Edam was a pleasant town to visit. It is built on canals and walking around town, following the quiet canals and photographing the picturesque buildings is the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Back on Tenaya we sampled an herb cheese we'd bought on our walk. Yum!

Edam is a town with a rich history. It began in the 12th century when farmers and fishermen settled along the little Ye river and built a dam. With that 'Yedam' became a town. It was once a flourishing shipbuilding town but the harbor silted up and by the 16th century it had become a cheese-making center.

For more information, check the Edam Town website available in English. You may enjoy reading the wealth of information of 8 centuries of Edam with a little wine and cheese next to the computer.

In the distance is the Gothic Carillon Tower of Edam, built in the 15th century. The famous bells were made by Pieter van den Ghein. You can't see it from this photo, but the tower slants slightly. In 1972 it threatened to fall, but they found a way to keep it standing. It continues to play a melody every 15 minutes.

	. This is the Cheese Weighhouse, on the square that was the cheese market. From 1778 until 1922 cheese was sold here, delivered by cheese bearers in straw hats and using wooden stretchers to carry the cheese. Now we know the origins of the cheese we are so fond of in California. Although we bought smoked cheese from Edam it didn't taste exactly as we remembered the little rounds from Vons, we'll have to do a taste test this winter. We're bringing back a stash!     We weren't quite sure what this was all about but figured it was kinda cute anyway.

Our next stop was not that far away, so fitting closer to our lifestyle we left the Volendam harbor at 11:30 AM. The weather was okay but the visibility was poor.

The wind was out of the East at 7 knots. Perfect for a beam reach and we sailed at 5 knots the 10 miles to Hoorn.

A view of The Dam which used to have lock gates was built in 1544. The building just out of sight on the right is the Town Hall, built in 1737.

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