TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLE DIARIES

This is the second time I am in Gouda. The first time was a few years back when I met a friend here, actually a couple, from New Zealand. We had coffee in one of the traditional café houses on the corner of the market square. I remember being captivated by the beautiful 15th century gothic town hall sitting in the middle of the square. And then it rained. My reverie was ruined. Well this time around it didn’t rain. I only had great weather, sun and blue skies. And of course fotos! Gouda market square and the 15th century town hall in the middle. Next foto is a shopping street--notice the leaning buildings? The medieval Gouda town hall and some architectural and artistic details. Here are some scenes of Gouda market square. Left foto: Kaaswinkel or kaaswinkeltje means Cheese shop. Middle foto: in the background is the Sint Janskerk (St. John's Church). Right foto: a peek to the buildings on the market square from the alley that leads to Sint Janskerk. A (quaint) main road in Gouda a...

Gouda is our preferred kaas (cheese) here at home, the Jong type, because it’s what Dutchman eats every single day for breakfast and lunch together with his boterham, a Dutch word that has nothing to do with butter (boter) or ham. Boterham means sliced bread. Who would have thought sliced bread translation can be so complicated in Dutch? The beautiful ‘De Waag’ (Weigh House, also known as kaaswaag) was built in circa 1668—back in the olden days, the cheeses are weighed here in De Waag before they are auctioned for trade in the Goudse market. It is now a cheese and souvenir shop as well as a cheese museum. So, obviously Gouda cheese comes from Gouda, a town in the South Holland province but the cheese is actually made in the surroundings, in Het Groene Hart (countryside in the middle of the 4 big Dutch cities). During the summer months, from June to August, every Thursday mornings there is a cheese market and demonstration inclusive of cultural activities held on the market square at t...

Just a quick break from my Swiss trip (entries) that I did end of May—I know I am so late in posting my travel stories here but if only I am retired or paid to travel and write (I need an editor!), then I would be posting several entries a day. But, better late than never I guess. So I wanted to post the pretty fotos below that I took when I had tea and pancake in Gouda a few weeks ago. I am having tea and pancakes here in a café in the market square of Gouda. I only ate a little bit of it as I was hungry but lesson learned, stick to real pancake restaurants for pancakes. However, I have the best view to the market square and to the beautiful gothic Gouda stadshuis (town hall) that sits in the middle of the square. Yes, Gouda is the city of the world famous Gouda cheese of the Netherlands! After the Swiss entries, I will be posting more stories of Gouda, as well as my recent trip to Wallonia, Belgium and to the charming little witch town of Oudewater in Utrecht. ...