A Little Dutch Detour: Reflections from Haarlem
Hello from the village in Bosnia and Herzegovina!
Today, I want to take you on a small detour, far from the familiar rhythms of Balkan village life and into the heart of the Netherlands.
Every now and then, Tamara and I like to step outside our beloved Bosnia, explore somewhere new, and bring those experiences back home with us. This time, our wandering feet took us to Haarlem, a city that completely surprised us in the most delightful ways.
Arriving in a Living Painting
Our journey started in true slow-travel fashion: a bus from Banja Luka to Zagreb, an overnight stop, and then an early flight to Amsterdam.
From Schiphol Airport, my brother-in-law picked us up, and we hopped on a local bus to Haarlem. We always choose the bus when we can, it’s slower, but it lets you soak in the scenery and ease gently into a new place.
Stepping into Haarlem felt like walking into a living painting.
Picture narrow streets lined with leaning old houses, flower boxes overflowing, and shimmering canals reflecting the soft northern light. It’s about the same size as Banja Luka, but with a different energy. Elegant, easygoing, and deeply historic.
Discovering Dutch Ways
For Tamara, it was her first time in the Netherlands. She found herself enchanted by the details: the benches in front of each house, the hidden gardens, and the easy smiles from passersby.
One thing that stood out immediately was the bicycle culture. Everyone cycles, from school kids and parents carrying toddlers to pensioners riding electric tricycles. We even saw a pensioner being pushed along in a sort of “bicycle wheelbarrow” contraption!
Crossing the street was a mini adventure itself. You had to watch out not only for cars but for the army of speedy cyclists zooming past. And let me tell you, it’s easier to get knocked over by a bike there than a car!
Life on the Water
Haarlem’s canals truly stole our hearts. Boats drift by with families dining on deck, friends clinking glasses under the bridges, and couples lazily cruising at sunset.
Tamara was completely taken by this “canal culture”. If she had to pick one must-do, it would be renting a boat and gliding through the waterways, watching Haarlem unfold from the waterline.
We also loved seeing the bridges lift for huge cargo ships, marvelling at the captains’ skills as they manoeuvred these massive vessels through narrow passages.
Life in Haarlem felt deeply intertwined with its water, adding a beautiful, living rhythm to the city.
Unexpected Highlights
While the canals and bikes were highlights for Tamara, three things left a big impression on me.
First, the classic windmill. Nno visit to the Netherlands feels complete without one.
Second, the grand cathedral where both Mozart and Handel once played; stepping inside felt like stepping into a piece of music history.
And third, the old prison transformed into a creative hub with a university, cinema, and co-working spaces.
The Dutch truly know how to breathe new life into old places, recycling not just materials but entire buildings.
A Return to Roots
Standing on the North Sea coast at Zaandvoort, feeling the chilly wind and hearing the gulls, I realised how much travel changes us.
Each journey brings new colours and textures to the life we return to.
By the time we said goodbye to my sister and brother-in-law and boarded our bus back to the airport, we carried back not just heavier bags but new stories and reflections that will become part of our life here in Bosnia.
Staying Curious
I share these travel “postcards” not to drift away from Bosnia, but to remind myself, and maybe you too, that curiosity doesn’t stop at any border.
If you ever find yourself in the Netherlands, skip the crowded streets of Amsterdam and wander through Haarlem instead. Rent a boat, sip Jenever (the grandfather of gin), and get lost in the hidden corners.
Have you visited somewhere that changed how you see your own home? I’d love to hear about it.
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