Who Knew?

1. Looks full size? Just really far off? Well its not.

2. Eva is so strong

3. Ah Europe. Look closely, I bet you wish you were on that boat guys.

4. The Brandenburg gate (Berlin), complete with moving tractor knocking down slab of the Wall. 20 years this year by the way.

5. The Atomium in the background

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I've been traveling Europe for years, trying to see it all. Who knew all I had to do was make a trip to the Bruparck in Brussels to see many of the countries most famous building......in miniature. Who doesn't like miniature? Incidentally this is the second miniature display I have attended in as many months. My friend Joe, my brother Jeff and I went to Victoria, Canada for one night (from WA state) on St Patrick's day. There they have a great mini museum that my brother and I visited. It was cool to see all the details in the dioramas with a variety of themes, until we got to the end and I said to my brother "you realize now we're just looking at doll houses," as the battle scenes had waned a bit. Anyway, mini Europe...enjoy.

Last Tour Season in Europe

The first three are in Interlaken and the next two are in Berlin.

Thought I would put up some photos from last summer in Europe. For those who forgot, or those who didn't know, I was working as a tour guide. Most of the summer I was responsible for a two week tour that went to Paris, Interlaken, Munich, Prague, Berlin and Amsterdam.

this is a test

this is a test

Death Valley

Eva and I just got back to Belgium this morning after two weeks in California visting my family. When we first arrived we spent a few nights in Death Valley with my mother's side. To see some good pictures, and of my nieces and new nephew, go to the other blog. www.erniebert08.blogspot.com

The other Blog

Eva and I are here in Belgium for three weeks. We planned to be here to spend Christmas with her family. Then the day after Christmas we fly to California to spend time with my family which will include a few days camping in Death Valley. Then back to Belgium for a few weeks to sort out my papers, then off to South East Asia for three months or so. Eva has posted some more photos and a few 360 videos on the other blog, you have to search for them in the Novemeber and Decemeber posts. The other blog again is www.erniebert08.blogspot.com.

Gauchos

Because beef is such a big part of the Argentinian diet, so of course are cows a big part of the Argentinian economy. With all those cows, of course there needs to be Cowboys, but they call them Gauchos. The Gaucho has a big roll to play in Argentinian national idenity. Before arriving we found out that Nov 10th is Dia De La Tradicion a day to celebrate these horseback heros. Also we found out that the biggest festival of them all was in San Antonio Del Areco, a town about 2 1/2 hours away from. We were going to be in the area during the festival, so we had to go. We had a great time, even though we didn't stay the whole festival. It was a bit too expensive. All hotel prices were jacked up during the festival, so we couldonly aford two nights there, but it was well worth it. We got to see racing, roping, dancing, singing and eating (we partook as well) as the Gaucho does. San Antonio itself is a nice town although possibly a little sleepy for most peoples tastes, outside of festival time.

MEAT!!!

1. They don't only eat meat, they also eat lots of empanadas.....filled with meat.

2. Eva does her best to get through a tough cut

3. A Gaucho getting ready for he party

4. Meat on the grill

5. Me and Meat on the grill

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They eat meat in Argentina. Boy do they eat meat. If you were a vegetarian you wouldnot find it impossible, but it wouldn't be easy to be there. I am not a vegtarian however and I did my share of beef eating. My brother in law recently sent me a picture of meat on the grill tha was labeled: Animal Rights: Animals have the right to be tasty. I think Argentinians would agree. I did read that there is only one country in the world that eats more beef than Argentina and that is the US. But that is only because we have a lot more people than them, per capita they eat the most in the world. I have to say, I didn't mind but maybe I should go veggie for a few weeks to balance out.