Blotevoetenpad

What a wonderful adventure! The International Ladies Club has so many fun activities. The feast of the Ascension was last Thursday, and it is a Belgian holiday, a day off from work (most Catholic diocese in America celebrate the Ascension the Sunday after for better attendance at church). We spent the day in Lieteberg at the Bezoekercentrum (visitor's center) in Zutendaal. This area is part of the Hoge Kempen national park. We were supposed to see the butterflies center and the insect museum, but Rachael got sick and we had to leave. However, we were able to have a great deal of fun before leaving when we went on the Blotevoetenpad, the Barefoot Walk, through the forest. It was about 2k long, and it was amazing. Check out the link to the website: http://lieteberg.be/navigatieframeset.htm  In the orange column on the left side, click on 'blotevoetenpad.' It will take you to a page with a short video showing all that we experienced on our walk. It was fantastic! Adam went out of his comfort zone and took his shoes off, rolled up his pants, and joined us. I was so happy he did! Rachael had a bunch of fun with one of the ILC lady's two girls, except for the water and mud parts. She didn't like those, though they were my favorites =) Here are some pictures of us getting closer to nature in our bare feet!

Neat rope bridge. Rachael was kind of scared. Thankfully Dad was there to help her out =)

Our favorite substance to walk on was the sand. It was the softest and easiest on the feet. The pine needles, not so much. Nor the wood chips. But we braved those, too!

This is one of the many obstacles were could choose to encounter.

Someone in our group spotted this teeny tiny little frog. Do you see him? He's black and sitting on the stick in the middle of the picture.

Tiny black frog

How's that for comparison?! He was smaller than a fingernail! And perfectly formed. He looked like any other frog, hopped like a frog. He was just so tiny!!

The water hole

Rachael wasn't a fan. I didn't blamer her. That water was COLD!!!!

There were so many people there. It was a beautiful day. We all were having so much fun enjoying nature together!

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I loved walking up these steps in bare feet. They were made of smooth round logs. At every stair, going up or down, I had to pack Rachael on my back, though, because they kind of scared her.

The logs holding up the stair case were covered with these weird whatevers. I thought they were neat.

The crocodile log. It was nice to have a place to sit after hiking up all those stairs!!

What a ham =)

The maze, or het labyrint. We had to walk and walk and walk through this maze to get to the center. We walked on lots of wood chips, some rocks, and finally some sand when we got to the end!

I made it! Without Cheating! Oh, what wonderful sand! (I may have cheated on the way out, though =)

Rachael Ann, having a good time running through the maze =)

Two in our party running fast out of the maze

The steps

The view from the top of a 3-story wood structure we climbed. It was neat! See the nuclear plant in the distance?

Closer shot of the nuke plant

Our family, enjoying each other and the Belgium landscape

Look, Mom, no shoes!

More of the view from the top. I loved the jet streaks in the sky.

Part of the trails we walked

Looking down from the top of the structure. There were lots of people there that day!

Walking on rocks =) These didn't hurt as bad as some of the other substances.

Rachael Ann with Rachael and Sophie =) She loves being adopted by bigger girls and playing with them. They seem to flock to her =)

Cute girls =)

Bare feet

This bridge was so cool. We could hear people walking on it before we even came to it. The chains clinked and clanked.

This sign talked about how we were walking like people used to and showed the different between our feet today and those from people thousands of years.

I guess Rachael and I were slow. Adam sat there waiting for us. I don't know how he did that, keeping his feet in the water. It was freezing! This was the muddy part. I loved it!!!!

Muddy feet!!

I like this picture =)

Another fun obstacle

The waterfall, though frigid, was really cool!!

Walking back to the beginning. These were some of the beehives.

We ended our tour by washing off our feet and scrubbing them up pretty good. Adam was glad to get his shoes back on =) This was just a cool experience! I loved every minute of it, even when we were walking on the wood chips =) I live for adventures like these. I'm so glad we are a part of this group, that we are living in Belgium, and that we can have these kind of memorable experiences!! Ta ta!

Osteria dei Cavalieri

Oh, what a wonderful night! I made new friends, ate delicious food, and we were all serenaded by a delightful old Italian man. It was wonderful! Let me tell you more about it =


There is a group of women formed around the NPC called the International Ladies Club. Women working at the NPC and wives of men working there can be a part of this group. Women from America, Canada, England, France, Poland, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and so many more countries are all part of the ILC. They have a very active social calendar with coffee outings, dinners, excursions, and so many other fun things. The first event I attended was the ILC Spring Dinner this Friday. And, it was amazing!

We all meet up at this hole-in-the wall, though very quaint and cute, restaurant just outside of Tongeren - the Osteria dei Cavalieri. As we walk in the door we are handed a flute of this delicious, berry-infused sparkling drink. It's lovely. An older Italian man is in the corner, crooning to us as he sings his delightful Italian ballads and songs. I just can't get enough of him!

I find Sherry, whom I met at the '80's party Adam's work held last weekend. Sherry is an American; her husband runs Adam's group.

Sherry and I walk around. She introduces me to some of the ladies. Oh, they're wonderful! There are about 30 women here tonight. As we're all talking and getting to know each other, we are served a thin soup in little cups. It's warm and delicious.

 

We realize that most everyone else has taken their seats, so Sherry and I and the other ladies I've been talking with decide to sit down as well. The little Italian lady who's been running around serving us seems to have things ready. She and her helper come out of the kitchen with these delicious plates of food for us all. I'm shocked when I'm told that this is just the appetizer! There is some salad, a little piece of bread with cheese rolled in the middle, three thin slices of prosciutto, a melon slice,  and the most delicious bruschetta I have ever tasted!!!! Oh, it is just sooooo good! The melon and the prosciutto are wonderful together, making a sweet-and-sour taste like I've never had before. I want more of it all!! On the table are bottles of red and white Italian wines. I want some of these so bad. But, I'vealready had the spritzer on arrival, so I say 'no' when offered the wines. It's hard, but I manage.


After we've thoroughly enjoyed our appetizer, we're told to get in line to dish up our main course.  There are several large stainless steel serving trays filled with the delicious, savory smells of the pastas and other yummy foods we'll be eating next.

The lasagna is a cheese lasagna, and the best I've ever had. There are so many savory herbs and spices, and the cheese - indescribable!

The manicotti is filled with another cheese mixture that I can't get enough of and topped with a yummy marinara sauce.

Surprisingly, the meatball was ok. Yes, just 'ok.' I've had better meat balls, but these were still good. And, I enjoy the potato and pepper mix.

My two very favorite parts of the main course are the tortelloni and the stuffed tomato. Oh, the tomato! I'm really not a huge tomato fan, but this one is amazing! It is cooked just right, and the cheese mixture is so yummy, slightly salty, with a tempting blend of Italian spices. It all just melts together so wonderfully. The best piece of all is the tortelloni, though. Now, I'm usually not a fan of goat cheeses, either, especially feta (yuck!). This tortelloni wi home-made, and the filling just dances on my tongue. It is definitely a goat cheese, but it actually tastes good, really good! The pasta and the cheese together make just such a happy couple in my mouth. I could eat it every day for a month and not get tired of it =)

So, we're all sitting around the table, eating yummy food, drinking sweet wines, feeling pretty good. Many of the Italian ladies (at the other end of the table) get up and start karaoke-ing with the old man. It's hilarious! They know all the words, they're being goofy and silly. I can't understand a thing they're saying, but we all have such a good time. I do recognize a couple songs. One is a song my mom used to sing around the house all the time when I was little: That's Amore! The whole place gets all kinds of raucous when he puts that song on =) The little Italian lady and her helper come out once more. This time, they have dessert. First, know this about the strawberries here: they are heavenly!!! Whereas you need to put sugar on your strawberries in America to eat them, the ones grown here instead are just so sweet, so juicy, so flavorful. Adam, Rachael, and I have been on a strawberry binge ever since we arrived and found some at the Carrefour.

Anyways, dessert comes our. These little parfait cups are filled with strawberries and real whipped cream topped over two delicious mousses - one raspberry, and the other coffee flavored. I would have taken a picture of this desert to show you, but mine was gone, as was everyone else's, before I could even think to snap a shot. Everyone was raving about this delicious, sweet, fruity dessert. I wish I could describe it better because I truly am not doing it any justice with these words!

Anyways, our parfait glasses are taken back to the kitchen. Some of us have espresso afterwards. Some start leaving. We've all had such a good time. I met some wonderful women. I ate some delicious food. And I leave the restaurant knowing that this group of women will be so good for me, giving me the cultural experiences I crave, creating friendships between many countries. I can't wait to get to know these women more and to share many more wonderful experiences together. Again, thank you God for the fantastic opportunity you have given us.