Last few days in Holland

On Thursday morning we took it easy and didn’t leave the city camp until 11.00. Our destination was a village in south Holland called Oudewater, after shopping at the local Jumbo Supermarket we found the motorhome parking area on the outskirts of the village next to a skating sports park, and decided this would also be our overnight spot.

Our overnight spot, as you can see we had the place to ourselves. No services but it was free.
Our overnight spot, as you can see we had the place to ourselves. No services but it was free.

 Oudewater

Oudewater is a very old place and the landmark which makes the town famous is the Weighing House where the past you could get weighed and receive a certificate. This certificate would prove that you were not a witch, (in the past they thought witches were very light as they could fly on broom sticks).

http://www.heksenwaag.nl/web/en/home/?language_id=16

As a local tourist site they still weigh people even now, Lori and I both received certificates but Jenny though that hers from 1979 when she was here last would probably still be valid. Apart the scales the place has a small museum and video displays which tell of the treatment of “so called” witches back in the dark ages. Over a two hundred year period 100,000 trials of victims were carried out and half of those were put to death; so having a certificate came in handy as the weigh house was sanctioned by royalty to be a true indication of a person’s weight.

Lori getting weighed proving that she was not a witch.
Lori getting weighed proving that she was not a witch.
Ewout's turn on the scales.
Ewout’s turn on the scales.

We walked the short distance into town and found it was not very busy then spent some time exploring the village before returning to the motorhome just in time as it started to rain heavily. No other motorhome joined us on the site and we had a quiet evening, even the rain stopped pelting on our roof.

I suspect that this door belonged to a sailor at some point in time.
I suspect that this door belonged to a sailor at some point in time.
This is the Witches Weigh House. the landmark in Oudewater.
This is the Witches Weigh House. the landmark in Oudewater.
The town hall at Oudewater
The town hall at Oudewater
This sailor must have had a bad day out at sea, he doesn't look very happy.
This sailor must have had a bad day out at sea, he doesn’t look very happy.
Tourist boat going through the small lock on the canal.
Tourist boat going through the small lock on the canal.

Friday our last day of our journey, we decided to stop in at the town of Gouda. Yes this is where the cheese comes from and there were plenty of cheese shops with a vast range. With our pantry still well stocked with cheese we resisted buying more, but we did do the odd tasting.

Gouda

Gouda had a walking tour map from the tourist office sold to us for €2.50, it was a very well laid out and interesting, nothing much is free in Holland. We followed the map which took us many places, some of them off the beaten track and down some interesting side streets and alleyways. Jenny and Lori went into the church museum to see the famous stained glass windows while I waked back to put some more coins in the parking meter, as we visited longer than planned. About mid-afternoon we drove the 45kms back to Martins place our final destination, as well as our starting point and where the “Bunyip” lives when it is not exploring Europe.

It wouldn't be Gouda without a few cheese shops in the town.
It wouldn’t be Gouda without a few cheese shops in the town.
The town hall in the main square.
The town hall in the main square.
Every half hour the chimes sound and the figurines go through a small routine.
Every half hour the chimes sound and the figurines go through a small routine.
The tourist information office is in the old weigh house and of course there is another cheese shop inside.
The tourist information office is in the old weigh house and of course there is another cheese shop inside.
Model of the Gouda church, longest in Europe
Model of the Gouda church, longest in Europe
One of the many spectacular window in the Gouda Church
One of the many spectacular window in the Gouda Church
A painting of a burial under the floor in the church. copied off an old painting 'Unknown church interior' painted by H.C. van Vliet. (1611-1675). in the Victoria National Gallery in Melbourne, Australia.
A painting of a burial under the floor in the church. copied off an old painting ‘Unknown church interior’ painted by H.C. van Vliet. (1611-1675). in the Victoria National Gallery in Melbourne, Australia.
Inside the church, the longest in Europe
Inside the church, the longest in Europe

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Beautiful detail
Beautiful detail
The very modern stained glass contrasts with the old
The very modern stained glass contrasts with the old
A project has been started where a plaque is placed where Jewish people lived before being deported and killed during WW2.
A project has been started where a plaque is placed where Jewish people lived before being deported and killed during WW2.
This street view shows the different shapes of the front of the houses.
This street view shows the different shapes of the front of the houses.
This bike with a delivery box has been pimped to look like an old car on the front.
This bike with a delivery box has been pimped to look like an old car on the front.
Wall of Lego bits and pieces. We bought a cup full for Jade.
Wall of Lego bits and pieces. We bought a cup full for Jade.
This was only a part of the very large Lego shop in Gouda.
This was only a part of the very large Lego shop in Gouda.

A couple of days was spent washing clothes and bedding, cleaning the motorhome and packing our bags for the trip home. Saturday night a barbeque was held at Martins with family attending to say their farewells. After eating the Sjoelen board came out and everyone had 3 turns. In the photo you will see that it is a game where you slide wooden disks and try and get them into the 4 gaps at the end of the board. This is a very typical Dutch game. https://dutchgames.us/

Cousin Ewoud cooking the barbeque.
Cousin Ewoud cooking the barbeque.
After the food, the Sjoelbak board came out.
After the food, the Sjoelbak board came out.

On Monday the motorhome was finished being sorted, the bags packed and it was off to the airport.

With 90kgs in our combined luggage and 21 in our hand luggage we checked in, expecting to be overweight as were on the maximum limit for three people. After 8 trips we had accumulated a lot of “stuff” and with Martin selling his house it was time to do some sorting. Some things were designated as rubbish, some went to the charity shop and we tried to bring back as much as possible. We were nearly totally successful but when we weighed all the bags it came up 6kgs over. One small bag containing our flippers and masks had to remain behind.

Next year our son and his wife along with their 2 children will be using the “Bunyip” so we left it in readiness for their trip. As to our plans for a trip next year that is still up in the air. Every year we say that this may be our last trip and every year we cannot resist the lure to go back, have more adventures and explore more of the fascinating sites that cover Europe.

As I write this we are safely back in Australia after an uneventful but long flight. Again our thanks go to Martin as he looks after our motorhome year after year. This year his house is being sold so another location will have to be arranged for its storage.

This Post Has 5 Comments

  1. Michael and Pam

    J&E
    Sorry to see your short adventure for 2016 has concluded.
    Expect you will be asking your son to continue the blog on your behalf.
    Have not had a chance to catch up with all of your posts, but we will be back in Sydney ourselves next week. So we will get a chance to go through them at home.
    Best of luck in 2017 and hope to hear from you both again at some stage.

  2. Our Bumble

    Thanks for all your updates guys, really enjoyed the read and gave us plenty food for thought on places to visit as we head back towards UK. We’ve been following you on motorhomefun and hope you dont mind but we have listed you on our website too http://www.ourbumble.com

    1. ejsnel

      Thank you for you kind words. I will list your site on our site as well. Safe travels Ewout

  3. will hoogenboom

    wow, amazing, what a small world it is.The photo of the front door with the anchor above is no.6 Havenstraat in Oudewater. My mother and grandparents(oma +opa) lived in no.5 next door

  4. Nathan George

    Loved your post! Cool Photos!!
    This is first time I am visiting your website and I find this post very very useful thanks for giving such a great information..
    Keep up the good work…I will love to visit your site again and again….

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