Hi Ho Bauer take 7 - Belgian Beer Tour - Part II, Brugge

Following our epic night of beer heaven in Antwerp, we hopped on the train to Bruges, which is about 2 hours from Antwerp, with a change in Ghent. A beautiful day in Bruges greeted us as we checked into our hotel, which was only a 3 minute walk from the main square. We stayed at Hotel Cordoeanier, which is around a hundred euros and has a nice bar that has a nice selection of beers. The morning after I had to work and the hotel owner was kind enough to let me work in the bar. After I was done he served me a rare Struise beer, which was yummy. 

After we checked in we took advantage of the beautiful weather and took a boat tour of the canals. The 45 minute tour takes a good stab at getting a whistle stop tour of the city under the belt. You can get on the boat at a few different places around the city. 

After the canal tour, we realised we were off track and needed to hit up a couple bars. 'T Brugs Beertje was the first great pub to quench our thirst. We again had four great beers, this post was meant to list all the beers at all the bars we went to but it got misplaced somewhere in our flat and tossed, apologies for that as this would've been a great post to share the great beer we sampled.

We then headed along the canal to Auberghe Vlissinghe, which is said to be the oldest pub in Bruges, since 1515. The main room of the pub resembles what I picture an old guild hall with great wood paneling, a warm fireplace (when lit) and old wooden tables.

Oh yeah, and lots of great old paintings.

Following the bar it was back along the canals to dinner. I don't remember the name mostly because it isn't too memorable. Yet again we didn't get a chance to ascend the old tower to see the city, which would've been nice. However, walking the canals and sitting in the square is really all one needs to do in Bruges.

Of course it is important to take in the old square at sunset, a majestic sight. If you have a chance, spend the night here as most of the day tourists stay in Brussels or elsewhere and the city is much more serene and beautiful at night.

Once the girls went to bed, we went to the final bar of the night, De Garre. Again, down a little alley, the pub also oozes character and is a must visit in the old town, capping a great trip to Bruges! Will we be back.....stay tuned.

Hi Ho Bauer take 7 - Belgian Beer Tour - Antwerp and Brussels, Belgium

The keen observer (who must also be a beer Pilgrim) would quickly identify the beers in focus and perhaps the setting depicted in the blurry background, as that is how most remember it, blurry. The Kulminator was the second famous beer bar visited in one day....after visiting the Delirium Cafe earlier in the day. What is so monumental about this you ask? While one is in Brussels and one in Antwerp of course...

...and that my friends and family, sums up our whirlwind derby across Belgium over the late May bank holiday weekend. Admittedly, that is how far I am on these posts. Actually typing this after a long Friday nights' work....in Malta. The bad part about this is the workload lately; the nice part about this is that I am sitting on the balcony of my Maltese hotel (Hilton), catching a beautiful pinkish-orange sunset glistening off the still blue waters of the Mediterranean. Yes, there are worse places to be subjected to work.

The trip started on the last Friday of May in London. It started with a bang and a sad note alike, as it was our last meal with Stu and Kate before they returned home. A quite emotional meal as our time with them in London was terrific and we will be visiting them during the ski season in the Rockies! Kate and Stu were nice enough to share a huge credit at Redhook in Clerkenwell, which was amazing!! Us and the Bauer's are thankful for being fed so well! Did I mention that before the meal we tried my order of Abstrakt 6 Black IPA produced by Brewdog, one of my favorite UK breweries?

As the title suggests, Dr. Bauer and his counterpart, Drs. Bauer, have joined us once again. A historic 7th time. Not sure if they wanted to visit or if they saw that Betch had visited again and were determined to retain sole possession of top visitor of our 7.5 year adventure...that's once a year for those not counting (Borgie).

The next morning it was to the Eurostar, which departs from St. Pancras station and takes about 2.5 hours to make it to Brussels midi. Note when taking the Eurostar, it pays serious dividends to book well in advance as you can get to Paris or Brussels from London for about £150 return, and saving all the check-in and transportation to the airport time gives you extra time to do things like see one of the most overrated sites in the world, Manikin Pis.

Following a quick breakfast and a walk around the Grand Place, we were due to embark on a journey of epic proportions; (pro)portions of beer.

The natural first stop was the Delirium Cafe, which is one of the world's most revered bar, housing over 2000 beers on its menu that resembles the Saint John's bible. Delirium is well known in many circles, it was my third time there personally. But if you haven't heard of it, here's an intro...a three sheets salute to the Delirium Cafe!

I will summarise our beer selections at each bar in part II of the Belgian Beer tour. Let's just say it included the heaviest hitters in Belgium and a pilgrimage to taste (and pick up our order of:-) the highest rated beer in the world.

Following the Delirium Cafe it was off to Antwerp, an underdog of Belgium, but for those that appreciate the lords brew, Antwerp is no secret at all. Its a quick 40 minute train ride between the two so a day trip to one or the other is easily doable.

Antwerp has a beautiful city center, definitely outdoing Brussels in terms of charm, at least in my opinion. We arrived with a long walk by the Yiddish diamond shops and away from the center(re) to Rue de Plantin to the Plantin Hotel. Not central, but to our delight just a 2 minute walk from Cogels Osylei, perhaps the prettiest street in Belgium. We would save that for the following morning hangover stroll and breakfast. First, strolling the centre and pit stops at beer bars.

First stop Paeters Vaetje, an old pub with a big heart and a local following. It truly fit the bill as a classic Belgian beer bar and the selection of taps is great. Its on the same street as the cathedral so its a great touring pit stop. Check out the beer list yourself, but make sure you have a Kleenex for the drool, or at least have your Rochefort 10 catch it.

The next stop was Afspanning t' Waagstuk, another not-to-be-missed spot just north of the city center (5 minutes walk). This pub, also a winner and highly recommend, oozes with character and has a smaller, but well regarded beer list. The one downfall about this place was there was a German tour group here, but in another room so it was fine sitting at the bar. The worst part was that they all (maybe 35 of them) left over 1/2 their beer to the spoils. What a tragedy. If I was an employee there I would've finished 'em myself (although we almost did as customers:).

Third stop was to re-fuel with a nice dinner (preceded by a Leffe at a pub to watch the second half of the Champions League final). The educated scholar knows that Belgian beers with no food is a no-no if you want to remember the night and wake up with a clear head. We grabbed a really nice meal at a restaurant I don't remember - it's only my job to remember the pubs! The food was amazing though, and no it wasn't the booze that caused the memory loss (its my old age:).

Next bar was the Kulmination of our Antwerp beer tour (which was actually hijacked from a kind man at ratebeer - thanks!), the Kulminator bar. This bar is regarded by many as the best beer bar in the world.

Ask yourself, have you ever been to a bar with a bible-menu comparable to Delirium? The answer may be yes, but the follow up would be....does that menu list your favorite beers listed by year??!?!?!??

I encourage you to expand the above pic for a true appreciation of the beer menu, complete with years next to beers. You may be like, "what is this gimmicky bull-s*^t". Don't tell the owners or the patrons that, as this is a serious beer drinkers bar. I have never experienced anything like it and I consider myself a well traveled beer snob. We of course had a couple variations of De Struise that aren't readily available anywhere, let alone the 2004! It was an amazing and unique experience, Doc and I felt like kids in a massive candy store!

In hindsight we should've came here early, not last. I encourage all to do the same as the charm of the couple who own the bar can be much more appreciated with a thinner and more sober crowd.

The next morning was to get a nice breakfast along Cogels Osylei with a big cappuccino before a long walk along the beautiful street before making our way to the train to Bruges, where we would continue tackling the best beer Belgium has to offer!!!

Provence, Part 1 - Aix to Orange

After two days reminiscing of the times spent in Cannes so long ago, we embarked for 5 days in Provence, to see some familiar sights from years past as well as some new ones! Complete with our trusty but almost to detailed map of provence and a list of the most beautiful villages in the region, courtesy of the official website, we were set, taking off on a one tank of gas, six day journey. One tank of gas courtesy to the Renault Megane, which gets 68 mpg; most impressive. 

Our journey began at the towns of Cotignac and Villecroze, where we picked up a picnic and wandered around the narrow lanes and popped into antique shops. One of the best picnic snacks were the sausage sticks in the market. Not quite your average beef jerkey stick, this is the real deal! It washed down well with an Orangina. 

After the towns, we made our way to Aix en Provence. I had been to Aix during my stint abroad, but it was literally for 2 hours and we didn't get to see much. Aix is a great town with LOTS of little shops to keep you occupied for a day. Lots of fountains too!

After going into the church in the old town, Saint Sauveur, we walked around for a couple hours, grabbing a couple beers at Brasserie les Deux Garcon, where Cezanne and Matisse used to mix it up.

We had dinner that night at a thai restaurant - it was decent but not worth recommending, so I won't include the name. Most of all, it was to change it up after French and Italian meals for so many consecutive nights. We stayed at Hotel du Globe, which is moderately price and very central. They even have a small parking lot that you can stash your rental in for the night. A good option for EUR80 a night. 

The following morning we were up at the crack of dawn to explore some more villages before our wine tour and tasting scheduled at Beaucastel in Chateauneuf du Pape. We went to Ansouis, Lourmourin, Roussillon and finally Gordes, before getting to Chateauneuf.

All of these villages are on the Plus Beaux listing that is linked to above. Our favorite was Gordes, mostly because of the stunning situation of the town, hanging on the side of a cliff. All were nice, but if you time to do only one, go for Gordes.

Following Gordes, we treked to where we thought was Beaucastel, incorrectly directed by a google map search. We showed up right on time for the tasting, but it was just the wrong estate! If you are on google maps, there is a point on the map called Beaucastel, just follow to that point, not trusting other suggestions! As we finally made it to the estate 30 minutes late, one of the Perrin brothers allowed us to re-book for the following day, joining a couple who owns a vineyard in Paso Robles, California.

This freed up the rest of our afternoon so naturally we crammed in a trop to Pont du Gard, perhaps the best and most in-tact roman aqueduct in the world. I visited this in 2001 with my CSB/SJU group, canoeing from a couple miles away for 30 minutes before concluding at the aqueduct. The weather was nice enough to splash into the water a little. I always had such a great impression of this UNESCO site, and returning just reinforced that impression as one of the coolest sites I have ever seen. It is a must see if you are around Provence. 

We then ventured to our accommodation for the next four nights, Domaine de Rhodes. The Domaine is situated on Ile de Barthelasse, a surprisingly undeveloped island between Avignon and Villeneuve-les-Avignon that made a great base for exploring Provence. We got a gite so we could cook a couple meals ourselves. Our gite was EUR400 for five nights, which is pretty good for that area.

The main house on the property is extremely beautiful, dating back to the 16th century. It is a nice tranquil oasis to return to after a long day of touring the region and we recommend to all. We made dinner three of the four nights we stayed, highlighted by a mussel and prawn pasta.

The following morning we went to Orange, to check out the Thursday market and the Roman amphitheater. Orange is a nice city to wander around for an hour or two in addition to checking out the roman sights. One doesn't need more than an hour or two to do this however.

The amphitheater itself is fabulous and worth the EUR8 admission. Your ticket includes an audio guide which is helpful to explain the significance of the site and its place in history. After the tour, we had a nice lunch before heading to the second attempt at a tour of Beaucastel!!

After work watering holes for Number One Dave Petersen

In an attempt to continue to explore new parts of the city, Erin and I have recently taken advantage of the greatly improved weather around the city to have a couple after work pints. One of the joys about England (and Ireland for that matter) that separate it from the US is the pub culture, where many people go from work for a pint or two, even on a Wednesday or Thursday night. Logistically, its much easier than in Minneapolis because people aren't driving, so I partially understand its hard to replicate in the US. One that the US doesn't allow though is on a nice day, allowing the patrons to spill onto the sidewalk to enjoy their beer while catching some rays, giving the vibe at the pubs great character!

I am also compiling this list for some good options for visitors coming to London to have some good local pubs up their sleeves, so hopefully this is helpful, Number One.

There are countless areas and pubs to do this in London. Erin and I recently have ventured out to the following areas for a couple drinks:

Farringdon
There are a couple unbelievable post work spots here, one worth mentioning for the crowd and one for the beer. First is the Crown Tavern, which is on a square that has a massive area for spillage. Tons of people, but the wait in line for a good range of Czech beers is rewarded by a great vibe.

Also in this area is the Jerusalem tavern (closed on weekends). While its situation doesn't benefit from the sunlight, the beer (and food I hear) are great. The Jerusalem tavern is in a really old building in one of the oldest parts of London and is the only pub in London serving the quality St. Peter's beer on tap. If you are a fan of good beers, you should check this place out.

Pimlico
Another beer lovers mecca, the Cask Pub and Kitchen, has perhaps the most appealing range of beers in the country. The beer bible they have for drinkers to browse has a great description of all the breweries and beers it has on offer, well over 200, with another 20 or so on tap. It is right on a corner and allows for great streetside drinking after a long days work. Most of the rare beers are Belgian or US beers, so there is no shortage of highly hoppy options.

Notting Hill
Perhaps our favorite pub in England, the Windsor Castle is also a great outdoor drinking locale (although its hard to want to sit outside when the character inside is so great). They have a massive beer garden but on nice days that packs up quickly, forcing revellers to the streets in front of the pub, making it a great lively atmosphere. Also close to the Windsor Castle is the Hillgate Pub, which is a local favorite as well.

South Kensington / Gloucester Road
Perhaps the best Mews Pub in London (with stiff competition from the Grenider in Belgravia) is the Queens Arms (30 Queensgate Mews, SW7 5QL). Situated in a quiet Mews, it allows for a large, boisterous post work crowd. This place is pretty hard to find so you don't see too many tourists with a Nikon in one hand and a pint of good ale in the other. The selection on tap here is very good with lots of independent breweries on offer. Its pretty close to the Natural History Museum, Royal Albert Hall and Hyde Park.

London Bridge
Other areas to outdoor pub include London bridge, where the many of the city's oldest and best pubs can be found. The Rake has the best selection south of the river (they also own Utobeer in the Borough market, which is one of the best off-sale beer grocers in the city) and always has rare, powerful tap options, including BrewDog and Stone. There is also the George Inn, which was formerly a coaching inn and has been a pub for several hundred years. The rake is connected to the Borough market so it makes a great post work Thursday or Friday spot. The George Inn has a massive patio so you can always get some fresh air at the George.

Mayfair
Great spots here include the Punch Bowl, the Coach and Horses, the Guinea and several pubs in and around the Shepherds Market area close to the Green Park tube. All of these places are very central and great for a post work (or post touring) beer.

But my award for the best post work pub goes to none other than my favorite pub in Dublin, Kehoe's. Nothing beats the outdoor scene on a Thursday at 6pm on a sunny evening....

Salisbury, England

Salisbury is an hour and a half each way from Waterloo, consisting of an historic cathedral with a 404 foot tower, good atmosphere in an ancient town, and enough creeky pubs to fill your belly, it has turned out to be a obvious choice for taking one of our best english day trips. 

We started our trip a little unprepared, forgetting to charge our battery. But with some negotiating at a local camera store for a charge and a cornish pasty later, we were back on track, heading to the cathedral with is not only the tallest in the united kingdom, but its also the tallest 14th century structure ever built! You can see the tallest church in the world on the link, which also includes all buildings, still standing or destroyed all make the list.

They also have a newer feature that doesn't date to the 14th century, a really cool holy water (fountain:-/). It Produced some really cool reflection photos!

We opted for the eight pound tower tour that is 90 minutes of behind the scenes action that ended up being just the two of us (popular tour, eh?). In the end, it proved definitely worth the price and we not only learned a lot about the construction of the church, but got to go to the top of the church tower, which is one of our favorite things to do (aside from trying the old pubs) when visiting new towns.

Here is us from the tower, only 220 feet up on the 404 foot tower (and spire).

When we left the church, we stopped at an old antique shop and Erin left with an early birthday present. The pot was the talk of the pub that we went to after the shop.

We got free inspections of the pot and even appraisals, from talking with the local "experts", it sounds like Erin got a good deal. Maybe she did; but a 3.6 pound pint of locally brewed Hop Back was definitely a good deal.  Below is the Haunch and Venison pub, everyone there (as well as some pub guides) rate it the best Haunch in the town. We didn't disagree.

Salisbury is definitely a great place for a day trip, spending the night would've been nice to, but 7 hours stomping around Salisbury is definitely a good adventure out of town!

Prague summer style

Erin and I put a lot of thought into where we should take Jenna on her first continental Europe experience (and Jamie on her single Euro trip before going 3rd world on us).  Do we go to Paris, Rome, Barcelona, maybe Dublin (kidding:-)?  We wanted to blend history with unique architecture and good nightlife - and go somewhere Erin and I haven't spent much time. Prague was on the shortlist and an easy decision. After paying a whopping 390 sterling to change the flights we incorrectly booked, we made it into town around 11pm on Friday night, just in time for an Absinthe shot or two! We wandered around the old town square and down along the river, getting some sweet shots of the castle across the river, stopping at a night club next to the Charles bridge. 

We tried to go to the touristy bar from the 1500's, U Fleku (sp), but apparently tourists don't stay out past 11pm. After getting a cinnamon treat called a Trdelnik (which was consumed almost as much as local beer during the long weekend), we made it to bed. 

The next morning we got up and at em reasonably early, probably not as early as these guys though; and made our way towards Mala Strana and Prague Castle via the Charles Bridge. 

First constructed in 1357, it is one of the oldest surviving bridges in the world. It has suffered its share of destruction throughout the years, but has always been one of the most awe-inspiring bridges in the world. Believe me, one NEVER runs out of things to take snap shots of in and around the bridge. 

After wandering around the area, checking out the castle grounds and visiting the Loreta, we went to U Cerneho Vola, which is a really old pub that oozes character. I couldn't find out how old it is because probably nobody knows; I think it came right after Adam and before Eve, or maybe after tadpoles and before frogs. Either way, it has 4 really old long tables that we shared with some friends from Denmark. It has light beer, dark beer, or water (Pilsner Urquell). To eat there is sausage, fried cheese or potatoes...perfect!

After lunch we meandered around for another hour or so, checking out the park and lake and river and and jewish quarter and cool stuff like that. It was a really beautiful day and fun to just wander around!

Needing to re-fuel (beer), we went to a bar close to the old town square, the only one with a rooftop bar/patio and had a couple brewskies while the sun was setting. Staropramen is my favorite of the mainsteam lagers, but there are many local more local beers to be had in Prague. The view from the bar was amazing. 

After drinks and the girls first ever escargot experience, we made our way up to the old town hall which has commanding 360 views of the city. It is the one of the best towers to venture up...period. Actually, you be the judge. 

Following the tower we had dinner at a local brewpub that only makes enough beer for the busy restaurant called Pivovarsky Dum. They have interesting beers on the menu that change as often as the tides. I sampled sour cherry, a bok beer, a wheat beer, and a beer brewed with nettles (thankfully they take the nettles out before you drink:-). Jenna and Jamie enjoyed the banana beer.

The next morning Jamie and I were up for Charles Bridge pics at 7:15am. I got some great ones, but won't put too many on as I have documented before on the blog!

It was actually better than the first time as during some of our time making our way down and back, we were the only ones on the bridge, a far cry from what it becomes only hours later! Note to tourists, do the charles bridge before 9am! 

After the bridge we had some hotel breakfast and went to the rent-a-car office in the airport to get our car to explore the countryside!!!