Clogs & cheese

So we come to the last day in the Netherlands.

There was nothing arranged on our official schedule. We had to vacate our rooms by 11am. It would not take that long to get to Rotterdam & the ferry. Our tour leader, Bev, arranged an extra stop for us. This time we went to a clog & cheese factory. Factory is rather a grand word for a small place where clogs & cheese are made.

The clog & cheese factory

The guide spoke good English so it was easy to follow what he said. We watched the cheese being made in a screened off area. The clogs he made himself while he talked. He happily demonstrated how to run in clogs. He told us of the advantages of wearing clogs over shoes.

With this tool he takes slices of wood off, forming the shape of the exdterior of the clog

then with this tool he forms the interior. In the process the wood that comes out is shaped liked tulips

How's this for a roomful of clogs?

 After the demonstration we were free to look around the shop. Many folk bought clogs & other gifts. We were also able to sample the various cheese. All of them with essentially a Gouda cheese base. Some were better than others, but we still didn’t think we would ever finish any of them. We were given some raspberry wine to cleanse the palate between tasting the cheeses. Now that had more appeal.

Our lunch-time companions

 Afterwards we sat outside, in the sun, trying to find a sheltered spot away from the cold wind, & had a drink, while others had their lunches. After that it was all aboard the coach for Rotterdam & home. Our only hold-up was to let a lost duckling cross the motorway slip road to the pond, full of other ducks, presumably including his/her parents. I couldn’t help thinking those ducks should have found a safer pond to bring their young families up on.