Cheese and Clogs
Saturday started early with a hearty breakfast of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (the only free options at the hostel was bread, cheese, some wierd meat, jelly and peanut butter. Oh yes, and you were also allowed one boiled egg).
Since booking our trip, Erica and I relished the notion that we would get to go to a Cheese and Clog making factory. It's every girls dream! So we were showered, dressed, fed, and ready to rock and roll. Rob (our trip guide) asked us to knock on a few doors to make sure everyone was ready to go. We thought, well that's kinda your job but we're nice...so we'll help you out. And we did. When we returned to the lobby though...Rob and our group had left us. My comment was...Erica, we're like the only ones who actually wanted to go to the Clog and Cheese factory... I found a little humor in the situation...Erica, however did not. We acted quickly though and decided our best bet was to call Rob on his cell phone. Our cell phones did not have reception...thus we made our way to the pay phone. First of all, there was no english anywhere on the phone. Second, we weren't sure how to dial out. Third, the machine wanted lots of money...every few seconds it seemed like. Below is a reenactment of this ordeal (we were obviously a little busy at the moment to capture the kodak moments but went back at a later time as to be able to share our story....)
Luckily, after this bit with the phone and a brisk run, Erica and I met up with our group and we were on our way to the Cheese and Clog factory.
Rob had hired someone to give us a tour as we drove. You think this sounds great. It wasn't. It was probably THE worst tour I've ever been on.
This woman was our crazy crazy tour guide who repeated everything she said at least (at least) 3 times. And there were no silent moments on our 2 hour drive. Nope...she filled every bit of space with uhhhhhhhs and ahhhhhhhs and what we call jabberwocky (crazy talk).
We can thank Erica for these next pictures of the countryside.
We stopped in a small town just before going to the Cheese and Clog factory. Erica and I took this opportunity to have our pictures taken in traditional Dutch clothing (I'm working on taking a picture of the picture so that all of you can see this sight!). We look pretty hilarious...my first comment was "it's official, I don't look good in any hats!" We also took this opportunity to sit amongst the locals and ponder Dutch life...
And finally...we arrive at...
In case you're wondering...this is where they make the cheese!
And on to the clogs....
This guy was absolutely fabulous...a clog maker with a sense of humor! I must say that I learned quite a bit about clogs... For instance, fishermen wear clogs that have more of a point on their toe. This is because they often want to be lazy and pick up their nets with their feet. If you wear your clogs on pavement and so forth, you can expect them to last for 3/4 of a year. If you are simply using them in the gardens, then you are in luck because your clog will last you 5 years! It is tradition for a man to make a pair of clogs before he can propose to his lady. This is to show her and her family that he can work with his hands. Now not all men know how to make a good clog and this task can take up to 2 years. He must also create a design and carve it on the tops of the clogs. Upon completion he puts on his wedding clogs and presents himself to his lady to ask for her hand. If she decides that she doesn't like them, he is back at square one. Our guide says that the two year period gives the lad a lot of time to decide if this is something he really wants to get in to!
I can honestly say that I've already put what I learned into use. Later that evening when we got back in to Amsterdam, I overheard a girl in a shop saying "well I really want a pair of clogs, but I'm not sure what size to get". I was on it! I said, "I hate to barge in BUT I was actually at a clog making factory today and I can help you with sizing." I feel good knowing that now 1 million and 1 people wear clogs on a daily basis.
This was quite a stylish Clog factory...as you can see, they stock all major brands.
There was two girls from BUNAC, who sat in a shoe....
And this was all accomplished before 1:00pm....WHEW!
Greg gives the tour, two tumbs up!
Since booking our trip, Erica and I relished the notion that we would get to go to a Cheese and Clog making factory. It's every girls dream! So we were showered, dressed, fed, and ready to rock and roll. Rob (our trip guide) asked us to knock on a few doors to make sure everyone was ready to go. We thought, well that's kinda your job but we're nice...so we'll help you out. And we did. When we returned to the lobby though...Rob and our group had left us. My comment was...Erica, we're like the only ones who actually wanted to go to the Clog and Cheese factory... I found a little humor in the situation...Erica, however did not. We acted quickly though and decided our best bet was to call Rob on his cell phone. Our cell phones did not have reception...thus we made our way to the pay phone. First of all, there was no english anywhere on the phone. Second, we weren't sure how to dial out. Third, the machine wanted lots of money...every few seconds it seemed like. Below is a reenactment of this ordeal (we were obviously a little busy at the moment to capture the kodak moments but went back at a later time as to be able to share our story....)
Luckily, after this bit with the phone and a brisk run, Erica and I met up with our group and we were on our way to the Cheese and Clog factory.
Rob had hired someone to give us a tour as we drove. You think this sounds great. It wasn't. It was probably THE worst tour I've ever been on.
This woman was our crazy crazy tour guide who repeated everything she said at least (at least) 3 times. And there were no silent moments on our 2 hour drive. Nope...she filled every bit of space with uhhhhhhhs and ahhhhhhhs and what we call jabberwocky (crazy talk).
We can thank Erica for these next pictures of the countryside.
We stopped in a small town just before going to the Cheese and Clog factory. Erica and I took this opportunity to have our pictures taken in traditional Dutch clothing (I'm working on taking a picture of the picture so that all of you can see this sight!). We look pretty hilarious...my first comment was "it's official, I don't look good in any hats!" We also took this opportunity to sit amongst the locals and ponder Dutch life...
And finally...we arrive at...
In case you're wondering...this is where they make the cheese!
And on to the clogs....
This guy was absolutely fabulous...a clog maker with a sense of humor! I must say that I learned quite a bit about clogs... For instance, fishermen wear clogs that have more of a point on their toe. This is because they often want to be lazy and pick up their nets with their feet. If you wear your clogs on pavement and so forth, you can expect them to last for 3/4 of a year. If you are simply using them in the gardens, then you are in luck because your clog will last you 5 years! It is tradition for a man to make a pair of clogs before he can propose to his lady. This is to show her and her family that he can work with his hands. Now not all men know how to make a good clog and this task can take up to 2 years. He must also create a design and carve it on the tops of the clogs. Upon completion he puts on his wedding clogs and presents himself to his lady to ask for her hand. If she decides that she doesn't like them, he is back at square one. Our guide says that the two year period gives the lad a lot of time to decide if this is something he really wants to get in to!
I can honestly say that I've already put what I learned into use. Later that evening when we got back in to Amsterdam, I overheard a girl in a shop saying "well I really want a pair of clogs, but I'm not sure what size to get". I was on it! I said, "I hate to barge in BUT I was actually at a clog making factory today and I can help you with sizing." I feel good knowing that now 1 million and 1 people wear clogs on a daily basis.
This was quite a stylish Clog factory...as you can see, they stock all major brands.
There was two girls from BUNAC, who sat in a shoe....
And this was all accomplished before 1:00pm....WHEW!
Greg gives the tour, two tumbs up!
posted by Kathryn.mills @ 1:24 PM
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