grand voyage
building’ while our guide Bryan explains the Dutch town hosts the oldest cheese market in the Netherlands. Dating back to the WKbFHQWXU\ SULFHV DUH VWLOO DJUHHG
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with a clap of the hand – then huge yellow wheels of Edam and Gouda weighing up to 100kg in total are carried away on traditional barrows suspended from the shoulders of a pair of costumed porters. We’re not in town on Friday, when
the market is held, but our appetites are whetted with these foodie tales. As we continue along narrow streets, we gaze longingly into small shops with windows filled with cheese and local beers. A couple of passengers mention how nice it would be to try some. This is a tiny group tour, devoid of audio devices and a distant lollypop-wielding guide, and Bryan
overhears. As if by magic, back onboard Panache, hostesses Joana and Roberta produce plates of the aforementioned cheese and an array of ales. This experience, on our first day, set
the scene for the whole trip. A hotel barge cruise is a world away from an ocean sailing and is also different from a mainstream river cruise. Barges are slower and smaller than river ships,
trolling through Waagplein square in Alkmaar we pause outside the historic ‘weighing
creating a really relaxing and intimate vibe. Panache, built as a working barge in the 1950s and one of 17 in the fleet operated by European Waterways, has been luxuriously converted to carry a contemporary ‘cargo’ of just 12 passengers, with a crew of six, in style.
FLOATING HOUSE PARTY
Our sailing, from Alkmaar to Delft, quickly takes on the feel of a floating house party; friendships forged over convivial, leisurely meals at the beautifully set communal table in the dining room or on deck. An open bar is included in the
fare and, before lunch and dinner, we gather in the salon for the cocktail of the day or our favourite tipple. At the helm of the culinary side of things is affable Australian chef Daniel, who creates a multitude of mouth-watering meals showcasing local specialities, such as Dutch beer stew and ZKLWH RQLRQ DQG *RXGD WDUW DV ZHOObDV international dishes.
There’s not a single time we don’t ‘ooh’ and ‘ah’ as each exquisite course is set before us. Every meal is accompanied by fine wines – and at dinner there are three cheeses and dessert – all of them lyrically introduced by the delightful hostesses. One evening in Leiden, birthplace of
painter Rembrandt, two tourists see us feasting and try to come in for dinner, thinking it’s a restaurant boat. Bryan tells us it’s not the first time it’s happened.
PERSONALISED EXPERIENCE
Nothing is too much trouble. One of my fellow Brits asks Daniel if he can rustle up a full English. Next morning, it duly appears as the featured hot dish. Initially bemused Americans are keen to try it, and the novelty of breakfast baked beans becomes a new talking point. Another day, Daniel is quizzed
about cookery tips and he invites us
travelweekly.co.uk/cruise
September 2023 19
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