Belgiumtown, USA

Here I am in Belgium, and what did I eat for breakfast? Yes, that's right, I ate waffles. Waffles in Belgium. I am a walking culinary cliche - and I like it.

Here's the thing about Belgium that they don't tell you in the tourism books, the thing that I tend to forget when I'm not here. The weather can best be described, through most of the year, as "pissing cold". Icy gray drizzle. Not quite cold enough for snow, just cold enough for a young lad used to sunny California days to freeze his toes off. The good news: Frozen toes make excellent stocking-stuffers!

But I'm enjoying myself here. I am remembering something from my youth, and hopefully I'll find them again during my stay. Folks here in Europe are Gummi-obsessed. They go beyond the normal gummies of the bear variety. No, they branch out to other areas of the animal kingdom, and beyond. Gummi frogs? Sure! Gummi peaches? You bet! Gummi fried eggs? No problem! Tiny gummi representations of household appliances? We got 'em!

But best of all, in this holiday season, is the Gummi Manger. That's right, Joseph, Mary, the wise men, the animals in the manger, they're all here - and they're all Gummi! And what could say Christmas more than a tiny Christ Child rendered entirely in semi-opaque blue goo? And what could be more delicious than the bitten-off head of God's Only Son? I'll tell you what: Nothing. Nothing at all.

Merry Gummi X-mas, everybody.

--opus

posted by opus  at 4:57 AM