The Beer Bib

Ahh Belgium! I’ve been here two weeks to the day and it has been fantastic times! I’ve had a lot of experiences and some nice down time as well. I’ve been getting to cook, which makes me really happy and have spent a lot of time exploring the region. Hikes and runs have brought me past homes with rivers running through their backyards, exceptional tree houses and my favorite, an incredible array of mailboxes. People in Belgium really take their mailboxes quiet seriously and I’ve attached a few photos to give you an idea of what I’m talking about.

On May 15th my adventures took me on an 8 mile loop up to a local monument, The Drie Landen Punt which is the point where Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands come together. It is also the top of the Vaalser Berg (321 meters/1053 feet); the highest point in the Netherlands. Needless to say, it's not that high but when you're looking out onto some of the flattest terrain in all of Europe, you feel pretty gosh darn elevated! When I first arrived, driving around I kept seeing these dead branches everywhere covered in streamers. I couldn't figure out why there were huge branches, sometimes full blown trees, dead and winded, scattered all over the local towns. Well I finally asked someone and apparently the Belgians have a holiday in the beginning of May where they chop down a yound tree, douse it in streamers and then literally attach it to their girlfriend's house. And I mean really attach it! Either to the side of the building itself or to the light poll out front. The tree proceeds to die and the streamers become saggy and discoolored, yet the testament of adoration remains for all to see.
As I'm in Belgium, I'm taking full advantage of what this country has to offer...incredibly large ice cream cones (2 scoops for E1,40), Frites (French fries) and of course Belgian Beer! I've become a big fan of a little sleeve of paper I like to call the beer bib. As I'm sure you've heard the Belgy's take their beer incredibly seriously! In fact, they think it's the best in the world and have all sorts of rituals and stories surrounding even the easiest of tasks...pouring the beer into the glass. So I should not have been suprised when I discovered the beer bib in all it's glory. You see, when you go to a restaurant or a pub and order a beer, it comes in a beautiful goblet and around the small stem at the bottom is a sort of doily or coaster. Not under the glass, but around it. At first, I didn't know what to think, then it hit me...this is a little bib for the dribbles that may float over the rim of the glass. How posh!

I've spent a lovely few days with my friends over in the Flemish region of Belgium, I'll make them lasagna tonight and tomorrow I'm off to my favorite city in the world...Paris! I'll stay with my uncle and on Friday we'll go visit a castle :)

A bientot

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Nathalie