Haarlem Random

This morning dawned cold and clear. The blue sky, without a hint of cloud cover, taunted us from the cozy warmth of our loft apartment. Lured by the shiny bright day, Hope and I headed out to the Frans Hals Museum for an afternoon of art.

Before arriving at the museum, we stopped for an amazing lunch at the Hofje Zonder Zorgen. Hope picked it, and her choice was a good one.

I had coffee, sparkling water and a tuna melt on warm brown bread. Hope had falafel and berry smoothie, with chocolate pie afterwards. There were so many items on the menu, and the service was quite pleasant; I am certain we will return again soon.

The cafe was a nice respite from the cold day, lurking in the low 20s Fahrenheit, but we pushed on, valiant art lovers braving the Haarlem winter.

Our effort was rewarded. The Frans Hals Museum is lovely.

Frans Hals Museum, street view

Housed in a building that dates to 1609 it originally served as a hofje, or almshouse, for poor men of the region. Known as the Oude Mannenhuis, it operated under strict guidelines for the men who came to reside there. Each man had to bring his own bed, chair and chamber pot. Also required was a stint of begging on the corner, the proceeds of which would make their way into the hofje coffers.

Today the building's facade is ornamented with the museum's flags and an informational plaque. Ubiquitous bikes crowd the entry. Nary a ghost from homelessness past could be seen.

In 2018, Haarlem's shelter for the homeless can be found on a main street at the edge of the canal ring.

Formerly a bank, the towering Wilhelminastraat, on a street of the same name, lends dignity to the community's unhoused.

Wilhelminastraat, street view
Haarlem's homeless shelter
2018

At this facility, residents go through a program known as Friends Family Reunion Citizen Policy Participation. This includes training and integration to ensure they will not return to the street. Teamwork and communication are modeled and reinforced.

There's no doubt homelessness exists everywhere, and for many reasons, but it appears that here in Haarlem the community attempts to address the issue in productive ways.