Team Nachtwacht

After a busy weekend of not much more than work, team nachtwacht (my roommate, the previous night watch, and I) regrouped for the hostel weekend - Monday and Tuesday! An exceptionally lazy day on Monday, I went to attempt to source the most economic painting supplies I could find to finally channel a bit of creativity, before spending the afternoon planning and drawing, and the evening on the cozy drinking seats at the bar.

paints

canvases

what in Gods name is this fresh hell

cozy drinking

On Tuesday we received a help call from the previous nightwatch, now living in Haarlem permanently (for the time being) with a proper job, to help him transport a sofa to his new place. Unable to resist helping a friend in need, or turn down the offer of a couple of beers afterwards, we ventured over to the sunny residential area of town. 

Spaarne

Armed with a borrowed trolley from the second hand store nearby, we actually managed to collect the sofa with very few problems - aside from strange looks for wheeling a sofa down the street. That was until we got back to his apartment where we realised that measuring only the height of the doorway, and not the width of the corridors (or 2 flights of stairs) may have been an oversight.

on route with the trolley

nothing to see here

it fit after removing the legs!

typically minuscule Dutch stairs

Dutch (Mexican/NZ) Chuckle brothers

offering 'moral support' for the heavy lifting

success!

After the "couple of beers" slightly escalated, resulting in getting back to the hostel particularly late, I was grateful for another very relaxed day, with the main task being sent on a mission to a faraway shop (perhaps an ill-advised mission as I am not the best with directions) to buy 70 euros worth of various lightbulbs. 

Molen & Grote Kerk

sunny Spaarne

all the lightbulbs

team Nachtwacht

I returned to the hostel with the lightbulbs to find out my roomie had absconded and left our room locked, sending me on a second mission to attempt to find him - easier said then done as he lacks any means of being reached when without wifi. After stumbling around the parks of Haarlem, I eventually discovered my night watch counterparts playing frisbee in a park in a beautiful area of town I'd never visited before, on the outskirts of town next to lots of nature parks and allotments. 

frisbee

We then moved onto the Botormarkt (voted the Netherlands best market place) for a beer with more friends, a calm evening, before heading home for the Nightwatch - and to get some sleep to prepare for the upcoming actual weekend, and the busy days planned!

Botormarkt

cafes on the markt

Goede nacht, tot na de drukte weekend!

pretty Spaarne

bikes by the river