6 - 10 September
Gouda - moored up at side of canal. We started following a historic walk in the tourist guide/map. Visited main church (longest in Netherlands) with marvellous stained glass windows, then to museum which was a hotch potch of things including artefacts from local history and torture chamber as well as modern art gallery!
Continued with walk, then realised something was going on – Open Monuments Day – and started visiting the buildings that were open to the public on this day only. We were given a private conducted tour around the former orphanage (now the public library) as we were English.
Earlier in the day we had walked through a park where marquees were being erected and were told it was for the "Culinaire Festival", so we went along in the evening. You had to buy tokens to purchase drinks and fixed price sample meals by local restaurants. We tried a couple of main courses and a dessert at different places - all were excellent. Shared a table with Dutch couple, both teachers, for one course who told us about the education system. A band was playing on a stage. Loads of people and great atmosphere.
We finished our historic walk over the next couple of days as we kept getting distracted - one of our favourite places in The Netherlands.
We stayed an extra couple of days as bad weather was forecast - and just lazed around.
For more pictures of Gouda please click here
No comments:
Post a Comment