Gouda cheese market and blipmeet with Gerda

Back blip , day two,
Our wedding Anniversary today so one of the reasons why I joined Mike on his business trip. 
A beautiful sunny day. We had breakfast, cereal,rolls,cheese, cold meats, fruit juice and tea (with milk). We watched two newly fledged blackbirds in the pretty little patio area, a great tit was in and out of one of the boxes on the wall. White Pansies in terracotta pots stood on the mosaic tables.
I noticed pancakes on the way out and wished  I had seen them earlier.
We left our accommodation and set off down the cobbled streets towards the Market Square, a hustle and bustle added to the atmosphere.
The square was busy getting ready for the cheese market held on a Thursday throughout the Summer. Rows and rows of Gouda Cheese were laid out in front of the Town Hall. Two horse and carts waited to be loaded once the bidding had finished.
At 10 o'clock a bell hanging from the balcony sounded and, with a short introduction in Dutch and English, the bidding started. Men in white hoping to get a good bargain from the men in blue. A lot of banter between the men and lots of hand slapping until a price agreeable from both parties was met and then a hand shake sealed the deal. Amazing to watch and a large crowd of different nationalities had gathered to watch the action.
We had enough time for a walk along one of the canals and came across some adorable little ducklings, some were little balls of yellow fluff. A Dad watched with his son from on of the little bridges as they almost ran across the water stopping now and again to walk on the water lilies .
Mike left for his business meeting and I sat in the shade of a tree , next to the clog maker and cheese stall :) I ten explored the rest of the market and listened to the movable Musical organ.
I sat on the steps of the Town Hall, on the right as the left ones are for Criminals ;0 I listened to the man on the stroopwafel stall selling his wares, yummy,yummy,yummy he cried :)
I met up with Gerda and we went to the Grand Cafe and had a very tasty Cheese soup and Cheese bread, it had to be our choice really, and after some thought and a little help from the lady next to us we were able to work out the English word for a white, leafy vegetable with a bitter taste  - chicory, the vegetable that  was in our soup.
We walked to the carpark and had a drive through to the seaside. We were helped by a ladies voice on the ipad giving us directions. Beautiful trees with light green leaves just appearing lined many of the roads. We watched school children taking their Cycling test which happens once a year, hundreds of them in blue vests. We laughed as Gerda told me that the lady sitting down would be marking the children as they went through the traffic lights, on a closer look we realised she was infact reading a book ;)
We arrived at the beach, it was boiling hot, clean, white sand went on for miles. No cliffs, no rocks, just sand dotted with windbreaks and happy families enjoying the sunny day.
We went to a cafe on the Beach and thoroughly enjoyed an iced tea. The staff were lovely too.
We drove back to Gouda , spotting windmills and one field of tulips and said our good byes. What a great blipmeet, it was soo nice to meet Gerda and have a special tour :) https://www.blipfoto.com/entry/2309439961167823971
I met Mike by the tree and we tried to find some shade in La Place a restaurant with views of the Town Hall . We had a burger and chips and lots of refreshing drinks. 
We sat in the Patio Area at the Guest House until the rain started.