A Journey Around The Netherlands

Two weeks ago we visited Amsterdam and The Hague. Today's visit begins after Amsterdam and moves counter-clockwise around the country.

The first stop is the city of Haarlem. This city had long been a port and the Siege of Haarlem is what inspired the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule. It was an important industrial city after the Industrial Revolution. New York City began as the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam and this is where the name of Harlem, at the northern end of Manhattan, comes from  The following scenes begin in the Grote Markt, which is the central square of Haarlem.

There are multiple scenes following. To see the scenes, after the first one, you must first click the up arrow ^, before you can move on to the next scene by clicking the right or forward arrow, >,  After clicking the up arrow, you can then hide the previews of successive scenes, if you wish.

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.381203,4.6363144,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sX9icCAWTqQYjFZ9UXZLp4g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Leiden could be considered as the Oxford, or intellectual center, of the Netherlands. When the Pilgrims left England, on the way to their final destination in Massachusetts, they first stopped in Leiden.

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.1593571,4.4912322,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sk9J8S73N9r1D0pJm16M3DA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The Medieval city of Delft, between Rotterdam and The Hague, is especially known for it's world-famous glazed pottery. The church in the first of the following views is the site of Dutch royal burials. The Delft City Hall is at the other end of the square.

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.0119173,4.3599497,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sjmiv6mUiMktjOlWl9J4SEQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Utrecht is the religious center of the Netherlands and was actually the birthplace of the Dutch Republic.

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.0908858,5.1193878,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swm2YYj0Da2-4cx34YlQu5Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands, after Amsterdam, and was the world's busiest port for a long time.

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.9119979,4.4578367,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sP3uTSxHOAyUVwswA8OOCtg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

This is a residential area of Rotterdam.

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.9606136,4.474031,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sXkQNbTtX9xwiIgteF9k2iA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

In the far south of the Netherlands is the city of Eindhoven, which was an important industrial city.

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4392533,5.4782746,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sxjmPi_6onASkTIYW5yFsOQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Proceeding northward in the eastern part of the Netherlands, Zwolle is yet another medieval Dutch city.

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.5124183,6.0942099,3a,60y,93.27h,93.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1seMh68i1P7CZI8OV9hbo9FA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Finally we come to Groningen, in the northern part of the country, which is about a thousand years old.

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.218347,6.5672888,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sjB0aDkiTCAF6IGa27JnQGQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

But the Netherlands is not all about cities. Here is a town in a rural area.

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.972212,4.7784939,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUfxDYodwv0ddI_3CUo6Lqw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656