Vaalserberg: Holland's Highest Mountain (& The Strange Story Of Neutral Moresnet)

Поделиться
HTML-код
  • Опубликовано: 25 июл 2024
  • Thanks everyone for your helpful comments on the Q&A - and now here's the video (most of) you asked for! The Vaalserberg is the highest point of mainland Netherlands, and is also the meeting point of 3 international borders, with Belgium and Germany being the other two. But mysteriously, the road that leads up to it is called the Four Borders Way. So what's the story behind the missing border? I went to Belgermaland to investigate...
    SCENIC MONTAGE MUSIC:
    Vast Chant by Oshóva
    / osh-va
    Creative Commons - Attribution 3.0 Unported - CC BY 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
    Music promoted by Audio Library • Vast Chant - Oshóva (N...

Комментарии • 1,6 тыс.

  • @n.m.7620
    @n.m.7620 5 лет назад +2109

    "Right now we are higher than anyone else in holland and that is quite a thing to say." :D

    • @Kwint.
      @Kwint. 4 года назад +12

      Yes i watched the video, so what

    • @Ananass
      @Ananass 4 года назад +5

      That isn’t possible

    • @Widdekuu91
      @Widdekuu91 4 года назад +16

      Absolutely loved that comment.

    • @jebise1126
      @jebise1126 4 года назад +35

      except for the people in that tower...

    • @klootviool14nl
      @klootviool14nl 4 года назад +21

      im pretty sure i was waaay higher last night

  • @martijndekok
    @martijndekok 4 года назад +2927

    Climbing The Vaalserberg without oxygen tanks. You must me one strong intrepid explorer. :)

    • @TheTimTraveller
      @TheTimTraveller  4 года назад +326

      Thanks Martyn. It took a lot of training and preparation (and pastries) but it was worth it.

    • @jwslijm7278
      @jwslijm7278 4 года назад +31

      The town of Vaals is 210 meters high; so the climb is only 110 meters! With the bus from Maastricht to Aachen and v.v..

    • @In1998able
      @In1998able 4 года назад +20

      @@TheTimTraveller was it not difficult with your balls that heavy? to climb that high?

    • @generalsaufenberg4931
      @generalsaufenberg4931 4 года назад +36

      the kids these days do anything for an instagram picture... they are insane^^

    • @brandenburg2388
      @brandenburg2388 4 года назад +19

      Plus he had no ropes, pitons, mountaineering boots and Sherpa guides. Indeed, he is an superbly skilled mountaineer....

  • @papaquonis
    @papaquonis 2 года назад +191

    As a Dane, I’m so jealous of the Dutch mountains. Denmark can only dream of such dizzying heights.

    • @marcocappa3738
      @marcocappa3738 2 года назад +2

      Just make a film about it!Like this one....173 mts on the sea level am I right ??

    • @TheGammelfjols
      @TheGammelfjols 2 года назад +6

      A bit to much it's only 170,86 m ...

    • @boxsterman77
      @boxsterman77 2 года назад +5

      I've been there. Never again. I developed a terrible case of Hypoxemia going up the slope. I had to be helicoptered back--at great peril to the brave pilot--and taken to a hospital to recover for the next 2 weeks.
      But seriously. I have been there. Used to live in Limburg Province. When I was there, there was a cheesy old observation tower. But that was in the 80's.

    • @finncarlbomholtsrensen1188
      @finncarlbomholtsrensen1188 2 года назад +5

      During several "Euregio 100 km" walks (24 hours max), from Belgian Welkenraed, I, also a Dane, walked past this point before entering Germany and Aachen and then going back to Belgium, to finish the walk. It was mostly the first long-distance walk of the year and it was difficult to see in which country you walked, a lot of the time? ;-)

    • @V3ntilator
      @V3ntilator 2 года назад +2

      I were exhausted halfway while climbing Denmark's highest mountain.

  • @bokhans
    @bokhans 4 года назад +1182

    You should have employed locals to carry you equipment, climbers always do that on similar expeditions like on the Himalayas.

    • @taunteratwill1787
      @taunteratwill1787 4 года назад +10

      I don't think the Dutch are poor or stupid enough to do that. Let him carry his own shit, it's not really a mountain anyway! 😋

    • @flitsertheo
      @flitsertheo 4 года назад +34

      They would have eaten the pastry, especially if it was Belgian or German pastry.

    • @mast0rrrchief
      @mast0rrrchief 4 года назад +51

      Taunter, you ain't the brightest fucker around are ya?

    • @DreadX10
      @DreadX10 4 года назад +19

      @@flitsertheo Belgian pastry, yes. German pastry, no. Also Belgian chocolate, yes. German chocolate, no.
      Edit: Dutch Stroopwafel, yes! Two, please!

    • @TheTeufelhunden68
      @TheTeufelhunden68 4 года назад +8

      @@DreadX10
      Yeah, I noticed that too. If you want German goods, sausage and beer yes, but pastry? Yeah, I don't think so.

  • @mrmyloc
    @mrmyloc 3 года назад +269

    As a volunteer for Dutch Mountain Rescue, I appreciate you taking the responsibility of preparing yourself for the challenges of the Vaalserberg.

    • @michaelcraig9449
      @michaelcraig9449 2 года назад +9

      You have a severe job, wow, much respect!

    • @mrmyloc
      @mrmyloc 2 года назад

      @@michaelcraig9449 Thank you Michael.... One man's hump is another man's camel. When the unforgiving southerly winds are lashing, we carry that (322m) beast of burden with pride.

    • @randar1969
      @randar1969 Год назад +1

      And now let's hope you can volunteer in the Dutch Carribbean on Mount Scenery that one is a tiny bit bigger (2877 feet/887 meters). Be carefull though, it's an potential active vulcano ;-)

    • @ifitrollsrideit530
      @ifitrollsrideit530 Год назад +4

      I'm a volunteer with Suffolk Mountain Rescue in the UK. We're searching for neglected mountains to bring back to safety.

  • @hermask815
    @hermask815 4 года назад +394

    3 kilometers of not quite hiking.
    Now that is an exercise I can get behind.

    • @57thorns
      @57thorns 4 года назад +2

      Getting to the top of Mount Scenery (what a name) at nearly 900 meter is (weather permitting) a medium hike of 3-4 hours round trip. 3 km back and forth is about an hour at a slow pace, so not that big a difference? Honestly, there is a huge difference, I suspect the elevation change will be felt.

  • @Onneukbaar
    @Onneukbaar 4 года назад +765

    This is the highest place on the mainland of the Netherlands. The actual highest point is on a volcano on the Caribbean island of saba

    • @glenmoray2812
      @glenmoray2812 4 года назад +8

      Idd!

    • @obelic71
      @obelic71 4 года назад +60

      Yep and we Dutch have also a border with Venezuela.

    • @Ozymandias1
      @Ozymandias1 4 года назад +29

      We only have to wait until they build a 1km high skyscraper in Rotterdam.

    • @obelic71
      @obelic71 4 года назад +12

      @@Ozymandias1 Nothing may be build now due to a supreme court ruling. The Netherlands is on lock down. 70% of all permits where suspended or canceled.
      Politicians set the Nox limits absurd way to low and now a climate change group has won the court cases holding the goverment to their own set limits.

    • @apaijmans
      @apaijmans 4 года назад +33

      The Netherlands is the country in Europe, the Caribbean is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. There are the countries that are part of our kingdom, The Netherlands in Europe, Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, but wait Sint Maarten is not EU but the French part of Sint Maarten is part of the EU. Then we also have three special municipalities. Those are Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius also not part of EU.

  • @JesseBusman1996
    @JesseBusman1996 4 года назад +9

    Some groups of radio pirates used to go the Dutch-German border and set up their broadcasting system across the border.
    The components that were illegal in the Netherlands were placed on the German field, and vica versa.

  • @Finkers1988
    @Finkers1988 4 года назад +348

    Tim, it's quite reckless to climb the vaalserberg without stroopwafels, any Dutchie could tell you

    • @RudyBleeker
      @RudyBleeker 4 года назад +17

      And now I'm hungry for a stroopwafel. Thanks Jorick. Thankfully as a proper Dutchman, I always have a pack of them somewhere in the supply cabinet.

    • @vincent5880
      @vincent5880 4 года назад +2

      @@RudyBleeker en zo hoort het

    • @stevenrobertson4470
      @stevenrobertson4470 3 года назад +2

      Stroopwafels are the best! Now you can buy them at COSTCO here in Utah! When climbing the Vaalserberg, wear your crampons, use your ice axe, bring rope and pitons, and eat Stroopwafels!

    • @peter-8483
      @peter-8483 3 года назад

      @@RudyBleeker
      Als ze niet vers van de markt zijn zijn het geen echte!
      Maar ja je moet wat

    • @Sven_E
      @Sven_E 3 года назад +2

      Its Limburg so Vlaai all the way

  • @brandenburg2388
    @brandenburg2388 4 года назад +245

    Such a treacherous mountain. I wonder how many mountaineers died trying to scale its mighty peak?

    • @dirkhirbanger4153
      @dirkhirbanger4153 4 года назад +15

      Can't say for certain, it'd take a lot of surveying to find all the corpses

    • @brandenburg2388
      @brandenburg2388 4 года назад +11

      @ATCkeepsUsafe yup I know. After so many expeditions scaling Vaalserberg over the years, the freezing temperatures and low oxygen level there have caused this to my brain.....

    • @boozelala
      @boozelala 4 года назад +3

      A lot, most likely of boredom! :P

    • @millomweb
      @millomweb 4 года назад +2

      Well, clearly from this vid, it was too technical for Tim. Maybe too many steps up the viewing platform towers ?

    • @trevormoses5061
      @trevormoses5061 2 года назад

      @@dirkhirbanger4153 😳😆😆

  • @21Kyzix12
    @21Kyzix12 4 года назад +40

    I used to live near the smallest mountain in Japan. It's called Mt. Benten, and it's only 6.1 meters tall. It's not exactly a tourist spot, but if you ever find yourself in the area, it's a cool place to visit. There is a little shrine at the top, and a nice ramen shop across the street too.

  • @Voitcus
    @Voitcus 4 года назад +22

    R.I.P. all these unknown brave heroes who died while hiking this mountain.

  • @SpeedBird6780
    @SpeedBird6780 4 года назад +125

    Oh boy, those people who clicked off too early to miss the ending joke about Saba.
    F

  • @brunoglopes
    @brunoglopes 4 года назад +83

    5:36 wow that pole was dancing

    • @3musketerantidbd174
      @3musketerantidbd174 4 года назад +1

      Is that a ilustion or something?

    • @TheCrazyCrewNL
      @TheCrazyCrewNL 4 года назад +8

      It is probably the video stabilization of youtube. It matches his walking.

    • @michaelstamper5875
      @michaelstamper5875 3 года назад +1

      Well, I dare say Poles enjoy a little dance as much as any other nationality. Lol.

  • @codyunderwood9567
    @codyunderwood9567 4 года назад +65

    There is a State in the U.S called Kansas and its high point is MT Sunflower. Its about 2m higher than the land surrounding it.

    • @aldenwilner3300
      @aldenwilner3300 4 года назад +11

      Yep. 1232m high. It is also less than 1 km from the border with Colorado -- and the lowest point of Colorado (1011m) is just 100 km north, where the Arikaree River flows (part of the time, anyway) into the extreme NW corner of Kansas.

    • @jameswolf133
      @jameswolf133 2 года назад +2

      The lowest state high point in the US is Britton Hill in Florida, a whopping 105 meters above sea level.

    • @Hauketal
      @Hauketal 2 года назад +1

      There is a pass in the Everglades National Park, 3ft (0.9m) high.

  • @Jerbod2
    @Jerbod2 4 года назад +256

    You're literally the only foreigner who I've ever seen and heard pronounce things the correct way or at least translate them in a way that makes people understand what they're reading even though you're obviously not Dutch. That picture at 01:50 is really really close to my house, and yes indeed Vaals looks like mount everest to me.

    • @Ynysmydwr
      @Ynysmydwr 4 года назад +24

      Except that he pronounces the Netherlands as "Holland"...!

    • @millomweb
      @millomweb 4 года назад +2

      @@Ynysmydwr It's all Dutch to me.

    • @millomweb
      @millomweb 4 года назад

      Vaal appears to mean 'pale' in English so what does Vaals mean ?

    • @Jerbod2
      @Jerbod2 4 года назад +3

      @@millomweb Actually means valley. Dal in Dutch. Vaals basically means valley.

    • @millomweb
      @millomweb 4 года назад +1

      @@Jerbod2 That was my brother's suggestion and is likely. Looked at Transvaal - that seems to based on a river - pale? river ?
      UK uses Dal - as dale/valley. I was born in 'Kendal' (from Kent Dale - the river Kent flowing through the town).
      I wonder why Google translate does not mention valley then ! ?

  • @henzelmen
    @henzelmen 3 года назад +67

    The highest mountain of Holland are the dunes at the coast, the highest mountain of the Netherlands is what you showed us 😉
    Thanks for showing!

    • @Gijs558
      @Gijs558 2 года назад

      no you can call the whole country holland it's like calling the USA america
      it's a nickname

    • @paulbeaucuse2092
      @paulbeaucuse2092 2 года назад +20

      @@Gijs558 No, calling Vaals or Maastricht Holland is like calling Glasgow or Edinburgh English. It is just wrong.

    • @boxsterman77
      @boxsterman77 2 года назад +2

      Seems almost everyone makes this mistake. Having lived in the Netherlands, I'm quick to correct.

    • @bertjesklotepino
      @bertjesklotepino 2 года назад +1

      THANK YOU.

    • @roevhaal578
      @roevhaal578 Год назад +2

      @@Gijs558 It's like calling the USA for California or a more common and comparable mistake would be calling the UK for England.

  • @zameize
    @zameize 4 года назад +11

    when I was in Aachen, I came to this place so often that it became my wander place if I got bored of my study life. I usually hiked from the Aachen side (the hills with a lot of green grass compare to the Dutch side Maastricht that you showed in this video). Having been said, I never knew about the Moresnet until you pointed it out in this video. I knew the name of the street (4 point borders) but never really searched the reason. Thanks. It brings back memory when I was in Aachen.

  • @kimdevries7906
    @kimdevries7906 4 года назад +125

    "Right now we are higher than anyone else in holland and that is quite a thing to say."
    me chilling in a dutch coffee shop: *Dutch Doubt noises*

  • @eddiejc1
    @eddiejc1 4 года назад +14

    Funny thing about this 300 meter high "mountain." If you look at the Olympics before World War II, you'll notice something unusual about the Winter Olympics. Every country who hosted the Olympics after 1924 got BOTH the Winter AND the Summer Games. Indeed, they were considered part of the same package. The one exception was 1928 when the Summer Olympics were in Amsterdam. How can you hold skiing or alpine events on a 300 meter hill? You can't, which is why for that year, the winter Olympics were held in St. Moritz, Switzerland. St. Moritz got them again in 1948, while London got the summer games. Both sites were chosen because they were relatively unscathed after WWII. The IOC abandoned the idea of the same country hosting the Summer and Winter Olympics at the same time, and in the 90's the Winter games were moved to different years from the Summer Games.

  • @jurjenbos228
    @jurjenbos228 2 года назад +5

    As a Dutch person, I am amazed to see how many interesting things you have to tell about our country. Thanks!

  • @Metal-Possum
    @Metal-Possum 4 года назад +31

    Meanwhile in New Zealand, we call that a speed bump and put a 20kph suggested speed limit.

    • @Niels357
      @Niels357 3 года назад +1

      WHahahaha every road has speedbumbs here where there used to be put holes(kuilen) whahahaha this comment section is realy funny as a dutch person. People think flat earth originated here whahahaha

    • @elise3794
      @elise3794 3 года назад +1

      @@Niels357 Didn't flat earth originate their Whahahah! :)

    • @Niels357
      @Niels357 3 года назад +1

      @@elise3794 as a joke, then like always americans took it seriously and ran with it! As they do with everything! Whahahaha

  • @romainb.7675
    @romainb.7675 4 года назад +11

    As an esperanto speaker, I'm thrilled that you mentionned this language ! And there were a festival of esperanto speaking youth with music and culture events that took place in 2014 I think, in this particular territory !

  • @Sphere723
    @Sphere723 4 года назад +29

    Dude just free solo'ed Vaalserberg. Respect.

  • @rickadrian2675
    @rickadrian2675 4 года назад +10

    My grandparent emigrated from Netherlands (one of the flattest countries in Europe) in the 1950's to Australia, the flattest continent - they were not big on hills. I have 'scaled' the tallest 'mountain' on our continent several times - wearing shorts, t-shirt & sneakers. At 2,228m it is a trip that you need to prepare for - by buying sunscreen.

  • @kijkuitvoordathoofd
    @kijkuitvoordathoofd 5 лет назад +11

    And again you made an awesome video. You really put an effort in making it not look like a boring place to visit. And that sir, is not an easy task. Well done!

    • @TheTimTraveller
      @TheTimTraveller  5 лет назад +14

      Haha, thanks Tom! Hey it's not so bad, there's a labyrinth, a tower, a restaurant, some flags... trust me, I've climbed the highest points in Belgium and Luxembourg, and they would kill for something as exciting as the Vaalserberg :D

  • @HappyBeezerStudios
    @HappyBeezerStudios 4 года назад +61

    Moresnet almost sounds like "moch es net" -> "mach es nicht" -> "don't do it"

    • @TimVerweij
      @TimVerweij 4 года назад +1

      It doesn't sound very French the way he pronounces it. :-)

    • @dirkhirbanger4153
      @dirkhirbanger4153 4 года назад +4

      It's because it's supposed to be pronounced Moréné, which sounds exactly like "dead and born", which doesn't sound any more inviting

    • @swingmaster2312
      @swingmaster2312 4 года назад +1

      I come from this region, the former Neutral Moresnet named Kelmis now! At that time, even Moresnet is in the french speaking region now, they use to speak a German Dutch dialect (PLATT Dutch)! Valls-Moresnet-Gemmenich- Kelmis!

  • @OntarioTrafficMan
    @OntarioTrafficMan 4 года назад +354

    This is not even close to Holland, it's in the far corner of Limburg. Fantastic reportage though,.

    • @robbedoeslegrand236
      @robbedoeslegrand236 4 года назад +53

      "Far" is a big word for this small country.

    • @MarceldeJong
      @MarceldeJong 4 года назад +32

      It's still higher than anything in bloody awful Holland 😁

    • @MarceldeJong
      @MarceldeJong 4 года назад +16

      @@robbedoeslegrand236 still takes about about 3 hours to get there from Amsterdam by car. And about 4 hours by public transport.

    • @frankvandendool882
      @frankvandendool882 4 года назад +34

      @@MarceldeJong Yeah ... and Limburg is not in Holland. :S

    • @ardmichielsen2977
      @ardmichielsen2977 4 года назад +13

      @@BakjeLeip Remember the song "Kwestie van Geduld" by Rowwen Heze? You have to pass at least North Brabant to reach Holland, so the band has a hard time to teach Holland Limburgs while North Brabant is the second largest province of The Netherlands in area. Historical mistakes (dictionary's for instance) when it comes to using Holland instead of The Netherlands are not my problem. Holland was and will be only a part of The Netherlands.

  • @elisabird6245
    @elisabird6245 4 года назад +19

    Fascinating. Pillow-fighting is illegal in Germany. Every day, even at my age, you can learn something new. I live in the Canary Islands (highest point 3.718m) and this video is hilarious for me!

    • @robbedoeslegrand236
      @robbedoeslegrand236 4 года назад +1

      If you understand the Dutch, you'll know they think it is hilarious too. ;)

    • @elisabird6245
      @elisabird6245 4 года назад

      @@robbedoeslegrand236 Yes, they have a great sense of humour.

    • @TheUnillustratedChaos
      @TheUnillustratedChaos 4 года назад +1

      Guess that makes me a repeat offender. But maybe Bavaria, as it does with many things from the 'evil prussians', doesn't regonize this law.

    • @MattiBlume
      @MattiBlume 4 года назад

      (un)fortunately that's not quite accurate. There's absolutely no law prohibiting consensual pillowfights. Would be funny though.

    • @reinjouke9743
      @reinjouke9743 3 года назад +1

      Well, if you go about hitting people with pillows unprovoked in any other country the police might arrest for you assault too

  • @fb448
    @fb448 3 года назад +5

    Great video! Especially liked the excursus on Neutral-Moresnet. I'd love the see even more of that kind in your videos :)

  • @joopbonnet5300
    @joopbonnet5300 3 года назад +3

    On my island (Texel) we have a mountain which is called The high mountain.. Its 15 meters above mean sea level.

  • @leonb2637
    @leonb2637 2 года назад +3

    In 1983 I was on Saba and actually climbed to the top of the ex-volcano. There was a vendor selling cold Heinekin at the top 😁

  • @racegrooves
    @racegrooves 4 года назад +51

    Quite a few lols thanks =)

  • @RichardSANewell
    @RichardSANewell 4 года назад +3

    I like your stuff mate. We're interested in the same things, so I'm glad you've been able to explore them and share them. Well done and thanks!

  • @johantt2591
    @johantt2591 3 года назад +4

    The highest mountain of Hollands. That’s like looking for the warmest spot of Antartica. :)

    • @PSVfanaat
      @PSVfanaat 2 года назад +2

      And it's not even Holland as this little mountain is in the province of Limburg. 😁

  • @EMvanLoon
    @EMvanLoon 4 года назад +18

    I like your humour, please do some other videos of the Netherlands!

  • @ReddoFreddo
    @ReddoFreddo 4 года назад +15

    "Wait, mum, what did you think I meant?" Haha that was too funny xD

  • @TheNecrocoil
    @TheNecrocoil 4 года назад +3

    Heeey! ... My town :D That is nice to see, glad you had a good time!

  • @westieclo
    @westieclo 2 года назад

    I must say, I've recently started bingeing your videos and they bring me so much joy. I wish I could do this sort of travelling as well. Thank you for doing all the legwork and editing. Fantastic.

  • @whatlep
    @whatlep Год назад +1

    I duplicated this achievement last week, pleased to be guided by the RUclips video and achieving a personal first of crossing an international frontier on a local bus. Great stuff and rather more of a climb than I anticipated!

  • @r.v.b.4153
    @r.v.b.4153 4 года назад +7

    4:09
    The population spoke and still speaks (many not anymore) a Dutch-German transitional dialect.
    Most of the inhabitants lied about French being their mother tongue in the censuses after the world wars.
    Before the wars, they claimed to speak German (which they deemed closest to their dialect), but out of anti-German sentiments after the wars, they claimed to be French-speaking (basically their second language). The town is now officially French speaking.
    I don't know much about the origins of the name "Moresnet", but most of the names of the villages in the area are Germanic in origin.

    • @hannofranz7973
      @hannofranz7973 2 года назад +1

      The Dutch German transitional dialect = Limburgs

    • @tijmen131
      @tijmen131 9 месяцев назад

      ​@@hannofranz7973not quite, depending in the local dialect there are German words but it is not a mix between German and Dutch. It is low Franconian, where Zeeuws for example is also part off

  • @Sense008
    @Sense008 4 года назад +3

    Neutraal-Moresnet has a fascinating history, and you touched upon the main points. One thing that I would like to add is that due to very low taxes in Neutraal-Moresnet and no tarriffs on alcohol, the little country also contained a lot (and I mean a LOT) of distilleries, and alcohol smuggling was a big industry. There's a fairly great dutch history book of the place "Moresnet" by Philip Droge (with an umlaut on the o, which I can't remember how to type) Not sur if it has been translated, but it's a weird and wonderful history

  • @SatusUnkown
    @SatusUnkown 5 лет назад +2

    Your work is appreciated - Many thanks for these videos

  • @spw178
    @spw178 3 года назад +5

    Before Lockdown I was coming here once a week from Aachen and now we have a covid border!
    I love vaals as it instantly feels Dutch,within a few steps of entering from Germany .
    From home in Aachen I can see both landmarks and its lovely .
    Vaals is a very friendly place and as is its province Limburg .
    I can't wait to cross the border again when It's legal due to covid restrictions as I'm not Dutch .

  • @Pointer243
    @Pointer243 5 лет назад +3

    Awesome vid! videos are getting better and better and I'm learning new things about my country.

    • @Pointer243
      @Pointer243 5 лет назад +2

      oh and better visit Saba now :P

    • @TheTimTraveller
      @TheTimTraveller  5 лет назад +1

      Cheers point point! I'd love to go to Saba. The mountain is described on english Wikipedia as a "potentially active volcano" and "potentially dangerous". Ok let me correct that, I'd potentially love to go to Saba...

  • @masteryoda394
    @masteryoda394 4 года назад +5

    I'm very happy RUclips recommended this for me today.

  • @KAFNOR
    @KAFNOR 2 года назад

    Comedic gold, Tim! I also appreciate that the weather you get is what most of us get, not the postcard perfect clear skies.

  • @yoshiiofficial
    @yoshiiofficial 4 года назад

    Learning shitloads about things tha are so near me, and I never knew. What an awesome job you're doing Tim!

  • @mnichols1979
    @mnichols1979 3 года назад +3

    I want to go and visit the Netherlands for so many reasons now after watching your videos. This pandemic needs to end quickly

  • @fel1918
    @fel1918 4 года назад +3

    Neu-Moresnet, my hometown ! Thank you so much for sharing our (strange) history :D

    • @barryjm
      @barryjm 2 года назад

      And now Moresnet has a new museum.. so he has to come back!

  • @NaughtyNimitz
    @NaughtyNimitz 2 года назад

    I simply love your humourous editing! Keep it up!

  • @fish8622
    @fish8622 4 года назад +1

    This video is about something so incredibly boring, yet is made so very interesting, it boggles the mind. This truly is a great RUclips Channel.

  • @Jin-Ro
    @Jin-Ro 4 года назад +3

    One of my team members said he was going on holiday to NL to do some climbing.
    There were blank looks from the Americans, blank looks from the Brits, giggles from the Germans.
    He meant artificial climbing, but we still ripped him for a week, going "Climbing" in Amsterdam.

  • @AmauryJacquot
    @AmauryJacquot 4 года назад +37

    hah, they cheated, they added that 50m observation tower !

  • @AnyoneCanSee
    @AnyoneCanSee 2 года назад

    Loving your videos and find these useless facts fascinating. Your quirky/witty delivery is also fantastic. Thanks!

  • @UraTrowelie
    @UraTrowelie 4 года назад +3

    I'm extremely saddened I found your channel after my first ever trip to Germany and Nederlands.. have to make another trip

  • @Fishcrab
    @Fishcrab 3 года назад +3

    I was in the Netherlands for two days, and saw two hills in that time. One of them was literally a dirt mound less tall than I was, and the other was the base of a tower.
    I can see three hills, without even leaving my bed. My review of the Netherlands is 7/10 lovely country, not enough hills.

  • @lohphat
    @lohphat 4 года назад +100

    Denmark's highest point is just as exhilarating.

    • @BertGrink
      @BertGrink 4 года назад +6

      To be honest, i like the Himmelbjerget much more than Yding Skovhøj, not least because the Himmelbjerget has a tower on its top.
      Translations for non-danish speakers: HImmelbjerget means The Sky Mountain, and Yding Skovhøj is Yding Forest-Hill

    • @vincent5880
      @vincent5880 4 года назад

      Even 3 times lower lol

    • @maartenj.vermeulen900
      @maartenj.vermeulen900 4 года назад +2

      Gunnbjørn Fjeld in Greenland is 3694m high, is that not part of Denmark then and highest point of Kingdom of Denmark?

    • @gerdforster883
      @gerdforster883 4 года назад +4

      @@maartenj.vermeulen900 Yes and no. It is the highest point in Denmark (the kingdom), but not the highest point in Denmark (the country).
      Postcolonial politics are... complicated.
      Basically, Greenland and the Faroe Islands have so many devolved powers nowadays that they are kind of countries in their own right. But also kind of not.

    • @maartenj.vermeulen900
      @maartenj.vermeulen900 4 года назад

      @@gerdforster883 Cheers for that! 😁

  • @SauROnmiKE
    @SauROnmiKE 4 года назад

    You got a new sub. I've watched many of your videos but this one got me to sub. I like everything about your content.

  • @mortenpoulsen1496
    @mortenpoulsen1496 2 года назад

    brilliant with the text just before the end. keep it up Tim.:)
    I too have conquered the mightily high mountain in the Netherlands just like you.

  • @qponly1306
    @qponly1306 4 года назад +58

    How about drinking alcohol when you're 16 or 17 years old? That's illegal in NL but legal in both BE and DE.

    • @jwenting
      @jwenting 4 года назад +2

      except for beer :)

    • @PGraveDigger1
      @PGraveDigger1 4 года назад +16

      Not true. Buying alcohol is illegal under 18 in the Netherlands, but there's no law that forbids people under 18 years old from drinking alcohol in private.

    • @flycrack7686
      @flycrack7686 4 года назад +2

      @@PGraveDigger1 kinda the same in germany (beer etc under 16)

    • @PGraveDigger1
      @PGraveDigger1 4 года назад +11

      @@flycrack7686 It used to be that in the Netherlands you could buy alcoholic drinks under 15% alcohol when you were 16 or older, and drinks with more than 15% alcohol when you were 18 or older. Right now you have to be 18 to buy any kind of alcoholic drink. Consumption is pretty much always legal.

    • @jwenting
      @jwenting 4 года назад

      @@PGraveDigger1 beer is legal at 16

  • @boomtish4520
    @boomtish4520 5 лет назад +5

    Moresnet is fascinating and thats a great border region. Hope you made it to monschau.

  • @nevabryant5651
    @nevabryant5651 4 года назад +1

    you are very funny and I Have learned a lot from you. Thanks, keep it coming.

  • @devenestes3234
    @devenestes3234 Год назад

    That whole area has multitudes to offer! Beautiful!

  • @maxpaul3868
    @maxpaul3868 2 года назад +4

    Interestingly, also the border crossing place between Austria and Germany near Salzburg is also called "Walserberg". Furthermore, there is an Austrian exclave (if this is the right word - meaning a piece of Austrian land, which can only be reached on road from Germany and has no domestic road connection to the rest of Austria) in Western Austria called "Kleines Walsertal", i.e. "Walser Valley". This would lead me to the conclusion, that there is a statistic relation between the word "Walser" and "(weird) borders" ;-) You should definitively visit these places and create a video, if you haven't already done so...

  • @OndrooGaming
    @OndrooGaming 5 лет назад +3

    Good work differentiating between types of weird. I like that observation tower. Zinc has never been so interesting. Blimey that was exciting. You need to give your mum a credit at the end.

    • @TheTimTraveller
      @TheTimTraveller  5 лет назад

      If you're not careful I'll differentiate your type of weird next. But since you left a nice comment, have a present: assets.thermofisher.com/TFS-Assets/CAD/posters/Infographic-Zinc.pdf?icid=CAD_blog_metals_2017Dec

  • @farmcentralohio
    @farmcentralohio 4 года назад

    I like that your introduction thing that's on every video isn't a third of the video, seeing that on some channels gets annoying, so thanks. Your videos are good because they're like taking a quick trip to the location, I'll never be there, I don't need to know every detail lol You've got a good way of giving us a quick and interesting view of places.

  • @Danny-Germany
    @Danny-Germany 4 года назад +2

    Well done! Must have been much harder than climbing the Everest! 😁👍

  • @Pluggit1953
    @Pluggit1953 4 года назад +3

    Dutch band The Nits made an album called In The Dutch Mountains. 😀

  • @jelmerandredelaporte9775
    @jelmerandredelaporte9775 4 года назад +9

    its illegal to light fireworks in The Netherlands or Germany but its legal in Belgium

    • @pottierkurt1702
      @pottierkurt1702 4 года назад

      No it isn't

    • @wietzevanderwijk3169
      @wietzevanderwijk3169 4 года назад

      It is legal in the Netherlands and I am Dutch, so I know that.

    • @Monyato
      @Monyato 4 года назад +3

      Wietze Van Der Wijk nope, alleen op oud en nieuw

  • @Aelsenaer
    @Aelsenaer 2 года назад +1

    As a train geek I have to mention that there is also a train tunnel under the drielandenpunt from Germany to Belgium.

  • @TomGeller
    @TomGeller 4 года назад +2

    I'm an American immigrant to The Netherlands. Waalserberg reminds me of where I grew up in upstate New York.

  • @eksiarvamus
    @eksiarvamus 4 года назад +6

    This place is still higher than any point in Denmark, Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania.

    • @huisbaasbob1923
      @huisbaasbob1923 4 года назад +1

      Eat that Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania!

  • @1walkgirl
    @1walkgirl 5 лет назад +4

    Neat that is 20 minutes driving away :-)

  • @timm9631
    @timm9631 4 года назад

    Why do you not have a million subscribers? Informative and very funny! Keep them coming!

  • @EudaemoniusMarkII
    @EudaemoniusMarkII 4 года назад

    Loving your videos!

  • @FrisianDroneAviator
    @FrisianDroneAviator 2 года назад +3

    Correction: Holland are provinces in the Netherlands (North and South Holland). So this is not the highest point of Holland, but the Netherlands. And the hightest point of the kingdom of the Netherlands is in Saba.

  • @Urahara12squad
    @Urahara12squad 5 лет назад +3

    Like I said in the previous video. It is quite a boring place actually. I did not know about the fourth border.
    Nice video!

  • @robertschlesinger1342
    @robertschlesinger1342 4 года назад +1

    Interesting, strange, and very worthwhile video.

  • @justusilgner3647
    @justusilgner3647 4 года назад

    Hi Tim,
    just came across your channel and sorta swallowed four of your videos in one go (Vennbahn, Hambach, Vaalserberg and the Wuppertal Schwebebahn). Very entertaining!
    Here's another fun fact on Neutral Moresnet: The railway line (freight only) from Aachen West to Hombourg and further into Belgium and the Netherlands passes under the Drielandenpunt via the Gemmenich tunnel. Until 1914 there was popular riddle asking for the "longest tunnel in the world" - because it would pass under a whole country....

  • @effuah
    @effuah 4 года назад +8

    0:02 You clearly left the bus in Aachen, Germany, the border is a few meters futher west (as you see by the change of road signs)

    • @QemeH
      @QemeH 4 года назад

      This district of Aachen is called "Vaalserquartier", so he is correct ;P

    • @primus.interpares
      @primus.interpares 3 года назад +1

      @@QemeH Yeah, but Vaalserquartier is not Vaals...

    • @AkiWetzels
      @AkiWetzels 3 года назад +1

      @@QemeH sorry to say, he was not correct. He stepped out in Vaalsquartier, Germany, part of the city of Aachen. Crossing the border and you are in Vaals, The Netherlands. There are busses going from Aachen to Vaals, other busses only going close to the border. So he was still in Aachen, Germany

  • @kormiedema
    @kormiedema 4 года назад +16

    Hey, thanks for clarifying de viergrenzen weg. I was there this summer (and been there a few times) but didn't know that.
    B.T.W. in the winter there is not much happening, in summer is buzzing with people, and the stores an tourist info is also open.

  • @MAMuqsith
    @MAMuqsith 4 года назад

    Excellent to see your vlog...Danke schoen

  • @Luboman411
    @Luboman411 3 года назад

    LOL. I need to follow you more. Your sarcastic asides are exquisite. Had me in stitches the whole way through. I also learned that a pillow is considered a weapon in Germany. The more you know! ***Rainbow***

  • @MHG1023
    @MHG1023 4 года назад +4

    That Moresnet territory is quite an odd fact ...
    Having grown up nearby (on the German side, though) and although being - generally - interested into history of the area i did not know about Moresnet having been somewhat "independend" for some time.
    But I´m not really surprised something like that happened.
    Politics sometimes lead to really crazy developments.
    There´s likely more weird stuff like that in the area (not just the Vennbahn).
    Just have a look at the borderline between Herzogenrath (Germany) and Kerkrade (Netherlands) where the border runs along a street for almost 2 kms in the middle of that street.
    The streetname is "Nieuwstraat" on the Dutch side and Neustraße on the german side and both street names have literally the same meaning ("New Street" in English)
    ... where houses on one side of the street are in the Netherlands and houses on the opposite side of the street are in Germany.
    So, neighbours looking out of their respective front doors see their neighbours being in a different country ...
    See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neustra%C3%9Fe/Nieuwstraat_(Herzogenrath/Kerkrade)
    de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neustra%C3%9Fe_(Herzogenrath)
    The German version is much more elaborate on the circumstances.
    I have been many times in Moresnet but never stumbled over any hint regarding former "independence" ...
    Regarding "Holland" and "The Netherlands" it´s more a question of being politically correct or just following the mainstream.
    Holland is simply a province of The Netherlands ("Niederlande" in German) - and from the Drielandenpunt which is in the province Limburg - it is in a completely different corner of the country.
    Since the name "The Netherlands" is rather lengthy people (primarily the non-Dutch) found "Holland" to be much easier to use/pronounce and started to use it as a term for the whole country over time.

    • @barryjm
      @barryjm 2 года назад

      The Nieuwstraat in Kerkrade was an old Roman transport road, which were often used to denote borders. But this border is completely artificial. Limburg was part of Prussia before 1815, and was awarded to the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the treaty of Versailles (along with the area around Eupen). Only 15 years later would Eupen become part of the newly established Kingdom of Belgium. Each country handled the language issue differently. Limburg (most of which was originally French speaking) would become Dutch speaking and Eupen German speaking.

  • @ciri151
    @ciri151 3 года назад +5

    As a citizen from the pancake flat lands, this is hilarious!

  • @Avi2Nyan
    @Avi2Nyan 4 года назад

    I LOVED that you pronounced Moresnet the French way! I actually didn't know where the name came from, fun little fact. Thanks for including that!

    • @KraequhoS
      @KraequhoS 3 года назад

      Actually, we pronounce the -t in French. Ending with the "net" like the English net.

  • @petroleumalley
    @petroleumalley 3 года назад +2

    Be aware that now the Dutch Mountains have become popular among mountain climbers, the lower base camps have become very touristic.
    You will even find souvenir shops on the way to the top. Although these will be closed during the harsh winters of 6 months.

  • @Anthony_in_Bloomington_Indiana
    @Anthony_in_Bloomington_Indiana 4 года назад +3

    Good Day Tim! I especially appreciate your videos in The Netherlands and Holland because I am half Dutch.
    .
    I have never visited The Netherlands. The closest was Holland, Michigan. They have a a charming tourist attraction called Dutch Village. Holland is also on the shore of Lake Michigan, and the beach is beautiful!

  • @MrGreatplum
    @MrGreatplum 4 года назад +4

    Looks like you need a trip to Saba now to find the highest mountain in the Netherlands ;)
    Once again, an excellent video from a part of Europe that’s often neglected by tourists.

  • @CanyonWanderer
    @CanyonWanderer 4 года назад +1

    interesting! I learned something about my country (and the mysterious 4th border), many thanks!

    • @maartenj.vermeulen900
      @maartenj.vermeulen900 4 года назад +2

      Try to find the book written by Philip Dröge in 2016 called Moresnet. A very interesting book in Dutch about Moresnet! 😁

  • @ivanguthrie0420
    @ivanguthrie0420 4 года назад +1

    I used to sleep in my car in the fields at the foot of vaals just north of the gracht. I miss Maastricht so much. Really awesome town. It has castle ruins in the town. Very cool

  • @martijnkosters9024
    @martijnkosters9024 4 года назад +19

    The stone doesn’t actually mark the border point between the three countries. It is far to practically placed for one. Second, the actual border point is about 100m away behind the big pointy observation tower.
    Third: I’m also really fun at parties.

  • @DennisHartmann
    @DennisHartmann 4 года назад +6

    Greetings from Aachen ♥️

  • @ms.m2054
    @ms.m2054 4 года назад

    I love your sense of humor!

  • @Sotigris
    @Sotigris 2 года назад

    Great video!

  • @LodiJP
    @LodiJP 4 года назад +212

    calling this holland is like calling edinburgh england...

    • @Daan03
      @Daan03 4 года назад

      オランダ日本JN ik wil ook japans leren :))

    • @LodiJP
      @LodiJP 4 года назад +6

      DVDspeler Moet je doen; je vind het vast leuk. Ik werk als leraar Japans op de universiteit ^_^•

    • @FrietjeOorlog
      @FrietjeOorlog 4 года назад +1

      Hopelijk is je Japans beter dan je Nederlands ;)

    • @LodiJP
      @LodiJP 4 года назад +3

      Frietje Oorlog ik zie mijn typfout inderdaad. Beschamend, sorry. Maar ja mijn Japans is inderdaad ietwat beter dan mijn Nederlands.

    • @tubularcandy812
      @tubularcandy812 4 года назад +2

      オランダ日本JN zinloos vak.

  • @pascoeatze4329
    @pascoeatze4329 4 года назад +3

    At 2:59 - this looks like German journalist Claudia Zimmermann from "Games of Truth"! What a coincidence would THAT be?! 🤣

  • @tongyaozhang2580
    @tongyaozhang2580 4 года назад

    Thanks for also mentioning Neutral-Moresnet.

  • @josedacunhafilho
    @josedacunhafilho 4 года назад +1

    2:46 very good! Which brings to mind a fantastic marketing manoeuvre, that would be the largest complex of Coffeeshops in the country (a Coffeeshop Mall I'd say) right on top of that hill, and the slogan could be: "You Cannot Get Higher Anywhere Else in Holland"