Old Fashioned Cheese Market: Alkmaar, Netherlands- Friday May 8, 2009

I had planned on traveling to Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmo, Sweden this weekend, but seeing that Nick arrives Tuesday and I have a paper and a ton of reading due while he is here, I decided to take the weekend off from big trips and take a day trip up to Alkmaar. Now you probably are wondering "what the heck is in Alkmaar, Holland?" Well, being a true Schieferstein child, I wanted to go visit the weekly old fashioned cheese market!

I woke up at the crack of dawn and boarded my 3 hour train up to the north. Alkmaar is about 30 minutes north of Amsterdam and is known as a small, charming canal town (aren't they all?). When I finally arrived in the Alkmaar train station, I was greeting by some train conductors passing out samples of cheese (YES) with little Dutch flags in them (souvenir). I happily took a sample and ate it on my little walk to the town center.

Now, in Alkmaar, they have a traditional cheese market every Friday during the warmer months. A bunch of guilds get together in front of the Cheese Museum and Weigh House and run around with these planks full of huge, round cheeses. It was fascinating! I (along with all of the Asians) took numerous pictures and dreamed of sampling some Dutch cheeses. Well, all of my dreams came true when I walked around the markets that surrounded the square. I probably had 20 different kinds of cheese and I didn't meet one that I didn't like (surprising huh?).

I explored Alkmaar a little bit—went into a wooden shoe shop, bought some souvenirs, walked up and down the shopping streets—and then I got back on the train to Maastricht. It was a fun little day and I am glad I had a chance to visit this cute little town!

Tot ziens!

Betsy