(not a rant, more a musing) In the largely rural south of the Dutch province of Limburg near Maastricht, centuries-old half-timbered buildings, former watermills, castles, and massive stone farmhouses nestle among the rolling hills. Charming “hollow ways” – roads that began in Roman times as cart tracks and have sunk over time, sometimes by a … Read more
We’ve both been thinking about this expression since our last walking trip in South Limburg. A few days after we got home, torrential rain brought death and destruction to parts of Limburg, Belgium and Germany. Now that the International Panel on Climate Change has released its report, it occurs to us that this sentiment may … Read more
The Netherlands has an ancient and venerable cheese-making tradition but sadly, much has been lost to modernization. Tourist posters to the contrary, there are Dutch cows today who have never seen a pasture. The system forces many farmers to farm “intensively” – meaning cows are crammed into stalls and fed commercial feeds instead of grazing … Read more
Boots and Bowtie go in search of an elusive artisan cheese near the Belgian town of Spa.