Alkmaar Cheese Market

Alkmaar is famous for its cheese and the four hundred year old market that runs every Friday from the first one in April until the first Friday in September. It's only on from 10.00 to 12.30, so it can get crowded once the busloads of tourists arrive from Amsterdam for the day. Personally, I'd recommend 9.30 as a good time to get there. You can listen to the chimes from the bell tower, tell a joke about cutting the cheese as the men who inspect it do just that...

Following this are the men who re-enact the traditional method of carrying and weighing it.  The Gauda written on it is originally from the region in the Netherlands, but now represents all Dutch cheese in general. In this case, most came from Friesland and Groningen if I heard the announcer correctly.  Cheese from Alkmaar tends to come in a ball, and not the pie, shape.

Once you've had your fill you can look around the stands and grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants before everyone arrives. My mom and uncle were recently here and commented on all the shops and boutiques.