Belgium Living

The unexpected and unplanned outings always seem to be the most fun in the end.  Cherise and I went to go pick An-Li up from Brussels International Airport after her visit to Spain.  Believe it or not the traffic in Belgium makes Midrand/Johannesburg traffic look good.  The traffic was so bad on the way back that we decided to be touristy instead of sitting in traffic for hours.  On a whim we decided to visit the Atomium monument in Brussels.  At 102 metres high it represents an elementary iron crystal enlarged 165 billion times and has nine interconnected spheres.  Afterwards we took to the street of Brussels to look for something to eat.  We ended up at a typical Italian pizza place.

The Atomium Monument and pizza dinner afterwards

Only in Belgium!  This is not the red light district but the "Drop & Go"at Brussels International Airport

With this weather you have to get a bit creative with your training routine.  I recently discovered what keeps Cherise on the indoor trainer…  The stories of Frikkadel, Boeboe en Worsie out of the Vetkoek Paleis (South African Afrikaans comedy show) in Nigel.  Who would have thought that this is all it takes?!  I have been caught in ice rain the past two days while out training so maybe tomorrow I will see if this works for me as well.

Cherise hooked on Vetkoek Paleis

Riding along the canal is part of our daily routine but it never gets boring.  The scary hissing geese usually provide some entertainment.  We have mastered the art of getting around these scary creatures.  You have to wait until another rider pass you before the geese section and then follow closely so that the other person scares away the geese and gives you a safe path to navigate.  Yesterday it was a cargo boat that unloaded a bit too much of its cargo which lifted it out of the water and barely made it through under the bridge.  We stared as the boat approached the bride and could see it literally back pedalling.  Much to their amusement we were cheering as they pass through under the bridge by what looked to be a centimetre or two.  I guess having a little baggage to weigh you down is not such a bad thing after all.

How is this for living on the edge?!

When in Belgium, do as the Belgians do so I decided to try some local Belgium beer.  It is no Castle!  With an 8.4% Alc content it surely is beer for the brave only.  When it comes to red wine I still say: oos, wes, tuis bes.

Beer for the Brave and a proudly South African Kanonkop Red Wine

It has been really nice to have the Team MTN Qhubeka men also here in Belgium.  No better way to catch up and listen to their race stories than a coffee shop ride from Ninove to Aalst Centrum.

Coffee shop ride with the boys to Aalst Centrum and the nice Trek bikes taking over the square