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For a couple of years, I have been wanting to make a trip to Gouda, the historic city known for its cheese, candles and delicious stroopwafels. Not wanting to make a connection in Utrecht, I had shied away from it until last weekend when I found out that there were two Sprinter trains per hour that run direct from Amsterdam Central Station to Gouda.
Knowing that it was winter and expecting some things to be closed, we assumed that there would be plenty to see nonetheless. Arriving in Gouda, we went to the information counter at the train station and inquired as to the location of the Tourist Information Office. The gentleman behind the desk gave us a map and instructed us on how to get into the center of town. We were then on our way.
It was a little early as we crossed the bridge and began walking toward the center of town. All stores were closed and the city seemed to still be asleep. The occasional family rode by on bikes but all was quiet as it was Sunday. Finally, we made our way into the main square, the Markt, and laid our eyes upon the impressive Stadhuis (Town Hall) which has stood on this site since 1450. The 17th and 18th century interior can be viewed in the oldest Gothic City Hall in the Netherlands on weekdays. Since visiting the interior was impossible and the misty rain made taking pictures a little difficult, so we decided to head over to someplace where we could go inside, St. John’s Church (St. Janskerk).
Sint-Janskerk, known for its stained glass windows, that are sometimes described as the most significant in the Netherlands, was a place that I had most wanted to visit. Realizing that it was Sunday, and hearing the singing inside, we assumed that we could tour the church once mass had ended.
Venturing over to the Gouda museum, we spoke with the lady behind the counter. There, we were given very disappointing news. There was not much to do or see on Sundays in Gouda…everything is closed. She suggested that maybe we could sneak into the church after services were complete, however, the only institutions that would be open was the Gouda museum and the Verzetsmuseum.
We paid our entry for the Gouda museum and began our tour. As we passed near a window on the second floor, I glanced out to the church and noticed that the service-goers were leaving the building. Sadly, I knew that by the time I made it outside of the building and to the church, it would probably be locked.
The Gouda museum, located on the little street, Achter de Kerk, which means “Behind the Church”, was where Erasmus, the theologian and scholar, played hoops as a child. The museum features the life of Erasmus, who grew up in Gouda as well as religious art of the 16th century, the “Haagse school” of the 19th century and pottery of the 20th century. The museum interestingly showcases many objects that have been unearthed during excavations and many items from when the buildings served as Catharina Gasthuis, a home for the homeless and sick, a chapel and at one time, a pharmacy. A walled garden with fine statues and a large terrace is also part of the museum.
After our departure from the warmth of this educational gallery, we ventured out in to the wet afternoon, which had now changed…to a bone-chilling mix of ice and snow. Yes, well, it is winter. Yes, winter in the Netherlands. So, you have to expect this kind of thing, but boy does it make seeing a city difficult!
We followed our map to the location of the Molen De Roode Leeuw or the Red Lion windmill. The windmill is only open on Thursdays and Saturdays so we knew that our visit was one of observation. The impressive structure was quiet as we laid eyes on it, but at one time was a mass producer of flour.
Continuing our walk, we headed down Vest Street, along the canal, and passed near the Harbour Museum on our way to the city’s other windmill, Molen “t Slot”. You can visit this windmill when the sails are turning. Guess what? They were not, so, on we went, back to the center of town, shivering in our boots and fervently trying to keep dry.
As it was now after two o’clock, it was time to move indoors, warm up and get some much needed lunch. There are many restaurants surrounding the Markt and finding a cozy one was not a problem. My sandwich and beer was very good and well appreciated after the foul weather conditions that we had been experiencing as well as the disappointments of the day.
Looking through the Gouda tourist booklet and map, it was apparent that there were many things to do and see here…on days other than Sunday…and looking at all of the pictures in the booklet, when there are bright, blue, sunny skies, which probably means that you can experience these things during the warmer months. Sadly, as we looked out the window onto the square, we realized that the weather was only getting worse. At this point, we decided to call it a day and venture back to the train station and Amsterdam.
There were two things that I learned on this trip. The first was that when visiting smaller cities, attention should be paid to what exactly is open on certain days of the week. If I had been alone, I may have braved the weather for a bit longer and walked around the town, attempting to capture, while constantly wiping my camera lens, the charm of the historic buildings and canals. However brief and unsuccessful this visit was, it showed me what is in store for a future trip…Sint-Janskerk, canal tours, bike riding, the Verzetsmuseum, De Vrouwetoren Studio and in the spring and summer, the Gouda Cheese Market. The other thing I learned was that while I know that English speakers pronounce the name Gouda incorrectly…Goo-da…I thought that I was pronouncing it correctly in the Dutch way…How-duh. After listening to the locals, however, I learned that the Dutch pronunciation is more like Gow-da. Go figure!
So, now, I have earmarked the final page of the tourist booklet to remind me of all the dates of the wonderful things that I have to look forward to on a future trip…and I will be back to Gow-da!
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Gouda Museum
- http://www.museumgouda.nl
- Address: Achter de kerk 14, 2801 JX Gouda, Oosthaven 9
- Admission: Adults, 9€, Children (5-7), 2€
- Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 11:00-17:00
Sint Janskerk
- http://www.sintjan.com
- Address: Achter de Kerk 16
- Admission: Adults, 4,50€, Children (0-12), 1€, Students, 2,50€, Seniors, 3,90€
- Hours: March through October, Monday-Saturday, 9:00-17:00, November through February, Monday-Saturday, 10:00-16:00
De Roode Leeuw (The Red Lion) Flourmill
- Address: Vest 65/67
- Hours: Thursday, 9:00-14:00, Saturday, 9:00-16:00
Molen “t Slot (Mill on the Castle)
- Address: Punt 17
- Hours: When the sails are turning