The house (70 m2) was built in 1910, and is situated in a characteristic and charming neighbourhood, just outside the city-centre of Alkmaar. It is small, but cosy and perfect for two people. Upstairs there are two bedrooms, one with a double bed, and one with a single bed. I have no dishwasher and no clothes dryer.There is a small citygarden. In a few minutes you can walk to the city-centre, with its nice old houses, tourist attractions and convenient shopping.
My house is situated nearby the main railway-station of Alkmaar. Very regularly trains are leaving to: Amsterdam (2 fast ones per hour),  Haarlem (with its ancient centre), Hoorn (a beautiful city on the border of the IJsselmeer) and Den Helder (the dutch navalbase), from where you can take a ferry to Texel, a very nice island. All these cities can be reached in about 30-40 minutes. There are busses leaving regularly from the railway-station in all directions (e.g. every 30 min. to the beach).
By bike  (in about 45 min.) or car  you can go to the Northsea-beach.  Here you find Bergen (an artists village), with its lovely dunes, Egmond, and the woods of Schoorl. In and around Alkmaar there are many windmills to be seen, but the nicest examples, open to be visited, you can find in 'De Zaanse Schans'  between Alkmaar and Amsterdam.
I do have a car, a Renault Twingo.
Have a look at Alkmaar, alias 'small Amsterdam':
www.sprekendegevelsalkmaar.nl
http://www.alkmaar.nl/monument/index.htm
http://www.alkmaar.nl/monument/1561.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdaXLsQXKls&feature=related
http://www.fritsdebeer.nl/project/alkmaar-100-jaar-later/ (historical+recent situation at the same time: beautiful!)