This article is classified "Real"
In our series of boring places I will now tell about a slightly, slightly less boring place: Boskoop. This is again a place that you can accidently drive past, for instance in a bus going somewhere entirely different, but when you pass it it is worth while to open those eyes, heavy with boredom induced sleep, and look around a bit in the few minutes you're there (believe me, that's enough). How to recognize you're in Boskoop? Well, first by the signs at the "city" limits, but in your drowsiness you've probably missed those. Okay then, I'll describe the town <sigh>. Boskoop is a bit smaller than its neighbouring town Waddinxveen. It is in a similar way stretched along the channel Gouwe, which is something like its axis. It's got the very same raising bridge (hefbrug) as Waddinxveen and Alphen aan den Rijn. The main industry of Boskoop is the cultivation of lawn flora. This is done on narrow, very long stretches of land perpendicular to the Gouwe. The owners of these nurseries advertise by using their products in their own garden. The gardens are not very large, but very pleasing to the eye. This was what made it worth the bother of opening your eyes. You can close them now. Some years ago a plan was presented to create a forest on parts of Boskoop that are used for agriculture. This was heavily opposed by the farmers. The Bent Forest (Bentwoud -- I can't help the ridiculous translation) probably even to this day is the main issue in local politics. Boskoop is also a bit of a commuters town, but with less facilities than Waddinxveen. There is one exception: pubs. Don't think too much of it; it is very easy to beat Waddinxveen with that. Also very popular is Jansen's ice-cream store, close to the bridge. Small, but all the townsfolk seem to hang out there. How to get there: Boskoop lies somewhere along the railway line from Gouda to Alphen aan den Rijn, and also along the road parallel to it from Gouda to Amsterdam. Several bus lines go through it as well. Remember, stay in the bus -- that's enough.