Monday 30 August 2010

that's My World, ABC Wednesday, G for Gouda





Gouda (population 70,828 in 2009) is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Gouda, which was granted city rights in 1272, is famous for its Gouda cheese, smoking pipes, and its 15th century city hall.
This year I went there twice to visit the Saint John's Church. In May my daughter and her family and I went to see Gouda. The first thing my daughter's Australian partner wanted to do is buy heaps of cheese in the first cheese shop we saw. I don't know how many variaties of cheese there were, but we could taste them, if we wanted. So we did!
The church is worth an other ABC post. It was also admired by my Danish visitors of last week.

In the Middle Ages, a settlement was founded at the location of the current city by the Van der Goude family, who built a fortified castle alongside the banks of the Gouwe River, from which the family and the city took its name. The area, originally marshland, developed over the course of two centuries. By 1225, a canal was linked to the Gouwe and its estuary was transformed into a harbour. Gouda's array of historic churches and other buildings makes it a very popular day trip destination



That's my World is hosted by Klaus,Sandy,Ivar,Wren,Fishing Guy & Louise - a Team of experienced bloggers, whom we thank for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar or on that's My World



With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with G.

44 comments:

Marja said...

Very interesting I never went to Gouda I love the old city buildings Is your new blog header from gouda as well? It is just gorgeous Make me homesick it looks all so cosy of gezellig

Arkansas Patti said...

What a wonderful trip in such a beautiful city. I am amazed at the architecture. We have nothing even close. I am afraid I would trip and fall a lot while gawking at everything.
Thank you. Delightful as always Wil.

The Weaver of Grass said...

I love the cheese, wil, now I like the look of the place too.

Miss_Yves said...

Quels beaux monuments, surtout l'hôtel de ville!

Anonymous said...

What a fabulous-looking place!

Boccone Claire said...

Un petit coucou de France!
Amicalement:CLAIRE

Sylvia K said...

A marvelous tour of Gouda and I love the cheese! Your photos are superb as always. The architecture there is so amazing. Hope you have a wonderful week, Wil!

Sylvia

Vicki Lane said...

What a charming city!

Anonymous said...

Pictures like postcards - beautiful. May you all have a wonderful Tuesday.

daily athens

SandyCarlson said...

It's amazing what people can do with a little marshland and will power.

Regina said...

I love cheese and Gothic architectures. Such beautiful place and captures.
Thank you for sharing.
Have a great week.

George said...

Thanks for a very interesting and informative post. All that cheese sounds yummy, and the pictures are wonderful. Thank you for sharing this part of your world with us.

Indrani said...

Very interesting! In Italy I too tasted a variety of cheese, we don't get that many variations in India.

Unknown said...

you got me when you said "cheese".:p definitely interesting architecture.

Etje said...

Is jaren geleden dat ik daar nog eens geweest ben, is misschien geen slecht idee om er nog eens langs te gaan

BraCom said...

Leuk met zo'n slide show, mooie foto's

Een hele fijne week
Groeten, Bram

My Word Tuesday post

Seen on My World Tuesday

Jim said...

Quite interesting.

Rune Eide said...

Gouda is obviously far more than cheese, just as The Netherlands is far more than Amsterdam.

You must publish your own guide to the Netherlands (and all the other places you have visited.)

soulbrush said...

wonderful header too.

Janice Thomson said...

You certainly live in a charming country Wil - beautiful photos as always. Oh and could you send me one of those rounds of cheese? LOL

Leslie: said...

Hi Wil - pardon my ignorance, but I did not know there was a city named Gouda - I always just thought of the cheese, which is great, by the way! :D

Vinay Leo R. said...

oh such a wonderful slide show.. ur trip seems very worthy! thanks for sharing..!

My ABC Wednesday G

Chloe m said...

I am craving some cheese now.

EG CameraGirl said...

This is the first time I realized Gouda cheese was named after a town! What a great place to sample cheese.

SandyCarlson said...

What a fascinating place! Great shots, friend. As always.

anthonynorth said...

Another great informative post about a beautiful city.

Wanda said...

Oh YES! How I love Gouda cheese, and your pictures are just lovely.

Didn't know anything about the City, what a good read.

Gayle said...

I'd sure like to be in that cheese store right now tasting the different varieties. What a treat!

Kay L. Davies said...

Thank you for your wondrous slide show of the city of Gouda. I had to look it up on Google Maps and am delighted to see it is pretty well enroute from Amsterdam to the north coast of France! I can hardly wait to tell my husband, because he loves Gouda cheese and is preparing a list of places to visit when we're there. We're going on a river/canal cruise out of Amsterdam, and after the cruise we're going to rent a car and drive through France.
What a beautiful place Gouda is. It might even be more beautiful than Brugge in Belgium. It will be wonderful.
Thanks again for your slide show, and the history of the town.
Kay
Alberta, Canada

photowannabe said...

Silly me, I never gave any thought to Gouda cheese coming from a town by the same name. I'm embarrassed!
Its a lovely place and I would love to visit it.

Tumblewords: said...

I'm familiar with the cheese but overwhelmed with the beauty of Gouda the city...it's absolutely glorious!

Roger Owen Green said...

those are really GOUDA pictures! the obvious pun, I suppose...

ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Hildred said...

I am fascinated by European history, - we live in such a new country (to us). Thank you for the great slide pictures.

Verns said...

wow, your city is so pretty, amazing architecture .... thanks for sharing ...

I hope you can drop by
My ABC Wednesday here
And HERE TOO

Wanda said...

Hey Reader ~ Thanks for the compliment on my painting...but it wasn't mine. I was standing in front of a mural painting at the Zoo!~!

Anonymous said...

That was quite informative. Added The place to my must see before I die list. And very good snaps.

http://unpredictableblog.wordpress.com/
http://snowleopardshoots.wordpress.com/

Martha said...

Oh, please pass the cheese and crackers! This post is making me hungry!!

Etje said...

De zon is weer van de partij vandaag dus probeer er maar wat van te genieten

Arts Web Show said...

It sounds like a beautiful place to visit

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed this post about Gouda. It is a fabulous place. I am guessing it is nice to live there also.

At my place, in response to your comment I left this reply...

Reply to Reader Wil...

I am with you Wil. Like you, I have a lot of past history and enjoyed almost all of it except surgery and sickness. I don't have much of future history left to make. I mean it seems like the Creator would have fixed us to last at least as long as the stars but for some reason He didn't. So instead of future history of billions of years like the stars, we got maybe ten, at the top.

Patty said...

Beautiful photos. Happy week-end Wil.

Gypsy Lala said...

Wow, you showed me the beautiful and interesting city view of Gouda...I love it. Now I start to search the travel package of the city, I wish I could visit it in sooner future.
Capture life as I see it

Paulie said...

Nice tour! And I didn't even have to leave home!!!!!

Etje said...

Het is weeral terug weekend en hopelijk blijft de zon van de partij he