A Walk in the Countryside

Yesterday was a lovely day here in Flanders. My better half and myself decided to go for a walk, after dropping off this weekends dvd at the dvd shop. If you are interested, this weeks offering was The Day the Earth Stood Still starring Keanu "I know kung fu" Reeves. Worth a watch in my opinion. It didn't take us long to get off the main road and into what passes as countryside in this part of the world. It was a gorgeous day, the sun was shining and in the distance we could hear one of my favourite springtime sounds, the cry of the Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus).

A Sparrows nest, somewhere in Flanders...
Father Sparrow:-He's a little on the big side isn't he?
Mother Sparrow:-Oh hush, he gets it from my side of the family. My dad was a big Sparrow, people used to mistake him for a Thrush, remember?
Father Sparrow:-And not only is he big, he doesn't even look like me!
Mother Sparrow:-Listen, he's trying to speak!...
Cuckoo:-Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Father Sparrow:-Why doesn't he say tweet like his brothers and sisters?

It must be a bit confusing for the poor things. Just imagine a young couple in England waiting for their first borns first words and he says "Bonjour Maman, Bonjour Papa." It's the same thing really!
The walk took us alongside some farms. Am I the only person that can't walk past a cow without saying moo to it?
Ting ting...ting ting...ting ting...
A familiar noise, behind us but approaching fast.
Ting ting...ting ting...
I looked over my shoulder and sure enough it's the Wieler Toeristen (Painus inde arseus).
Resplendent in their blue and white Lycra plumage, their familiar helmet's perched upon their heads, the Wieler Toeristen rides from café to café to drink beer and show off their wonderful colours. The WT, as we shall hence forth call them because I can't be bothered to keep writing Wieler Toeristen, will gather in large groups on the pavement, blocking the humble pedestrians path and thereby forcing them to walk in the road where hungry predators roam. In Belgium, pedestrians are often forced to use the same paths as the Cyclist, which is why the cry of the Cyclist is often heard whilst walking.
Ting ting - get out of the way!
Ting ting - yes I can see you've moved to single file but could you walk in the ditch?
Ting ting - would you please get out of my way otherwise we will be forced to ride in single file and I want to ride next to my friend!
Ting ting, ting ting, TINK!
That's the sound of me inserting a bell....nevermind.
I must point out that I have nothing against bicyles and I've nothing against people...I just hate it when you put the two together!
You will be relieved to read that both WT and ourselves survived the encounter, this time...