欲望都市 - 荷兰风车村 *Zaanse Schans - The Windmill Cottage (30 May 08)

Zaanse Schans是个风车村。我只能用一个字形容这地方 - 赞！这里的景色很美，喜欢悠闲的乡村生活的人不妨可以到这里来参观。

原本我还以为风车是很大的，亲眼目睹过后，才知道原来风车并非我想象中的那么巨大。我们先去参观乳酪工厂，再去参观木屐工厂。原来，制造乳酪的过程并不简单，一定要先用适合的温度把牛奶煮了去菌，当牛奶达到了相当的温度后，Cheesemaker就会把乳酸等东西加入牛奶内，过后牛奶就会凝结。当然凝结了的牛奶还不算是乳酪，cheesemaker还得把多余的水分挤出来，没记错的活该挤压4天才能完全的把水多给挤出来吧！没有了水分的牛奶，就会照着本来的模变成一大块一大块的乳酪。当然cheesemaker还在乳酪里加了盐分，就因为这样乳酪才可以收藏得那么久。一切完工之后，cheesemaker会在整粒乳酪的外边涂上一层的腊，所以朋友们，别忘了先把腊切掉才吃哦！

到了木屐工厂我才晓得原来以往的荷兰人在不同的节日里有不同的木屐穿。结婚穿的木屐是双木头上雕满了花纹的鞋子，手工很细致，很漂亮。看了工厂木屐为游客们表演的制造木屐过程，才知道为什么他们能大量的出产木屐。原本我还以为是他们一双双慢慢的从木头削成鞋子的，后来才知道原来什么都是使用机器完成的了。看了以下的video你就晓得木屐是怎么来的了。一个普通的木屐可以承担一辆小车的重量，所以你可以买一双穿上，然后挑战kancil轧过，哈！工厂里的人也解释买木屐一定要买两根手指可以伸进去的size, 而且穿木屐时一定要穿上很厚的袜子才不会伤脚。穿木屐的好处是它可以帮助身体维持正确的posture，保护我们的脊椎。

我们也进去风车内参观花生油的厂。很可惜进去的时候是蛮迟的了，磨花生的工作停止了。最难忘的就是爬上那斜斜的梯子上风车里面的第二楼。哗！那梯子更本就是差不多75度，爬上去时好恐怖哦，下来时更恐怖！梯子不只很斜，还很窄，也很小。


Zaanse Schans is a windmill cottage in Holland. Basically, this place is well known for it's cheese factories and clog factories. I learnt how cheese is made via attending their educational program. Firstly cheese makers will have to cook fresh milk under a certain temperature, followed by adding yis and waiting for the milk to get clogged. Later on, it takes 4-5 days for cheese makers to compress cheese and abstract all water/moisture before adding salt into it. The last stage will be packing cheese with wax coat. The youngest cheese will be kept for around 6 months before sending to the market to sell. More mature cheese may be kept for more than 5 years before selling in the market, some take even longer.

I liked to see how clog was done. If you are interested to know how it is made, please check out the short video below. Different clogs meant for different occasion. The shop owner told us Dutch clog could help to protect their feet while working in the farm/windmill. It could protect our feet from being run over by a small vehicle such like kancil (Malaysia National Car - about 660cc). Wearing Dutch clog could also help to correct our posture while walking. How to find a clog that suits to yourself? Make sure when you try on the clog, you could still slip in 2 fingers behind your feet, then that shall be the right size for you. One shall not forget to wear thick sock while wearing Dutch clog.

Went to visit one o the windmill as well (must pay admission fee). Unfortunately we went late and the windmill had stopped working. The ledder in windmill was set as 75 degree slope, I was almost scared to death while climbing up and down the ledder!

We were on our way taking a water transport to reach the other side of the land.

Demo of how cheeses are made.

This is the biggest Dutch clog I have ever seen! :P

This finely crafted clog is made for the bride and bridegroom.

Is this violin or clog??

Cool....

This is where we saw how Dutch clog is produced.

This short video shows how Dutch crog is made.

Another short video about clog making process.

Various designs, sizes and colors of Dutch clogs for sale.

Hubby complained the clog is too hard for him!

Fridge magnets.

Key chains.

Hubby was scoping real peanuts.... it was heavy!!

欲望都市 - 乳酪市场 * Alkmaar Cheese Market (30 May 08)

Alkmaar 是一个离阿姆斯特丹不远的小镇。这里最吸引游客观光的无非是他们的乳酪市场。其实早在600年前荷兰已经开始了他们的乳酪批发市场，也因为这样荷兰的乳酪买卖市场是全欧洲最大的。来到Alkmaar最大的目的当然是要看乳酪批发市场到底是怎么样进行的。这里的买卖家一边做生意，一边表演给游客看他们当地的文化。

通常在超市看到的都是已经被切成一小块一小块的乳酪了。来到了Alkmaar才晓得原本乳酪是那么一大块的！我想，每一粒乳酪至少也有5-10公斤重吧？每一粒乳酪圆圆一坨坨的，如果不晓得是乳酪，还以为是一大粒的汉堡呢！

乳酪批发买卖是从一所小房子里开始进行的。在小房子里有一个很大的秤，卖家把乳酪秤一秤，然后买家就用担子把乳酪抬出去，把乳酪摆在地上，然后再冲回去小屋里购买更多的乳酪。交易进行完毕后，买家就会把所有的乳酪推上货车，然后载回去。这些担乳酪的买家都有一个共同点：穿着白衣白裤子，然后头上戴着一个绑着ribbon的草帽。当天乳酪市场旁也有几个摊位在摆卖乳酪，还可以任你试！


Alkmaar is a small town stands not far from Amsterdam. This town is welknown for cheese wholesales and cheese trading activities. Mass cheese trading started in Holland about 600 years ago and today Holland has become the largest cheese production and cheese market in Europe. The activities of trading is not merely meant for business purposes, today it is also served as a show/performance for visitors from all over the world.

All the while, I thought cheese are produced in small pieces like what I see in the supermarket. After visiting Alkmaar then only I realised the original size of a cheese is as big as a bicycle wheel! I believe each cheese weights not less than 5-10kg. From far it looks like huge orange color hambuger! :P

Cheese trading started in a small wooden house called 'Waag'. Beside playing its' function as a weight house, today's 'Waag' in Alkmaar also serves as Alkmaar Tourist Office and Dutch Cheese Museum). Sellers placed cheeses on the weight then buyers collected and carried them, put them on the floor until trading activities were completed. All buyers put on a uniform: white top, white pants and straw hat with colored ribbon. There were a few stalls selling cheeses, visitors may purchase cheese or try tasting them on the spot.


Alkmaar high street, we were walking towards the cheese market.

Cheese buyers (dress in white with straw hat) were carrying cheeses.

These cheeses look like hamburgers, don't they? :P

Cheeses were weighted in 'waag'.

Mum was trying cheeses from the stalls. The lady dressed up as typical 'Dutch Lady'.

Behind me is 'waag' - the cheese weight house. Today, it is also served as Alkmaar Tourist Office and Dutch Cheese Museum.

Cheese is protected with a thick layer of wax (the orange layer). You will have to remove the wax before consuming.

One of the stalls was selling and serving this - raw fish! Many people bought this and eat on the spot, I really don't have the guts to try this!!

In a cheese shop not far from Alkmaar Cheese Market.

Cheese... cheese...cheese...oh I love cheese!!

Haha...

欲望都市 - 阿姆斯特丹城市及旧皇宫 * Sex & the City - Amsterdam City and Koninklijk Paleis (29 May 08)

The main transportation in Netherland/Holland is bicycle. You will be able to see lots of bicycle every where. You have to be really careful while crossing the road as many are cycling like speedy gonzales. 荷兰人的主要交通工具是脚踏车。在这里过马路时千万要小心哦！这里的人踏脚车超快的！

Koninklijk Palace is one of the four palaces in Netherland. The building was built as a city hall, but then later on it became the palace of the Royal Dutch House. 这是荷兰的其中一座旧皇宫。

This is the plaza in front Koninklijk Palace. 皇宫前面的广场。

I like the interior design of this survinior shop!

If Malaysia's weather is not that hot and humid, I guess many people will cycle to work too...

Amsterdam also has Madame Tussaud. 阿姆斯特丹也有一间蜡像馆。

Behind me is tram, one of the public transportation in Amsterdam. 阿姆斯特丹的地铁车。

Wanna try out this taxi? :) 外形很奇怪的得士。

Holland/Netherland is the origin of Heineiken. People here don't really like Heineken. Every morning, I saw a few group of horses pulling huge beer barrells across the streets. 荷兰是Heineiken 原创国家。听说这里的人都不爱和这牌子的啤酒。每天早上我都会看到几辆马车载着一大桶、一大桶的木酒桶。

We found a park not far from our hotel. 我们旅店附近的一个公园。

There were lots of pubs and bars around our hotel. At night this place becomes very happening. I guess that was why the hotel rooms are more expensive around here. 我们旅店附近到了晚上很热闹。