At 5:30, Stena Line woke us to the piped sound of Bobby McFerrin singing ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’ accompanied by torrential rain and a rolling boat. Luckily, the worst was over and, as we exited customs, the sun appeared. We may have said this before, but it bears repeating – despite the early start, this is a very friendly and efficient route to access Europe.
Tonight’s hotel was only a couple of hours away so we had a mid way stop in Gouda to visit the Cheese Experience. Having misjudged our timings, we found ourselves in a cafe killing time with a cuppa and late breakfast. Traditional Dutch breakfast apparently consists largely of cheese and ham served on a dark bread and, according to the cafe owner, they serve exactly the same meal at lunchtime but pop it under the grill to melt the cheese.
Despite the spring sunshine, the wind is bitterly cold. Today was not a day for sauntering and enjoying local history, but one for a brisk walk to our destination. The Gouda Cheese Experience is exactly what it claims to be. We were met by cheery, friendly staff, handed a clipboard with a quiz and challenged to become a Cheese Master. More difficult than you’d imagine when the quiz was aimed at children and the answers scattered around the site. But, should you ever find yourselves on a quiz show with a question about Gouda, we’re your ‘phone a friend’.
Our experience finished with a cheese tasting session, we dutifully tried different types and ages of Gouda, then miraculously, the door opened and we were able to leave – visitors are controlled, from room to room, by locked doors.
We returned to the car via the Museumhaven and a cuppa in an old chocolate factory, converted into a modern library, cafe and community workspace. Once more we were greeted by polite, friendly staff and all agreed we wanted to be Dutch and live in Holland.
Next stop, Hotel De Rustende Jäger in Nieuw-Vennep. Less than an hour from Gouda on beautifully maintained roads, through pretty villages with wide vistas across fields. All was going well until we saw crowds of people and cones closing the road outside our hotel. It was all rather alarming until we noticed the cars. The hotel hosts the start and finish of the annual Venniper Koninginnerit rally. Starting in 2000 as a modest classic rally it has built a strong reputation, now attracting the attention of serious classic rally drivers, more used to the challenges of the Mille Miglia. Someone was in petrol head heaven…..
Finally, our worrying fact of the day is…… Gouda is no longer protected by a wax covering but sprayed with plastic coating instead….
braysabroad 