Tag Archives: Belgium

Ghent Day Trip Visits a Castle, Brewery Gruut, and an Abbey

Posted on October 5, 2015 by waywardwine

Between Antwerp and Brussels, we make a day trip to Ghent. Why? Our worn out travel guide mentioned a fantastic castle, monastery, and a brewery. Done.

Ghent feels very medieval, sleepy, and just about to sink into its canals.

The narrow streets and minute bridges give this town of stone a cosines. We find Ghent castle: Gravensteen. Immediately, Monty Python quotes and songs bubble about our heads. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Beer, Belgium, Brewery, Europe, ghent, gruut brewery, tourism, travel | 1 Comment

Antwerp Belgium Pakhuis Brewery Rubens House

Posted on September 28, 2015 by waywardwine

Day 174. After merely a week in Holland, the beer of Belgium calls us. Last post (read here) we toured Rotterdam’s modern core, Delft factory, and enjoyed various beers. This EU Austerity Drinking Tour post, we take train to Antwerp.

We loved Holland. Yet Antwerp, this border town, decidedly looks south to Italy, France, and the extravagance of the Renaissance. We stow our luggage in its monumental opera house…I mean train station: Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged antwerp, art, Beer, Belgium, blond beer, Brewery, drinks, EU Austerity, Rubens, Stout, T Pakhuis, travel, Van Dyke, wine | 3 Comments

Pilgrims, Delft Tile, Modernity and Leffe and Chouffe Beer in Rotterdam Holland

Posted on September 14, 2015 by waywardwine

171 days of our EU Austerity Drinking Tour find us leaving Amsterdam’s fantastic beer, canals, and a windmill city for Rotterdam.

With the end of our trip a month out and 12 countries under our belt, we city hop more efficiently now. I do not draw or photograph as much. My wife barely keeps a journal of each day. We just hit the ground running, see, drink, and eat cheaply but with great diversity. Winter and public transport also limit the amount we cram in.

So, Rotterdam: a sleek, gray city of international trade and business. Amsterdam it is not. In honor of modern Rotterdam, we stay in a hostel made of Orwellian Rubix Cubes. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Beer, Belgium, Delfthaven, dutch, Holland, Rotterdam, rubix cube, travel | 4 Comments

Wine for July 4th: Qupé Syrah, Central Coast, California 2011

Posted on July 3, 2014 by waywardwine

US Soccer may have lost, albeit heroically, to Belgium (a country about the size of Maryland) in the Fifa World Cup 2014 knockout stages.

But crying is un-American. We have the explosive bombast of July 4th to distract ourselves with this Friday. Better yet, we can watch France lose to Germany. So dab those (non-existent) tears with the flag. Fire up that meat-annihilating grill. And grab a bottle of American wine.

Qupé, Syrah, Central Coast, California 2011 Continue reading →