Kategorie: Places

Dinant: The heart of Leffe

Dinant in the valley of the Maas in Belgium is home to the beers of Leffe. Though the brand has been sold to one of the big players, you can still see the original abbey – and you can visit a really nice beer-museum!

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Is this a place to see or a place for a drink? Let’s agree on this: It’s both!

Dinant is a middle sized town in Belgium’s region Wallonie. The river Maas passes by in a really picturesque way. And an old fortress is guarding the city from high above, looking down from majestic greyish rocks.

And Dinant is the home of the Leffe-Brewery. Leffe is actually a city district of Dinant and the Abbey that used to produce the beer is located here.

Used to? Yes, Leffe (the beer) has been sold to AB/ InBev and only the abbey is left in Leffe (the place). The abbey itself is closed to the public, ss the order of the Premonstratensians wants to pray in silence. So in Leffe (the place) there is nothing to see from Leffe (the beer) anymore.

But capitalism is unstoppable, so AB/InBev simply bough a nearby old chapel (actually much more central then the abbey) and turned it into a museum for, well, Leffe Beer. Though I am not a fan of big business, I have to say: it is well done! The museum is called Maison Leffe and the exhibition is really fancy and rather digital. And even if you are deep into beer-talks and nerdy knowledge of brewing, you might still get something out of it (at least the option to go for a tasting at the end of the exhibition).

So if ever in Dinant, have a look, enjoy a tasting! And then, strengthened by a beer, go for the fortress and enjoy the brilliant view of the Maas valley!

Locations: Check here for the location of the old abbey and over here for the museum, the Maison Leffe.

Liepaja Karosta: A timeless piece of history

If you are interested in history, do not miss to visit the city district of Karosta, the military harbour of Liepaja in Latvia. Though not really a lost place, it offers many spectacular views of the past.

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Most definitely you should visit Latvia: The country is rich in both, culture and landscape. And if you do so, go to Liepaja in the very north. This 100,000-something city is striving up in all matters, mostly because it runs the competition to become European Capital of Culture in 2027. However, there is one rather lost place in Liepāja, that I would call a must-see: Karosta!

Liepaja has always been a military city as well as harbour on the Baltic Sea. Karosta is exactly that, a military harbour area. The Latvia word Karosta does indeed literally mean war harbour. In recent days the rather small Latvian navy does use other premises, so the place is without use in a certain way. So you will go there for past times.

Karosta was first build under Russian Tsarist rule and did expand in the Soviet era. That makes it an astonishing mix of 19th century fortress ruins and old communist bricks and concretes. Especially the ruins of the old tsarist fortress are right next to the sea and its great to just walk by or even climb or explore. But there is much more than military leftovers: You will find modern graffities, an exhibition in an old baraque and much more!

The whole area is huge and not really a lost place, as people do live here. If you go, go by car! The place was created for military and their families, so the old Soviet Chrustchovkas run for miles. That actually makes it even more special: Tsarist past meets Communism meets people actually still living here. And then again there is nature claiming parts of the area back.

But most of all there is a giant orthodox church in the very middle of this city quarter (yes, it is an official district of Liepaja). The church is beautiful, but completely surrounded by concretes. But as it is slightly higher, towering above the other buildings, it looks like… – well, kind of odd, kind of history inside history.

So if ever in Liepāja, go (drive!) to Karosta, get your own idea of this special place!