gelato of course!! What better way to start out our next adventure!!!
After being stuck for over a hour and a half, dead stop on the autobahn we finally made it to their house!! The boys hadn't seen each other in awhile so they had a lot of catching up to do!!!
And of course sampling some new Belgium beer always makes for a great evening!!!
The next day we headed to a town called Ghent in Belgium. The boys had a trip to the Huyghe brewery and boy were they excited!!! We decided the kids and the wives wouldn't enjoy it so we decided we would look around the town while they enjoyed their tour!!! A little history on it (of course). It was founded in 1906 by Leon Huyghe in the city of Melle. This site had been in operation since 1654 as a brewery. In 1921 their first truck left the factory.
On December 26th, 1989 the famous Delirium Tremens (which is the medical word used to describe acute alcohol withdrawal) was born. In 1997 it was nominated "best beer in the world" and received a gold medal during the "world beer championships." This helped save this small brewery and made it possible for them to acquire several other small breweries and expand their production. In 2011 they invested 7 million euros in a new infrastructure. This has helped them start producing beers for other companies and keeping them going.
After watching a short video this was the first thing that we saw, and the last. This is where you do the taste testing at the end of the tour. Steve and I thought it would be one beer and that was it, but not here! I think we both had 5...a piece! They not only let us try what was on tap, if they bottled it there and you wanted to try it they would get it. It was awesome and all of the beers that they had there were awesome!
This is where some of the process takes place, the pink elephant is everywhere.
Getting ready for shipping, this is one of several places that we saw beer already bottled and getting ready to head out to some lucky customers. They bottle up to 18,000 bottles per minute. So many that other brewers in the area will bring beer here to be bottled, kind of cool that they do that I think.
This is the bottling plant, it wasn't going while we were there but I am sure it does its fair share of work.
Felt like I was at home!
This is the front of the brewery, like I said--the pink elephant is everywhere.
This is the underside of a few of the vats.
Pretty cool delivery truck too.
This is where the bottles get crated, so much beer!
Now that is a keg stand I can appreciate, especially since not a drop has been poured yet!
Steve and I trying La Guillotine beer at the end of the tour, great beer. Delirium has become a favorite export for America so the French evidently wanted there own beer, after figuring out the taste they asked for it to be named in honor of the anniversary of the French Revolution so La Guillotine it was.
She's everywhere...
We started our tour with the statue of Jacob of Artevelde. He was a wealthy commercial man, who during the 100 year war was afraid the hostilities between France and England would hurt the prosperity of Ghent. He became a semi-dictator and they flourished until 1345 when he was killed by an angry mob who thought he was going to recognize the Black Prince as the count of Flanders.
I can't tell you how many pictures I took of the boys on this statue, they wanted to do so many poses and on all four sides. It was hilarious!!!
David saw this advertisement and said he had to try the beer just because of the picture. :-)
The town square - up until 1845 they still did executions in this square.
We didn't eat here because none of us like sushi, but I thought this was a cool way to bring it out!
As the four boys and I were headed for the castle we saw this three seater bike and thought it was really cool!!!
Ghent is a beautiful town that began back in 630 because an abbey was built there. From 1000-1550, Ghent was one of the most important cities in Europe. It was bigger than London and second to only Paris in size.
We were headed to this castle, Graveensteen. It is the Dutch name for the 'castle of the count.' Philip of Alsace had in mind "I'll show them who's boss." when he built this castle in 1180. He wanted to show his authority by making a stone castle more impressive than the rich aristocrats in Ghent who had started to expand their influence in the area, commanding privileges, etc.
I really liked this "front" door to the castle.
I couldn't even get the whole castle in my picture.
These folks were having a grand old time, pedaling their ride and drinking through the town of Ghent.
Kellee had a really hard time getting back to us, so after 50 minutes of sitting and waiting and the boys being so good, we went on a hunt and found some ice cream for them. She finally made it back to us an hour and 20 minutes later. Lucky for me the boys were really great and a few games of I spy and some interesting characters made it OK.
The great hall here is partly shaped out by the walls of the stone house. The court day was held in this room in front of the Count and peace treaties were also announced in this knights' hall.
A view from the middle of the castle looking at the outer wall and the town of Ghent.
In this underground prison suspects were kept in custody preventative. Because of the cold and the terrible hygienic circumstances they faced a slow death. The pit is 5.5 meters deep.
This was originally meant to be a chapel, but became a place where they kept prisoners.
I really liked this window - it almost looks like the bottom of wine bottles.
The four boys - they crack me up, they were posing all over the castle.
This is the historical part of Ghent with the chapels and other architecture as seen from the top of the castle, such a beautiful town!
They also had a torture chamber at the castle, the boys were very excited to see it, but then were a little disappointed with what was in there. On the left is somebody getting stretched and then water poured in his mouth with a funnel and on the right they tied them to their legs and stretched them out. That looked like it would really hurt.
Queen of the castle!!
The boys said this was caveman headphones!
The lion was all over the place and part of the castle, this was right outside the castle walls. After that we had to get going to pick up the boys and of course hit construction, one ways and had a heck of a time getting out of the city. So by the time we picked them up we decided it was time to head home.
Steve fired up Stank's bar and grill and made some yummy steaks!!!
The boys played soccer while dinner was cooking.
David decided to get in on some of that action.
And David made a goal, it was three against David and Michael.
Of course some Belgium beer was on the agenda for the evening. We had another fantastic evening of good friends, food and beverages!!
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