Diary
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Visit Labiomista: Art, Animals, and Ecological Insights
While staying at Stiemerheide we also visited Labiomista. This is a special kind of park, a mix of zoo, art exhibition with work from Koen Vanmechelen and park. Originally the villa of the mine director was located here. The villa still exists and a number of works of art are on display there. After the…
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Reviving Nostalgia: Our Journey with the new Denon DCD-1700NE CD Player
Last Christmas we bought a new record player to enjoy once again some old records that had been sitting on shelf unused for years. Listening to albums on the record player triggered us to put on a few CDs again. This turned out to be a disappointment. We had an old Denon Universal Disk player…
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Stiemerheide Cycling: Enjoying Scenic Routes and Local Culture
On our second day at Stiemerheide we went for a day bike ride. The plan was to do a tour of almost 60k this time in the opposite direction compared to the day before. It was not as sunny as the day before but still warm enough to ride without a coat. We did take…
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Enjoy a Scenic Bike Ride at Stiemerheide Hotel
On the day we arrived at the Stiemerheide hotel we went for a short afternoon bike ride of a little less than 40k. The ride went over mainly flat terrain with a little bit of variation in landscape but except for a short stretch along the Mechelse Heide nature reserve nothing remarkable. But it was…
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Dining and Stay at Stiemerheide Hotel: A Gourmet Experience
We spent 2 nights at hotel Stiemerheide and had dinner in their restaurant Moonstone. The hotel is next to a golf range so many people come to the hotel to play golf. The hotel has a bistro restaurant and then Moonstone which is a bit more formal. There is also restaurant Kristalijn which is more…
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Bicycle Ride Eiland van Dordrecht & Biesbosch
During the Easter school holidays we went for a short trip to Dordrecht and explored a little part the region on bicycle. You can find tips on what to do in and around Dordrecht on the inDordrecht site. We chose a 43 km bicycle route Eiland van Dordrecht & Biesbosch through the city and the…
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Review of Van der Valk Hotel Dordrecht: Comfort and Value
I recently stayed in Van der Valk Hotel Dordrecht and I can recommend it. The location is a bit dull at a giant round about next to the high way but rooms are well isolated so you don’t hear any traffic once inside. It is located a few kilometers from the city center and we…
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Experience the Joy of Running: European Championship (Half) Marathon Weekend Recap
This weekend of 12 & 13 April 2025 the European Championship for half and full marathon was held in Leuven and Brussels. On New Year’s Eve our daughter decided to run the half marathon which was held in Leuven on Saturday. She aimed to run it in 1h40 and succeeded to reach her objective. I…
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Family-Friendly Lunch Spot: La Folie Greque Review
Yesterday we went for lunch at la folie grecque in Woluwé-St-Pierre. We went there with friends after a hockey match at Orée which is about a kilometre away. The restaurant is located in a street that you will typically find in small towns or villages in Flanders. If someone would drop you there without you…
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Dining at Brasserie Thijm: A Unique Asian Twist on Belgian Cuisine
Last weekend we went for dinner in brasserie thijm in Schilde to celebrate a birthday. The place is spacious because the terrace is can be closed and heated. We had a table there and the staff switched on the heater above our table upon request. We took the menu which consisted of a starter with…