You know those long dreamy golden blue-sky sunny days that sometimes happen in autumn?
We've had one of those here in the city and I feel like that cat who spent time in the sun somewhere, my back is warm from sitting out on the balcony talking of plans for spring and flowers with Gert, laughing over things said by Miss 4 and her mum ... enjoying a day that started out with Lut in the city.
We met in Grote Markt and it was so good to see her. We wandered a while, I had a Kafka-esque moment with a money machine, making Lut giggle ... making me glad that she doesn't have a blog of her own.
We coffee-ed at a sidewalk cafe down one of the old cobble-stoned side streets in the ancient heart of the city then wandered on, with Lut showing me shops I hadn't found yet.
Lunch was at my favourite Italian restaurant, the one I don't really want to write about here because I'm terrible and selfish and always want to be able to find a table there.
Sitting in the sun, drinking red wine, eating my favourite Napolitana pizza, with anchovies and capers, talking with Lut.
It's been a good day.
I left New Zealand mid-2003, bound for Istanbul and a new lif. After two years, a Belgian guy lured me into his world, deep in the heart of Europe. For a long time I was an in-process immigrant. One day we married. These days it's about photography, a little red wine and wandering ... and so the journey goes.
Nothing better than hanging out with a good friend on a beautiful day discovering new places and eating good food. Mmmm....
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, rd :)
ReplyDeleteDid you watch the debate between Obama and McCain? I couldn't bear the thought of listening to McCain's voice whine its way through - it was more than I could stand.
Next time you will do the Haka before attacking the money machine, I guess.
ReplyDeleteIt was a good day indeed.
Looking forward to the next.
Lut
The haka ... now there's a thought. That machine, it printed out my entire bank history almost!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, let's do the day again one day soon :)
Same feeling here Di: after my return from Turkey I'd expected to come home to the traditional Belgian rain, but this weather is divine.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to be curious (well, I am ;-) but I still wonder which Antwerp Italian has become your favourite. See you soon!
Let's have lunch there as soon as my money comes in ;) Maybe we can grab one more sunny day there? They say the rain arrives Tuesday ...
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, I watched the debate--the one that almost didn't happen. I thought Obama did really well, considering that everyone expected he'd fail this foreign policy test. He did better than just hold his own. McCain did pretty well, too, but what came through loud and clear was his dislike of Obama. He never bothered to look at the person he was debating, not even look in his direction. Very, very weird. He seemed crotchety and arrogant. All in all, it wasn't a very riveting, memorable debate, but Obama came across as very presidential, as a strong commander-in-chief, and as someone who cares about the average American person. Imagine that! And he doesn't even shoot wolves or have 13 cars!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't stomach all of the debate but watched some of the clips put together on the Huffington Post. In one, it showed McCain as the angry old man and sure enough ...
ReplyDeleteWhat is with the never looking at Obama thing? Is that how he's going to treat anyone who isn't white like him or is it just a Republican tactic? I was stunned.