Our ship made an early morning quick trip to Schoonhoven where we boarded buses to a cheese farm.
Yep, it all starts here...
With boiling, washing, and waiting you get this...
Beautiful Gouda cheese--amazing
The farmer explained everything, and we were encouraged to explore the facilities, all very interesting. Of course, a farm complete with a gift shop is well equipped to explain all the steps involved in making cheese. The samples were very tasty.
The area around the farm was squishy wet. The farmer wore his boots. You could almost feel the sponge-y ground and the on-going struggles with water that this part of The Netherlands lives with.
On to the town of Gouda...
The town hall or "rathouse."
You can't help laughing at the town halls, called the rathaus! Certainly, a good location for many of our politicians...
St. John's Cathedral has splendid stained glass, leaded windows dating from the Middle Ages.
A little building in Gouda.
A Mama's bike for taking the children shopping...
This little character accompanies St. Nick rather like a jester. St Nick is depicted as a rather somber churchman, whereas this guy has all the fun. The racial implications were discussed for several years, then the decision was made to just depict him as he had been over the years and enjoy his antics. I think he was called "Peter."
These old draw bridges are still in use...
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