Alkmaar Cheese Market

After we left PJ and Claudia’s we had our first big family mission of our new journey. We had to clear the road which was blocked by a nice sized tree which had come down in the stormy weather. It took all seven of us to move it far enough so we could get past, it was a good team building exercise all lifting and pushing together. Once we had drove past we continued towards Alkmaar and stopped on the way at a petrol station for internet. At Alkmaar we had more problems this time because our GPS didn’t have the new motorways on it’s map. Luckily we ran into an very helpful man with colourful suspenders and he told us use we could parked by the dyke next to a corn field he also gave us some tips about the cheese market.

The next day we parked in Alkmaar and walked into the cobbled square. It was fenced off with more than a thousand sitting stacked in rows ready for the market. We got in early to get a good spot. At ten the cheese bell rang to begin the market. A lady in a cheese coloured outfit explained what happens. The square was buzzing with people all dressed up there where the men in white with different coloured straw hats who carried the cheese on sleds to be weighed and then put in the traditional wooden carts. There were girls dressed in the traditional Dutch outfits with white hats and clogs selling guide books and the officials in white with who drilled into the delicious gouda cheeses and handed out sticks to be tasted by the crowd. Then the rain and the wind came but they just covered the cheeses and continued. We having no raincoats took refuge in a clothing shop. Later we looked at the stalls that sold more cheese, clogs and Dutch pancakes. We couldn’t get mum and dad out of one cheese shop there were cheeses we have never seen before. At 12:30 it was all over and the cheese was back in the trucks and we were cheesed out so we walked back to the camper.



Later we were on the road and came across a goat farm which was also a foundation that provided jobs and homes for disabled to work. It was neat, a young lady showed us the goats, pigs, chicken and horses. Then we watched them milk the goats and learnt heaps from talking about the way they and we farm. We then it the road and are at a marina having spaghetti for dinner. We are going on the ferry to Texel tomorrow to see Maria, dads cousin. We wish Pa all our love and hope he has a Happy Birthday.

Love,

The Nieuwys