day nine addition

I sure like the wireless keyboard for the iPad. I am just sitting here taping away on a keyboard connected to NOTHING. It works like a charm. I wonder if Marian would like to borrow it on her vacation??????


anyway - there is one important thing that I forgot to blog about. M and I were discussing the day at dinner and I forgot to mention the cemetery.

At the big cathedral today, Philippe took us into the cemetary. Now two things about Belgium - land is scarce and the water table is high. So let's put two and two together - high water tables, scarce land and cemeteries DO NOT go together.

Apparently you "RENT" a plot in the cemetery for 40 years. Used to be 50 and sometimes it is as short as 5 yeras. At the end of that period - you have a couple of choices - pay another lease or give up the plot!!!!! Give up the plot????? Yep - you give it up - they dig up what is left of your loved ones and they are hauled off to a mass grave. Then the spot is prepared for the next recipient!!!!!!! I mean how creepy is that!!!!!!

The other thing - about the water table. So all graves are shallow and the coffin is encased in a box of concrete. Well a box with a concrete lid. You will have to see the pictures. But let's say you go for the cheap burial - then you do NOT get a concrete box. Hence with the high water table - let's say that everything starts to shift and move around. In five years - the body, coffin and everything else may not even be in the spot it was buried!!!!!

The other thing - (and I don't know if this is really true, but I saw it with my own eyes - but were they plants???), but Philippe just picked up some pieces of old bones next to one of the grave sites. No kidding - looked like a piece of rib and a leg or arm. Pretty creepy!!!!!!

Apparently the same issue with cremation ashes. At first the Catholic church was against cremation, but in a situation like this - they really had NO choice. Something we don't think about at home with LOTS of space and no water table issues.

Oh yes - we had a nice steak dinner (I had salmon). M is really into the steak and frites thing here!!! All that Belgian Blue cattle!!!!!! Then we went out and geocached. Here is one of the reasons why I love geocaching. One of the spots we went to was literally around the corner from our hotel, but we had not ventured there at all. It was a gorgeous little spot that we would likely have missed had it not been for the cache. The other one was a statue that we had walked past MANY times and didn't even see the statue until we were directed to it.

It's like not seeing the forest for the trees or whatever that expression is.

Anyway - it is time to read before bed and let's hope the creaking old knees (god I feel like I am 100) let me sleep tonight.


Have a great day!!!!


Ciao!!!!!