Today we went to Gouda. Gouda of course is famous for cheese. We saw the cheeses laid out in the market square, people dressed in traditional costume and cheese wheels being loaded into horse drawn carriages and in the Kaaswaag weighhouse they were weighing cheese on gigantic scales. In the old days, the cheese farmers brought their cheeses to the market. The cheese was weighed and the weighing master gave the farmer a note that read the weight of the cheese. The farmers and tradesmen did business by clapping hands. We saw this re-enacted today.
We visited the De Sint Janskerk or St John’s church. The church is especially famous for its stained glass windows “the Gouda Windows”. They depict scenes from biblical and national history. They date from 1555. There are more than 65 windows and they are stunningly beautiful.
The outside of the church has a clock and under the clock is a series of figures and a door when the hour strikes the door opens and two figures slide out bow to each other and then disappear back behind the door.
Gouda is also famous for syrup waffles, or Stroopwafel. About 3 centuries ago the first syrup waffle was baked in Gouda.
There are a number of museums, churches, the beautiful town hall, a working windmill and some Almshouses or hofje (houses for the poor) all within easy walking distance, making a very compact and pretty town to visit.
After Gouda we went to visit Leiden. Leiden is Rembrandt’s birthplace. It has the Netherlands oldest university. It is also where the Pilgrims first sailed to America aboard the Mayflower.
We visited the De Sint Janskerk or St John’s church. The church is especially famous for its stained glass windows “the Gouda Windows”. They depict scenes from biblical and national history. They date from 1555. There are more than 65 windows and they are stunningly beautiful.
The outside of the church has a clock and under the clock is a series of figures and a door when the hour strikes the door opens and two figures slide out bow to each other and then disappear back behind the door.
Gouda is also famous for syrup waffles, or Stroopwafel. About 3 centuries ago the first syrup waffle was baked in Gouda.
There are a number of museums, churches, the beautiful town hall, a working windmill and some Almshouses or hofje (houses for the poor) all within easy walking distance, making a very compact and pretty town to visit.
After Gouda we went to visit Leiden. Leiden is Rembrandt’s birthplace. It has the Netherlands oldest university. It is also where the Pilgrims first sailed to America aboard the Mayflower.
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