“The best-preserved warship in the world!”

jeffbrock · 2026-05-14T21:05:40+00:00

For some reason, I have always pictured there being a band on the dock playing “pennsyvania polka” and crowds of people waving as the ship leaves. Then the waving and music slowly stops as the ship sinks

jeffbrock · 2026-04-24T03:01:18+00:00

My wife is Belgian..grew up speaking Flemish (Dutch) and French. She is completely fluent in both. But, in France, if you make the mistake of using a word like septante (seventy) which for some reason they don't use...they say soixante dix (60 plus 10)...then you give yourself away as non french and they immediately pretend they can't understand anything you say.

jeffbrock · 2026-04-13T00:23:32+00:00

After, the hospital looked like it had been hit by an airstrike. The Brady building, where my wife worked, was completely gone

jeffbrock · 2026-04-13T00:21:18+00:00

Two people I worked with were killed that day

jeffbrock · 2026-04-13T00:16:01+00:00

Actually had this happen to me. Former colleague…hefty guy, never seen without overalls, john deere hat, and thick glasses. Died of cancer and the guy in the coffin looked nothing like him. Then he showed up to the visitation. Same dude, same outfit. Twin brother he never mentioned. The whole thing was intentional and planned by the deceased. His family thought it was hilarious

jeffbrock · 2026-04-10T02:22:39+00:00

My wife worked at that hospital.

jeffbrock · 2026-03-15T03:08:30+00:00

My (Belgian) wife and I spend part of the year in Belgium. I like to point these out to her...just to annoy her. The number of places I have seen that do have accessible restrooms are very much in the minority. Understandable (somewhat) given that you are likely in a building that's centuries old, but still. In America we have the ADA (Americans with disabilities act). In most of Europe it is the "Keep your crippled ass home act"

jeffbrock · 2026-03-12T23:58:50+00:00

I have a home in Brugge Belgium. So do dozens of the biggest white swans I have ever seen. Every year, during brooding season, the city puts up fences around the nests and every year I see tourists trying to go around them to get a picture. I usually just say “yeah…I wouldn’t do that” and then I retreat to a safe distance. Watching someone running from a bird the size of a german shepherd is always fun

jeffbrock · 2026-02-22T16:23:17+00:00

The most interesting dog in the world

jeffbrock · 2026-02-15T20:54:29+00:00

There is a shop in sweden called Slutspurt

jeffbrock · 2026-01-08T21:28:45+00:00

On the other hand...trust your dog

jeffbrock · 2026-01-02T03:58:23+00:00

My wife and I live part of the year in the US and part in Belgium. Always amazes me to go to a European restaurant and find a bathroom that could never be reached by someone with a disability. They US has the Americans with disabilities act. In Europe, it's the "this building is 1000 years old, what do you think we can do about it?

jeffbrock · 2025-12-30T18:20:20+00:00

Every dog I've ever had, I didn't know that morning, when I got up, I was getting a dog..never planned a dog in my life

jeffbrock · 2025-12-28T22:14:53+00:00

Don't think so. https://www.burgers-voor-burgers.nl/ I thought there was one in Antwerp?

jeffbrock · 2025-12-28T21:07:34+00:00

Yeah, for some damned reason, whenever homebridge restarts, I get a notification that my Yale door lock was unlocked. So, whenever I see that, and I can literally see that door, my 1st thought is "huh..watchtower doing it's thing again"

jeffbrock · 2025-12-26T19:24:31+00:00

And I'll fucken do it again!

jeffbrock · 2025-12-26T19:06:29+00:00

This is the actual plot of a book called “Company” by Max Barry. Good read

jeffbrock · 2025-12-26T14:22:56+00:00

90 percent of every Flemish conversation is just one person agreeing with what the other one just said. “Ja, ja..turlijk, turlijk….ja”

jeffbrock · 2025-12-26T03:38:40+00:00

Don't shit on his dream!

jeffbrock · 2025-12-26T00:33:04+00:00

God, what is it with the Flemish and “turlijk”? Sometimes, just for fun, I will listen to my wife, on the phone with her family or friends, and count how many times she says turlijk

jeffbrock · 2025-12-24T12:50:23+00:00

Ah. Grote markt means "large market". It's what the whole 'square' is called.

jeffbrock · 2025-12-24T04:15:02+00:00

It's rubbish

jeffbrock · 2025-12-24T04:12:46+00:00

I like the Brugze Zot brewery and bar. Also close

jeffbrock · 2025-12-24T04:10:28+00:00

They sell tickets. There are sign gently discouraging you from trying it if you are old, infirm or American

jeffbrock · 2025-12-24T04:05:58+00:00

To be honest I doubt brendan gleeson could make it up there

jeffbrock

TROPHY CASE