The town itself is my largest archive The town itself is my largest archive

I've always loved history. Not just for what has been, but for what remains. The concerns of the past, when you delve back into the archives, are the same as those of today: work, security, safety. People in the 15^e ew not that different from us. They worried about parking problems, then for horse and cart, now for cars.

In the archives of Goes, which date back to the Middle Ages, those stories are recorded. About shipping, trade, justice, and so on. Hundreds of metres of paper, full of names and lives. Sometimes I read something, a loose note or a small drawing in the margin, and then you are sometimes amazed by what you read or see. It is highly recommended to visit the archives of Goessometime if you want to know more about the surrounding area and the city.

In certain places in the city, you simply experience the feeling of walking into a medieval town. For example, crossing the stone bridge, you go over it, and that's where the city gates used to stand. That gives a sense of enclosure.

My favourite place is the town hall. That is, of course, an indispensable element in an old town. It once started as a village hall, not for parties, but really as the place where the village's administration was located. With a tower, much like the one that still stands today.

In 1465, they built a completely new town hall, which still forms the heart of Goes today as you walk around it. The town hall and the market are located on an old creek ridge, a higher piece of land between the fen. The town hall is located exactly in the middle.

What I really appreciate about Goes is the conviviality. There's something Burgundian about the atmosphere here. People greet each other, tourists feel welcome. What I mean is that there's an easygoing way of interacting with people, but also with visitors from outside. They feel welcome here, and that's not new.

That was the case in the past as well. The city had to rely on trade, on visitors from the villages. And so they made sure that people felt welcome. I think this explains why Goes has always maintained a friendly appearance. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that we are always open to others. In any case: that atmosphere is still there. You notice it in the market, on a terrace. I experience it that way too!

When I walk past the harbour, the names above the doors also catch my eye. Think, for example, of The Promised Land. Every house tells a story. Sometimes those names refer to a profession, sometimes to a family, sometimes simply to a feeling or a wish. That's unique: such names keep the history of the city alive.

And anyone who looks closely will see that Goes has been in constant motion. For centuries, people have renovated their homes and adapted them to the times. Did you have a beautiful old 16th-century stepped gable? Then at some point, people found that old-fashioned, and it was replaced by a modern cornice gable. In this way, the city continued to renew itself, but without completely letting go of its past. The house might have remained 16th-century, but it was developed further, always with a more modern facade.

And if you look really closely, you can see that the city carries its past even in its street names. Why are the quays Turf Quay, Beer Quay, Little Quay or Large QuayThey all had their own function: trade, transhipment, craft. Each of those places tells of a time when the city lived from water, labour and connection.

What I find wonderful about Goes is that with little effort you can open yourself up to the history that meets you. All around you, you see old ornaments, facade stones, anchors, strange bends, narrow streets, blue stones and hidden alleyways. It also provides a certain warmth in the city. And for example, when you walk along the Westwal and look down at the water, you see another series of beautiful facades from the 1930s.

Goes is not a city to rush through. There is so much to see and experience if you look closely. And whoever takes their time will discover something new every time.