Originally an e-mail sent by Patrick Wheeler on September 8, 2008.

 

The Eupedia entry for the "War of the Cow" is quite a good read (http://www.eupedia.com/belgium/guerre_de_la_vache.shtml)

Basically in 1275 to 1278 the Prince Bishop of Liege and the Count of Namur Luxembourg set to it laying waste to some 15,000 lives  and 60 villages, mind you, this at a time when there were not really enough people to go around …

The farms in this country are still quite fortified, I loved the milk truck semi-tractor trailer rig pulled up outside the dairy's fortified gate at this farm … certainly not just the milk is fortified ;-)

And all because of a stolen blue cow.  Possibly like this one … rather handsome beast actually, considering what has started some other wars, maybe this is understandable …

This is definitely farm and cow country, but also a little light industry, here a water wheel is in slight disrepair as it needs some help with the water troughs and maybe a new fin or two on the wheel itself, altogether a very nice new roof though …

Aww, momma and baby, lovely lovely lines

But this is not all cow country, as the sign says, this is a menhir.  A "Menhir" you say, what is that?  Well, let me tell you a story!

This is Obelix, the Menhir delivery man, and one upon a time long long ago … well, actually, this is someone else's story and one that makes great cartoons and is great fun … (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obelix)

There is a lovely little town (lovely is actually defined by objective measurement as it has been inducted into the list of 'most beautiful villages' in Wallonia) called Weris.  Now Weris is the center point of a collection of most impressive megaliths and menhirs.  A menhir is usually standing alone, while the megaliths are the piled and stacked thingummies like this one.  These may have been created during the 3^rd millennium BC, or even earlier than that.  These are truly pre-historic monuments as almost nothing is known about their creators …  http://www.eupedia.com/belgium/weris.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalith there is some indication that these folks had a much much more sophisticated culture than initially thought, lost Atlanteans or not, there are some the claim the complex around Weris comprise a very sophisticated celestial calendar as well as service other purposes  http://www.soul-guidance.com/houseofthesun/weris.htm and I found this discussion an enjoyable read …

Was particularly intrigued by the discussion of the local farmers re-discovering pieces over the years and having possibly sheltered them during early Christianity times when they were considered pagan and evil.  Well Pagan the certainly may have been by modern definitions and if you look at the farmer's fields you can easily imagine that there are many more stone's to be uncovered!

Signs are mysterious and there seem at least three permanent marker systems guiding those in the know, but for the ignorant a stumble through the forests sticking to 'main trails (will not mention being almost run over by a pack of eight beagles chained together being led by a running man, these woods are _busy_) Here is the Devil's Bed, or 'Lit du Diable' if the sign is to be believed, certainly a lot of brush has grown up over the years, you cannot make out the other stones from here …

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Directly up the hill from here is supposed to be the white stone … on the way it is starting to rain, but the purple heather is quite healthy and lovely …

And here is the, ahem, white, er, menhir … am _sure_ this has got to be on someone's list of fertility sites, I mean _really_ …

But the rain is getting serious giving the fields and valleys below a lovely atmospheric effect, and me without my stinking umbrella!

Behind the stone is a complex that may be natural, but certainly seems to have been worked a bit, there are plenty of fire rings about indicating that many people make an all-nighter up here …

One of the lovely things about Belgium, if you do not like the weather just wait five minutes, of course the opposite is true as well… but as the sun breaks out it really does clear up quick …

On the way back down the other side of the hill the managed forest is getting mature, I am not sure but the hole in the ground certainly looked to be a 'badger sett.'  The European badger is quite shy and retiring and entirely undeserving of the rough reputation garnered by his cousins on other continents …

Elderberries anyone?  There is a plethora of life and interesting flora about …

In Weris itself there is a cute little museum, 3€ to enter and consider it 'support of local industry' rather than value for money as a semi-pro museum culture vulture.  Here is a bit of an explanation of some of the pieces and where they are located topographically and all roughly in line …

Knapped flint and other tools which would have been used …

But after a big lunch is time to head off into the pastures again, our little sketch shows an excavated spot, but it is occupied by this lady soaking up the cosmic rays and her two puppies standing watchfully by …

This megalith was excavated, but the four huge ancient oak trees at the corners have certainly been here a long long time and you wonder for how many generations different generations of oaks have stood in these spots

Puppy standing guard over this grouping of menhir's

But when I try to line the menhir's up to see things of more cosmic importance I am brought right back to earth by a lovely vista of a cow … remember, in this country, cows are worth going to war over …

We may look peaceful, happy and contented, but you have to remember to watch yourself, as this may change at a moments notice … I have even heard of things … well, you can see it on youtube yourself why I an "staying away from the meadow" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtkuNV_1Ots … can you see the resemblance

The other entrance to this megalith is quite striking with the horseshoe carved into the stone, hard to imagine working these huge stones with nothing but flint tools

The outside light as it shines on the inside is quite interesting, the wind has knocked some of the oak leaves and twigs off the trees and whirlwinds deposited them under the stone

And here is a lovely lass showing a best profile …

Although not as well visited as some of the other sites, this one is really quite special for its ambiance and the incredible backdrop of trees, pastures and corn rows …

Over the hill a bit further is another outcropping, but accompanied by a younger oak tree

And the attendant vaches are younger as well, haven't they got just the cutest little noses, but head the warning 'stay away from the meadow!'

p.s. oh man I am already missing my other camera (away for repairs), this little digital elph 400 is getting very very old and I am spoiled …