{"id":6660,"date":"2014-07-29T14:06:45","date_gmt":"2014-07-29T12:06:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/flyingcigar.de\/?p=6660"},"modified":"2014-07-29T14:15:44","modified_gmt":"2014-07-29T12:15:44","slug":"kortrijk-cliffs-herf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/flyingcigar.de\/startseite\/kortrijk-cliffs-herf\/","title":{"rendered":"Kortrijk – Cliff’s Herf"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

\"nfc<\/a>Being a dedicated follower of the “seafood diet”, also known as : “I eat all the food I see”, I have discovered a more effective and terrifying diet exists, the Belgian diet – you eat with Belgians and go away hungry ….<\/p>\n

Seriously now, the waiting period for the great culinary experience of home-made sauces and chutneys, snacks and meat skewers was used to drink artisan perfect G & T’s courtesy of the men of the G & T brigade, savour great cigars, share time with more than dedicated Aficionados and have three wonderful days in West Flanders.<\/p>\n

The idea surfaced last month while smoking cigars and drinking heavenly Trappist beer in Leuven with Frank and Didier – why not attend Cliff’s herf in Kortrijk.
\nWe were both invited to attend and accepted immediately.<\/p>\n

A good chance too of taking Inge along as there would be other wives along and it would be a more familiar atmosphere, which it was indeed with families coming.<\/p>\n

Good chance too to delve into my lockers and “rape” virgin boxes as Didier loves Trinidad Fundadores and I promised to bring along a box from ’98.<\/p>\n

It was a relaxed drive for Inge and me on the Friday.<\/p>\n

Well, relaxed it was until after the coffee break near Leuven.<\/p>\n

Frank, refusing to pass on precise route details to the Germans since 1940 sent me on the way to Diest claiming it was a nice little place for coffee.<\/p>\n

I followed his instructions to leave the motorway at exit 24 and turn left for 10 klicks and found a sleepy, empty village with a Cafe. Good enough, funny it wasn’t called Diest, so I called him and found out I had followed the E40 instead of the E314.<\/p>\n

Oh well, the coffee and the cigar in Boutersem was good anyway.<\/p>\n

Leaving the village at 2 pm to continue our journey we had a Belgian “Louis de Funes-the Gendarme” encounter.<\/p>\n

Pat and Patachon in Police uniforms were waiting for the one tourist car ( or maybe for just any car to find itself in that village ) they could get their hands on.<\/p>\n

They stopped us.<\/p>\n

Nice and friendly guys.<\/p>\n

Papers, ID, car documents, etc., I could see it was their “On The Job” training quota day.<\/p>\n

The tall, thin and older Pat guided the short, fat and young Patachon through the moves – Non, Patachon, ze Germans ‘ave mandatory insurance, no need to ask for those papers ….<\/p>\n

And while Inge laughed surprisedly, they asked me to do a breath analyzer test.<\/p>\n

Hey, it’s 2 pm and 30 C and I drink my coffee with milk, not Brandy.<\/p>\n

They nodded sheepishly but, hey, the quota has to be fulfilled.<\/p>\n

An embarrassed attempt to terrify me by Pat when he announced some shock figure before bursting out laughing at my 0,0 %.<\/p>\n

Thank you, have a good day and journey and by the way, Diest is over those hills far away.<\/p>\n

It was only when we reached the Brussels maze of motorways and I had to concentrate on driving that we stopped laughing at the episode.<\/p>\n

We arrived at tranquil and idyllic Het Bintjeshof\u00a0<\/a> in Bellegem, a potato farm and charming B & B and were the only guests that night, so Pieter gave us the keys, a cold beers and the instructions on how to open the main gate ( call this number and the gate will open ) and left the estate in our hands.<\/p>\n

A beer, a cigar and a shower later it was off to meet Cliff, have a beer in his patio, a good cigar and admire his walk-in humidor and cigar lounge-cum man cave.
\nWow.
\nDouble Wow.<\/p>\n

I’ve been and seen Casas del Habano with less stock and definitely much less atmosphere and character than this passionate, tasteful and dedicated place. All planned and done by himself too.<\/p>\n

Choc-a-bloc full of humidors, jars and boxes plus a few guardian alligators. Which made me want to cry as I gave away my own alligator 15 years ago as Inge didn’t like the creature ….<\/p>\n

Stephanie, Cliff’s most lovely and sweet wife arrived and it was off to Kortrijk and Brasserie Royale<\/a> at the main square or Grote Markt, an old, converted cinema that offers great food in a cozy and elegant restaurant and has a spacious cigar lounge upstairs with, among other things, a beast of a Harley.<\/p>\n

We were starved, but this time we got the Garnaalkroketjes that I missed out in Leuven. And a juicy, tender rib eye steak too.<\/p>\n

Fortified and happy, it was back to the Bintjeshof and a bottle of Mulata 15 year old rum, good cigars and good conversation until 2 am.<\/p>\n

If Frank is my “brother from a different mother” then Cliff is my “cousin from a different uncle” ever since we met a few years back in Lommel.
\nA great no bullshit-feet on the ground character.<\/p>\n

Next day we walked the nice and sleepy streets of Kortrijk, picked up a ton of home-made pralines and chocolates at Sweertvaegher’s<\/a> tiny shop.<\/p>\n

We were back at Cliff’s to meet Frank and his family, but refused the home made spaghetti & tomato plate looking ahead to the coming BBQ. Wrong move that we were to regret later.<\/p>\n

I passed the La Corona shirt to Frank who tried it on right away and loved it.<\/p>\n

The guests started arriving, all from Belgium and the Netherlands and members of Sigarenplatform. <\/a><\/p>\n

Great praise to all for the dedication and passion – especially to the most professional team of the G & T Men mixing fantastic Gin & Tonic and other yummy beverages with tender loving care and the best ingredients. Chapeau !<\/p>\n

Cigars were exchanged back and forth, nick and names became faces, good conversations, great weather – a fantastic cigar day.<\/p>\n

Made even more attractive by a bell and the music selection mix.<\/p>\n

You see, there was a tombola and every time Guantanamera was played, the first one to ring the bell would get a prize. A Pampers box with cigars and accessories. Great !<\/p>\n

Then Didier and his lovely wife arrived, he fresh from the Las Vegas cigar convention, she fresh from Singapore, and they shared the fun with us.<\/p>\n

We smoked the Trinidad and Didier passed Pitbull cigars around, a tasty, perfectly constructed Nicaraguan Ca\u00f1onazo.<\/p>\n

After all the drinks and cigars stomachs were empty, it was getting late and food was eagerly awaited.<\/p>\n

Christian, a blessed chef and dedicated epicurean started passing around succulent amuse geules with tasty sauces and it was 9 pm by the time we sat down for dinner.<\/p>\n

But first the winner of the SCDLH Torreon jar had to be picked, which was done by Christophe picking the winners and Charlotte passing the jar around.<\/p>\n

Finally young Koen won the empty jar as well, and all were happy. Well deserved.<\/p>\n

With all this fun and camaraderie it was 10 pm before eating in earnest began.<\/p>\n

You see what I mean about the “Belgian diet” …..<\/p>\n

I finished a fantastic 8 cigar day with a glass of Mulata 15, a happy grin on my face and the promise to attend next year’s herf.<\/p>\n

A solid 8 hr sleep followed until the roosters at Bintjeshof woke us up.<\/p>\n

We met again at Cliff’s to help clear the garden and stow away the furniture, coffee and a cigar – ice cream was passed around.<\/p>\n

The bad news is that it will be a year before we meet up again – the good news is that I will be meeting Christian, Frank and Michel here for our pharmacy cigar week-end pretty soon again.<\/p>\n

Van harte bedankt, Cliff en Stephanie voor jullie gastvrijheid !!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nino<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\n \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t