Corrections, Retractions, and Apologies

     First, a correction. When we were in Brussels, The Nato alert was not
because of Saddam Hussein. It was the "Crisis in Kosovo" that had security
raised to a higher level. With so many crises happening anymore, it's hard
to keep track.

     Next, a retraction. There was no missing underwear. I was just alluding
to the two little guys lurking in the grass outside of Gerda's place in the
first picture. Underpants gnomes. Get it? You're gonna have to watch South
Park to get most of the topical humor you will be exposed to over the next
decade. OK. Oh my God, they killed Kenny!

     Lastly, a sincere apology. There was no mention of beer last time. For
this I am prostrate, begging your forgiveness. It will never happen again. I
promise.

     Now on with the show.

     We were searching for the Manneken Pis and having very little luck at
it. We were using a little map of attractions written in English,
thoughtfully provided by the girl at the desk of the hostel. The pisser was
number 9 on the list and we were at number 9 on the map. Why didn't we see
him? That's when I discovered that there were three lists of attractions
numbered and color coded. We were at the red 9, the Museum of Modern Art. We
needed to go to the yellow 9. How appropriate. We plotted a course to the
yellow 9. We were only a few blocks off, thank God.

     He was in a real old part of town. Down a small street of shops, at the
corner, surrounded by Japanese tourists. He is really small, and I'm not
talking about his Johnson. He is all over small, but verrry popularrrrr. We
waited for the Japanese to finish taking their pictures and then took a few
ourselves. Spent a little while looking through some shops. Found "The
Belgian Brewers" poster I had seen in the Oldtown bierkeller at Bokrik and
bought it. It's a map of Belgium with a list of all the brewers in
alphabetical order and numbered. Corresponding numbers are on the map
showing the location of the breweries. It is also illustrated with cartoons,
a Belgian obsession. I have to find some good chocolates to bring back to my
wife, Marylou, but there are none here. Tony and Zeke picked up a few things
and then we were off to the Grand Place to see the Brewer's Guild house and
get something to eat and drink.

     The Grand Place is huge with Guild houses lining the square on a couple
of sides. Larger buildings are on the other two.  All are old and ornate.
One of the larger buildings is a hotel. I don't even want to think about
what a night's stay might cost there.  A crowd of people are sightseeing .
We try the Brewer's Guild house as it is a brewing museum now. It is also
closed because it's Sunday. Nuts. So we go to a restaurant. There are
several on the square and they are all crowded. We choose the "White Rose".
Bad choice. After sitting for 10 minutes with no service we get up and
leave.

     We leave the Grand Place and walk a block or two to the main street
where there is another restaurant on the corner. It is crowded as well and
looks a little pricey. Tony walks up to a waiter working an outdoor table
and asks if he knows a good beer restaurant. He tells him "Bakers", with a
thick accent, down to the corner, make a right, halfway down right again. We
go there and can't find it. No "Bakers" halfway down on ether side.

     Then as we are standing on the sidewalk in the middle of the block, a
group of people come out of a small alleyway. I noticed something on the
sidewalk and look down at it. It is a sign in the walk, "La Becasse" with an
arrow pointing down the alley. Becasse, Bakers, close enough. We go down and
find a small entrance at the end of the alley. Go in and it's a small
restaurant, one room, very crowded, with about 35-40 guests, but we get a
table and receive very good service from the one waiter working the place.
This place rocks. Great local beer menu with plenty of lambics. Most of the
dishes are cooked with lambic beer. 'Fraid I didn't write down what we ate
and drank, but I remember a tasty meal and quite a few different beers. Zeke
got a kriek in a crock. Say that three times fast. They have been drinking
lambics this way in Belgium for quite a while. Watching the waiter work was
like an entertainment. Not to him, I think but, he was very fast, efficient
and busy. After several beers we left, got the car and returned to the
hostel, now knowing the route from the ring.

     We parked in their secure parking lot. went in. Tony called the girl
from Mons and she is coming to see him by train. We go to the room and rest.
Later the kids go out and play and the old man stays in and reads a while
and then crashes. Zeke gets in late. They had hit a few local bars after
coming back from the train station at Midi. Tony got a separate room for the
night.

Next time - Lambic country

Pictures - Guild houses (Brewer's has the horse), La Becasse