There were people standing four or five deep all around the market area and from the scooter I couldn't even see the big TV screen they had.
Bob's view
I gradually worked my way around to the other side of the square and then it started to rain so I ducked into the Cheese Museum.
From inside the cheese museum
From there I could see out between people a bit of what was going on.
Trying to see over the crowds from inside the cheese museum
Obstructed view
Cheese Father in the market
I talked to the man who was slicing cheese up for people to taste
Man cutting up cheese in the corner
and showed him the photo and after a bit, he went and got the Cheese Father.
Cheese Father in the Cheese Museum shop
The oldest one of the cheese porters is called the Cheese Father. Traditionally he wears orange - a different color from one of the four colors (Green, Red, Blue and Yellow) worn by the porters. But when we were there, he was wearing green. According to the Cheese Market website:
In the Middle Ages, it was common practice to establish a guild for every professional group, the cheese carriers established theirs in 1593. The cheese carriers’ guild consists of 30 men and the cheese father. The Cheese father is the head of the four forwarding companies - recognized by an orange hat, black cane with silver mountings, and the Alkmaar coat of arms on his chest. Cheese carriers refer to him as “dad”.
De Kaasdragers carrying the cheeses 1950
The Cheese Father couldn't see the picture very well because he didn't have his reading glasses so I asked Bob for his, and with Bob's glasses, he could tell who the people were in the photo. He said, sadly "All dead"
Cheese Father looking at Dad's Polaroid
I told him he could have the photo for their museum.
Cheese Father behind me
I took a bunch of photos
-De Kaasdragers (cheese porters) move so fast that I used the sports photography setting of the camera so I could take rapid fire pictures in succession.
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 4
Photo 6
Photo 7
Then - 1950 and Now -2016
Cheese maid up by the weigh house
We saw two pretty girls in costume at the cheese market. This is new since our first visit in 1950
The Cheese Market website says:
The Cheesemaid’s job is to promote cheese and the Cheese Market. The idea came from the Dutch Dairy Board, who are responsible for the promotion of Dutch cheese at home and abroad. There are always at least two Cheesemaids in attendance at the Alkmaar Cheese Market. They sell the "Kaasexpres" magazine and sometimes pose in photographs with tourists. A logo was designed especially for this, depicting a girl in traditional costume. ... In 1961, the Cheese Maid was named Frau Antju. Now, Frau Antje is been a celebrity, appearing in advertising campaigns and at important events. And the Cheese Maids also appear in costume at the Cheese Market
Cheese maids
Bob's view
I gradually worked my way around to the other side of the square and then it started to rain so I ducked into the Cheese Museum.
From inside the cheese museum
From there I could see out between people a bit of what was going on.
Trying to see over the crowds from inside the cheese museum
Obstructed view
Cheese Father in the market
I talked to the man who was slicing cheese up for people to taste
Man cutting up cheese in the corner
and showed him the photo and after a bit, he went and got the Cheese Father.
Cheese Father in the Cheese Museum shop
The oldest one of the cheese porters is called the Cheese Father. Traditionally he wears orange - a different color from one of the four colors (Green, Red, Blue and Yellow) worn by the porters. But when we were there, he was wearing green. According to the Cheese Market website:
In the Middle Ages, it was common practice to establish a guild for every professional group, the cheese carriers established theirs in 1593. The cheese carriers’ guild consists of 30 men and the cheese father. The Cheese father is the head of the four forwarding companies - recognized by an orange hat, black cane with silver mountings, and the Alkmaar coat of arms on his chest. Cheese carriers refer to him as “dad”.
De Kaasdragers carrying the cheeses 1950
The Cheese Father couldn't see the picture very well because he didn't have his reading glasses so I asked Bob for his, and with Bob's glasses, he could tell who the people were in the photo. He said, sadly "All dead"
Cheese Father looking at Dad's Polaroid
I told him he could have the photo for their museum.
Cheese Father behind me
I took a bunch of photos
-De Kaasdragers (cheese porters) move so fast that I used the sports photography setting of the camera so I could take rapid fire pictures in succession.
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 4
Photo 6
Photo 7
Then - 1950 and Now -2016
Cheese maid up by the weigh house
We saw two pretty girls in costume at the cheese market. This is new since our first visit in 1950
The Cheese Market website says:
The Cheesemaid’s job is to promote cheese and the Cheese Market. The idea came from the Dutch Dairy Board, who are responsible for the promotion of Dutch cheese at home and abroad. There are always at least two Cheesemaids in attendance at the Alkmaar Cheese Market. They sell the "Kaasexpres" magazine and sometimes pose in photographs with tourists. A logo was designed especially for this, depicting a girl in traditional costume. ... In 1961, the Cheese Maid was named Frau Antju. Now, Frau Antje is been a celebrity, appearing in advertising campaigns and at important events. And the Cheese Maids also appear in costume at the Cheese Market
Cheese maids
- Next entry in the series 'Go to Amsterdam First (1950, 1965, 2009, 2016, 2018, 2022)': The Weigh House Workers - 2016
- Previous entry in the series 'Go to Amsterdam First (1950, 1965, 2009, 2016, 2018, 2022)': Tracking Down The Waag in 2016
