Hiking with Your Dog

Join us for a laid-back **2-hour evening walk** in the green surrouindings of Brussels. Expect a **social, easy-paced stroll** with good company, relaxed vibes, and plenty of time to chat. We'll follow the canal paths and trace the River Zenne, discovering how these waterways shaped the heart of the city. 🕗 **When:** Evening 🚶 **Duration:** About 2 hours 🥤 **Bring your own drink** – something refreshing to enjoy as we walk 💬 **Open to all** – solo walkers, locals, and newcomers alike Let’s walk, relax, and connect—Brussels-style.

Shake off the workday and train with a welcoming crew of internationals and Brussels professionals. This is a **co-hosted session with F45 Brussels**—fast, fun, and coached circuit training that fits perfectly after work. **Why join?** * **Community vibe:** Friendly, social, in English. * **All levels welcome:** Coaches demo every move with **easier/harder options**. * **Time-smart:** 45 minutes, full-body, high energy, great music. * **Accountability:** Come with the group, leave with endorphins. **What we’ll do** 1. Quick intro & warm-up 2. **F45 functional circuits** (intervals that mix strength + cardio) 3. Team finisher & cool down 4. Optional post workout social drink/rooftop bowling nearby (meet new people, not just new burpees 😉) **Good to know** * **When:** Thursday, **6:30 PM start** (arrive 6:15 to check in) * **Where:** **F45 Brussels** (Brussels Central Station) Galeries Ravenstein * **Bring:** Clean trainers, towel, water bottle * **Fitness level:** Beginner to advanced (scalable stations) * **Capacity:** Limited spots — **RSVP required** * **Price:** Free weekly tryout **Who this is for** * New in Brussels and want a **friendly fitness + social** routine * Busy professional looking for a **structured, coached** workout * Sunday Vacations regulars who want to stay fit for hikes & trips **About F45** F45 = **Functional 45-minute training**: coach-led, station-based, results-driven. Expect variety, technique tips, and a positive team atmosphere. See you on the floor at 6:30! 💪🏽✨ By joining this event, you agree to the Sunday Vacations [Terms & Conditions](https://www.sundayvacations.com/terms), [Privacy Policy](https://www.sundayvacations.com/privacy) & [Code of Conduct](https://www.sundayvacations.com/code)

### Great food. Great people. Caribbean vibes in the heart of Brussels Looking for a relaxed way to meet new people after work Join the Sunday Vacations community every Thursday evening at Parvis Saint-Gilles for a social gathering around authentic Jamaican BBQ, refreshing cocktails, and meaningful conversations Whether you're new to Brussels, an expat looking to expand your social circle, or simply someone who enjoys good food and good company, this is the perfect way to unwind and connect Solo joiners are always welcome. -- ## Experience Overview Sunday Vacations brings together international professionals, expats, and locals through curated social experiences that help people escape routine and build meaningful connections. This weekly community gathering combines Caribbean flavours, a welcoming atmosphere, and the opportunity to meet like-minded people from around the world. Because sometimes the best travel experience starts right here in Brussels. People often join community events to connect with others and build friendships around shared experiences. -- ## Event Type 🌍 Community Even -- ## Highlight ✨ Authentic Jamaican BB 🍹 Cocktail include 🌍 International community atmospher 🤝 Meet new people in Brussel ☀️ Outdoor social gatherin 🎉 Solo joiners welcom -- ## Evening Play **18:30 – Arrival & Welcome* Meet the group, grab a drink, and settle in **19:00 – Jamaican BBQ Experience* Enjoy a delicious Jamaican BBQ Mix paired with a refreshing cocktail **20:00 – Social Time* Relax, connect, and enjoy conversations with fellow members and guests **22:00 – Official End* Stay longer if you'd like and continue enjoying the evening -- ## Meeting Point 📍 Parvis de Saint-Gille Brussel Exact meeting details will be shared with registered participants -- ## Price & Member Benefit ### Jamaican BBQ Mix + Cocktai **Regular Price:** €3 ### Exclusive Sunday Vacations Member Pricin 🧭 Explorer Member — €3 🌍 Voyager Member — €2 🏔️ Ambassador Member — €2 ### Memberships Starting Fro - Explorer: €5/yea - Voyager: €50/yea - Ambassador: €150/yea Member discounts are exclusively available to active Sunday Vacations members -- ## Who This Is For This event is perfect for - International professionals - Expats living in Belgium - Locals interested in meeting international people - Solo participants - Food lovers - Anyone looking for a welcoming social atmosphere No previous participation required. -- ## What To Bring - Comfortable clothing - Weather-appropriate jacket - Positive energy - Appetite for great food and conversation -- ## Important Note - Capacity may be limited - Food and drinks are provided by independent third-party vendors - Please RSVP in advance to help us coordinate the group -- ## Legal Disclaimer Sunday Vacations is a community initiative operated by UJAMAA ASBL and acts solely as a community organiser. Food and beverage services are provided by independent third-party vendors. Activities are organised by volunteers and covered under the legal volunteer insurance framework. VAT not applicable – small business exemption scheme, Article 56bis Belgian VAT Code. -- ## Ready to Join Come for the Jamaican BBQ Stay for the conversations, connections, and community We look forward to welcoming you at Parvis Saint-Gilles this Thursday

**🃏 WHAT WE PLAY** We focus on **social interaction games** that are **fun, easy to learn, and engaging**. * **Thursdays** and Saturday nights are for **fun, social games** like Dixit, Coup, Skull, Codenames, Colt Express, Secret Hitler, Exploding Kittens, Bang and more!… Easy to learn, quick to laugh! * **Mondays** are for **deeper strategic games**, for players who love to plan and outthink opponents. Of course, these are just guidelines — you’re always welcome to bring and play whatever game you love! *** **🕖 SCHEDULE** * We meet at **7:00 PM**, with an **intro round at 7:15 PM**. * Arriving later? No problem! Just see a host — we’ll do our best to find you a seat. You might need to wait for a game to finish before joining the next one. **🎉 Good News! BFG is Free Again** As of July 1st, 2025, BFG is once again **free to join**, just like last year! The costs of running the group are now shared by the hosts. If you enjoy the events and want to say thanks, you're very welcome to **offer a drink (or two 😉) to a host** during the evening. A huge thank you to everyone who supported us financially earlier this year — you helped keep the group going, and we truly appreciate it. 🙏 *** **🎒 WHAT TO BRING** * Bring your favorite games and feel free to mention them in the comments. * If we’re meeting in a **park**, bring snacks, drinks, and something comfy to sit on — the grass can be damp even in summer! *** **☕ IF THE VENUE IS A CAFÉ** Please order **at least one drink** to support the venue, and pay directly at the bar. *** **✅ REGISTRATION** Please RSVP to help us plan for space and group sizes. **⌛ WAITLIST ETIQUETTE** * If you can’t make it, cancel **before 7 PM the day before** to give someone else a chance. * If you're **on the waitlist** and your plans change, cancel your RSVP so others aren't left hanging. *** **🤝 WANT TO HOST?** Interested in becoming a host or helping out? Let us know — we’d love to have you on board! *** **💬 FEEDBACK WELCOME** Suggestions or ideas? Drop us a message anytime — we’re always looking to make BFG even better. *** ### **🌟 Let’s have fun, discover great** **games, and build and make new friends** *** ###

Let’s shake off the Thursday blues with some easy kilometers. This is a no-drop social run designed to keep the heart rate down and the vibes high. Meetup: 18:55 (for a quick briefing) Start Time: 19:00h 📍Meeting Point: Guingette Maurice, Parc Du Cinquaintenaire - In front of the Monument for European Solidarity (Intwined hands) 👟 Target Pace: 6:30 – 7:00 min/km Distance: 5.0 km Effort Level: Conversational. If you can't speak in full sentences, we're going too fast! 📝 Note No Bag/Sweater Drop

Join our next meetup at Collibra on June 4th! We will have 3 talks about OpenTelemetry and will share some food and drinks while networking **Location:** Collibra, Rue Picard 11, 1000 Bruxelles **Agenda:** 17:45 : Doors open 18:00 - 18:30 : Drinks and pizza 18:30 - 19:10 : Talk #1 OpenTelemery on Kubernetes with EDOT: Getting started and what's ahead 19:10 - 19:50 : Talk #2 Taming Tenancy, Cost and Architecture at Collibra Through OpenTelemetry and Our Telemetry Backbone 19:50 - 20.30 : Talk #3 Closing the Observability Gap: OpenTelemetry Meets Elastic at Telenet 20:30 : Wrap up **Talks:** **#1 OpenTelemery on Kubernetes with EDOT: Getting started and what's ahead** **OpenTelemetry has become the default way to instrument applications and infrastructure, and Kubernetes is one of the places where it makes most sense to use it.** This talk is a tour of OpenTelemetry on Kubernetes, focusing on the Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry (EDOT). We will explore the OTel basics (general architecture, signals) and the recommended way to deploy OTel on Kubernetes using the OpenTelemetry Operator. A live demo with an Elastic backend will showcase the correlation of metrics and logs, demonstrating how everything ties in together. Finally, it will cover the current community effort to stabilize Kubernetes observability, including the promotion of Kubernetes attributes to release candidate status and the latest updates to the semantic conventions for Kubernetes metrics. This session is useful for beginners trying to get into OTel, and for those running OTel in their Kubernetes cluster and trying to get some insights on what is to come. *Speaker: João Marques Correia, Software Engineer at Elastic* **#2 Taming Tenancy, Cost and Architecture at Collibra Through OpenTelemetry and Our Telemetry Backbone** Operating a SaaS platform presents the same observability problems as any other enterprise, but due to the scale and tenancy, we introduce a huge multiplier on the observability signals, having an effect on cost and effectiveness. This session dives into the techniques Collibra used to tame these problems and how to maintain clarity when infrastructure spans virtual machines, modern Kubernetes clusters, and a complex mix of single- and multi-tenant architectures. Without the right context, telemetry data becomes a noisy, indistinguishable flood. We will dive into the architectural decision to leverage the C4 system model, ensuring every piece of telemetry carries the vital context of what it belongs to and where it sits in the hierarchy. Enabling us to gain insights into both signal attribution and allowing virtual chargebacks. The presentation details the implementation of a pipeline using custom-built OpenTelemetry collectors designed to handle the data and enrich it before sending it to the appropriate backends. This session will give you practical insights on the challenges SaaS platforms have, but the techniques that are used to tame them can be applied everywhere. *Speaker: Alex Van Boxel, Principal System Architect at Collibra* **#3 Closing the Observability Gap: OpenTelemetry Meets Elastic at Telenet** Modern systems generate more telemetry than ever, but without consistency, that data quickly becomes noise. At Telenet, we turned to OpenTelemetry to standardise how we collect and enrich observability data across our bare-metal Kubernetes clusters. This talk dives into how we integrate OpenTelemetry into our engineering workflows and couple it with Elastic for storage, analysis, and visualisation. We’ll walk through our architecture, instrumentation strategies, and how we ensure high-quality telemetry that engineers trust. Along the way, we’ll highlight real use cases, from debugging production incidents to improving service performance, and discuss what worked, what didn’t, and what we’d do differently today. If you're an Elastic user looking to adopt or scale OpenTelemetry, this session will help you bridge the gap between theory and practice. *Speaker: Reidar Veroft, Container Platform Engineer at Telenetgroup* **Bios** **Alex Van Boxel** is a Principal System Architect at **Collibra**. With an engineering background in Research and Development at Alcatel-Lucent, Progress Software, and Veepee he loves to focus on the fundamental building blocks of the software industry. That means reading, understanding, and contributing to specifications, as well as contributing to the Open Source projects that run through our infrastructure. He is code-owner of two components of the OpenTelemetry collector. **João Marques Correia** is a Software Engineer at **Elastic**. Having recently joined Elastic, he has been focusing on OpenTelemetry, with a bigger effort being put into Kubernetes metrics stabilization. Before joining Elastic, he worked as a Software Engineer at Cisco on a Data Center network controller. He is drawn to distributed systems, and in particular how to observe them and keep them working reliably. **Reidar Veroft** is a DevOps Engineer at **Telenet**, where he builds observable, reliable systems that power critical infrastructure across Belgium. From the 5G core to our voice core, he focuses on making sure the systems behind Telenetgroup are not only running, but fully understood through high-quality telemetry. **Thanks to Collibra for hosting this meetup!**

**Welcome to the Sixth BDEN Meetup!** AI is moving fast, and developers are right in the middle of it. Some are already experimenting with AI-assisted coding, agents, MCP servers, and local models. Others are still trying to understand what all these new concepts really mean and where to start. This meetup is designed for both. For our sixth Belgian Developer Experience Network meetup, we will focus on what AI means for developers today: how agentic systems are built, how they can be used safely, and what it takes to bring them closer to production in an enterprise context. As always, expect more than slideware. We will have explanations, demos, real-world discussion, and enough space for questions and networking. Mark your calendars for the 4th of June, because it is going to be an evening packed with practical insights into AI, agents, developer workflows, and production readiness. **Location** This meetup will take place as part of Red Hat Tech Day Belgium, hosted at The Montil in Affligem. Red Hat Tech Day is a one-day conference for both technical and non-technical audiences. This year, for the first time, the event will also include a dedicated developer track, focused on the latest technologies and methodologies from the AI and software development communities. You are also welcome to register for the full event here: https://reg.experiences.redhat.com/flow/redhat/3977379/fieldeventsregapproveform/page/landingregistrationpage **Schedule** 17:00 - 18:00 Doors open 18:00 - 18:15 Intro session 18:15 - 19:15 AI agents, skills, demos and sandboxing 19:15 - 19:30 Break 19:30 - 20:30 Panel discussion: putting agentic AI in production 20:30 - 22:00 Networking & food **Sessions** **Session 1: AI agents, skills, demos and sandboxing** **Speaker:** Burr Sutter, Director of Developer Experience at Red Hat **Description:** AI is no longer just about sending prompts to a chatbot. Developers are now exploring skills, agents, tools, MCP servers, and workflows where AI systems can take action instead of only generating text. In this session, Burr Sutter will explain what skills and agents are, how they work, and why they matter for developers. Through demos, he will show how these concepts are implemented and defined within Red Hat, and how agentic systems can be sandboxed with technologies such as OpenClaw. Whether you are new to AI or already experimenting with agents in your own workflow, this session will help you connect the concepts to practical developer use cases. **Session 2: Panel discussion: putting agentic AI in production** **Panel participants:** Burr Sutter, Director of Developer Experience at Red Hat Stephan Janssen, founder of Devoxx and organizer of Devoxx Belgium One mystery guest, to be announced later this week **Description:** Building a demo with AI is one thing. Putting AI, and especially agentic AI, into production is something else. After a short break, we will continue with a panel discussion on what it takes to use AI safely and effectively inside an organization. We will discuss how to get started, what developers should keep in mind, what organizations need to prepare for, and how to think about governance, security, reliability, and platform support. The panel will bring together different perspectives from developer experience, AI-assisted software development, enterprise readiness, and the changing role of developers in the age of intelligent systems. This panel is for developers who are curious about AI, developers already using AI tools, and teams wondering how to move from experimentation to real adoption. **About Stephan Janssen** Stephan Janssen is the founder of Devoxx and organizer of Devoxx Belgium. In recent years, his work has focused heavily on LLMs, AI-assisted software development, and Agentic Engineering. He actively explores technologies such as local and cloud-based LLMs, multi-agent systems, MCP, RAG, Spec-Driven Development, and AI-powered developer workflows. Stephan is also the creator of DevoxxGenie, an open-source IntelliJ IDEA plugin that enables developers to interact with local and remote LLMs directly from their IDE. Through talks, workshops, and R&D projects, he focuses on how AI agents are transforming software engineering and how developers are evolving from traditional coders into orchestrators of intelligent systems. More info: [https://stephanjanssen.be](https://stephanjanssen.be/) **About Philippe Bogaerts**: And our next panel speaker is Philippe Bogaerts. Philippe is co-founder and organizer of BruCON, and an enthusiastic researcher and trainer in the world of building, securing, and hacking agentic systems. He is also a wonderful public speaker. Philippe has already presented twice at BDEN, and every time he brings exactly the kind of energy we love: hands-on, practical, sharp, and anything but boring slideware. It is a pleasure to see him explore, break, test, and hack in the agentic AI space. He is one of those speakers who keeps you interested from the first second to the last, because he does not just talk about the topic. He actually gets his hands dirty. With Philippe joining Burr Sutter and Stephan Janssen, this panel is shaping up to be something special. Really looking forward to this one. **Additional note** ***This meetup includes food. Please keep your RSVP status up to date so we do not waste any food. In case you are no longer sure you can join in person, please update your RSVP accordingly.***

The train situation looks much better this weekend, so let's go for a gorgeous hike along the Ourte Valley. We start in Complain-la-Tour and slowly but steadily climb out of the river valley towards the plateau. We will walk up and down through a varied landscape with forests and open fields, pass the mighty castle of Anthisnes before finally starting the descend to Esneux, our final destination. There we will find plenty of offers for a final drink and other (sweet ;-) temptations. The number of participants is limited to 20, so please manage your registration responsibly: only sign up if you really intend to come and cancel as soon as you know you can’t (this also goes for people on the waiting list!). We will try to keep somewhere close to an average speed of 4.5 to 5 km/h. We will walk both on paved and unpaved roads. I’ve not tested this track beforehand, so it’s possible that there are some mistakes in the planning (i.e. it may become longer ;-). ●●You can find the gpx track here: kommot: https://www.komoot.com/de-de/tour/3007376224?share_token=aips9XNt1tZ8Xj7XkoRGEMLvdKj1Uv8uizqb6xLBq9ERt6QBt9&ref=wtd&t_s=referral&t_cid=route_share&t_ref_username=472114460035 wiciloc: https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/comblain-la-tour-esneux-267596124 ●●Meeting point: We meet at 8.45 in Bruxelles Central train station. Our train (IC 507 to Eupen) leaves from platform 3 at 9.01. We change in Liege and arrive in Comblain-la-Tour at 10.47. ●● Train ticket: 14.90€ (9.00€ with train+) each way ●● Trains back to Brussels: One per hour via Liege, XX.27 on even hours and XX.40 on uneven hours. ●● Specifics: Distance: \~ 26 km Elevation gain: around 400m Net walking time: \~ 6h Weather forecast: Quite cool, but dry. Some sun if we are lucky. In the unlikely case of too bad weather, I may cancel a hike, even few hours before the event. If this must happen, I will of course update the Meetup website and send out an email to those registered. So it is important to have access to either the Meetup.com website and/or your emails. ●● What to bring: * Comfortable hiking clothes * Waterproof, comfortable hiking shoes * sufficient water + food for the breaks * Compeed for blisters * Small change for the drink (cafes in the countryside do not necessarily take cards!) ●● Basic rules: Please RSVP only if you really intend to come. And if your plans change, update your RSVP asap, even hours before the walk. This is basic courtesy towards others. Repeated late cancellations are not well considered (at all). No-shows are even worse. Do not show up for a hike unless you are on the “going” list. ●● Acknowledgement of member responsibility and release of liability: You are responsible for yourself and should be fit enough if you want to take part. As the participation in the events is strictly voluntary and you freely choose to join, it is the responsibility of individuals participating to ensure that they are fit enough and have adequate coverage to protect themselves. By signing up for this event, you agree to release the organisers from any responsibility and liability.

Karin's hike for Sunday has a long waitlist. Therefore, I am proposing an alternative hike in the area of Geraardsbergen. We will start in Schendelbeke, which is a small railway station with immediate access to some nature trails. On the way we will first walk through the reserve "De Gavers", followed by multiple small forests. We also pass by two famous hills of the Tour of Flanders bike race, namely the "Bosberg" and the "Muur". In general the track goes over rolling hills with some great views on the way. We finish our hike in Geraardsbergen with a beer, or a coffee and a local cake called "Mattentaart". Important: As the number of participants is limited, it is important that you manage your registration responsibly: only sign up if you really intend to come and cancel as soon as you know you can’t (this also goes for people on the waiting list!). We will try to keep close to an average speed of about 5 km/h. We will walk mainly on unpaved roads. I’ve not tested this track beforehand, so it’s possible that there are some mistakes in the planning. ●●You can find the track here: https://loc.wiki/t/267639656?wa=sc ●●Meeting point: We meet at the railway station of Schendelbeke at 10h47. If you start from Brussels-Central, you should take train IC 3632 direction Aalst & De Panne at 9h45. In Denderleeuw you have 14 minutes to change to train S3 2260 direction Geraardsbergen. I live in Ghent, so I will only see you on this second train. Let's try to meet in the first car of the train. ●● Train tickets: Return ticket to Geraardsbergen should be ok or two separate tickets Brussels-Schendelbeke and Geraardsbergen-Brussels. ●● Back to Brussels: In Geraardsbergen there are two trains per hour to get back to Brussels (with a change in Denderleeuw or Edingen). ●● Specifics: Distance: ca 25km Elevation gain: 250m Net walking time: ca 5-6h Weather forecast: Looks ok for the moment. In the unlikely case of too bad weather, we may cancel a hike, even few hours before the event. If this must happen, we will of course update the Meetup website and send out an email to those registered. So it is important to have access to either the meetup website or your emails. ●● What to bring: * Comfortable hiking clothes &shoes * rain gear (just in case) * water + food for the breaks * sun cream * Compeed for blisters * some small money for drinks ●● Basic rules: Please RSVP only if you really intend to come. And if your plans change, update your RSVP asap, even hours before the walk. This is basic courtesy towards others. Repeated late cancellations are not well considered (at all). No-shows are even worse. Do not show up for a hike unless you are on the “going” list. People with the "go-with-the-flow" label are only moved from the waitlist 24 hours before the hike. I give you the label "go-with-the-flow" if you did not show up in one of my hikes before, or if you canceled for one of these hikes less than 24 hours in advance without a good reason. ●● Acknowledgement of member responsibility and release of liability: You are responsible for yourself and should be fit enough if you want to take part. As the participation in the events is strictly voluntary and you freely choose to join, it is the responsibility of individuals participating to ensure that they are fit enough and have adequate coverage to protect themselves. By signing up for this event, you agree to release the organisers from any responsibility and liability. Moreover, the organisers aren't tour operators, so they don't feel obliged to answer to every text message or email!

Summer is almost here, and we have something special for our little doggies! 🐶💛 For this meetup, we’re excited to welcome all Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, and other small dog friends to a safe and fun play session at a wonderful location **provided by** Kleuterschool Voor Honden. The venue includes a **secure fenced grass field** where our tiny pups can run, play, and socialize freely in a safe environment. The dogs will be able to enjoy their playtime **under the supervision of a professional dog trainer**, so everyone can relax and enjoy the day with peace of mind. While the doggies make new friends and burn off some energy, the humans can unwind at the **cozy terrace**, enjoy a drink and a bite to eat, and get to know fellow small dog parents. ☕🍹 🌴 **Optional theme: Summer Kick-Off Pawty!** Feel free to add a little summer vibe: colorful bandanas, Hawaiian shirts, tropical accessories, or just bring your best sunny energy. No pressure — just for fun! 📅 **Date:** June 6 📍 **Location:** Kleuterschool voor Honden, Peter Benoitlaan, Antwerpen 🕒 **Time:** 13:00 Whether your dog is super social or prefers taking things slowly, everyone is welcome. We’re looking forward to an afternoon full of wagging tails, tiny paws, and great company. See you and your little best friend there! 🐾 \*\*\*Nederlands\*\*\* De zomer komt eraan en we hebben iets leuks gepland voor onze kleine hondjes! 🐶💛 Voor deze meetup verwelkomen we graag alle Chihuahua’s, Pomeranians en andere kleine hondenvriendjes voor een veilige en gezellige speelsessie op een geweldige locatie, **aangeboden door Kleuterschool Voor Honden**. De locatie beschikt over een **veilig afgebakend grasveld** waar onze kleine viervoeters vrij kunnen rennen, spelen en socialiseren in een veilige omgeving. De hondjes kunnen heerlijk spelen **onder supervisie van een professionele hondentrainer**, zodat iedereen ontspannen van de dag kan genieten. Terwijl de hondjes nieuwe vriendjes maken en hun energie kwijt kunnen, kunnen de hondenouders gezellig ontspannen op het **gezellige terras**, genieten van een drankje en een hapje, en andere kleine hondenliefhebbers leren kennen. ☕🍹 🌴 **Optional theme: Summer Kick-Off Pawty!** Voeg gerust een zomerse touch toe: kleurrijke bandana’s, Hawaiiaanse shirtjes, tropische accessoires of gewoon je beste summer vibes. Niets is verplicht — gewoon voor de gezelligheid! 📅 **Datum:** 6 juni 📍 **Locatie:** Kleuterschool voor Honden, Peter Benoitlaan, Antwerpen 🕒 **Tijd:** 13:00 Of jouw hondje nu super sociaal is of liever rustig de omgeving verkent, iedereen is welkom. We kijken uit naar een gezellige namiddag vol kwispelende staartjes, kleine pootjes en fijne ontmoetingen. Tot dan, samen met je kleine beste vriendje! 🐾

Join us for an energizing Qi Gong class focused on physical exercise techniques that help cultivate and balance your energy. Qi Gong is a traditional Chinese practice that combines movement, breathing, and meditation to improve overall well-being. In this session, you will learn various exercises aimed at enhancing physical strength, flexibility, and vitality. Whether you are a beginner or have experience with Qi Gong, this class is designed to help you connect with your inner energy and feel rejuvenated. Come discover the power of Qi Gong and train your body and mind for better health and harmony.

Hi everyone, Let's meet for a classic, social short hike (9 km) from Herrmann-Debroux to the Hippodrome, with a coffee pause at the beautiful Rouge-Cloister. Just bring some snacks, water, and running or hiking shoes—nothing special. **Exit points are available after 5 km at Watermael-Boitsfort, and at the Hippodrome at the end. Many trams and buses can take you back to Herrmann-Debroux or elsewhere.** At the end, we can have a drink at the Hippodrome. I just need to check if the O2 Terrace allows just drinks, or if the bar at the Golf Club is open. It is not a LOOP Register only if you are reasonably motivated to participate. As a matter of courtesy towards the people on the waiting list, if you are unable to come, cancel as soon as possible. [Newsletter](https://meetup.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a3689edfe6f0e062b4687aecd&id=8ca9255158) [Free donation to cover Meetup Annual Fee](https://www.paypal.com/pool/9nkCD96sSK?sr=wccr) See you soon, Enrico 0456227747 \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ***WhatsApp "share live location"*** When participating in our hikes, you should understand how to use the WhatsApp function **"share live location"**. WhatsApp "share live location" is very handy in case you remain behind, arrive late or get lost. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ***MeetUp privacy settings*** Turn off the privacy settings in MeetUp, for not preventing the organizers from contacting you by direct message. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- If you want to be part of the "Walking in Bruxelles" WhatsApp group just send a WhatsApp or SMS message to 0476 796026 (Vincenzo) with your name and the request to subscribe.

The Mechels Broek is a peaceful wetland nature reserve just outside Mechelen, known for its marshy meadows, reed fields, and abundant birdlife. Trails lead you past water ponds, knot willows, and grazing Galloway cattle, with several birdwatching points including an observation tower. Expect a mix of muddy paths, wooden boardwalks, and wide views over the Dijlevallei. Perfect for a relaxed, nature‑focused walk with plenty of chances to spot ducks, geese, herons, and even storks. Starting point nekkerspoel station @ 11am +- 19km Bring sturdy shoes as it could be muddy 😅 At the end of hike we will go to the cafe there you make sure to bring some cash orpayconiq works. Weather The weather will be cool with grey clouds, flashes of sunshine and some clouds and maybe a bit of rain. Temperatures will be in the range of maximum 20°C. *** DISCLAIMER: You are responsible for yourself. Know your limits and choose to participate or not in an activity accordingly. The organisers in this group are only volunteers. By signing up for this event, you agree to release the organisers/hosts from any responsibility/liability. If you don’t agree to this, do not join. DON'T SIGN UP WHEN YOU ARE NOT COMING! YOU'LL GET A WARNING WHEN YOU DONT LET SOMETHING KNOW 2nd TIME = removal from the group, it's not respectful to not let something know and also not respectful to other members of group that want to come!! the route might be a bit longer as we might have a difference between forecast (the app) and the reality on the ground. RVSP deadline at 00h before the Meetup place m, change your RVSP beforehand if you can’t come. Otherwise send me a message. ***

Hi ladies. Let's hike the Edward Thomas, Spring Creek, and a little multi-purpose trail - approximately 4 miles so please wear your shoe of choice. Please bring a water bottle as needed and appropriate shoes. Meet in the Maple Grove Picnic area.

Hi Ladies , Let's Hike Blendon Woods Metro Park . We will meet at the nature center parking lot. Hiking about 4 miles completing the blendon woods loop and the sugarbush trail . Wear appropriate footwear and bring water for hydration .

**History** [Chestnut Ridge Metro Park](https://www.metroparks.net/parks-and-trails/chestnut-ridge/) is historically significant because it sits on a 300-million-year-old outcropping of Blackhand sandstone. Geographically recognized as the very first foothill of the Appalachian Mountains, the ridge rises 1,116 feet above sea level. Long before European settlement, the land served as a sacred site for ancient civilizations. The park contains the Old Maid's Orchard Mound, an eight-foot-tall burial mound constructed by the Adena culture between 1000 B.C. and 100 B.C. This ancient landmark has remained largely intact and is now protected on the National Register of Historic Places. The documented modern history of the land began with an official survey conducted by Ebenezer Buckingham in 1801. Original land deeds of sale from this period notably bear the signatures of United States Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. In the 1830s, Irish laborers arrived at the ridge to quarry its rich Blackhand sandstone. The blocks they hewed were used to build the crucial locks for the nearby Ohio and Erie Canal. Remnants of this early sandstone quarrying operation can still be spotted by sharp-eyed hikers along the modern trails. Agricultural transformation defined the ridge throughout the mid-to-late 19th century. Settlers discovered that the high elevation created a natural air flow that prevented late-season frost damage to crops. Extensive fruit orchards were planted across the slopes between 1860 and 1880. One notable orchard was established by John Wagner, a Spanish-American War veteran who chose the ridge specifically for its proximity to the bustling Columbus market. The park's current name pays homage to the massive American chestnut trees that once dominated the ridgeline before a devastating ecological blight wiped them out in the early 20th century. The conservation story of the modern 486-acre park began in March 1962. The Metro Parks board announced land acquisition plans to block developers from building a residential housing development called Chestnut Heights. Director-Secretary Walter A. Tucker advocated heavily for the purchase, citing the ridge's immense value as a scenic overlook for central Ohio. The district systematically purchased multiple agricultural parcels over the next two decades. After operating strictly as undeveloped farmland through the 1970s, Chestnut Ridge Metro Park officially opened to the public on December 18, 1988. In recent decades, the park has evolved from a quiet hiking spot into a premier regional destination for outdoor sports. A major turning point occurred in 2010 when the Central Ohio Mountain Biking Organization (COMBO) partnered with the park district to develop new infrastructure. Volunteers worked extensively to construct a single-track mountain bike trail, which officially opened in October 2011. An expert gravity and flow trail featuring advanced jumps was later integrated into the loop in 2016. Today, the park successfully balances its deep ancient, industrial, and agricultural history with active recreation. **Map of the Park** Here is a [map of Chestnut Ridge](https://www.metroparks.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CHR_map_1980px_2026.jpg). **Summary** For this event, we will hike the Ridge, Meadows, and Homesite Trails, and Law's Lane, which is unmarked on some maps. None of these trails is individually very long, so we will hike a few permutations and loops until we get in 4-5 miles. The hike will be moderately strenuous. **Where We'll Meet** Drive to the rearmost picnic area at the back of the park. There's a latrine here, but there's no water fountain here or anywhere else at Chestnut Ridge. I strongly recommend you bring some water of your own, at least for after the hike. Cell service at the park is spotty, although your GPS will get you there just fine. The map pin I've provided here is exactly where we'll be meeting and should be able to be used directly in Google Maps, although Chestnut Ridge isn't big and you're unlikely to get lost here. **After the Hike** Afterward, we'll head over to [BrewDog DogTap](https://drink.brewdog.com/usa/brewdog-dogtap-columbus) for [drinks](https://usa.brewdog.com/pages/brewdog-lineup) and [food](https://usa.brewdog.com/cdn/shop/files/DogTap_Menu_2025_65e1ff8b-97d4-4f26-80f1-68321d482025.pdf?v=17356939232910340498). They also have an outdoor area that's extremely popular. I've had their burgers and their pizza, and I think they're both very good. I also really like their [Cold Beer](https://usa.brewdog.com/products/cold-beer-2024) (that's its actual name), which is their American light lager. BrewDog's actual address is [96 Gender Rd, Canal Winchester, OH 43110](https://www.google.com/maps/place/96+Gender+Rd,+Canal+Winchester,+OH+43110/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x88387c06afa21a85:0x804c611d373d8c54?sa=X&ved=1t:242&ictx=111), and they have a large, free parking lot. We should be there by 5 if you can't make the hike and just want to join us for drinks.