Kings Hill and District U3A

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1 Kings Hill and District U3A Tour to The Netherlands - May 2018 O n Thursday May 17th at 7.15am, twenty-eight members of Kings Hill U3A met in the car park at Kings Hill to join the coach that was to take them on their five-day tour to the Netherlands. Our driver was Wayne from Harry Shaw Travel and from the start, he proved very knowledgeable, helpful and professional. We were soon to discover he also had a good sense of humour, thus creating a happy atmosphere from the start. The combination of Wayne and the luxury coach supplied with drinks for the journey really helped to pass the time. The tour was to the city of Gouda, which was to be the main base for the five days; Kinderdijk, Delft, Zaanse Schans, Volendam and The Hague. The first part of the journey was to Folkestone to join the Eurotunnel Shuttle service to Calais. With a little time to spare it was possible to have a short break for breakfast before joining the train. The journey through the tunnel took 35 minutes and once on the other side of the English Channel, and off the train, the journey to Gouda began. The first stop on the route via Dunkirk, Bruges and Ghent, was in Antwerp, where there was a two-hour break for lunch and some sightseeing. Lunch in Antwerp Shopping street, Antwerp Steen Castle along River Scheldt Once back on the coach, the next stop would be the destination, Gouda, where reservations had been made by the Harry Shaw Coach Company who organised the tour. The hotel where the group were to stay was The Best Western Hotel in Gouda, and after settling into our respective accommodation, dinner had been arranged at the hotel on the first evening. We arrived at the hotel slightly later than expected, but Wayne phoned ahead and was able to delay our meal, which was excellent. The hotel was in an excellent location within walking distance of the town centre, where on other nights during the visit members were able to have dinner, blankets provided if eating outside and the evening cool. Gouda is a Dutch city south of Amsterdam in the province of South Holland. It is known for its namesake cheese and seasonal cheese market, regularly held on the medieval Market Square, as is a Kings Hill and District U3A Tour to The Netherlands May 2018 Page 1 of 9

2 weekly general market. Anchoring the square is the 15th-century city hall, a Gothic building with red and white shutters. Also on the square is the 17th-century Goudse Waag, once a cheese-weighing station and now home to the Gouda Cheese Museum. The Gouda Museum has a lot of information about the history and arts of the city. The city gets the name from the Goude family, who in the Middle Ages, built a fortified castle along the banks of the Gouwe River. The area, originally marshland, developed over the next 200 years; a canal was linked to the Gouwe River and the estuary transformed into a harbour. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Gouda suffered from plague epidemics, the last one in 1673 when 2,995 people died - about 20% of the population. During the Second World War, the city was bombed during an Allied bombardment when 8 people were killed and 10 people wounded. After the war, the city began to expand and nearly tripled in size. Best Western Hotel, Gouda The canal running alongside the hotel Kinderdijk O ur first trip was to Kinderdijk, UNESCO World Heritage Site of 19 windmills. We followed signs to the reception where we bought our tickets. We watched an interactive video describing the different roles of people involved in the life and history of the site and explained the importance of windmills in draining the land from the Middle Ages to the present day. We then went outside to explore. Our tickets allowed us entry into three museums which were furnished as they were when people lived and worked there. Showing us the way It s a long walk. Kings Hill and District U3A Tour to The Netherlands May 2018 Page 2 of 9

3 .but worth it! Bedroom for all the family Nesting for the ducks A well-earned rest after a lovely visit Delft We then went on to the Royal Delft Pottery, where we lunched in their restaurant. This was followed by a guided tour which explained the history of the building, the famous Delft tiles, as well as the Pottery and its Royal connections. We were taken into the factory where we watched a lady painting an intricate design on a plate. Our guide explained that they recently supplied a 3,000 piece set for the present Dutch Royal family. We ended our visit at the shop where a few of us were tempted and then had a little free time afterwards to visit the town. Kings Hill and District U3A Tour to The Netherlands May 2018 Page 3 of 9

4 The guide had our full attention On the factory floor Skill and care when decorating pottery Wall of Tiles Delft Ware through the ages Kings Hill and District U3A Tour to The Netherlands May 2018 Page 4 of 9

5 Decoration from start to finish Cheese shop in Delft market square Zaanse Schans A fter a good breakfast, our first visit on the second day of the tour was to Zaanse Schans where we all sampled different versions of the famous Dutch apple pie before exploring. In the museum the collection is extremely diverse, presented in a highly modern way, and includes utensils, clothing, painting and factory materials from the food industry. We pressed buttons on the interactive displays and tried to pack as many chocolates as possible! The factory, where the authentic machines still operate to this very day, takes you back in time to the early 20th century. The displays reminded us of when Sharps Toffee factory was based in Maidstone. After this Wayne took us on an unexpected visit to a cheese and clog making factory. We had a short talk and demonstration on both and could buy items if we wished. Cheese and Clog Making Factory Zaanse Schans windmills and houses Kings Hill and District U3A Tour to The Netherlands May 2018 Page 5 of 9

6 Volendam Chocolate Crafts of the past T hen it was on to Volendam, previously an old fishing village but now a bustling tourist town on the lakeside where there were plenty of restaurants for lunch. Several of us visited the Art hotel which was crammed with various pieces of art left by guests of the hotel in years gone by who were unable to pay their bills. The Art Hotel, Volendam Even the toilets are decorative Statue of a Dutch Lady in the harbour A boat for the tourists After a very busy day, people either relaxed in the hotel or took a stroll into Gouda which was only a few minutes walk away. Kings Hill and District U3A Tour to The Netherlands May 2018 Page 6 of 9

7 The Hague T he last full day in the Netherlands was a visit to The Hague. The Hague is a city on the North Sea coast of the Western Netherlands. It is the seat of the Dutch Parliament, home to the U.N. s International Court of Justice which has its headquarters in the Peace Palace, and also the International Criminal Court. The Hague is the third largest city of the Netherlands, the place where most of the foreign embassies are situated, and also where King Willem-Alexander lives and works in the Noordeinde Palace along with Queen Maima. It is also the home to Royal Dutch Shell and other major Dutch companies. For our final day in The Hague, we had booked a guide for a two-hour tour, mainly on the coach. By this time our driver Wayne was very much part of our group and amused us all by calling the tour guide Dave which he took in good spirit and carried on the joke by calling Wayne, Dave too. Our tour covered the main sites, including embassies and government buildings. One of the most interesting places was the Peace Palace, completed in 1913 as a joint project between many countries to be used as a meeting place for peace negotiations. It is ironic that only one year later many of these countries were at war. After the tour, we had a little free time to explore and have refreshments. British Embassy, The Hague The Peace Palace Dutch Parliament Building Kings Hill and District U3A Tour to The Netherlands May 2018 Page 7 of 9

8 The Square in The Hague One of many statues in The Hague e arrived back at our hotel in time for people to see a little more of Gouda. The Town Hall in the main square was a beautiful building with interesting furnishings and displays, Wincluding some unusual stained glass windows. The canal meanders through the town The Town Hall at night Gouda Town Square Bridges open to allow sailing craft along the canal Kings Hill and District U3A Tour to The Netherlands May 2018 Page 8 of 9

9 The Gouda Museum was also interesting with displays of artwork, pottery and local industries, for example, clay pipes. Some of us also visited the tea shop and pretty gardens. Many people took advantage of the good weather on our last evening to have a meal either around the square or at one of the many restaurants. We left after breakfast for our journey home and Wayne had arranged a stop off point in Bruges for lunch which was very busy due to it being a Bank Holiday. There were also celebrations throughout the town as the local football team had just won the championship. Despite this everyone managed to find what they needed. Commencing the homeward journey A pleasant walk into the centre of Bruges After a short visit to a chocolate shop, we made our way to the Shuttle and had a smooth journey back to Kings Hill. Kings Hill and District U3A Tour to The Netherlands May 2018 Page 9 of 9