Today we took a wonderful day trip into Belgium to the town of Postel, where we visited the Abdij Postel (Postel Abbey). It was a relaxing little jaunt to the idyllic countryside to visit an abbey where monks have been brewing beers since 1140 ad. And, trust me, over the course of the last 874 years they have learned a thing or two. Even in comparison to other, already legendary, Belgian beers, the selection at the cafe outside the grounds, Gasthof De Beiaard, are nothing short of exceptional. The cheeses that the monks make are also quite good.
The abbey itself has lovely grounds and is a great little walk to see not only the monastary, but also the quaint spice garden with a great view of the original 12th Century chapel. Just to give some context as to how old that really is: around this time blast furnaces for the smelting of iron were first imported from China, and the first records of windmills were made; the Knights Templar were founded to protect pilgrims in Jerusalem, and Henry II was crowned the King of England.
This was a perfect little drive for us to make today, because we wanted to get out and see a few sights, but are still adapting to the time change and don't have a whole lot of energy yet.
Did you notice what spices were in the garden and do they use them in the cheese?
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