Netherlands Trip - Goes      24th June:

    It had been a bad night. We had inserted Duonita into a box the day before, which is normally a straight forward operation. Sadly, De Werf departs from being a normal marina. There were no regular bollards that our bow lines could be attached to, just stakes driven into the grassy bank at random points, and we couldn't secure the bow as we would have wanted to. The consequence was that the bow was always rubbing against a small wooden pier. The effect of this was noticeable when I settled down in my bunk. Each time our bow struck the pier a sound akin to a donkey braying was emitted, and amplified in the fore cabin. This irritation was incessant, and rendered sleep impossible.
    At 04:40, I walked off to the toilet block, and on my return I set about inserting a fender between the bow and pier. They were difficult shapes to insert a fender between, but I somehow managed it. Ah, sleep at last.
    I arose at 9am to find Rex wrapped up in almost winter gear. A cold breeze blew outside, and hints of rain we hitting the decks.

Market Day

    I showered, and then Rex cooked a splendid Rex breakfast: fried eggs on toast with lashings of tomato sauce. I followed that up with a haircut. I felt like a new man. Rex was most annoyed that I declined his offer to shave my eyebrows off.
    The first half of the day was written off by strong cold winds and occasional rain. We stayed put for a while with the expectation that it would clear up later.
    When that point in time arrived, Rex fell into conversation with the skipper of another British boat in the marina, a chap of 78 years of age, with a shock of white hair and a ready smile. He appeared to have sailed extensively, knew Friesland and its environs well, yet Rex managed to keep the side up by casually slipping into the conversation the fact that we had sailed to St. Petersburg, which halted the man in his stride somewhat. He was based for some of his time in Fowey, but had taken a shine to Woodbridge and now owned a flat there too. Rex and he traded punches on vessels they had owned over the years - always the same with boat owners.
    We prised ourselves away and strolled into town. The market was on today, worthy of an explore, but nothing to write home about. We continued down Singelstraat to a pedestrianised area between the churches Grote Kerk of Maria Magdelenakerk and Saint Maria Magdalena.

Grote Kerk of Maria Magdelenakerk

    On the eastern side stood the Grote Kerk of Maria Magdelenakerk, a dominant, colossal building in the heart of the town. The history of this building goes back to the 12th century when a small Catholic church room was built at this location. This room was expanded to the East several times. In 1455 a major reconstruction and extensions started, that were finalised in 1520. In 1578 the building was taken over by Reformed church. It was rebuilt, mainly in stone, after 1618, when a fire was started by the carelessness of a slater. The tower was erected during the rebuilding of the church.
    The Great Church is dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. However, it isn't exactly known when this happened. Mary Magdalene is the patron saint of the city of Goes. According to the Gospel of Luke, she came from Magdala, a fishing village on the western shore of Sea of Galilee. Many stories are told about her. For example, she is said to have been a prostitute who married Jesus. It is also believed that she was the first woman to visit Jesus' tomb on Easter morning. It is remarkable that her name is linked to the church of Goes. Almost all medieval churches in Zuid-Beveland have a male saint as their patron saint, often St. Nicholas.
    We stepped inside through two large oak doors to find a sea of space opening up, beautifully lit by the sun shining through stained glass windows. The left and right apses contained stained-glass windows, created in 1930 by Arnhem artist Schilling. At one end towered a large organ, an instrument ranked among the top ten in the Netherlands. In the early twentieth century, a pneumatic organ was built, which was worn out by the 1960s. The Danish organ builder, Marcussen, was commissioned to build a new one, partly funded by the municipality of Goes. It was inaugurated in 1970.

St. Maria Magdalena

    On the western side of the pedestrianised area stood Saint Maria Magdalena. In 1815, 20 years after religious freedom had returned, to the Netherlands, a building was erected in neo-Classical style which served as a church until the early 20th century. In 1908 a new church was completed, most likely designed by A.A.J. Margry.
    This church, St. Maria Magdalena, is a cruciform basilica in neo-Gothic style, with an octagonal crossing crowned by a lantern. This appears to be an early attempt at centralizing, as it gives those seated in the transept-arms a good view at the choir. Also, while the narrow side-aisles have narrow pointed windows, it's the clerestory with its large circular windows that provide light to the nave, together with the rose-windows of the transept and the front. Next to the facade, at the front stands a tower, on the top of which are turrets at its corners.

Typical Side Street

    Saturated with churches, we visited the museum. Standing in the heart of Goes, adjacent to the Grote Kerk of Maria Magdelenakerk stood the Historical Museum De Bevelanden. The museum is housed in a historic monument. At the end of the 15th century it was built, together with the adjacent Manhuis, as a monastery of the Black Sisters. The Sisters, who were involved, among other things, with care for orphans, were allowed to remain in the building after the reformation, and in 1623 it was officially opened as a civilian orphanage of the city of Goes. It remained more than 300 years, until the final closure in 1940. After that it was still in use as an army barracks and school, until 1974 the entire building was intended for the museum.

Traditionl Gaper (Yawner) Above the Chemist's

    In the museum, the history of the Bevelanden is shown in all facets on the basis of a wide collection. In addition to seventeenth century pieces of hair and an unrivalled collection of Zeeland regional costumes, archaeological material from Roman times, rare silverware of the craft guilds, historical branded booths and paintings of the 17th to 21st centuries were on display. The town's association with archery and the effects of floods on the town were also exhibited, as was a special exhibition on loneliness.

Koornbloem Mill and TV Mast Reaching for the Sky

    Evening was spent back on the Grote Markt where I enjoyed a meal of baked cod with the ubiquitous fries with mayonnaise.
    We took a circuitous trek back to the boat, visiting the Koornbloem (corn flower) mill, built in 1801 on a northern rampart of the town. This is the only remaining mill of the eleven mills that once spun in Goes. Its predecessor burned down in 1771. The mill has undergone several restorations since 1970. Sadly, it was too late to look around the mill.
    Nearby, a TV mast constructed in 1955, reached for the sky. It was unopen to the public.