April 30th 2019
Today we set out to explore the city of Gouda. Although not far from The Hague where we used to live, we have actually never been here before. Other cities similar to Gouda like Delft and Leiden are really nice, so we had high expectations.
Gouda is famous for its cheese and the cheese market. But although the cheese is called ‘Goudse kaas’ the cheese isn’t actually made there. Artisan Goudse kaas is made in towns like Stolwijk and Haastrecht, but most of the Goudse Kaas is mass produced and factory made. Until recently the name wasn’t even protected. Since 2010 the indication Gouda Holland is marked as a geographical denomination. But it still doesn’t mean made in Gouda. It only indicates that it’s made in The Netherlands with Dutch cow’s milk.
Hoping to see a glimpse of the cheese market we went for a walk to the city centre. We admired the historical architecture, but the people we encountered on our way were less cheerful. Similar to the Schilderswijk, a part of The Hague where we used to live, there was an apprehensive atmosphere. People looked sullen, grumpy, actually the only people we saw that were laughing, were the other tourists. Maybe it is because Gouda is such a tourist attraction. Everything seems to revolve around the tourists. The cheese market – which wouldn’t take place today – isn’t the place where cheese is sold and bought anymore, it’s more a staged performance. It looks like all the historical buildings are turned into theme parks and there are signs and explanations at every stone and wall to explain what either is, was, or could have been there. Gouda is really cashing on all its historical features. So maybe people here are fed up with all the tourists.
A bit disappointed we returned to the boat. On the way back we noticed the way people offer their garbage here. There are rings with pegs attached to poles and street lamps and such. And people hang their garbage bags on those pegs. Weird.
But whether we like the city or not, we might have to stay a bit longer. It looks like Jeroen is coming down with the flu.