Beach view, picturesque homes and seafood are ingredients for a weekend well spent. If the sun would show its teeth on top of it all, it would be the cherry on the cake. Alas, it was a grey and cold Saturday when I visited the port village Volendam. A lingering cold and cough didn't help, but I made the best of our trip.
The grey skies didn't deter us from strolling through the village and enjoy all there was to see and experience though. There were enough boats along the coast to feast one's eyes and ample food stalls to tempt the senses, especially the stroopwafel (a caramel filled waffle cookie) stands. The shops even offer the possibility to learn to make and/or taste the stroopwafels.
The kibbeling (fried white fish) and herring - paired with diced onions and pickles - were so irresistible, that we had to purchase and taste those fish delights ourselves. Because the kibbeling is fried on the spot, it was the freshest we could get and the taste from the pickles and onions paired well with the umami flavor of the herring, with no fishy aftertaste.
After those treats, we walked into a cheese shop only expecting different types of cheeses to taste, but got a welcome surprise. The cheese shop had a live presentation and decorated the place as if it were a cheese factory. Unfortunately - don't know if it was because of the heat from the heating or from inhaling the cheese particles - I had a coughing fit and walked out as fast as I could. After a few sips of water and fresh air, I took up the courage and walked back in. I didn't cough anymore and enjoyed tasting different samples of cheese flavors.
When we were done with the shops and stalls along the quay and felt the hunger creeping in, we decided to head back with a little detour: walking through the streets of the "old" town. It was as if we walked through a fairytale town, with its picturesque cottages, "old" bridge and quaint living conditions.
There was even a beautiful small or large - depending on from which perspective - old church with a similar name - St. Vincentius - as a hospital in my country of origin. There were also signs summarizing certain events in the history of Volendam, like a terrible flood in 1916 or explaining the name Doolhof (Labyrinth) of an alley because of the random street pattern.
