Beer, Biere, Bira, Cerveza, Yum

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I'm sitting in a European suburb in Holland, and thought I should fill you in on our last week. Strasbourg was gorgeous, but a bit boring. In 4 days I managed to eat a plate of choucroute (saurekraut with pork 6 ways) 3 times: that's 75% of dinners. We stayed at a lovely former old convent come hotel (sans nuns): Hotel Patricia (highly reccomend). The highlight of the city was a tour of Kronenbourg's old brewery, which included walking around European catacomb's (where barrels of beer were kept cool pre-refridgeration) and a tasting. Since our group was only 4 people, instead of ,say, thirty, our free beer tasting was ''ëxtended''. We left very happy.
The tour guide turned out to have some recommendations for drinking in brussels, our next stop. Belgium is the beer capital of the world. He said, ''There is a famous statue of a little boy pissing. Next to this is an amazing beer bar. There is another statue, almost unknown, of a little girl pissing, and that's where the Delerium Cafe is. It holds the Guinnes Book world record for most beers available.''
We arrived in Belgium midafternoon, COMPLETELY lost. My Flemmish is worse than my French, so I stuck with english, asked directions, and an hour later we found our hotel (or rather, Jessie did, while I pannicked. ''There won't be any beer left!''). Now, I had booked the only budget hotel I could find, and Brussels is HuUGE (as Donald T would say, and then add, ''your fired''). After we checked in, I sat and wondered how we were ever going to find our little peeing friend and the myriad of beers next to him.
But from our window, directly below our room, was a fountain. Many people were taking pictures of it, and marveling at what looked like flowers on top. We went downstairs to investigate, and realized we were in the only hotel right next to Le Mannekin Pis!!! We walked right into the beer bar our french friend had suggested and promptly ordered 2 beers. When they arrived, we ordered 2 more (why wait?) That's pretty much how we spent our time in Brussels. We also tasted chocolates, looked at churches, and met Italians and danced with Spaniards while listening to a Belgian band covering the Police (while we drank passion fruit beer and beer aged in caves). Lovely.
Now we're in Amsterdam. Jessie's napping upstairs, but we're about to head downtown to walk around the canals, maybe take in the History museum, and walk past ''coffee shops''. The coolest thing we found yesterday was these bars (called Fockerbarvhahven or something like that) where they make they're own liqueors. You order one of the 250 flavors, or order a mix (imagine the possibilities!!) and drink it from an old sherry glass. It's like schnapps and warms you right up! A lovely old dutch woman made our drinks, filling them to above the rim but not spilling a drop (it's so thick with sugar the drink sort of rounds on top). She then said ''SLURP!''. It's unlucky to lift the glass, thus spilling some, without bending down and slurping your first taste! I was hesitant until I saw two business men do the same. It was so good, but moderation ment we could have only one round, and seeing now that it's almost 1 pm, I think I'll end this blog and go try our second. CHEERS!

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Photos

Beer, anyone???
We went a little crazy at this beer bar, Delirium Cafe at Brussel. It has 2004 beers on the menu. It is on the Guiness Record Book for most beers available. Impressive!!!

Study hard!!!
Jon is studying the beer menu (yes, the folder is the menu).

Manneken Pis
Famous citizen in Brussel.

Jeanneken Pis
The girl vision of Manneken Pis

Smallest building in Amsterdam
I don't think New Yorkers should complain. Look at this apartment.

A view from the bridge
A view from the bridge on the canal. Pretty sight.