Harlingen:
Marja said after she had had a hard weekend she felt like she had to be near the sea, she then asked me what I thought of going to Harlingen. What HARLINGEN, you did not have to ask me twice, I said "yes, lets go", and off we went.
I have been to Harlingen by train never by car.we could not see much of the countryside, as there was so much mist (perfect weather for visiting the coast).
We could barely see ahead of us, now and again the mist would clear.
As we entered Harlingen by the docks on our right, we passed the terminal where you can catch ferries to the islands Terschelling and Vleiland, (though I have never been there my children have with their schools).I love harbours and docks, I have the love for the sea, ships of any kind, barges, yachts, sailing boats,tugs,submarines,warships etc: strange perhaps for a women you think, but I do not think so, it is in my genes I think.
My uncle, Roelof Scheffer, was a sailor on the ship "Ariel", though it got shipwrecked near the French coast in a storm and he was drowned, around december 1954, he was only 19 years old.
Harlingen is a very old port and town, it has many cargo vessels and tugs that use its port, and is a very busy town, compared to Leeuwarden.
Ship repairs are also carried out in Harlingen port and not so long ago one could watch the trawlers come in at night and see them unload their fish catch of the day, also you could stand on the jettys and watch ship repairs being carried out, but now the repair docks have been moved from the harbour, more to the north of harlingen to the "Industriehaven", (industry habour).
Industriehaven-Industry Harbour.
There used to be a town called Griend that lay to the North-West of Harlingen, and in a storm about 1287 most of the town was swallowed up by the sea, today all that remains is a sand bank in the Waddenzee.
Lighthouse-Now a Hotel.
The Lighthouse near the main harbour is also a hotel and one can (if you have the urge for something most extraordinary) experience sleeping in a lighthouse, or if you want something different one can sleep in a huge wine vat or crane, (joking think you, off my head, NO!!!! it is really available to do and experience, I think I should like to try).
Police station.
There was a old building to our right and it was the police station, it looks as if it could have been a municipal office before or a manor house from nobility it was beautiful. I have since found out that the police station used to be the old harbour masters office.
Carving of ship on top of building.
There was another building that took my fancy, it had a carving of a ship engraved upon it, I think it was very old.As we walked towards the quayside we came across a sailing ship with sails and crow nests, much to my delight and excitement and we took a photo of her in dock, she was beautiful, she was a ship from Franeker, (funny that, we had visited Franeker last week, now this ship), her name on the bouws were painted boldly "ARTEMIS" and on the stern of the ship was a coat of arms, fantastic, this made my day.
Pictures of Harbour and Artemis the ship.
We then came across a ship that was used for sea cadetts (zeekadetts), in the harbour. My son used to do sea cadetts in Johannesburg, South Africa that was run by the South African Navy.
Ship used for Navy Cadetts.
disused wooden ware houses.
We walked along the quayside, next to the old disused wooden ware houses and along the quayside wall, which was made of granite and it was so fantastic, the smell of sea air, seagulls flying around sqauwking, skimming the water with the feet wanting to land.
seagulls flying around and sqwuaking around the docks.
Yellow moss growing on the rocks. We walked right around the quayside to the entrance of the harbour and watched a cargo ship go out the harbour mouth, I have never been this close before to a harbour mouth (except in Durban harbour with my husband and children when we were on holiday from Johannesburg, and we saw a hammer head shark on the jetty, that someone had caught that was swimming inland of the harbour, this was years ago, and very exciting to see).
It was absolutely exilarating wind on my face, sea air, the waves lapping on the beach seagulls sqauwking, what more could one want, all the cares seem to go from me and I felt so relaxed.
Pictures of the docks and harbour.
We then walked back to the car, it was time to go home, what a pity, but I will be back next week, Harlingen...
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