Monday, June 24, 2013

Rochefort & Durbuy, Belgium

We visited Rochefort, one of the trappist monasteries that makes great beer.  However, it was a bit of a disappointment.  While the beer if fantastic, there was not much to see at Rochefort.  It was pretty nonetheless, but being a monastery, it's not open to the public.  I guess we thought there might be a museum about Rochefort beer or at least a tasting room like some of the other trappist monasteries.  Oh well.   
 
 
 
 
 
Rochefort monastery
 

 
chapel
 

 
 
foyer inside the chapel
 

 
 
Beautiful chapel interior
 
 
So...on we went to our next stop, Durbuy, Belgium.  This town claims to be the smallest in the world.  And while, I don't know if that is true or not, it sure is beautiful. 
 
 
 
 
We ate lunch outside at this cafe.
 

 
 
 

 
 
Lots of shops & cafes
 

 
 
old stone buildings and cobbled stone streets contrasting the green ivy and trees
 

 
 
Part of the chateau
 

 
 
 

 
 
There were lots of people kayaking the day we went. 
 

 
 
 

 
 
at the Parc de Topiaries
 

 
 
where shrubs are trimmed to look like people, animals, teapots, etc
(They even had a Pamela Anderson)
 

 
 
 
 
Pretty!
 

 
Here are the kayak shrubs
 
 

 
 
And the horse racers
 

 
 
And they even made shrubs to look like Colin & Aidan! :)
 

 
 
an elephant too
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 "La Petit Maison- Chambre de Tourisme"
(The Small House- Chamber of Tourism)
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

 
We stopped at this Rhumerie for a drink. 
 

 
 
The bartender was dressed like a pirate!
 
 
 
 
Mike tried a Pirate beer...which happened to be stronger than Rochefort 10 and any other beer we have had thus far  10.5% alcohol  (That made me the driver on the way home!)
 
 
 
We loved the storybook village of Durbuy.  Can't wait to take some visitors there! 
Get ready, Tim & Claire!  :)
 
 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful town. Can't wait to visit. I think Claire will love it.

Claire L. Fishback said...

It looks amazing! Can't wait to see it!