Understand
While pretty much unknown to foreigners, Het Gooi is easily the most well-known region of the Netherlands among the Dutch population. It's known for the wealth of its inhabitants, the broadcasting industry and its high property values. Many of its inhabitants are Dutch celebrities working in Hilversum, the "media capital" of the country and home to the largest television studios in Europe.
Since the 17th century this area has been popular with rich traders from Amsterdam, who bought and built many vacation homes here. With the introduction of radio and later television, broadcasting organizations set up shop in these luxury villas in and around Hilversum. It became a magnet for the rich and famous, most of whom currently live in Laren and Blaricum, two of the wealthiest municipalities of the country.
A conversation with the average Dutchman about the region will probably bring up adjectives like "arrogant" and "snobby". The typical Gooi "r" is not rolled as it is in standard Dutch pronunciation. This is not a historical dialect, but a modern speech trait that was brought in during the 19th-century by rich newcomers. Many Dutch people don't like this speech pattern as it would show arrogance to the general populace, but it is influential among upper class citizens nonetheless. Another term that shows a negative association with the region is "Gooi parking" Gooisch parkeren, which is the casual parking of high-priced SUVs outside permitted parking places.
Unlike most of the country, the Gooi area is located on a slightly hilly area with the soil based on sand. The landscape is characterized by forests and heathlands. An exception to this is the Wijdemeren area, most of which consists of flat grasslands, polders and lakes. At hot summer days, many locals come here to sail their boat over the lakes.
