Friday...... A Gollem, A Bhudda and some beers...

After a graze stinging shower, I'm off to work again... to end what seems to have been a very long week of burning the candle at both ends.

I'm meeting Paprika for lunch... we have several things to do, but first we sit down for some food on Kalverstraat with her and my boss:



After we are fed and watered, we head to Maison de Bonnieterrie to try on some Tommy Hilfiger clothes. Tomorrow, we are going to the Factory sale, and I want to se what size Tommy Hilfiger thinks my waist is following my healthy living and gym attendance.



It's good fun nipping in and out of the changing rooms in Maison de Bonnieterrie. It's not, but it masquerades as being posh, so the staff are on you like flys on a shite as soon as you show a passing interest in clothes. Paprika does a good job of massaging the staff's belief in commission while I ascertain that I can fit into a 34" pair of jeans again(it's been a few years)

After this, we head to a little Tibeten shop. Paprika has been fascinated by the bhudda around my neck which has fuelled many a kerouac/morrison inspired cod-philosophy discussion, so I want to get her something similar.





I got my Bhudda from a friend of my sisters. She was living and working in Phucket, Thailand for the year:



A drunken man started a conversation about Bhuddism with me... I kept up with him in both Singha beers, and also in drunken philosophy, while being determined that he wasn't getting scissors anywhere near my hair. At the end of the holiday he gave everyone in my family a Bhudda. Mine has been round my neck through thick and thin for about 8 years now. It kind of reminds me to stay chilled, be aware that what I'm worried about is probably only in my mind, and that I'm in control of my future and my destiny.... or something like that.

We find something little to suit Paprika's little frame, and buy it along with a chain for it...



The little man is very nice, and gives her a little hand made purse to keep it in. I'm shocked when he asks just 10 euros for the whole thing. I feel a bit bad.... I got a nice shiny pair of converse.

.......

After my afternoon of work, we meet for coffee at the Molenpad. No one appears to be doing anything tonight, even though it's a Friday. Tomorrow we are getting up early to go to Tommy. Since we are running out of drinking nights and Paprika hasn't been yet, we should head to the Gollem:



At 7pm, we're pretty early for a Gollem session, but I decide that if we limit ourselves to 2 beers, then we can be home without crashing. I settle into my standard end of work refreshing La Chouffe:




Paprika has been itching to try two things... the first one being her second Zatte of the holiday:



Beer number two is a Rochefort:



Paprika joins me with a Kwak.... finally in the correct glass(The Zotte is out of Kwak glasses):




Half way through beer number two..... disaster strikes. Some Kiwi's arrive and I have to stay for a further drink.

I go for a Chimay Wit from the tap while Paprika juggles some Kwak:



Tonight is a special night... There is a mystcal trappist brewery known as Westvleteren. The Monks only let you buy two crates of beer at once, so it's pretty rare. Tonight the Gollem has Westvletern 6 and Westvleteren 12. The Kiwi's order some up:

Westvelteren 12:




Luckily the kiwi's have a prior engagement and are heading off to an Irish bar somewhere.....

As we are finishing the dregs of our beers and working out where to get food on the way home disaster strikes again.... everyone's favourite Bulgarian Beer Connoisseur arrives..... we have to stay for another. This time Paprika and I opt for the same tipple... a (relatively) mild Chimay red:



Our Bulgarian chum of course wastes no time and whacks straight into a Westvleteren 6. We are soon joined by an American tourist, who has come to Europe to discover himself and discovered the joys of Belgian beer. He's a jolly fellow and we drink away until we decide that home could be a good idea if we're going to make it to the Tommy sale for 8am....

The cycle ride home passes without incident...