Charming town of Ath

On Friday, we traveled about 30 minutes to the nearby city of Ath.  It was a drizzly day, but we were determined to get out of the house after many days of relaxing/recuperating.   Ath is a charming city of about 25, 000 people.   The main square in town isn't large, but is very nice. Quaint streets lined with a variety of shops radiate out from the town center.   We ate lunch at an Italian trattoria overlooking the square while sipping a house red.  Afterwards, the boys enjoyed a couple rides on the carousel.   Christmas lights adorned the buildings giving it a festive flare. 

 

 

One of the streets leading up to the main square

 

 

The boys LOVE pizza!

Two wisemen?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nativity in the town center

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sign on Carrousel said "annee 1890" (year 1890)

This carrousel dated back to the Golden Age of carrousels.  Back then, it was most likely run on steam.  Pretty cool!

 

 

 

 

 Town Square

 

 

Town Square

 

 

 

Town Square

 

Italian trattoria where we dined

 

 

 

Ath Christmas Tree

 

 

 

 

This water trough/memorial is dedicated to Louis Hennepin.  On the inscription it states that he discovered the Mississippi in 1680.  I looked him up online and discovered some interesting facts.  He was born in Ath, Belgium.  He became a Catholic priest and Franciscan Recollect missionary.  He was sent to New France with La Salle to travel to the unknown West (America).  He was the first European to set foot in Hannibal, MO.  And he is also known for beinging one of the 1st to write about Niagara Falls. 

More on Hennepin:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Hennepin

 

 

 

Enjoying a crepe and eclair at a tea room

 

 

Ath was a great city to explore.  We enjoyed walking in and out of the shops...especially the Belgian/French boutiques with whitewash furniture and accessories.  Ath is also known for a festival they have in August called Festival of the Giants.  It's a reenactment of the struggle between David and Goliath. 

 

On our way home from Ath, we stopped by a cheese farm (in french: fromagerie).  The "cheese lady" has come to SHAPE on several different occasions (Fall Bazaar/Christmas markets) to sell her delicious cheese.  We first sampled it at SHAPE.  But, we had heard you can visit her farm, see how she makes it, and even let the kids pet the cows/goats.   So our GPS took us on some narrow bike paths, so to speak, and led us to her farm at dusk.  We sampled a garlic cheese and a nettle cheese (yes, the plant that sticks you if you walk on it), and bought some along with a Scotch Ale made in her town by another local.  The town is called Silly.  Yes, Silly, Belgium.  hahahahaha!  We also bought a honey/dill mustard that another local produces.  The night we were there, she didn't have any new cheeses in production since she was taking a break for the holidays, and it was dark and muddy, so the kids could not pet the animals.  But, we plan to go back another time during the day so we can let the kids see the animals. 

http://www.fromagesdethoricourt.be/site/en/merchandising.htm