The fourth of September, 2009. I found myself on the train to Leuven , Belgium to visit a friend from the old days. Its been a year since I first arrived in the Netherlands and I should have made the trip sooner. But things like assignments and examinations kept popping up. Ah, better late then never.
I reached Leuven in the evening and the School Chum met me at the station. Leuven is a pretty small town. "The railway station is on one end of the town and my place is at the other end. It's just a twenty minute walk", the School Chum informs me. And indeed that's how small it is. Leuven is quaint, calm almost rustic. But no countryside. At least none that I saw. Unfortunately at that time, the student population were just returning to the university, so it was quiet. Not that it was a damper or anything. The evening was spent in Metafoor, one of Leuven's many pubs. Probably the roomiest pub I've been to in Europe. This time I don't worry myself with all those difficult beer-related questions. ("Hmm...I
had a dark beer last time, maybe I'll have a blond one this time. Hmm...Do I have a triple or a dubbel? Hmm...a fruit based beer?") I let the School Chum and his friends do the ordering. The beers didn't disappoint. Pretty good stuff. Let me reiterate what I read somewhere. Belgium is to beer, what France is to wine. Quite true, that statement. But you needn't take my word for it. Best if you visit and find out for yourself. The company at the table included an Indian who had studied a bunch of languages. It was his actual study, not a hobby or something. Quite refreshing, eh? I mean, nice to see that not all Indians fall into the doctor/engineer stereotype. But this chap was brought up in Leuven. That probably helped. Also, at the table was a Greek girl, although I scarcely could believe it, for she was the quietest Greek that I had come across. So very different from the Greeks in Delft. But, she did roll a nifty cigarette...and at light speed. That was enough to convince me. Its in their genes, I tell you, its in their genes.
I don't know how often they do this flower carpet thing. Guess, I was lucky it was there when I was there. The School Chum also took me through the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, by Castle Arenberg (which is on the university grounds), to University Library, to Begijnhof (Leuven), which is like a monastery for women whose husbands were claimed by war in the old days, and to the site of the Giant Upside-Down Impaled Beetle, which apparently is the symbol of knowledge in Leuven. I was also privy to a cycle race. Pretty good that was, unfortunately my camera didn't do such a good job capturing the moment. (Or perhaps it was me. Hmmm...).
Food in Leuven is pretty impressive, I must say. A tad injurious to the ol' wallet though. I didn't try out any of the typical Leuvenese fare simply because I couldn't. Most establishments are closed during the summer months because there are no students in town. Did I mention that Leuven is entirely a student town? Well, there are some other 'normal' people as well, but really, Leuven is probably the best embodiment of a student town. The best one that I've come across, anyway. I'm sure the good folk from Leuven will agree with me.
As for drink, O yeah......I've already covered that. Belgium=Beer Capital of the world. (I don't care what anyone else says.)
A damn good weekend if I say so myself. Also, the eve of my birthday , (the day I arrived) was spent in Metafoor with good company and my birthday itself was spent in Brussels. So, being an anti-birthday person and all that, really, I couldn't have asked for more. But tales of Brussels will follow in another post.
Take care.
had a dark beer last time, maybe I'll have a blond one this time. Hmm...Do I have a triple or a dubbel? Hmm...a fruit based beer?") I let the School Chum and his friends do the ordering. The beers didn't disappoint. Pretty good stuff. Let me reiterate what I read somewhere. Belgium is to beer, what France is to wine. Quite true, that statement. But you needn't take my word for it. Best if you visit and find out for yourself. The company at the table included an Indian who had studied a bunch of languages. It was his actual study, not a hobby or something. Quite refreshing, eh? I mean, nice to see that not all Indians fall into the doctor/engineer stereotype. But this chap was brought up in Leuven. That probably helped. Also, at the table was a Greek girl, although I scarcely could believe it, for she was the quietest Greek that I had come across. So very different from the Greeks in Delft. But, she did roll a nifty cigarette...and at light speed. That was enough to convince me. Its in their genes, I tell you, its in their genes.Another mighty fine pu
b to visit in Leuven is the Blauwe Kater. It translates to Blue Cat. They serve a fabulous house beer called (what else?) the Blauwe Kater. But the atmosphere is the best. A place very similar to Pecos (except for the Beer Menu, of course). A dimly lit place where ancient posters adorn the walls. (Its more like the posters are holding up the wall.) The place is packed with patrons. A yellowed A-2 sized sheet of paper (read: makeshift poster) announces a Jazz concert. August, 1997, the date on the poster announces. The patrons chatter away like the world's going to end tomorrow. Getting to the bar to order a drink is an exercise in itself. Stepping on empty chairs and squeezing between tightly packed tables is perfectly acceptable. Heh heh heh....totally loved this place. The School Chum and me did a bit of catching up. It had been a while, after all and my whetted curiosity in regards to various other old school chums was satisfied. I returned the courtesy and we get back to quaffing our beers.
As for Leuven itself, well, its really nice. The city hall in the center is quite majestic and the flower carpet in front of it was elaborate.
b to visit in Leuven is the Blauwe Kater. It translates to Blue Cat. They serve a fabulous house beer called (what else?) the Blauwe Kater. But the atmosphere is the best. A place very similar to Pecos (except for the Beer Menu, of course). A dimly lit place where ancient posters adorn the walls. (Its more like the posters are holding up the wall.) The place is packed with patrons. A yellowed A-2 sized sheet of paper (read: makeshift poster) announces a Jazz concert. August, 1997, the date on the poster announces. The patrons chatter away like the world's going to end tomorrow. Getting to the bar to order a drink is an exercise in itself. Stepping on empty chairs and squeezing between tightly packed tables is perfectly acceptable. Heh heh heh....totally loved this place. The School Chum and me did a bit of catching up. It had been a while, after all and my whetted curiosity in regards to various other old school chums was satisfied. I returned the courtesy and we get back to quaffing our beers.
I don't know how often they do this flower carpet thing. Guess, I was lucky it was there when I was there. The School Chum also took me through the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, by Castle Arenberg (which is on the university grounds), to University Library, to Begijnhof (Leuven), which is like a monastery for women whose husbands were claimed by war in the old days, and to the site of the Giant Upside-Down Impaled Beetle, which apparently is the symbol of knowledge in Leuven. I was also privy to a cycle race. Pretty good that was, unfortunately my camera didn't do such a good job capturing the moment. (Or perhaps it was me. Hmmm...).
Food in Leuven is pretty impressive, I must say. A tad injurious to the ol' wallet though. I didn't try out any of the typical Leuvenese fare simply because I couldn't. Most establishments are closed during the summer months because there are no students in town. Did I mention that Leuven is entirely a student town? Well, there are some other 'normal' people as well, but really, Leuven is probably the best embodiment of a student town. The best one that I've come across, anyway. I'm sure the good folk from Leuven will agree with me.As for drink, O yeah......I've already covered that. Belgium=Beer Capital of the world. (I don't care what anyone else says.)
A damn good weekend if I say so myself. Also, the eve of my birthday , (the day I arrived) was spent in Metafoor with good company and my birthday itself was spent in Brussels. So, being an anti-birthday person and all that, really, I couldn't have asked for more. But tales of Brussels will follow in another post.
Take care.
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