Dan & Sue

My wife and I live in Inuvik, NWT, Canada. We are planning to drive through Belgium and Holland in the first ten days of October. If you have any unique sites and things to do please pass them along. We enjoy the unique landscape and local sites, as well as full malt beers from microbreweries. Please send me any neat places and things to see. Thanks for your help. <BR>

wes fowler

Dan and Sue, <BR>I've seen a number of your postings to Fodor. As beer lovers, it's a good thing you're going to Belgium at the end of your trip rather than the beginning. If you hit Belgium first, you'd never leave! Belgian beers are extraordinary. There are four basic types: <BR>Lambic or Lembec: - a naturally fermented beer with little carbonation to which fruit flavors (cherry, raspberry, cider, peach) are often added. Faro is a low-alcohol Lambic. <BR>Gueze: - blended of young and aged Lambic it's sweeter. Difference between the two is similar to that of a single malt whisky versus a blend. <BR>Trappist: - rich dark ales produced by monasteries, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle and Westvleteren. Wheat beers: - made with a concentration of wheat as well as barley malts; tart and frothy. <BR> <BR>There are two beer museums in Brussels. The Maison des Brasseurs (Brewer's House) at 10 Grand'Place is sponsored by the Confederation of Belgian Breweries and offers a quick tour and tasting. The Musee Bruxellous de la Gueuze at 56 Rue Gheude, near the Gare Midi offers self guided tours and tastings. <BR> <BR>Bieres Artisanales, 174 Chaussee de Wavre, Brussels is a shop with a comprehensive selection of Belgian beers. Two cafes with great names also offer distinctive "house" brand beers. They are: Mort Subite on Rue Montagne aux Herves Potageres and De Ultieme Hallucinatie on Rue Royale. <BR> <BR>Ghent offers a local beer called "Delirium Tremens". <BR> <BR>On the Dutch-Belgian western border you'll find "Palm" which is rather undistinguished. All over Belgium, you'll find Jupiler, a not very imaginative beer much like America's Budweiser. <BR>

Dan & Sue

Thanks for the info in Belgium Wes. We will definately check themm all out. Thanks again for your imput. <BR>

Richard

Dan & Sue, If you enjoy F1, drive to the Ardennes to Francorchamp, the venue for the Belgium Grand Prix. You can drive part of the circuit, it's on public roads, including the "Bus Stop" chicane. Go to the bakery in Stavelot, buy buns, Visit Malmedy, a beautiful little town. The Ardennes is a very sad and lovely place. (If you like glitz, Spa is very near). <BR>

Barbara linssen

Goedemiddag: <BR>We just returned (last night!!) from 12 days in Netherlands. We also had planned on two nights in Brugge, but really didn't like it much, and we LOVED Holland, so we fled Brugge after one night. <BR> <BR>This is probably several posts, but I'll drop a few things here: <BR>Brugge: If you like really old mid-evil stuff, and you like/don't mind the French, then you'll like Brugge. But compared to how we felt in Holland, we just ached to get back over the border. The French are rude, and I don't know any of the language (Dutch you can often figure out plus we know a bit). Also compared to Holland, the road signs/organization around Brugge was poor. In the Netherlands the signage is incredible. Everywhere, even out in the boonies there is great directional signage adn road numbering system. <BR> <BR>Frankly, Brugge smelled funny - and that's from more than just the touristy horse carriages. ((Well I guess I should make a post on Brugge to the whole list so I'll leave it at that)). <BR> <BR>In Holland - GOD- what a country! I just read the item on post-trip blues and I think I've really got them. It was so great! We had a cancal house apartment in AMsterdam for 7 days, then drove south to Zeeland area, spent the last few days in Den Haag. From our base in Amsterdam we also took day train trips to teh north and west to Haarlem (great fun!) <BR>Holland generally: the little towns are wonderous - don't miss going to the grocery stores and hardware stores - we had such fun! Middleburg, in Zeeland, is fun, we also spent one night in a beach town called Domburg. We rented bikes and walked on the dunes which are beautiful (and a rare untammed area in an incredibly organized and orderly country). <BR> <BR>North of Amsterdam Enkhuzien (easy by train) was really sweet. It has the "shopping street" that most of the Cute old towns do, but it also has the Zuiderzee Museum, which is open air display of different styles of regional architecture from all over N. Netherlands. The little old houses and buildings werer all moved there and its amazing to see. We got off htere instead of Hoorn. <BR> <BR>Jeeze, I am depressed and suffering a little jet lag, but just go and relax and enjoy, don't just do touristy stuff. We didn't even go to the cheese market (Aakmar)or to Deflt (dishes), and only two art museums, but I feel we had the perfect trip for us. We got a real feel for daily life as a Hollander, went to some locals events, saw culture, saw farming and rural life, saw vacation land, saw history. What can I say but we are just totally head over heels for the Netherlands! Alstublieft, please...can I go with you in October?!