Touristic.  No, that’s not what I want.  However, when it comes to Gent and me, I was one of those from May, 2022 to January, 2023.  After that?  I live here!

I love my music school … the Poel.  I’ve been hoping to find some local spot nearby for a beer and a meal.  The food has eluded me but several times I’ve walked into Café de Poel.

Darlene runs the place.  It’s taken a few visits for her to warm up to me but now we’re there.  She knows my name and that I love Westmalle Tripel.

Here’s a photo of the interior.  I’d like to say that all these folks are smiling at me but I found this pic on the Internet.  In the background you can see window tables.  I love sitting there, watching people, buses and seagulls float by.

And the street in the background – that’s also “Poel”.  It curves so wondrously.  (I love curves)

It seems that it’s mostly middle-aged to old men that walk through the door, at least when I’ve been there.  And English is largely an unknown quantity.  So … a perfect place for me to practice my Dutch skills!

As I watch the gentlemen sipping and chatting, I sense this is a home for them.  Darlene welcomes each regular and they make sure to say goodbye when it’s time to leave.

Perhaps I too will become a regular, and a year from now Dutch will flow from me in conversation.  I’d like that.