Saturday, May 19, 2007

A couple of days in the Ardennes

There are moments you simply can't capture with a camera ...

Last night 5 New Zealanders sat outside in the dark, gathered around the dying embers of the big bar-be-que, drinking wine and reminiscing about New Zealand and how it had been to grow up there.

It was dark, light rain fell occasionally and when the Nature's Best cd couldn't be found, we talked our way through kiwi music we'd grown with.

The dinner crowd had been more international but some of the others found it simpler to ignore the lure of woodsmoke and memories. So the lone Belgian, the Welsh, the Americans and the Brits stayed indoors and discussed other things.

It was 2 days of families ... ages ranging from 1 through to 40-something and everyone came with their kids. It was madness and mayhem in the best possible way and little Miss Two loved all of it.

We drove home through Germany and stopped off in Prüm via back roads and windmills ... possibly an interesting place but for the fact that all was closed by 2pm Saturday.

It was a really nice way to spend a couple of days.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey girl!!!!

We just arrived home from the Gite! I found Sahara's phone under one of our hire car seats... I have given it to Amanda to forward back to you!

Here is the BOS UK website (not sure if there is a button for you to put on here though!)... also take a look at the Samboja Lodge link... http://www.savetheorangutan.co.uk/
http://www.sambojalodge.com/

Will be working hard on all the BOS work I have all week and will try and find out where we can fit you in (just to get your fingers into the work... ;) )

catch up soon... love to the crew! Kia Ora! x

Anonymous said...

It must have been a great gathering! Lucky you,getting out of Antwerpen city during this long 4d Ascension weekend ;)

But Antwerp had its share of eventful and most successful days too: the Antwerp Central station inaugurated years of work on the High-Speed TGV line, passing right "under" Antwerp after years of work. All rides through the high-speed connection were free - it was a great weekend.

Off topic: there is a huge cruise-liner moored along the riverbanks (4pm, right now), right in front of the cathedral.

Anyway, driving through and staying in the Ardennes can be great to escape City living. I'm glad so many friends allowed you to share growing up memories from within a country that I almost visited.

Di Mackey said...

Hey Mich, good to read that you had found the phone and I'll check out BOS in the days ahead ...thanks for the links.

See you soon. x

Hi Peter, I was so tempted to go see the cruise liner, it must be incredible ... parked cityside and all that but I went to bed nursing the return of the sore throat and feeling very sorry for myself. I would love to know next time there's one though :)

I can't believe the TGV is done now. Great news.

As for the Ardennes ... it was simply superb and the air was so good. It was green rolling hill country and reminded this kiwi so much of 'back home' and 'down south' in the place she was born :)