While taking a break from either unconsciousness or contemplation of my selection of remedies for this bug, I came across this odd geo-political dispute of the coolest sort. It reminded me of a train trip from Paris to Amsterdam during which I tactically left a copy of a book of poetry out only to face, when I asked whether we had passed Belgium to Netherlands border, the response from the target "...of course...can't you tell?" At that moment I, like the train, was in nowhereville.
Yet it appears that there is a dispute or at least polite complexity over certain parts of nowhereville. You can click on the above for a broader swath and then review more maps here. Medieval in origin arising from a number of treaties - if wikiality is to be trusted - it is interesting to note from the map above that some buildings are now have divided nationalities and that the constituents of some enclaves are mainly grasses and bugs. More here. I can't see that any breweries are involved.
Consider, too, Cooch-Behar as I doze sedated.
Comments
Marian - October 11, 2006 3:22 PM
All I know about Belgian/Dutch relations is what I've heard through Jacques Brel who didn't seem to think much of the Dutch. Take the words of this song which I've taken the liberty of translating badly so you see what I mean:
Dans le port d'Amsterdam
Y a des marins qui boivent
Et qui boivent et reboivent
Et qui reboivent encore
Ils boivent à la santé
Des putains d'Amsterdam
De Hambourg ou d'ailleurs
Enfin ils boivent aux dames
Qui leur donnent leur joli corps
Qui leur donnent leur vertu
Pour une pièce en or
Et quand ils ont bien bu
Se plantent le nez au ciel
Se mouchent dans les étoiles
Et ils pissent comme je pleure
Sur les femmes infidèles
In the port of Amsterdam there are sailors who drink, who drink and drink again and again drink again. They drink to the health of the whores of Amsterdam and those of Hamburg and elsewhere. In fact they drink to ladies who give their pretty bodies who give their virtue for a piece of gold. And when they are well and truly drunk, they stick their noses in the air and piss like I cry on unfaithful women.
Elsewhere he talks about the stink of cod in their fries.
Mike - October 11, 2006 3:30 PM
They should settle this in good old boardgame fashion.
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/9215
gorthos - October 11, 2006 10:59 PM
I love board games. I have this copy of Avalon hill's "The Rise and Decline of the THird Reich" I wanna play. I want to buy Bleitzkreig but like the other game, no-one to play with sniff sniff.
Arthur - October 11, 2006 11:17 PM
I think the grass is normally greener in The Netherlands...
Arthur - October 11, 2006 11:18 PM
(I mean, have you ever seen Belgian cows?)