Cheese, Clogs and Windmills

So what is Holland famous for? Tulips, windmills, wooden shoes, cheese, and legalized pot. We weren't especially interested in pot, and quite frankly as we were out walking around, when could smell it and started noticing headshops we left the neighborhood as quickly as possible. Those streets were likely to be filled with people who had over-indulged and we were happier avoiding them. So that leaves tulips, windmills, clogs and cheese. There was a tour that would take us to the tulip fields and another that would take us to see windmills, a clog factory, a cheese factory and a trip across the Zuider Zee. Tough choice, but we could only do one so we choose the Cheese, Clogs and Windmills tour.

A bus took us to Volendam, a small fishing village where we toured a cheese factory. It wasn't so much a tour as it was a brief talk by a young lady in a traditional Dutch costume followed by a cheese and mustard tasting cleverly disguised as an opportunity to buy cheese. And buy cheese we did! Some for us, some for our kids! I regret not buying any mustard, but it is a bit trickier to get home. Cheese is a solid and can be taken in the carry-on bag. Mustard could end up on your clothes. And besides, I felt like I might be able to replicate the taste of my favorite with some French mustard and some dill.

After a stroll around the village, we got on a boat and sailed across the Zuider Zee to Marken. While in Marken we visited a clog making shop. Wooden clogs became the footwear of choice in Holland because they keep your feet dry and much of Holland is below sea level, which makes field work a bit damp. Much of the process is automated, but still interesting. I tried them on but didn't find them comfortable.

And then we went to see the Windmills outside Amsterdam. Very strange that some could be toured at no charge but others required an entry fee. We just had a short time there - not enough time to tour the windmills and eat lunch, which was disappointing. The tour brochure indicated that we would be given time for lunch but the only place we were given enough time was Volendam, our 9 AM stop.  (Anything before 11:30 AM is just too early for lunch in my book.) So we skipped lunch, bought a chocolate bar to tide us over until we got back at 2 PM and toured the windmills.

I wish we'd also had time to go to the tulip fields. They only offer tours at certain times of the year and we were fortunate enough to visit while they were being offered. But there just wasn't enough time! An while there are tulips all over town, I'm sure it's stunning to see fields of them. Another year, perhaps.