Raven II Rides Belgium!

Sunday July 22 2007

Friendly people, beautiful countryside, thick green wet forests, old well-preserved houses and castles, perfect lighting, not least the mild weather... Belgium has grown on the Raven quickly.

We're staying with Leonard and Carole, who live in a little village, Gesves (say “zhev”) 70 km from Brussels, putting them in the southern region of Belgium, the Wallonian French-speaking part. Leo's lovely old house probably originally dates back to the 1800's – he's lived in it for 10 years. There's a few old stables and several paddocks rich with grass for his 4 horses. Many of the village dwellers rebuild the houses from the 1700's and 1800's in the old stone style. Many were big old farmhouses, half of which the family lived in and half which was the stables for the animals. Belgium has more castles per square mile than any country, and I saw a number of them driving to Leo's house from Brussels (“Oh, there's another castle”). Most people keep up their old places in meticulous condition, taking much pride in landscaping them. Brilliant, bright-colored flowers inhabit many brick and stone windowsills everywhere.

It's lovely and cool at night, and not-hot during the day, although if you don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes and it will change: sun, clouds, rain, rain and sun, wind, storm, not a breeze. It usually starts off perfectly clear every morning and starts clouding up by noon, and by evening, you can hedge your bets that it's raining somewhere in Belgium. And always, at about 8 PM for about an hour, brilliant golden evening light filters through either haze or clouds or moist air, accenting church steeples and castles, highlighting the folds of hills and the leaves on trees. Even if you're not a photographer, it makes you stare with your mouth open in amazement.

The wet forest is much like the Pacific Northwest: wet, green, thick, ferns, moss, mud, slugs.

The Raven rode in the home forest a couple of times, and once over the groomed track and trails through the forest just outside Brussels.

One day, riding along the old racecourse near Brussels, there, right in front of us on the grass... a hawk feather! (From a Common Buzzard, central Europe's most common bird of prey; it looks similar to our American Red-tailed hawks or Swainson's hawks.) The feather was a gift from the hawk to the Raven.

The Raven rode Carol's young horse Bicai, Leo's 6-year-old qualified horse Dario, and, the star of Leo's stable, 18-year-old Orfeo: a horse that's been to 2 European Championships and 4 World Championships.

The Raven in Brussels

Monday July 16 2007

On to Brussels, Belgium!

Belgium, a country the size of Maryland with 10.5 million people, is a country rich in history and culture, art and architecture from Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque periods. There are more castles per square mile in Belgium than anywhere else in the world.

And then there's the world famous cuisine, and the beer and chocolates and desserts!

There's hundreds of Belgian beers – Belgium lays claim to having the most varied and numerous collection of beers in the world. Beer-brewing in Belgium originated in the monasteries in the Middle Ages, a fine occupation for monks, eh?

Three leading chocolate makers are headquartered in Belgium: Neuhaus (founded in Brussels in 1857!), Godiva (founded 1926 in Brussels) and Leonidas (founded by a Greek living in US in early 1900's, but he subsequently moved to Belgium).

The Raven got a ride into Brussels and took a walking tour around the city.

Besides the sweets in Brussels, The Raven most enjoyed one of the parks where he made the acquaintance of a raven.


The main centerpiece of Brussels is the Grand Place , with its Baroque and Gothic guildhouses (house guilds of bakers, carpenters, archers, boatsmen, haberdashers), most built in early 1700's. The Town Hall (Hotel de Ville) dates from the 1200's. The Grand Place as been the commercial hub of the city since it was built as a market in the 1200's. You can gorge here at the cafes, chocolate stores, and souvenir stores. You can visit any number of museums, theatres, luxury and designer stores, historical monuments, art galleries, markets, cathedrals (the St Gudule and St Michael’s Cathedral dates from the 1400's) here. You cannot, however, visit a Starbucks!

Which is why The Raven and I partook of our friend's expresso machine and had some serious Belgian coffee at home.

Roses on the Mediterranean

Monday July 9 2007

We're in the very northeast corner of Spain, on the Bahia de Roses (Bay of Roses) on the Mediterranean. It's a nice touristy little sea-side resort town, not too obnoxious.

It's a fun place to walk in the evening, past many beach clothing stores, restaurants, and gelato places (it's best to sample a few), and the boardwalk along the beach . The sunsets are quite spectacular – as most Mediterranean sunsets are – the rain clouds and sun clashing on the horizon and painting the near hills and the far mountains different colors, with, of course, a rainbow for dessert. The restaurants are crowded, and many people are out strolling, late into the night. This strolling about, sitting in restaurants late into the evening is a fine European pastime.

We're staying here while we visit a horseman at El Bagual Farm.

Raven II Rides Spain!

July 2 2007

We're visiting Bernat and Neus Cassals' farm Vilaformiu (old Catalonian language, meaning “beautiful house”), perched on side of foothills of the Pyrenees mountains, the “pre-Pyrenees” foothills, in Catalonia, the very northeast corner of Spain

The grooms working for Bernat saddled up the chestnut gelding Amazhig for us, the Raven hopped into his bag on the saddle, and off we went for a ride in the pre-Pyrenees mountains of Spain!

We started up the 'logging roads,' part of them connecting with a hiker trail that runs about 100 miles, and will take you through the Pyrenees into France.

Our horses had a good climb up, some of it steep, some of it on trails through the green rich forest, and when we got back onto a dirt road, we started trotting, switching-backing up and up, and the last few stretches we picked up a canter. My horse loped smoothly along, both of us squinting from the rocks flying up from the feet of Bernat's mount as they pelted us in the face. Up to the top we cantered, the top o' the world, where we had 3 directions of the compass spread out far below us – it was hazy/smoggy, but bello – beautiful!

The Raven enjoyed the view, and we saw a couple of vultures hanging high in the wind updrafts.

Raven II Rides France!

Tuesday June 26 2007

The Raven woke up - in France!

Caroline brought us coffee (merci!!) and breakfast out on the divine patio overlooking La Masselle, home of Stephane and Caroline, and we surveyed the farm of horses, stone houses and barns, and remains of old stone walls, us.

After breakfast Stephane Chazel took us on a horse ride - in France!

The Raven perched himself in his Raven bag on the gray gelding Jasmin, a 10-year-old Anglo Arabian who's finished his last 3 160-km rides.

Our 2 ½ hour ride took us up into the green, rocky hills, past vineyards, olive tree orchards, fields of green grass (“Grass is good this year”), old old farmhouses, and the ruins of a castle on a little hill. We looked at a few of Stephane's turned-out-growing-up horses, yearling to 4-year-olds, turned out with a 26-year-old retired babysitter endurance gelding. We had a little canter up a field, and Jasmin had this very controlled, huge rocking chair canter stride. Wow, I bet he's fun in an endurance ride!

Although the Raven and I could have gone on forever, and it certainly looks like the trails do, we made a loop and rode back onto La Masselle.

The Raven Jet Sets!

Thursday June 21 2007

Going along with this endurance ride in Assissi, Italy, is a Gala Dinner for Assissi Endurance Lifestyle.

Our driver picked up the four of us – 3 humans and The Raven (stuffed in my bag), and shuttled us to the Misura Endurance Village in the valley just below Assisi Town, where some 1200 fancy dressed people and 1 suave Raven attended the opening Gala Dinner for Assisi Endurance Lifestyle.

The Raven fits right in anywhere - Kingly ceremonies, mucking stables, the world of culture and high society. He has no social airs and doesn't recognize those who do, and he always enjoys himself.

Champagne and special Umbrian hors-d'oeuvre were served while the elegant crowd mingled. Around 10 PM there was a mass migration toward the tables set up surrounding the stage. The night show started off with a fashion show under the lights, with the lit up Baslilca of St Francis on the hill, and higher up the lit up Rocca Maggiore castle, providing the backdrop for the open air countryside setting while waiters served a 3-course dinner to 1200 people.

At 11:30 PM a jazzy band started playing, then at midnight, a fireworks show started - pretty spectacular.

After the final dish was served, the crowd drifted from the tables to the bar area where fresh fruits, coffee, and gelato were served to polish off the evening.

The Raven, having already sat on Royal Gold Carpet in Malaysia, had his spin on the Fashion Runway – after the models and TV cameras of course, so he wouldn't distract from the models in the show.

Buon Giorno!

Tuesday June 19 2007

Buon giorno! Hello, good day! Really can't complain when a handsome Italian man in a suit and tie is holding a sign, “M,” at the Rome airport and picking me and the Raven up in a Mercedes SUV!

Andrico drove us the two hours from Rome to Assissi, up and into the old town built on a hill, racing through and around the narrow streets in our Mercedes, dodging tourists, up and up, and Andrico dropped us off at the hotel, where we waited on a medieval staircase for the hotel owner to return from lunch.

The Raven wandered around this lovely old medieval city of stone houses, full of “hill-town charm,” peppered with ancient churches. It has the well-preserved and still-standing remains of eight fortified entrance portals – which you drive through to enter the town - and town walls.

The origin of the name Assisi is unknown, though legend has it that the queen of Troy's brother, Asio built it. It dates back to pre-Roman times, first inhabited by the Umbri (6th century BC), then by the Romans. The Christian faith was brought to Assisi in the 3rd century AD.

Assisi is best known as the birthplace of St Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan Order. He followed his calling in life, much to his father's chagrin, begging for the poor, asking God for enlightenment, nursing lepers, restoring ruined churches, embracing poverty, preaching, (though he chose never to be an ordained priest), and eventually founding the Franciscan Order. Two years after his death in 1226 AD, he was pronounced a saint by the Pope, and the building of the Basilica of St Francis began. I think we can assume Francis was not only a saint but a horse (or at least donkey) lover, because legend has it that on his deathbed, his donkey wept as he thanked it for carrying him and helping him throughout his life.

The Raven admired the statue of St Francis on his horse.

After the fall of the Roman empire, Assisi was besieged and razed several times throughout history. The Rocca Maggiore Fortress, sitting on the top of the hill guarding the town, was built for defending the city around 1174 AD, but the citizens of Assisi did the same thing to the fortress – besieged it and razed it - due to its symbolism of despotic power. In 1367 rebuilding of the fortress began, and it was enhanced throughout the centuries, and it still stands over the city, with its walls and towers extending into the distance.

We stopped at a corner restaurant and sat outside at a table and had, after a panini sandwich, ice cream, which was festively decorated with caramel-dripped cookies and a colorful foil sparkler. Bellisimo!