, with ziplining, bungy jumping, and a huge ferris wheel. The nearby dunes are a national park and remind me of Indiana Dunes on Lake Michigan or even Grand Sable Dunes on Lake Superior in Michigan's UP. If you don't want the crowds, just walk away from the tourist traps and towards the dunes. As busy as it was, there was plenty of room on the never-ending beach.

We've had 4 nights here, which might have been too much but the nice weather, train pass, and great hotel room made it a good stay. Next up is Haarlem. The last time I took a train to Harlem, I accidentally got on an express train from midtown. 😁

More photos and videos are here.

The Hague
https://photos.app.goo.gl/gjuecH2R9bpbJfiV6

Delft
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8Swiuq1rGGWqJcQs9

Breda
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZmbGN6JfPUgyvRgx7Read more