Gouda reflections

Back blip, Day 1
It's gong to be soo hard to choose which photo to blip as I've taken quite a few photos even on day one.
We left Inverness on a 10.50 flight, remembered to move our watches forward an hour, and arrived safely at Schiphol airport. Very clean and modern , we were taken by solar powered buses to the airport terminal .We bought our train tickets, in Euros, from a very friendly and helpful ticket officer and ,following his directions, we boarded the first train from Platform 3 to Bijlmer Arena.  quick hop across to the next platform and we were on the train to Gouda. A very good service, on time and with double decker trains. A great journey spotting lots of geese and goslings and ducks and ducklings on the numerous waterways. A few windmills and lots of cows and galloping horses.
We walked to our small hotel, no6, in a small lane VERY close to the market square. On the way we had to be careful of the bikes , they were everywhere, and very fast. People were riding using their phones, passengers with legs dangling on the back wheel, baskets,boxes, carts with children in on the front . 
It was really warm and we stopped at the first cafe for a bite to eat. A delicious club sandwich and tasty cakes, one was a brownie with popcorn on top. Must get used to drinking tea with no milk. A cup arrived filled with hot water and a teabag at the side. 
A tiny room  but fine and a lovely, helpful host.
We left our bags and went to explore Gouda. The Town Hall is magnificent, very grand in the centre of the Market Square and very easy to spot. On the hour and at half past the hour bells ring from the church behind  and then two minutes later a tune is played and figures appear from a 'statue' on the side of the Town Hall.
We walked beside the water ,following the canals that circle the town.Beautiful, still hot and sunny with blue skies. We sat and listened to the birds and people watched.
Back to the square for dinner. We had half a roast chicken that was served with apple sauce, really tasty, something we'll have at home now.
We shared a pudding of icecream and stroppwafel, another Gouda speciality.
We watched pigeons hopping on peoples laps to eat crumb and listened to swifts cry overhead.