Holiday!

I wish all of you a wonderful 4th of July holiday! Please eat some burgers and grilled corn for me.  Here in Belgium it will be business as usual, but I will take a little vacation of my own to get some rest. Suzanna and I will see you back at BdJ on Friday.

Meanwhile, I will leave you with this example of German ingenuity, a beer bike. It’s a solution to the perpetual dilemma of indulgence (tasty alcoholic beverage, in this case) vs virtue (active lifestyle).  For my part, I chose to stay out of the path of this careening vehicle.

Photography by Bois de Jasmin

Subscribe

20 Comments

  • Lucas: Enjoy your short holiday Victoria. Here in Poland 4th of Luly is also a regular, working day.

    Have a good time! July 3, 2012 at 7:35am Reply

    • Victoria: I’ve been feeling so homesick lately, so I know that I will be missing fireworks and BBQ even more so tomorrow. 🙂 Meanwhile, we seem to have a string of several nice days, so that’s something to be thankful for. July 3, 2012 at 7:50am Reply

  • Anna Minis: Hi Victoria, we had these cars in Amsterdam as well! They are prohibited now. In Belgium, the season of the moules has begun. Have a nice holiday! July 3, 2012 at 7:38am Reply

    • Victoria: I haven’t had any mussels and fries yet, so I will make plans to try them.

      Yes, I can see why they would be–a huge machine operated by drunken men. Need I say more! July 3, 2012 at 7:53am Reply

  • Jessica: We’re looking forward to watching the fireworks on the Hudson from a hospitable friend’s terrace-with-a-view! I’ll toast you with a sip of cold beer. Speaking of which, I’ve never even *imagined* something like that beer-bike…! July 3, 2012 at 9:58am Reply

    • Victoria: That sounds wonderful, Jessica! The fireworks over the Hudson is such a gorgeous site, and if you are watching them from the terrace–it’s just perfect.

      The beer bike is a crazy invention! 🙂 July 3, 2012 at 11:21am Reply

  • fleurdelys: OMG, that is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen! I think I see a business opportunity for Starbucks here. Can’t you picture it? A coffee bar on wheels for those always-on-the-go New Yorkers! And considering how highly caffeinated everyone will be, they will provide the fastest transportation around the city (in a “New York minute”, LOL). Starbucks owes me a fee. July 3, 2012 at 10:11am Reply

    • Victoria: LOL! What a great idea! And it might actually move faster than this thing in the photo did. 🙂

      Speaking of coffee, I rarely see people carrying coffee cups in the morning. If they have coffee, they are usually sitting down. In fact, Brussels has hardly any Starbucks. The only one I’ve spotted so far has been at the airport. July 3, 2012 at 11:26am Reply

  • Nancy: Hi V,

    You’re not missing much here. The heat wave continues and the street odors overwhelm. If it doesn’t rain on the 4th, I will be watching the fireworks by “walking towards the Hudson River” to watch in childlike awe as they come to life and observe/converse with the visitors who witness & relish the joy of our nation’s birthday! So, if you happen to do a tasting of Belgian beers & moules tomorrow — sante and Happy 4th wherever you happen to be. July 3, 2012 at 10:17am Reply

    • Victoria: I hope that the skies are clear. I know that the fireworks will be beautiful. July 3, 2012 at 3:25pm Reply

  • minette: we have those beer bikes here (houston), too! i think they are the dumbest thing ever – but as much because of the crazy heat and humidity as anything. if i’m going to drink, i do NOT want to work out! but i still see people going up and down the avenue of bars on these, so others must like them.

    have a wonderful hoilday, and bike only if you want to!

    xxx! July 3, 2012 at 3:30pm Reply

    • Victoria: Ha! I also can’t imagine the appeal, but the guys didn’t seem to be moving all that fast.
      Wish you a wonderful holiday too. July 3, 2012 at 4:39pm Reply

    • Patt: They are also in Minneapolis. My daughter is doing a beer bike ride on Friday with friends from work. Fortunately the person who steers this thing has to be sober! July 3, 2012 at 5:49pm Reply

      • Victoria: Now, that’s good to know! In that German variant, they all appeared equally tipsy. 🙂 July 4, 2012 at 5:37am Reply

  • Undina: Enjoy your little vacation – even if (or, should I say, especially if) it’s “business as usual” for everybody else around you?

    We’ll probably walk to our friends’ house – a water front – to watch fireworks. Can’t promise to eat burgers – it’s not my favorite food. But I can eat some ice cream for you 😉 July 3, 2012 at 6:21pm Reply

    • Victoria: Some ice cream would do! 🙂 July 4, 2012 at 5:50am Reply

  • Austenfan: I have never seen those bikes, but rather perversely wouldn’t mind being on one. They haven’t made it to the South-West of the Netherlands.
    We don’t do the 4th of July here. I hope you will lose that homesick feeling soon! Have some wonderful Belgian beer. July 3, 2012 at 6:51pm Reply

    • Victoria: Just cross the border, and you will be spoiled for choice in beer bikes. 🙂
      Once I find a home, I will feel much better! Can’t even imagine how my mom felt when she immigrated to the US with 2 kids and not knowing the language. July 4, 2012 at 5:52am Reply

  • Kaori: Love that bike! Have a great holiday! It is in the middle of the rainy season.

    Kaori July 3, 2012 at 9:18pm Reply

    • Victoria: Stay safe and dry! Woody fragrances are so comforting for me on wet, balmy days. Something like vetiver or cedarwood works well. July 4, 2012 at 5:54am Reply

What do you think?

Latest Comments

Latest Tweets

Design by cre8d
© Copyright 2005-2024 Bois de Jasmin. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy