Alkmaar: A Small Slice of Dutch Culture

By Luanne Porper

Amsterdam is a phenomenally popular vacation destination, with well over 5 million visitors a year. It’s understandable that people would flock here to see its 165 canals, 141 art galleries, 165 antique stores, 51 museums, and over 1,000 restaurants.

We spent three days in Amsterdam and it wasn’t nearly enough time to see all we wanted to see.We loved meandering along the canals, exploring the narrow back streets of Jordaan, walking through the floating flower market, down the main shopping street of Kalvertstraat to Dam Square.

We took a boat ride and learned about the history of this magical city founded in 1275.And, of course, a visit to the Anne Frank House – a sobering but inspirational experience.

Half Hour North of Amsterdam

But I had heard great things about Alkmaar, a little town just a half hour north of Amsterdam that was worth checking out.It had the same old-world guild houses standing shoulder to shoulder along the canals as Amsterdam – but without all the crowds – and it was well known for its cheese. The Alkmaar cheese market is legendary!

I booked an AirBnB situated on a canal with a bay window that allowed a view of the market square and the historic Waag building. This Renaissance style church with tall belltower and ornate decorations was built in the 14^th century as a chapel, then used as a weigh house, and now is a cheese museum.

Parking was the nightmare we knew it would be in such a pedestrian friendly town.GPS sent us the wrong way down a one way street – impossibly narrow and filled with cyclists and pedestrians.We abandoned our idea of parking on the street and found a parking garage just a short distance away from our rental. We kept our car there the entire time and walked everywhere.

After we settled into our modern, well-appointed apartment, we walked the short distance to the main square, lined with cafes.It was cool but sunny and we enjoyed lunch at De Waag Cafe. I discovered fresh mint tea while in The Netherlands and ordered it at almost a every meal.

A simple pleasure with sprigs of mint leaves, hot water, a tube of honey and a dainty cookie on the side. My husband’s go-to drink was any local beer, and they were always tasty.Dutch restaurants usually had at least one vegetarian option and they were wonderful – more than just a veggie burger or plate of mixed vegetables.

After lunch, we began to explore the town; the narrow, cobblestone streets beckoned us with their fragrant lilac bushes, colorful window boxes, wisteria arching over the street, and bikes leaning up against rough stone houses.

The next morning, we got up early to go to the cheese market.Cheese has been sold in Alkmaar since the 1300’s and on Fridays the town re-enacts how the markets were held.

I had heard it was a bit touristy, but interesting, and in order to see it, you had to arrive early. We walked the short distance to the square, church bells chiming in the cold, spring air.

There was already a crowd of people and we got a spot where we could see hundreds of large, orange Gouda cheese wheels nestled in neat rows atop green grass. 

Berries or Barrows Hoisted by Men

Brightly painted, curved wooden carriers called berries, or barrows, were hoisted by men in white outfits and various colored straw hats, depending on which cheese guild they belong to.

There were straps attached to the barrows, which the men put onto their shoulders to carry them as they ran the cheese to the scales.

Young women in traditional dress- white bonnets, aprons, and wooden shoes, walked around selling bags of cheese to the tourists.

Announcements were made in three languages, then the cheese weighing and selling began.It was a riot of color and activity with cheese being loaded up on the barrows and hustled to the scales.

Each wheel of cheese weighs almost 30 pounds, and with the weight of the barrow and eight wheels of cheese, each load is almost 300 pounds.The men walk in a comical out-of-rhythm fast walk so the cheese won’t fall off the barrow.

Some of the men rolled the cheeses like a game of bowling, and hammed it up with the crowd.Overall, it was fascinating to see how organized and efficient it was and we were happy to have been able to be a part of it.

There were numerous stalls lining the canal, laden with wooden shoes and other souvenirs, cheese, poferrtjes – which are small pancakes – and other goods.I bought a hand painted silk scarf and two kinds of poffertjes – one topped with maple syrup and another with chocolate and strawberries.

The tiny pancakes are made in special pans that get them crispy on the outside, but light and airy inside.We were told they are given to children as a treat when they behave.They were scrumptious.

From our AirBnB window, we could see boats laden with cheese traveling slowly up and down the canal.We weren’t sure if that was originally part of the market or done for the tourists’ sake.But either way, it was fun to watch them ply the waters with their colorful wares.

The rest of our day was spent wandering the many interesting little streets, each with its own charm. We came upon a large park with a river running beside it and discovered a windmill.The Molen van Piet windmill has stood there since 1769 and was used to mill corn.It’s not open to the public, but it was a pleasant surprise and made for a good photo opp.

The next morning, as we walked toward the market center, we discovered that there was a Gay Pride parade being held on the canal.The edges of the canals were jammed with people shoulder to shoulder, cheering on the people in decorated boats.Each boat had its own music and color theme.

Festooned with Rainbow Balloons

It was a great experience to watch them float past – the energy and enthusiasm was contagious; most were festooned with rainbow balloons or fabric.A week prior, we had been in Brussels during the Gay Pride Parade, but this parade was with boats instead of floats.A truly unique experience.

We also discovered that Alkmarr has its own red light district.One short, narrow street on which stood centuries-old buildings with windows shrouded in red velvet curtains.

We were taking a shortcut to our car when we walked down this back street, only to find women in stages of undress standing in their windows.We had seen this in Amsterdam, but didn’t expect it in such a small town.

We found another park that had a petting zoo complete with sheep, goats, chickens, and donkeys.A long, tree-lined walkway followed a small river populated with large swans floating under massive, graceful willows.It was a quiet respite, so different from the raucous Gay Pride parade the day before.

As we walked back to our rental, we tried crossing one street, but scores of cyclists came flying down the path toward us, making it difficult.

We waited until there was a break in the two-wheeled onslaught, then made a run for it. It appeared that most of the residents spent at least part of their Sunday on a bicycle.

Everywhere we went in the Netherlands, bike paths were prominent and the bikers were of all ages.People here use their bikes like we use our cars in the US.One type of bike has a large plastic bin attached to the front.We saw kids, dogs, groceries, and adults being carried in them.

Because we stayed in Alkmaar for four days, we were able to take our time and wander around this charming, unpretentious town.We discovered delightful back streets, lingered at outdoor café tables,watched the comings and goings of the locals.

We discovered this special place at a slower pace, allowed it to etch into our psyches and memories.Alkmaar holds a special place in our hearts and remains our favorite town in The Netherlands.

Luanne Porper‘s  writing has appeared in The Washington Post What A trip Section; I love Cats Magazine, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. She is originally from Massachusetts and loves to travel, write about her experiences, read and hike.