Well, there has not been a day yet that failed to be an adventure, and today was no exception. As I am writing this, it is roughly 10:30pm here - we just returned. Just like Denmark, no one told us it was a 3 hour and 15 minute ride (one-way) to our destination. I guess I could have Googled it last night, but I secretly did not want to know how bad it was going to be :) Anyhow, during our ride our driver got lost and had to ask for directions. That was the second time he stopped the bus with no warning. The first time he stopped the bus because he had to go to the bathroom, didn't bother telling us what was going on though. After our surprise stops, nearly hitting a 3 year old and hearing/watching her mother grab her from the street and scream, and nearly (seriously) crashing in a construction zone, we made it to the brewery.
The drive:
The name of the brewery sounds like a sneeze when you pronounce it properly, and it turns out that all we could see was a tank because the rest of the process was too hygienic for us to enter. So we listened to a 20 minute briefing on their beer. Here is the crash course: (1) It is world famous (2) 50% goes to kegs (3) 70% is for export (4) they have 5 beers: Achouffe (blonde), Macchouffe (dark), Bachchouffe (in honor of Holland, their number one customer), Icechouffe (which is their winter beer, traditionally these are called Christmas beers but not at this brewery), and finally is a blonde beer that she referred to as extremely bitter, she also referred to it with an acronym that I can't remember, but she said that one was for their US customers.
There, now you know, and have seen everything Lindsey and I learned and saw at the brewery. Oh, and they bottle the beer 4 kilometers away, at another plant. After that exciting educational outing, they attempted to hand out souveiners (hat and cup) and a coin for a tasting beer at the pub-our foreign bus mates nearly killed each other for these - Lindsey said that you would have thought they were handing out a million dollars. Then they loaded us back on the bus and we drove to a dark, disgusting pub, with a French bartender that was yelling at one of the Koreans that was with us.
You were supposed to trade your coin for one sample. At this point in the day it is nearly 2pm and we have not eaten. The pub serves food so we were thinking that was the lunch spot, but remember, nothing is ever explained. Then after Lindsey and I get water, and the Mexican lady next to us ordered food (she was the only person out of 30-and by the way she never followed instructions) we are told that there is no time for drinks and food, we must hurry to our "lunch appointment." Fine. We get back on the bus. Again. And drive to somewhere else, get out, walk up hill, over a bridge to the wrong building, leave that one, go in the other (I have failed to mention we had a staff member from ICoMST with us the whole time, she was our "handler" so we are following her with no explanation through this entire experience). We finally arrive at a room with set tables, complete with water and bread. Lindsey and I drank almost two liters of water while waiting for some unknown reason. An hour passes and someone gets curious enough to ask our handler why it is after three and we still are not eating. We were apparently waiting for another tour to catch up with us because both tours ended in Bastogne and the other tour "did not respect their time" and were over an hour late. Finally they show, and Dr. Harris and Amanda King informed us that thier so called meat plant tour was anything but. The plant wasn't running because they had the tour coming in, so the tour watched labeling of boxes. They were not very satisfied with their experience. Lunch was finally served. Three courses....(1) mysterious crusteacean/fishy manicotti/enchilada served with an entire creature as a garnish - couldn't do it. (2) veal [2 loin chops, 1 blade chop] it was practically non-exsistent, I tasted but didn't truely eat it. The potato was fine, and there was a tomato quiche and a mushroom quiche, they were fine too. (3) pear tart with vanilla bean ice cream - best part of the meal was the ice cream :)
After lunch we reload the buses, now with our sister tour in tow. We travel to Bastonge, which was absolutely beautiful, this whole country is. I am convinced the cattle and the sheep are all double-muscled, and dog is certainly man's best friend. Green pastures, beautiful flowers, EVERYONE owns cattle, there were retail shops, pastry shops, chocolate shops, meat shops - it was really something. Our tour guide through Bastogne was a surviver who watched his father die at the hands of the Germans in 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge, he was really amazing too. He said that as Americans we are at home there, thanks to our country's contribution and aid to them during that time. There are American flags everywhere. We started by an American tank that was hit twice during the war. We then went to the American monument in Bastonge, viewed a crypt dedicated to the American lives lost, and finally went the the final resting place of 7,000 German soldiers. Although the Germans were the enemy at that time, after the war, Germany was broke and could not afford to have the bodies of their men transported home, so the bodies remain in Bastogne. Everything was so beautiful, so American friendly, and our tour guide was so good, it really made the day worth it.
Dedicated to the 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. Armed Forces:
The Belgians chose the 4th of July to break ground on this monument:
Each state is represented on the monument:
Views from the top:
Belgian Blue herd:
German cemetery:
After a crash course in the history of Bastogne, we reloaded the bus and headed back. Which 4 hours later, brings me to where I am now. I think we are about to go to bed, we have the banquet late tomorrow night, and then we are up extremely early Friday to leave for Paris, so I will post the best that I can tomorrow. Bye for now!
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