The first Trappist Beer

I mean, the first monastery ... After all, that's why we came here.

Once we arrived in Belgium I felt better. I say I felt better because I was feeling sick for days before we got here. I am not 100% yet, but i am feeling much better.

We requested a midsize car, but the rental place had none to give us and we ended up with a small one ( so small the bags did not fit in the trunk and one of them came to me in a back seat). I felt I was travelling in the trunk of the car.

After a bit of driving (do not ask me how much, as I was sleeping on top of the suitcases) we arrived at the Westmalle cafe pub,right  in front of the monastery that produces the westmalle beer. The monastery is not open to visitation, unfortunately.

The place is beautiful, the restaurant is delicious and the beer needs no introduction, but what impressed me most were the clients at the bar.

 98% of the tables had a group of elderly people. There were groups of old ladies eating cake and drinking coffee, mixed gender groups chatting, laughing and drinking beer, groups of old men getting drunk or old ladies with their beers .The Elderly community was really well represented... in a beer bar.

This sight made me want to grow old in Belgium, where people do not stop going out with their friends to enjoy a drink and a good laugh.

In front of the the cafe there is a rack for bikes, so you can safely ride up there, park your bike and fill up with the finest beers. All under the blessings of the Trappist monks.

I had my favorite beer - cherry beer. Love, love, love! After the binge, I slept in the back seat of the car and discovered hours later that we were lost, following the GPS directions, not getting anywhere. 

We stopped at a pub, Fabio had a coffee, I ordered another cherry beer  and we used the internet to find a route, a hotel and a plan ...

I am in love with Belgium

And before I forget - this is the picture I took of the Monastery - the only reason we came here.