Just made it here in time for the last cheese market of the year. VERY hot & sunny. Pics coming when I`ve got the hang of this machine.Think I`ve got it now :-
This is of course Edam. And this is where the farmers bring their cheeses to market. All the bartering takes place in the village square where thousands of cheeses of all sizes change hands.
Ken.
This is of course Edam. And this is where the farmers bring their cheeses to market. All the bartering takes place in the village square where thousands of cheeses of all sizes change hands.
Ken.
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HOLLAND
by Ken » 22 Aug 2009 08:57 pmThe cheese market ( keesmarkt ) is quite a spectacle. The farmers bring their cheeses to town by horse , canal boat or the traditional cheese sledge. The merchants taste a small drill sample from each batch & then haggle over the price :-
The farmer to the right is seen haggling with a merchant (unfortunately just out of frame). A price is agreed for a batch but then each might take a cheese or two off or add them on. Each offer is accompanied by a vicious hand slap & I suspected that sometimes the one with the toughest hand ,who could bear the most pain , got the better deal !
The two to the left are carrying a sledge to be reloaded with cheeses.
Ken.
The farmer to the right is seen haggling with a merchant (unfortunately just out of frame). A price is agreed for a batch but then each might take a cheese or two off or add them on. Each offer is accompanied by a vicious hand slap & I suspected that sometimes the one with the toughest hand ,who could bear the most pain , got the better deal !
The two to the left are carrying a sledge to be reloaded with cheeses.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 23 Aug 2009 10:24 amThe first cheeses to arrive are heralded through the streets by a procession & brass band :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Daffy » 23 Aug 2009 11:15 amThank you Ken, It's lovely to see a place I have often thought about as I love their cheese. Can ordinary shoppers buy the odd one or do they all go to traders/merchants? Or in other words did you bring some home !!! 
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 23 Aug 2009 08:04 pmYes Daffy. All the time the wholesale bartering is going on , the milk maids are coming round with trays of cheese samples from their respective farm. You`re supposed to keep a note & buy the ones you like from their eventual stall.You soon get to realise the subtle differences. After the wholesale , stalls are stocked up & the public flock to buy :-
I bought a few to bring back but they are quite heavy.
Ken.
I bought a few to bring back but they are quite heavy.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 24 Aug 2009 09:34 amEdam itself is a beautiful little hamlet :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 24 Aug 2009 11:25 amAlmost every house has some water feature either in front , behind or running through :-
How nice it must be to have tea in one of these gardens -- or even in the outhouse :-
Ken.
How nice it must be to have tea in one of these gardens -- or even in the outhouse :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Chel » 24 Aug 2009 11:30 amAll I can say is woww. Keep the pic and history coming. I have learnt more from your travels than I have done in school.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Wiccan woman » 24 Aug 2009 01:02 pmLooks a lovely place, thanks for sharing
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 26 Aug 2009 01:41 pmCheers Chel & Katt. I could post page after page of lovely little cottages in Edam but here`s a last one before moving on to Volendam. Edam is also a heron`s dream -- fish everywhere and they can even do a bit of boating :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 26 Aug 2009 01:52 pmThe temperature in Edam was a comfortable 24C rising to 28C as the morning progressed and we set off to hike across to Volendam harbour. However, the temperature just kept rising in the afternoon --- 30C , 32C , 34C and when it got to 36C we cheated & hopped onto a passing bus.
Volendam is also a very pretty village --this time a seaside one :-
Ken.
Volendam is also a very pretty village --this time a seaside one :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 27 Aug 2009 09:04 amThis little village also has its unique style of cottages & shutters :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 27 Aug 2009 11:58 amBy now it was too hot to stay any longer & so the next part of our journey , by boat over the Zuider Zee ,was welcome with a nice sea breeze :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 27 Aug 2009 06:52 pmAnd now we arrive at yet another pretty lttle hamlet --- Marken:-
Marken too has its own style of cottages , many of which are on stilts :-
Ken.
Marken too has its own style of cottages , many of which are on stilts :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 28 Aug 2009 10:07 amAnd again,almost every house has its own water feature --- either a lakeside,a pond,a stream running through or a canal nearby :-
They`re also unusual in that the main part of the house is upstairs. The ground floor usually comprises a garage,storage area, etc..
Ken.
They`re also unusual in that the main part of the house is upstairs. The ground floor usually comprises a garage,storage area, etc..
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 29 Aug 2009 10:46 amToday we visit yet another pretty little hamlet -- the harbour town of Monnickendam.
This is a good example of careful planning and as the town has grown the new buildings have been built to tastefully blend in with the old. This street is a mixture of both :-
And the town remains unspoilt :-
Ken.
This is a good example of careful planning and as the town has grown the new buildings have been built to tastefully blend in with the old. This street is a mixture of both :-
And the town remains unspoilt :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 30 Aug 2009 10:21 amToday we go by bus to Pummerend where we catch a train to Zaandam and then enjoy a lovely walk across the Waterlands to another beautiful village ,De Zaanse Schans :-
With its working windmills dotted about all over the place.The smaller ones in the fields are used to pump water but these full size ones perform a variety of tasks :-
Ken.
With its working windmills dotted about all over the place.The smaller ones in the fields are used to pump water but these full size ones perform a variety of tasks :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 30 Aug 2009 10:59 amThis one powers a sawmill :-
The wooden gearing is quite complex and covers several floors :-
Ken.
The wooden gearing is quite complex and covers several floors :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Kristof » 30 Aug 2009 06:29 pmCracking pics as usual Ken, keep up the good work.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Nortonbeak » 30 Aug 2009 06:34 pmWhen I tried walking from Zaandam station to Zaansie Schans, I found it a lot further than I had expected.
A very pretty spot. I enjoyed the clock museum there.
Its just a pity that the approach is spoiled by the ever present odour of the nearby chocolate factory.
A very pretty spot. I enjoyed the clock museum there.
Its just a pity that the approach is spoiled by the ever present odour of the nearby chocolate factory.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 31 Aug 2009 09:42 amAnd finally ------------
We end up in Amsterdam :-
Or Bicycle City :-
Ken.
We end up in Amsterdam :-
Or Bicycle City :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 02 Sep 2009 11:24 amThe Nemo science museum is well worth a visit -- packed with fascinating stuff for both adults and kids. Thats the big ship shaped structure in the background :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Kattaddorra » 02 Sep 2009 11:52 amWonderful photos Ken, thank you as always for sharing them with us.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Nortonbeak » 02 Sep 2009 12:37 pmIn sunny weather people sunbathe on the roof of the Nemo building. I believe that you can rent deckchairs there as well.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 03 Sep 2009 06:18 pmAlso nearby is the magnificent floating Chinese restaurant :-
This is well worth a visit. The interior is luxurious & exotic and the food is superb. Certainly the best Chinese food I`ve ever sampled. The portions are huge though , so I`d recommend ordering just one main course between two.
Ken.
This is well worth a visit. The interior is luxurious & exotic and the food is superb. Certainly the best Chinese food I`ve ever sampled. The portions are huge though , so I`d recommend ordering just one main course between two.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 04 Sep 2009 10:35 amCheers chaps. The next few posts are being transferred from my previous topic on Holland so that we don`t have two similar ones running side by side.
Ken.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 04 Sep 2009 10:59 amCouldn`t transfer all of them so apologies if some posts/comments dont quite make sense.
Anne Frank`s Diary is the most read book in the world after The Bible.
One place I had to visit was the home she lived in in those dreadful times :-
This was the view she had from the main room at the front :-
Ken
Anne Frank`s Diary is the most read book in the world after The Bible.
One place I had to visit was the home she lived in in those dreadful times :-
This was the view she had from the main room at the front :-
Ken
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 04 Sep 2009 11:01 amCheers Chel + all who`ve commented. This next one is one of the most difficult pics I`ve ever taken
1) because cameras were verboten.
2) because there were three security guards patrolling to ensure you didn`t have a verboten camera.
3) a flash would have given the game away but the light wasn`t good.
I had to study the routine of the guards , watch the groups of tourists & then at the right moment take the pic of the bookcase which covered the hidden entrance to Anne`s hideaway :-
You could venture behind the bookcase & up some very steep steps into Anne`s retreat :-
Ken.
1) because cameras were verboten.
2) because there were three security guards patrolling to ensure you didn`t have a verboten camera.
3) a flash would have given the game away but the light wasn`t good.
I had to study the routine of the guards , watch the groups of tourists & then at the right moment take the pic of the bookcase which covered the hidden entrance to Anne`s hideaway :-
You could venture behind the bookcase & up some very steep steps into Anne`s retreat :-
Ken.
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Re:
by Ken » 04 Sep 2009 11:08 amKattaddorra wrote:They are amazing photos Ken,it makes the diary even more real, to actually see where Anne Frank was hidden.
Thank you for 'taking' us where we could never have gone otherwise
Katt
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by Ken » 04 Sep 2009 11:09 amLast_Tuesday wrote:I would wish to be associated with the comments of those that thank you for posting these photos Ken. They are an excellent insight into places that many will never get to see first hand.
I would also add that I find the photograph of the bookcase in Anne Frank's house particularly poignant, specifically due to the comments you make about the 'regime' in the museum . It is easy to draw comparisons with the regime that those secreted away in the house were attempting to evade.
Obviously there can be no real comparisons but it does re-inforce my belief that if if you ever elevate a person to a position of power, they will exercise that power.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 04 Sep 2009 11:10 amYes. I`m afraid so. Apart from the dreadful poverty in various parts of the world, I saw the effects of the atom bomb in Hiroshima , the appalling treatment of the Jews in Eastern Europe ( including visits to the Ghetto in Warsaw & the concentration camps in Dachau,Auschwitz & Birkenau ). I`ve also had some near misses -- a narrow escape from the City of The Dead in Egypt, I was in the Twin Towers with my son just before they were destroyed and my wife & I were two of the last to escape the King`s Cross fire after visiting that same son when he was based in London.
On the bright side , I`ve seen many beautiful places and met lots of nice people of all races. On the even brighter side , the son I mentioned (who lives in Japan) is on business in the U.K. next week and he`ll be staying with us this weekend.
Ken
On the bright side , I`ve seen many beautiful places and met lots of nice people of all races. On the even brighter side , the son I mentioned (who lives in Japan) is on business in the U.K. next week and he`ll be staying with us this weekend.
Ken
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 04 Sep 2009 02:24 pmAnd now its goodnight and goodbye Amsterdam & Holland :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by WillyLad » 06 Sep 2009 01:27 pmThanks Ken for yet another very interesting tour.
Again ... any recommendation ?
Bill
Again ... any recommendation ?
Bill
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 07 Sep 2009 05:04 pmYes. Would I recommend a holiday in Holland ? Yes but not more than a few days in Amsterdam itseld.
Amsterdam makes a good base for travelling around , for evening meals and walks but gets a bit boring after a few daytime wanders. So :-
a) Place -- lovely over the "waterlands" ,around Edam and up the coast of the Zeider Zee.
b) Prices -- reasonable out in the sticks(£3 a pint) but the closer you move to the centre of Amsterdam, the more expensive it gets (£5 a pint).
c) People -- the Dutch people have nudged my favourite Poles & Croatians down a place. They go out of their way to be helpful. A hippy-type spent ages giving me directions to access a certain spot & when I went back to him to clarify a tricky bit , he was going to drive me there but couldn`t bumb his car off. Others approached us in the street on several occasions to ask if we needed any guidance.
d) Ideal for --- walking,canal boating and cycling.
Ken.
Amsterdam makes a good base for travelling around , for evening meals and walks but gets a bit boring after a few daytime wanders. So :-
a) Place -- lovely over the "waterlands" ,around Edam and up the coast of the Zeider Zee.
b) Prices -- reasonable out in the sticks(£3 a pint) but the closer you move to the centre of Amsterdam, the more expensive it gets (£5 a pint).
c) People -- the Dutch people have nudged my favourite Poles & Croatians down a place. They go out of their way to be helpful. A hippy-type spent ages giving me directions to access a certain spot & when I went back to him to clarify a tricky bit , he was going to drive me there but couldn`t bumb his car off. Others approached us in the street on several occasions to ask if we needed any guidance.
d) Ideal for --- walking,canal boating and cycling.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Benny » 07 Sep 2009 07:46 pmHi Ken
did you venture into any of Amsterdam's famous Hash Cafe's?
For research purposes, of course.
did you venture into any of Amsterdam's famous Hash Cafe's?
For research purposes, of course.
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Re: Ken`s AUGUST Postcard.
by Ken » 11 Sep 2009 11:00 pmI`m afraid you cant beat Port Mulgrave dried kelp !
