Category Archives: Travels

Being Human, Jibber Jabber, Travels

Coastal Excursion

D and I decided to visit the Netherlands’s coast today, in the middle of a September heat wave. 😛

The Netherlanders are quite different from the Walloons we encountered two days ago. That was to be expected though; given the different country, language, and mentality. But heck, they are also different from the Flemish. And these are people who speak the same language and live in the same region. What different nationalities can do to people. China looks upon my face, says the one with Chinese, Singaporean and Malaysian ancestry.

Anyway, D and I had yet another wonderful and fun-filled afternoon excursion.

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Belgium, Travels

Nivelles & Villers

This afternoon, D and I went on a road trip to Wallonia. We visited a park, a church, the city Nivelles, drank the local beers, and then visited Abbaye de Villers. When we were done roaming (and hiking) about the ruins, we stopped by the on-site bistro, drank some more beers and ate charcuterie. It was a wonderful afternoon excursion.

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Belgium, Events, Food & Drinks, Travels

Beers, Friends & Simple Things

Yesterday afternoon, D and I went to a beer festival in Ghent. The weather was great. People were happily drinking and chatting. The beers were cold, delicious, and interesting.

After that, we went to Bruges for a garden party. That too was a lovely time spent amongst friends.

Today, D and I are taking it easy. I made a batch of carrot top pesto and two bottles of grenadine infused water.

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Events, Food & Drinks, Numbers, Travels

International Beers & Family Barbecue

Yesterday after dinner, D and I cycled six kilometres to the International Beer Festival in Zwevegem. The weather was great, there were a lot of people and the beer selection was interesting and tasty. Highlight of the evening was cycling back home in the dark after midnight! Say what you want… but twelve kilometres of cycling is an accomplishment for me. 😉

Today, we got invited by the parents to have a barbecued lunch. In such, we decided to spend time with family, took it easy and not go to the second day of the international beer festival.

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Being Human, Belgium, Flashbacks, Travels

Bye Again Kat

This afternoon, D and I went to a friend’s home for a simple birthday gathering. It was also sort of a farewell party because Kat (not the birthday girl), whom I have known from integration class more than a decade ago, will be leaving for the Philippines after living in Belgium for three years. Kat did the same ten years ago. She left, after being in Belgium for a year, for a better future.

Kat’s departure saddens me a little. But if someone will be happier somewhere else, then I am all for it. I have crossed oceans several times for a better life, I will never be against life-path-corrections, regardless of age.

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Belgium, Health, Jibber Jabber, Travels

Last Day Of June

Today, I have a dental appointment at 2.25 in the afternoon. D suggested biking there, he will accompany me. My front tire was flat when I pushed the bike out of the shed. It was promptly fixed, and we were on our way to Kortrijk in no time.

We were only about a third of the journey when my tire started to loose air quickly. Damn, cycling with a half-deflated front tire was a struggle I never want to experience again. Fortunately, even though I was about ten minutes late to the check-up, I was asked to wait because the dentist was still occupied with the patient before me. That gave me some much needed time to cool down and sweat it out in the waiting area. 😛

While I was getting my teeth checked and cleaned, D was off to look for a pump, in which he found at a café a block away. When I walked out of the clinic, my bike tire was pumped but started to deflate again.

We went back to the café for the pump, but the tire was no longer fixable at this point. So, I pushed the bike to a park a few blocks away, and waited, while D biked home to get the car.

All is well in the end. But what a day this has been. The last day of the month, my teeth were cleaned and I have one flat bike tire.

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Belgium, Jibber Jabber, Travels

Roses, Heat Wave & Water

Yesterday afternoon, D and I went to the 40th edition of Rozenfeest (Roses Festival) in Kortrijk. The lengthy heat wave and drought has done the roses in. The blooms were very sad looking. On the bright side of things, the white mansion (kasteel) on site was opened to the public this year, showcasing an exhibition of flower arrangements from a local school.

I have to smile when my mom reminded me that her obsession for roses was tamed by our visit to this particular rose garden many years ago.

This Monday afternoon, D and I did our monthly bulk purchases, the second time. We were out of sparkling water! Again, I am blaming the lengthy heat wave. With a second bulk grocery run, June’s food budget is busted. I did set a very stingy (almost unbelievable) balance in the first place. And secondly, meat and expensive taste for various kind of carbonated drinks are things that we will enjoy for a while.

You only die once, you live every day… 😉

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Belgium, Events, Travels

Nocturnal Shopping & Knokke

Two days ago, there was a nocturnal shopping event at a garden and pond center. After a light dinner, D and I departed from home at around eight o’clock, determined to buy a certain pond filter that D had his sight on. Unfortunately, these were completely sold out even before this particular event. Ah well, D bought two filter balls, which entitled us to a serving of pasta and a glass of beer each. Pasta was out when we were queuing up, fortunately while drinking our cold beers. So the coupons are for next time, and by then D and I may chose to have hamburgers or braadworst.

Yesterday while having lunch, D proposed that we go to Knokke in the afternoon. What am I supposed to say to that?! 🙂

It was a hell lot of walking in Knokke! So much so that we needed to rest and drink at a beach bar. D had two cocktails, whereas I kept to non-alcoholic drinks. I have learned to pace myself when surrounded by the known triggers of fainting: suffocating heat, loud noises, alcohol and too much food. I was not risking it…

The best part of Knokke was the walk on the beach. Shoes and socks off, feet in the cooling seawater, refreshing sea breeze, and the scenery.

When we reached home, after an hour drive, we grilled a sea bream (dorade in Dutch) for dinner. Our barbecue meal also included some grilled potato wedges, and a lettuce salad.

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