Looking for witches in Oudewater Netherlands...will we find one? Hidden gems of the Netherlands #4

[@renevaanhold]

The outdoor shots of the popular TV children's series Swiebertje were mostly recorded in Oudewater. Swiebertje was a mischievous wanderer. When constable Bromsnor locked him up in prison, he was locked up in the basement of the former town hall, a gem from the 16th century. The song at the beginning of each episode is very familiar to all people over 50. "Daar komt Swiebertje, rare Swiebertje, rare Swiebert met zijn ingedeukte hoed"

[@lbergen001]

Yeah, for me as a kid Swiebertje was the Saturday Night main event on television. Sweet memories.

[@dutchman7623]

Than you will also recognize young 'Bromsnor', playing in 'Flikken Rotterdam'.

[@AnneSpeeFrickus]

Hee, dat wist ik niet, dat de opnames in Oudewater waren. Leuk!

[@klarameijer1889]

Not everyone had television back than, we used to sit with a bunch of neighbour kids watching the program at the neighbour that had a tv

[@helgavanraam29]

Swiebertje!! I watched that in my childhood. I (still) love Swiebertje

[@WatZouJeHiervanVinden]

Owh 🥰🥰🥰🥰 Ik ook :)

[@helgavanraam29]

Tammy your Dutch is very good!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Dankjewel, Helga😊

[@An-Ma]

Swiebertje! Joop Doderer! Ahh, didn’t know they had a statue of him. Good memories of his tv series, watching with all the siblings and all the neighbours kids. More innocent times…Oudewater is a lovely place. Have lots of fun with your explorations 👍🌷!

[@dutchyjhome]

Oh boy, you guys need to go see somany things in the Netherlands, you may get in time trouble, since every village, every town, every city has somany things for you to see and experience and you will really have to look everywhere... not just on street level ! Have fun exploring the Netherlands!

[@sandrajanse253]

Dear Eric and Tammy, love your new "hidden gem-serie". If you want another tip for a hidden gem, visit the city of Schoonhoven also known as Silvercity of the Netherlands. A beautiful town near the river Lek, with beautiful townhouses and a great silvermuseum. Very pretty little town to walk around en eat lunch at one of the restaurants with a view over the river Lek. From there you also can take the bus and cross the Lek by ferry and visit another beautiful little town named Nieuwpoort.

[@TheEvertw]

Seconded!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you for the recommendations, Sandra!😊

[@dutchman7623]

Pronunciation tip if you want to learn Dutch; words that have oop (NL) are spoken in English like ope (US). Hoop = hope, sloop = slope, stroop = strope, Joop = Yope. Same for oor = ore, door = dore, boor = bore, moor = more. And there are many more tricks 😃

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, Dutchman!😊

[@thomaslee5042]

I saw sparkles coming out of Tammy's fingers raising her platform! 😂😂😂 You two are so awesome, I enjoy your videos.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

lol lol…thanks so much!

[@Aviopic]

One have to be 60+ to know Swiebertje, I do 😅 A trip to Oudewater can be combined with Schoonhoven known for it's silver works and located just a little south of Oudewater.

[@bartvschuylenburg]

Next visit the town of Ootmarsum and if you like it, buy a poster or screen printing (or the real deal) of one of Ton Schulten’s paintings and colorize your living room with it.

[@BleepingTom]

Hidden gem: Den Bosch and nearby fortified town Heusden (medieval kept fortified town).... When in Den Bosch in any case take the boat tour in (and under) the old city on the river/ canal Dieze, its like being in Venice in the Netherlands...

[@AmericanDreamer]

Bosch is def the city of witches and masons....good suggestion of you!

[@jeremyoliviervoice]

Eric needs to get Warlock tested to "balance the scales"! What a fun find and hidden gem that video was. I know this is a far reach, but if anyone has ever done a video on the city of Blokzijl, that is where my great grandmother is from. Someday we'll visit.....someday.

[@ronaldderooij1774]

OK, if you like Oudewater, next stop should be Buren. Lots of history there (a small palace of a high nobility family housing the military police museum now, I believe) but also still very old town.

[@lennartvers1767]

Have you been to Lage Vuursche yet? Really close to Hilversum. You can have a nice walk in the forest and have a pancake in a 'traditional' pancake house afterwards..And you might even catch a glimpse of our former Queen, Princes Beatrix while you are out and about in Lage Vuursche. She lives in castle Drakensteyn in the village.

[@Maria-pq5nm]

It is nice, but can be very busy in the summer.

[@maryannecomment3302]

Swiebertje, actor Joop Doderer. One of the first television (1961 and up) series in black and white for children. Swiebertje was loved, even by adults. I still like the episodes of Swiebertje´s adventures.

[@jeroenmiddag1132]

What town is next? You could try Schoonhoven. Town of silversmiths. Perhaps on Silverday when there is a lot to see.

[@AnwarKarimi-tc1xg]

Lived in the Netherlands my whole life. Never heard of this place before. Very cool!

[@josschakenraad6415]

Brings back some old memories... Many of today's elderly people (from about 50 to 70 years old) have fond memories of the children's series Swiebertje. The character Swiebertje, an adorable, cheerful and somewhat humble wanderer with a funny pronunciation of some Dutch words (also with an Amsterdam accent) who now and then visits high society and gets along just as easily with the housekeeper (Saartje) of the posh mayor, is friends with the cigar-smoking owner (Malle Pietje - Silly Pete) from a messy second-hand shop, and who also often makes fun of the strict and somewhat old-fashioned police officer, is a bit of a symbol for the Dutch anti-hierarchy culture. Every child thought: that 'Swieber' is a bit strange and perpetually broke, but he is funny, heart-warming, truly human and nothing less than any other human being. This series confirmed to us children that you do not have to be impressed by hierarchy and that it is not necessary at all to keep up with the Joneses. A life simply lived among many different types of people can be at least as adventurous, colorful and valuable as any other life.

[@ilonkagootjes858]

Wow, hold your horses. I'm 51 and never saw Swiebertje, as it was aired. It ended in '75. 😊

[@josschakenraad6415]

I remember that the series, or part of it, was broadcasted again after 1975.

[@MartinWebNatures]

What een fun video, Really!! 😀 Tammy need a good dinner after accusing here for a witch 🤣👊 You had nice weather too. Tammy your Dutch is good, especially with those typical difficult names, Eric still needs do more. 😉

[@Rob2]

Welcome to the bus, our destination is Oudewater. I'm your driver, Jos Verstappen. Have a nice trip!

[@adavandorp1605]

I have been to Oudewater many times in the summer. we camped nearby. In the summer it is a pleasantly busy small town.

[@peterang6912]

Yes, because to fly a broomstick you need to be light.. Ja, om een bezem te vliegen moet je licht zijn..

[@AnaryaVhargon]

I was in love with Swiebertje when I was a kiddo [gosh, I show my age now]. There is a saying in the Netherlands "het Swiebertje effect". Like, if a certain actor has a role for a very long time, you can't see that person in another role, you will always see him as the one he played for so long. For example William Shatner will always be Captain Kirk even if he plays a different role.

[@jeffafa3096]

When I was a kid, I had myself weighed too at Oudewater. I was actually a bit too light to not be a witch😅

[@caskoevoets8713]

Have you noticed the stones with names of folks killed in ww2 they are over a lot of towns to remember I think they were called struikel steentjes

[@only1dutchgirl]

They're called Stolpersteine

[@reviewerdiogeones5857]

Swiebertje is part of our cultural heritage. Back in the sixties we had a small black and white TV, with only two channels to choose from. Swiebertje was a phenomenon. He was the epitome of the Dutch culture: a free spirit, averse of rules and regulations, and enjoying life in the best way possible. Back to Oudewater. It is one of the many small and well preserved cities worth visiting. Our tiny country is chockfull with these gems. If I may give you another hidden gem: Naarden Vesting. Very close to Hilversum too!

[@francinegodhelp-hazeveld2159]

Except for the big museums, most smaller museums are closed on mondays. Maybe that’s why the other museums and the townhall were closed

[@jeannettehage7151]

It’s nice to visit Woerden near Oudewater. "Every Saturday from mid-April to mid-August, there are activities at the authentic cheese market from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm. Traders and cheese-making farmers come together for trading, complete with old-fashioned bargaining."

[@eva-xv2jk]

Swiebertje, geweldig! ik wist niet dat er een connectie was met Oudewater!

[@josschakenraad6415]

Ik ook niet ;)

[@jpdj2715]

This weighing practice gave rise to the Dutch saying "gewogen en te licht bevonden" (weighed and deemed too light) that can be used in different contexts as a way to say that something is concluded to not be good enough, after taking pros and cons into account.

[@Richard-doodle]

Love the videos, if you guys love forts as well, there are so many. A hidden gem is Fort Pannerden in Doorneburg, near nijmegen. It has 70 hac of nature around it and was a squat for some years. Proudly i was involved in that😊

[@ArnoutVanderMolen-fr8gi]

Next time go to Naarden Vesting. Thats very near Hilversum. And has a beautifull city center and more important extensive fortifications with a double defensive moat in a star shape around the town.

[@Maria-pq5nm]

Och.. there are manny manny little hidden towns, beautiful. Stay and enjoy

[@sim-one]

What a great vid! And funny, Tammy 🧙‍♀️😂 I love Oudewater, in summertime you can also explore the town by boat. It’s a busy town by then. Everyone above 50 years old knows and loves Swiebertje, a children’s hero. For kids de Waagh is not only entertaining but they learn how the weighing was done in the old times, which will make it more visible to them now. 👍🏻

[@oldman3319]

Hi Tammy and Eric. When you hear the word "witch" everybody automatically thinks about women. But there are male witches too. So if you ever come back to Oudewater then Eric should be weighed too. You never know.

[@abacaxiveer]

Yeah that whole area is beautiful, cycle along the Lange Linschoten waterfront, make a tour to Linschoten, Montfoort, Oudewater and back to Utrecht when there is some green on the trees. Gems indeed.

[@aislingbooks]

My Dutch husband has a Swiebiertje story from his youth. I hope he shares it with you. 😊

[@Taco048]

Hi, nice to see you again. No surprise that Tammy is not a witch, she is too nice 😉 Swiebertje was a big part of my early tv experience. He was funny. 🙋🏽‍♂️🇳🇱🌮

[@mrsaasmrsaas2742]

And again a great video! Keep it up

[@expatfamilylive9041]

Thank you for a nice video, guys! We get a lot of idea for short Dutch trips from your channel! Hugs from Almere

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you, expatfamilylive!!😊

[@ghcan1]

Have you guys ever been up north ? Groningen is a very nice city and Bourtange is a must see in the province.

[@bartlucassen9145]

Ooh… Swiebertje! I recognized his statue ! He’s my childhood hero!

[@Ron-id1ze]

Oudewater is beautiful, but surrounding little cities like Montfoort, IJsselstein, Woerden and Schoonhoven are very nice

[@Maria-pq5nm]

In the noord Oost polder near Ens, you can see now the tulipfields. Not so busy than the keukenhof.

[@ericloderichs1480]

Nice trip, indeed even more nice the summertime.

[@hanslinden5289]

Make a visit to all the "Hanzesteden "...

[@mirreamsterdam935]

You would like het Zuiderzeemuseum. It is an open air museum in Enkhuizen.

[@gideon1980]

I do not know if it counts as a hidden gem but you should really vist Naarden it is really close to Hilversum and it is one of the best if not the best kept star fortress. Ohh and in the same theme. Put the "Slag om Grolle" on your calender it is on 25,26 and 27 oktober (either day is fine) it is a re-enactment of the battle of 1627 for Grolle. The whole town does its best to be "period correct".

[@keessturm2804]

Nice episode! There are so much of this beautiful litle hitorical towns in Netherlands for you to discover.

[@aislingbooks]

How cute. I've never been to Oudewater. I wonder how they factor in how much a witch ways. Maybe next to nothing because she could - poof - easily vanish into thin air.😅

[@ingeborgvanessen9595]

Hi Tammy and Eric, a lovely video about your witch trip. Another gem is Naarden Vesting...you can go there by bike. If I understand correctly you both own an electric bike. Is not that far from Hilversum. Naarden Vesting has a VVV office. I think they can hand you a ' stadswandeling '... There is even an stadswandeling with a guide, but you have to book that in advance. I'm not sure how much that costs. Laren is also a nice village to visit, also reachable by bike. Be sure to go and eat ' poffertjes ' (the ones with Grand Marnier 🙂). When you get the hang of cycling there is a app and a website called ' Fietsroutenetwerk'. You can make your own fiets routes by using the green signs with numbers on it. Maybe a nice idea to learn the area (Het Gooi). And last but not least....try an ice cream at ' De Hoop' in Blaricum. 🥰

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Thank you for the suggestions, Inge!😊

[@roberth3724]

you still have to discover Utrecht and the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, is easy from Hilversum

[@irbaboon1979]

Go to Hoensbroek next - amazing castle to check out, also, huge annual street fair on May 9th. Do a bike tour around in the neighboring villages.

[@MableM1985]

This place has been on our list for a while now.

[@harriependers9171]

Swiebertje´s name is Joop Doderen and came from Rotterdam...I love you guys

[@harrystevens9521]

Kijk ook eens naar "Heksen", Het Klokhuis. Goede taalles, Tammy.

[@chiitra271]

There are more of such small charming places. Muiden/Naarden, Wijk bij Duurstede, Hattem, Doesburg, Bourtange, Thorn etc.

[@rexwierenga]

5:23 an effort at a translation of the poem behind you: Weighing House Between these walls Behind this door Where the stones speak The wood groans The ropes creak Matters were decided upon Matters shunned elsewhere Here fate embraced Throats like a noose Braided strand by strand And gave it absolution Enter With your judgment For here you will be weighed

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Awww, thank you for translating it for us! We haven’t gotten around to doing that yet😊

[@winmachielse1233]

Witches were wise women who listened to their inner wisdom, instead of listening to foolish male chatter. Not bad to have a witch around. 😅 Thumbs up for Tammy.

[@dutchladylover]

And that makes it official: "I'm not a witch, my husband had me tested" 🤣🤣

[@harrybruijs2614]

There are some hidden gems south of Rotterdam. Take the train to Vlissingen and you pass some very old towns, with some remarkeble history and architecture. Bergen op Zoom, Goes, Middelburg amd Vlissingen. Also Breda is a worth a visit.

[@WatZouJeHiervanVinden]

Iam from Limburg (outside Heerlen) but we have a jail was from mideavele thimes(ok nu gaat het fout) de cel stamde uit de middeleeuwen en werden gebruikt voor de zg "Bokkerijders" Het waren mensen die geld stalen van de rijken (veelal Heerenboeren) en werden vervolgens zo extreem gemarteld (vandaar die cel in Heerlen) dat ze vrij snel riepen: het is mijn buurman! Of: het is mijn zus! Ze werden aangevoerd door een arts die vond het verschil tussen rijk en arm niet meer kon uitleggen. Er waren ook zijtakken (rovers) die claimden bokkenrijders te zijn (natuurlijk reden ze niet op bokken maar bedenk even de 16e eeuw zonder enige verlichting) Het was een stroming van rovers (met en zonder goede bedoelingen) die Limburg tijdens de 16e eeuw in de greep hielden: er zijn nog vele boerderijen met hun merkteken en geschiedenis!

[@erikmulder2574]

Cool to see my youth hero, yes, Swiebertje. There must be some episodes on youtube. Give it a go, it is rather funny. My take away for today, Tammy is worth her weight in gold 😊. So that extra kilo is no issue 😜

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Awww, thank you, Erik!😊

[@gnagtegaal]

Hi guys... great video again. There is another gem right in your back yard. Loosdrecht (Wijdemeren) but you have to see from the water. If you like i can take you on a tour someday. Please let me know if you guys are interested.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Hi Gaby! We actually rode our bikes to Loosdrechtse Plassen the other day! It was a great ride! We can’t wait to go back when the weather is warmer!😊

[@corjp]

IF Tammy would have been weighed and proven to be a witch, I am sure she would be a good witch who will not harm people but will help them with some herbs or spices to make the people better and healthy.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Awww, thank you @corjp!😊

[@ronaldvanbeek4632]

you/have to come to Zutphen it`sa very old city

[@Dutchbelg3]

Yep that was 1 of my suggestions 😛

[@fvry402]

heel erg leuk....

[@42earthling]

I'm not convinced. :) A place to visit would be 'De Heksenhoeve' in Appelscha. You'll find a witches museum, and Margarita, the witch of Appelscha.

[@BommeltjeNL]

When a Dutch boy or girl is born, they get their wheels attached in the hospital. We learn from a very young age to ride and we are not afraid (unless we are in a big city, because they ride like crazy there) 😂

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Lol!!🤣

[@rinynewton8297]

It was a holiday. Easter. But nice video. So glad Tammy isn't a witch. Although witches are OK 😊

[@catharinaforbes-boeren82]

Another fun outing !

[@vinniekay0967]

Thank U Guys for another Fun 2 watch episode of S2S Travels. And i immediately pictured Tammy perfectly balanced (front to back) flying on a broomstick, thrashing around putting curses on Eric 😂btw, you can watch all episodes of "Swiebertje" on KZbin it's "Dutch Heritage" as 'Erwtensoep', 'Stroopwafels' and your beloved 'Oliebollen!' ;) Greetz!

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Lol!😂

[@vinniekay0967]

@@SoultoSoulTravels "I would actually Pay to see Tammy do that broom-flying thingie" Cause that image kinda stuck..🤣🤣🤣

[@harrystevens9521]

My goodness, even children books of Swiebertje are still to be bought.

[@mtcsypkens]

Wow, long long time ago that I was weighed. Still have the certificate somewhere that I'm not a witch. I was disappointed😂

[@kamsel79]

Leuk!

[@goodnighttess]

Hi, they have very good ice cream in Oudewater. Next to te the Waag. 😋

[@LexWensveen]

I was there on the same day! You were in the morning I assume? A pity to have missed out on you.

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

Yes, we were there in the morning!! Sorry that we missed you!

[@ylvafreijters2535]

Jullie moeten één keer naar Arnhem komen naar het openluchtmuseum, daar kun je echt een dagje uit van maken.

[@eentoffenaam]

Absolutely, good tip for Eric and Tammy

[@connieachterstraat5880]

If you want to see something special then Schokland is youre thing. It was a eiland but now its in the middel of a polder, it doesn't get more dutch then that

[@harrystevens9521]

Swiebertje is still to be seen on You Tube, it was chosen as the best children series on tv of the 20th century. The pace is very slow. Kopj'n koffie in stead of kopje koffie is still used as a saying when you offer someone a cup of coffee. We kennen ook het Swiebertje-effect. The man was a good actor. But in other rolls people always saw he is doing his Swiebertje-thing, which was not true. He left for England to be judged as a talented play-actor. See one episode.

[@Rob2]

We had a minister of finance who was claimed to be a witch. But she never got weighed, she instead fled to a position in the UN. (don't take it too seriously)

[@danielvisser6750]

My moment of zen ❤

[@sigrunwestrus68]

I'm going to stay far away from the De Heksenwaag at the moment. Being too skinny (not voluntarily), I would never have passed the test. 😮‍💨

[@Dutchbelg3]

Most touristic places open the summer season from Easter on. If you do the hidden gems : here is the list I made to visit with you: Brielle, Willemstad, Amerongen, Buren, did I leave one out?

[@mcoenen8492]

Heusden, Kampen, Hattem (anton pieck en bakkerijmuseum), Hoorn, Medemblik, Enkhuizen (Zuiderzeemuseum), etc (lijst met pittoreske steden en dorpen is lang in Nederland.

[@jacqvanm4882]

There is a saying in Dutch: he/she was weighed and found too light. Which nowadays means you are not up to parr.

[@johnveerkamp1501]

Goed uitgesproken. !!!

[@ronaldderooij1774]

Nou, nee, met de beste wil van de wereld niet. Geeft niet, maar breng ze nou niet op het verkeerde spoor.

[@bertoverweel6588]

Hallo lovely people, they had an other test too, people where trown into the river, if they sunk and drowned they wher no wich, but if they float they where a wich and then burned on a pile of wood. Groetjes.

[@gijsbertuslaurensvandevooren]

Swiebertje is on KZbin

[@gijsbertuslaurensvandevooren]

Maybe it can help your Dutch lessens.

[@gijsbertuslaurensvandevooren]

My Phone doesnt like English i guess

[@jokemooy5364]

Swieberje we watched that as a family

[@machielstouthandel2940]

Was weer top

[@daphnelovesL]

You lived in Rotterdam. Did you know dat the Lijnbaan shopping street they used to make ropes (touw) and at the Korte Lijnbaan (korte) short ropes (touw).

[@SoultoSoulTravels]

We did not know that!

[@Rob2]

Instead of a bus trip from Utrecht to Oudewater, you probably could have taken the train to Woerden and from there by bus to Oudewater.

[@DenUitvreter]

Witches weren't exclusively female so not all suspicion is removed.

[@buddy1155]

And not everyone who rides a broom is a witch.

[@roykamaaina]

I have been to Oudewater a long time ago and believe it or not, I was on the border line to being a witch ( warlock ). 😳😳😳

[@StrawberryHills211]

You went there stopping at Mario’s first, right? 😉

[@harrystevens9521]

Your next pareltje will be strandbeesten van Theo Jansen.

[@joostjansen4294]

Als ik me de originele regels goed herinner moest je zwaarder zijn dan een bezem omdat heksen daar op vlogen en die blijven drijven op water. Maar een beetje moderne heks gebruikt toch gemotoriseerde bezems (stofzuigers) en die zinken in het water. Maar met een motor krijg je veel omhoog, kijk maar naar vliegtuigen. Dus Tammy, je bent nog niet 100% vrij gesproken, je kunt tenslotte een moderne heks zijn 😁

[@mavadelo]

Joop is pronounced like Yo with a p at the end. The way you pronounce it we would write as Joep and is also a Dutch first name.

[@TheJolanda01]

Daar komt swiebertje rare swiebertje yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee