Safe and sound in belgium

Poststructural Pub
1

Well, I’ve arrived at college, in belgium safely.

You may stop worrying about me now.

As school has begun, I assume I will be posting much less frequenly. I’m sure you are all heartbroken.

The whistles are a hit here, as are my PVC flutes. Still don’t know where I will buy PVC, or where I can find a drill to use (I brought my tape measure, drill bits, sharpest pocket knife, and favorite file along. No worries on that).

It’s funny, you know. Picking up whistle basics wasn’t too rough, after already having a music backround (they say it’s even easy for people without, which I don’t find difficult to believe). Still, I’m pretty much a novice in terms of technique and ITM phrasing and all. Thing is, nobody I’ve met in real life knows anything about technique or ITM phrasing. They all think I’m good.

This is kinda re-occuring theme in my thought life. Not sucking and having people think I’m good, but reconsiling what I know to be true with the things that other people percive.

That’s kinda random. I suppose I feel reflective today, Which may be fine and dandy, being that I am a college student.

My decending cuts are a disaster. My ascending cuts are now decent sounding if I’ve been practising them in a phrase, but I can’t really just through them in a song where ever I feel like it. Ah… Cuts… my first attemps to sound like a real whistler.

Sold a flute to a guy on my guitar forum.

There you have it. I’m sure you are all so interested in this post.

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The Mellow Dog is still awsome, by the way.

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Hope everything goes well for you at college in Belgium. How did you get over there. What is you main field of study going to be?

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Good luck in Belgium Aaron. What a great experience for you!
When you have some time, send over a few pics…

M

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Which part of Belgium?

HAVE FUN!

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I’m in some town called St. Peitrs leeuw or someing, it’s right outside of Brussels.

I’m working on my BA in Theology, with a focus in biblical languages.

Pictures… hmm… gotta get my laptop working with the network here, then I can probably do that. Right now I can only post pictures of myself in Denmark, Ireland, and Wisconsin :stuck_out_tongue: (yes, that was supposed to sound cocky)

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Me, too! Well, not quite…but really close. Whether or not I’ll be able to study Biblical Greek is up in the air because of the professor’s schedule and other things.

I read statistics recently that the country with the second lowest known* number of evangelical Christians in the world was Pakistan, but the country with the absolute lowest (and this surprised me, which is why I remember it) was Denmark, and Denmark had 10 times fewer than Pakistan! It’s so sad.

*This didn’t include countries for which information wasn’t available, like Saudi Arabia, but it’s still a frightening statistic.

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Belgium? You lucky so-snd-so (I can’t call a theology student a devil). Hoist a few Hoegaardens for me.

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Aaron

Sell a few of your flutes and then treat yourself to dinner in Brussels. Go to Cafe Vincent and ask for “mools” . I have no idea of the correct spelling. I’ts clams baked in garlic butter and served with crunchy fresh baked french style bread. To die for.

Best

PS Go see the Grand Platz on Saturday morning too.

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Then you might find it strange to hear than I attended a Bible School in Denmark.

Denmark is in a pretty poor spiritual state, it’s true, but there is beginning to be more of an openness towards spirituallity, and there are actually some very good state churches which are not counted in that number.

Perhaps God has something for Denmark after all.

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If you’re into theology, make sure to visit some of the Trappist monasteries and drink some of their phenomenal Abbey ales!

In fact, Belgium has been called The Disneyland of Beer-- more different styles than you can imagine. They range from fairly conventional to some REALLY unusual brews-- lambics, strong beers, fruit flavored ales. Man, I’m jealous. Even if you’re not a beer drinker, try some of the local specialties. You may be surprised.
My alltime favorite beer is Duvel, which is a Belgian strong ale. Pale, with a head that doesn’t quit and a flavor like nothing else. Mmmmm…

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Well, I don’t know that much about theology, but if you ever visit antwerp (half an hour by train from Brussels), I can probably learn you some things about beer. I don’t know if Duvel (Devil) is the right stuff for a theologystudent but you have to try it.

Cheers,

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Belgium’s an under-rated country. Try the stoemp, Belgium Bangers n’ Mash.

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It’s spelled “moules” I think, you should also be able to to ask for “mosselen”, Flemmish (I have now idea about the correct spelling of that word in English) is still an official language in Brussels although French may be more succesfull.

‘Stoverij’ is also great but I have now idea how it’s called in French.

BTW: I might be interested in a flute, I’ll try to PM you later.

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There are some good music festivals in Belgium, I don’t know if it’s still exists but there was one in a place called Gooik (pronounced HOYK and near Brussels)
I’ve been to an event at a place called Lavoir Heron in the south, it was at an old water mill in September. Nice atmosphere but cold.
I second the recomendation of Duvel, also try Orval (it’s also a nice place)
and I have vague recolections of something called Maredsuse? It came in a 7 or 10% variety.

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Rob G,
There is a hostel/pub behind the cathedral (on a side street) in Antwerp. When we were there the owner had a session for his friends in the middle of the night. Ever been? Know the people?
Brian

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Do you know the name of the place?? There are quite a lot of Irish style pubs near the Cathedrale and I’ve visited most of them (But then you didn’t say it was an Irish pub). I didn’t know there were any hostels near the Cathedral.

How long has it been since you’ve been to Antwerp.

Chiffers are getting close, I should practice more or they’ll know I’m an fakewistler.

Anyway,

Cheers,

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Den Heksenketel, Pelgrimsstraat 22.

Here’s a picture (hopefully)

The guy with the real bushy bear sitting on the ground is the owner… I got the impression he made violins in a past life.

We were there at the beginning of the summer. I feel bad because we didn’t get much of a feel for Antwerp, it was Sunday and rainy. That and the streets around the train station are pretty shady looking, so they sort of put us off right away. Great antique stores though and the art museum is something.

We did see an Irish pub right next to the main taxi/bus stand, big empty square beside the main one. I forget what it was called. It was full of a large group of American Merchant Marines.

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Yeah, I know it and I know some of the people on the picture but I’m not sure many of them would actually remember my name. Last time I was there I didn’t pay for my drinks because the owner was drunk and I had warned him in advance. He said I wouldn’t get away with it.
I did offer to pay all my drinks right away because I tend to forget to pay and when I left I waited with my coat on for 10 minutes and he still hadn’t noticed it, so I left. I like it there but not many of my friend do so I seldom visit it.
Some English speaking guy tried one of my homemade copper whistles there and said it was “Quite nice actually”. He seemed suprised about that :frowning: .
I offered to give it to him the next week so I could give it a polishing and work on it some more but I never got there. So if he reads this, he can contact me so I could send it to him.

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Yeah, the owner was a tad off. Not sure whether it was just a language thing, but he seemed kind of out of it.