We went to Gouda at the end of our “what makes The Netherlands” tour.
It is a more tourist town than Delft and completely charming. Yes, Gouda is the name of the cheese. That is the generic name for all cheeses made in the area. The cheese was bought and sold here, from what I heard from our guide, a robust tossing of the cheese was also done.
Gouda is also known for Stroopwaffles. They are the hard waffles with syrup in the middle. Yum.
Gouda also has the largest church in the Netherlands. And by large, we mean ridiculously large, it takes up the majority of the city core. It was one of those churches were they just kept adding on to it. When the Reformation came, they built beside the monolith the more reasonably sized Protestant church. I wonder if the then Protestants, were bitter and resentful of the enormous Catholic Church they had also built or were they just grateful to get out from this brute of a church. Not all is lost, the Enormous Church, does have some of the most beautiful stain glass windows. Both old and contemporary.
In the middle of the city square is the very delightful town hall.
The world around me 