Wedding season

Oooooookay, once again it's been a month (actually a bit more) since my last post...yikes! I've been keeping busy though, working, finishing up the spring French class, running a few more races, hosting the visit of our friends Jim and Grace, and traveling for a few weddings! That's the subject of this post in fact, the weddings of two sets of friends that we've attended in the past month or so.

First, Tom & Jen got hitched on May 9th at a gorgeous chateau in Ciney, Belgium. It's about an hour south of Brussels, and the chateau itself is outside the town and on some beautiful grounds. They rented the whole place for the week and stayed there with their out of town family and friends, and we came down for an overnight to attend the ceremony and reception. The pictures hopefully convey just how beautiful the setting of this place is...it's gorgeous, and everyone had a great time! (Photo credit to Inez Summers for the group shot of all the BSIS "gang")

Next up was the wedding of our friends Volker & Johanna, which was held last Thursday in their hometown of Tübingen, Germany. It's in the state of Baden-Württemburg, about 40 minutes south of Stuttgart. If you're a regular reader you'll recall that we spent this past Christmas with them as well, so we were very excited to go back and see their families again, and enjoy the warmer weather this time around! The ceremony was held in the Alstadt (Old Town), in the castle complex at the top of the hill with a beautiful view over the city. Later, the reception was held in a hotel/restaurant complex the nearby city of Reutlingen, in another beautiful setting overlooking the town from high above. The day after the wedding we headed over to Munich for a few days...more on that in the next post!

Congratulations to all of you, and thank you for including us in your special days!!

Alsace & Lorraine

Wow, has it been a month? It seems there's nothing like the re-starting of full-time work to slow down the pace of blogging! April was a busy month, but there wasn't much to report on up until our trip last weekend to the Alsace and Lorraine regions of France, in the northeast of the country. This place had been on my must-see list for some time, so when the same professors who led the trip to Normandy last year announced they would also do this trip, we had to sign up! Like last year, several of our friends from Carl's school went along as well, so we had a nice little group to enjoy the trip with.

Alsace/Lorraine have at different times been part of both France and Germany, so both regions offers visitors a really interesting mix of the two cultures. Rolling hills, low mountains and several rivers also make it a very scenic area, so all around it's a very appealing place. In Alsace, we visited the cities of Strasbourg and Colmar, as well as the town of Riquewihr along the wine road where we got to sample some Alsatian wine. Also in this region was the World War II concentration camp of Natzweiler-Struthof, which was in a beautiful setting on a hilltop with amazing views, but despite that was obviously a rather depressing place.

In Lorraine, we visited the city of Metz, which I was a bit surprised to find was incredibly beautiful and had a very Roman feel to it. I'd never really heard much about the city before going there but I have to say it was probably my personal favorite of the places we visited, with Strasbourg a close second. Finally, also in Lorraine we visited Fort Hackenberg, an underground post along the Maginot Line, which was a network of fortifications built by France during the period between the first and second World Wars to defend against a German attack (obviously it did not succeed). It was another place that was in a beautiful setting but with a not so beautiful story behind it.

Photos:
#1 Strasbourg
#2 Natzweiler-Struthof
#3 Metz cathedral
#4 The University of Kent "gang" along with our trip leaders Dr. Palo and Madame Delsemme
#5 View from outside one of the installations at Fort Hackenberg

Finished, and Still Among the Living!

So we both finished today, and all is well. I had a great run, was on track to meet my goal of 4:15 up through the 30th kilometer, but at that point it became clear that I just couldn't keep up that pace all the way until the end. So in the end I finished with a time of 4:23:36, but I'm not disappointed in the least because it's still 11:33 better than I did last year! :-)

Carl sadly didn't have it so easy - the poor guy (AGAIN!) came into this race with an injury that wasn't healed, and this time it was even worse for him than last year. I'm pretty sure he was in significant pain for the entire race, but he perservered and didn't give up when I'm sure most people (I include myself here as well) surely would have done so. He finished with a time of 5:23:26, and I'm very proud and impressed that he managed that under the circumstances. He did great, and I REALLY hope he'll be healthy for his next race and be able to run the kind of time he deserves to have!

Okay well I'm completely exhausted so will sign off now, in the hopes of perhaps squeezing in a nap before dinner. Thanks everyone for all of the encouragement, kind words and positive thoughts you've sent our way!

Paris Marathon, 33rd Edition

While sitting on a rather long metro ride to get back to the hotel after the expo this evening, I was reading the small guide they printed with information about this year's marathon. In it was a page of statistics, some of which I found pretty interesting and thought I'd share with you.

• This year there are 37,000 runners registered, which is 2,000 more than last year. A whopping 82.5% of them are male, leaving only 17.5% women! I have no idea why that is; I think the distribution is much closer to even in the US, but here I think that percentage breakdown is about the norm. Perhaps European women just aren't into distance running as much as their American counterparts, but who knows for sure?!?
• Of this year's registrants, 69% are from France and 31% other countries.
• The country with the biggest representation besides France is the UK with 5,078 runners registered. Belgium is #4 with 716 and the US is right behind at #5 with 708. And in case you're wondering, Carl and I were classified based on our residence, so we're counted as representatives of Belgium. Allez, Belgique!! :-) **FOLLOW-UP: It turns out I was wrong on this point. Since we paid with a US account it turns out we were actually counted in the tally of Americans.
• When the first Paris marathon was run in 1977, there were just 87 finishers - last year there were 28,844!
• The fastest times ever run on this course were 2:06:33 for the men, 2:23:05 for the women. If all goes perfectly I hope to be able to reach the halfway mark around the time the male record holder crossed the finish line. Kind of puts that in perspective doesn't it?

As I write this I'm sitting in the lobby of our hotel, because the wi-fi connection doesn't reach into the rooms. I've seen a number of runners pass through, either going for light jogs or carrying the little "goodie bags" they give out when you pick up your race bib and t-shirt. I struck up a conversation with one of them, a guy from Denmark named Claes, who extended us an invitation to stay with he and his family if we ever want to visit Copenhagen - seriously! Marathoners are a friendly bunch, and there's definitely a "fraternity" of sorts shared among those who have conquered this distance. If all goes well, tomorrow I'll join the "extra special" group of crazies who have willingly subjected themselves to this torture more than once!! Kidding of course. ;-)

Look for the post-race update tomorrow afternoon!

Paris - Part Deux

In two more days we're off to Paris to run the marathon for the second time. We're both excited and nervous, although having an idea of what to expect certainly takes the edge off the nerves a bit. For me this is also going to be the last marathon, at least for a while. The training is just so time consuming and hard on the body that I've decided to stick to the (comparatively) shorter distances of half-marathon and below.

I'm feeling good going into the race, except for the fact that I'm just now getting over a moderate case of food poisoning. I should be totally fine by Sunday though, so I'm not too worried about any negative effects from it. Carl, on the other hand, has been battling a calf strain for almost 3 weeks, and is just getting back near 100% now, so we'll have to wait and see how it holds up. Send some healing thoughts his way, I know he'll appreciate it!

We're off to Paris early Saturday afternoon and will return Monday, so it's a short trip compared to last year. That was a necessity though, because Carl has to get back to work and I have my new job starting next Tuesday as well! We should have wifi access at our hotel so I will do a blog update on Sunday afternoon (like last year, by 4 PM CET, which is 10 AM Eastern) to let everyone know how it turned out. Hopefully it will be all good news!!

Belgian Culinary Delights

"A country with distinct Flemish (Dutch) and French influences, including language, it is sometimes said that Belgium serves food with the quantity of Germany and the quality of France."

--The Global Gourmet

We've been living in Belgium for a little over a year and a half now, and it's occurred to me that although I enjoy the cuisine very much, I really haven't learned how to make any of the traditional Belgian dishes myself. When it comes to cooking at home I've largely stuck to things I already know how to do, but I think now it's time to "branch out" a bit! I have a few more weeks remaining before I start my new job (on April 7th), so between now and then I'm going to try making a few well-known Belgian recipes at home, and will let everyone know via the blog how things turn out! But first, a little introduction to some of the best Belgian dishes (besides mussels and fries) is in order.

From the Flanders region, one recipe I've really been wanting to try is for Flemish Carbonnade, or "Vlaamse Stoverij" in Dutch. It's a Flemish version of the French beef stew, using (of course!) beer instead of wine as a base. It's very hearty, flavorful and one of my favorites! Another dish which I actually have yet to try is "Waterzooi", which hails from my favorite Flemish city of Ghent and means "watery mess" (the Flemish have a terrific sense of humor!). It's another stew, cream-based and usually made with either fish or chicken. It sounds tasty so I think I might give it a try sometime!

The Wallonian cuisine is heavily French-influenced so you see a lot of French recipes, but the Wallonians have also created their own niche, including many ways of serving game (think duck or rabbit) and some really terrific cheeses. I haven't found any really well-known "signature" recipes, perhaps because of the sheer variety of ways in which different items are prepared. I can say though, that some of the best meals I've had in Belgium were in Wallonia, so I'll look up a few recipes, give them a try and see if I can do them any justice!

Have any comments or recipe suggestions to add? By all means post them under the "Comments" section if you do!

Chocolate!!

While trying to overcome my blogger's block and make good on my promise to write more often, I received a suggestion to do a post about the fabulous chocolate of Belgium (thanks Mom!). I frankly can't believe I never thought to do this before, especially considering that I've written individual posts about beer and fries already! So let's add chocolate to the list - then I can say that I've covered what I think most people would agree are the three greatest edible/drinkable claims to fame of this fascinating little country!

I've perhaps mentioned it in passing, but let me state it clearly: the quality and variety of tasty chocolate confections available here is world famous, and justifiably so! The main reason for this is the strict quality standards that Belgium has had in place for many years and has continued to uphold, even as the EU has relaxed its requirements (yes, the EU has passed regulations addressing the content of chocolates produced within its borders!). The tradition of Belgian chocolate making goes back several hundred years, and in many cases chocolatier families have been in business for generations, passing down their closely guarded recipes from one family member to the next.

Most of the chocolates sold in shops are pralines, which are essentially a thin chocolate coating filled with almost anything you can imagine (for example fruit, coffee, hazelnut or more chocolate), in a nougat or creme form. They come in many shapes, and are often beautifully decorated to the point where you almost feel badly about eating them...almost! ;-)

Since most of my readers are American, I'll also briefly touch upon how Belgian chocolate differs from what is typically produced in the US. The most notable difference is the sugar content; Belgian chocolates are a lot less sweet than their American counterparts, which also means they are not as high in calories - a nice bonus indeed! That lack of extreme sweetness, combined with the quality of the ingredients, allows the flavors of the chocolate and fillings to really take center stage, with truly amazing results!!

Mmm...tomorrow sounds like a great day to pay a little visit to my neighborhood chocolate shop! :-)

Blogger's Block and BIG NEWS!!

I've been suffering from a pretty severe case of blogger's block lately, probably because things have been relatively quiet up until this past week. We haven't done any traveling, and my mind just wasn't coming up with any interesting ideas to write about. So the blog has been neglected a bit; my apologies to my faithful readers who keep checking, and with the apology is a promise that I will get back into the swing of it and start writing a bit more often!

Now, on to the second half of my post title. On Friday afternoon I received some excellent news that both Carl and I have been waiting for months to hear. I've been offered a job here in Brussels!! It's with a company called ARC Europe, which is both an umbrella organization for automobile clubs around Europe and a seller of roadside assistance services to automobile manufacturers, who in turn provide those services to their customers under warranty. I'll be working in the second area, in their reporting and analysis group. It's a combination of IT/database work and statistical/financial analysis, which is right up my alley as a data and finance "geek". I'm also really excited about the company, because it's a very international work environment (about 16 nationalities represented among only 40 employees!) and I really like the atmosphere and all of the people I've met there. The process of getting the work permit will begin this coming week, and we've set a tentative start time of the first or second week of April. Exciting times, and although I'm sure there will be a period of re-adjustment to the "working world", I am thrilled to get back in the action!!

The Trappist Tradition

I know I've mentioned the impressive array of truly excellent beer available in Belgium before, and the country's reputation for brewing is certainly known worldwide. There is however, a small category of beers for which Belgium is particularly famous, and that is the Trappist brews.

The Trappists are a branch of the Cisterian order of monks, and they live in about 170 monasteries around the world. They support themselves primarily through manual labor and the sale of goods produced at the monastery. For seven of the Trappist monasteries, that includes beer brewed by the monks themselves, and six of these are located in Belgium (the 7th is in the Netherlands). To be called a Trappist beer, there are strict rules surrounding the brewing process, and laws exist to prevent the misuse of the title by non-Trappist operations.

The seven Trappist abbey-breweries are:
Achel
Chimay
Koningshoeven (Netherlands)
Orval
Rochefort
Westmalle
Westvleteren

Having tasted five of these seven beers (all except Koningshoeven and Westvleteren), I can tell you that they are among the best you'll find anywhere. Chimay is my personal favorite, my favorite beer in the world in fact! Carl's favorite is Westmalle, and we both recently cemented our "fan" status by purchasing the official glasses of both beers so we can enjoy the full Trappist beer experience at home!

Cheers!!

Beautiful Baden-Württemburg!

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a safe, happy and healthy holiday! As I mentioned in a previous post, we spent Christmas with our friends Volker and Johanna in Tübingen, in Baden-Württemburg state in Germany, and then returned to Brussels for New Year's Eve. We had a wonderful time in Germany, and as always I have some photos and commentary to share!

First up of course, is Tübingen. It's a university town of about 88,000, located approximately 30 minutes drive south of Stuttgart, and it's absolutely beautiful...think cozy riverfront Alstadt (old town) complete with half-timbered buildings, cathedral and hilltop castle. The best part was that it's the hometown of our good friends, so we had very knowledgeable guides and the unbelievably warm hospitality of their families. We were made to feel so welcome, almost like we were part of the family! It was truly a memorable holiday and we can't wait to go back in June to attend their wedding!

While we were there we also had some time for daytrips, one to the small town of Gosbach (SE of Stuttgart), where our friends from Portland, Andreas and Lyndsay, were visiting his family for the holidays. Andreas' parents fed us a terrific traditional Swabian lunch (one of several spectacular meals we enjoyed); afterwards we hiked to the top of one of the small mountains above town, then back down into the neighboring town to warm up in the hot spring pools located there. We followed that with dinner at a local restaurant and board games back at the house, topping off a great day. Thanks guys!!

Finally, on our last day in Germany we drove about 90 minutes southwest to Freiburg, a city of just over 200,000 people on the western edge of the Black Forest, close to the French border. The drive crossed over some beautiful mountain terrain before dropping back down into the valley where the city is located. We enjoyed the old town for a few hours, had lunch in a great brewery and visited the big cathedral called the Münster, located on a very picturesque square in the center of the old town. One of the original city gates also remains, but sadly any photos of it are ruined by a huge McDonald's sign prominently featured on the adjoining building...they did at least avoid using the bright yellow and red colors but still, couldn't they have found somewhere ELSE to put that??

On the 28th we returned to Brussels, and spent New Year's Eve with friends at a party that was conveniently located only 3 blocks away...which came in quite handy when we stayed there until 4:30 AM!! :-)

Photo #1: Riverfront of Tübingen, with the Alstadt to the right
Photo #2: the Christmas tree at Johanna's mother's house - with REAL CANDLES!!
Photo #3: side of the Münster cathedral, Freiburg
Photo #4: Happy New Year!