Cafe Bij Magda is no more! It came as a total surprise to everyone. One minute it was open, then next it was closed. A few days after the sorry even the bar was removed and the Stella Artois sign was taken down.

Why? Is the obvious question.. Well, I can sympathize with people running a cafe, especially in Belgium where the opening hours are longer and how (shall we say), "more flexible." Seeing the same faces and having the same conversations day in, day out must drive you a bid mad. Also some of the locals where (to put it nicely), a bit of a pain.

The only negative is that we didn't get a chance to have one last booze up. The cafe closed, no warning no nothing. With hindsight, this is probably the best way to do it, you'd have people moaning at you from the day you announced closure to the day itself. Of course, initial reaction within the village was quite angry, though this has obviously subsided.

Help (however), is at had for the local drinker. The cafe at the Trout pond (rode-brook), has experienced a massive increase in custom, although not all the Bij Magda locals have made the move (something to with the poor road leading to the cafe). There is a short cut, through the forest, necessary equipment being: wellington boots and a torch (if you plan to come back at night).

However, Rode-Brook does NOT qualify as the center of Sint-Pieters-Rode. This means the village itself is now cafe-less.

Help, maybe at hand! One of the locals of Bij Magda is planning on opening up a cafe approx 200m's from the site of Cafe Bij Magda. But, as with everything there seems to be a problem. The rumor on the grapevine is that his ceiling is too low (by 7cms), and he therefore needs a special licence from the fire brigade. However, the local town hall is responsible for arranging this licence and seems to be dragging it's heels'.. Why? Anybodies guess, but it's starting to smell political. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

For those villages with a taste of adventure, there are other cafe's in surrounding villages. Here's a quick ‘potted' description of them:

Cafe Review:

Niewrode:

• Middeinn-- Never visited it, so I can't comment.

• Cafe "Pigeon"-- I think the real name is something like Cafe "speedy people". It's the local pigeon racing cafe and as such has the decor befitting this type of establishment. I've visited it once, and it reminded me of that film set in the Bayou where the locals all look weird and started killing national guardsmen (Wasn't David Carradine in it?)

• Cafe ???-- Probably ‘Under the Toren' (Toren = church tower), as it's right next to the church. Get's busy on a Sunday.

K-Dutsel:

• Dutselhof-- On the main road leading to Sint-Pieters-Rode, decor reminiscent of Cafe Bij Magda (except the bar stools have padding). Negative on this place it that there seems never to be any customers, except for you.

• Cafe by the Church -- Not Under the Toren, but something else. It's the local ‘youth cafe' and as such be prepared for Belgian ‘new beat' music to be fired into your ears. Extremely lively with the young of the village. Not somewhere for a quiet pint and a read of a newspaper..

• Cafe Sporting (I think)-- Where Gobblesrode (see interactive map), meet's the Diestsesteenweg. Very close to Happy Land-- a toy store where everybody is happy (NOT!). I've not visited the place yet, but some of the Cafe Bij Magda's locals are now drink here.

• Cafe Manchester-- Never visited the place. It's distinctive for being painted off-white.

• Another Pigeon Cafe (Cafe Duvenlokaal?)-- Again, I've never visited. It always looks closed.

Sint-Pieters-Rode:

• Waggenhuis-- AKA the Cafe by the Castle of Horst. A very nice renovation but lacks any form of character. Also, the staff have a very ‘thick neck' attitude towards customers. Food is lousy.

• Rode-brook-- Currently, the village local! Apart from being a pain in the ass to get to it's quite pleasant. Some of the locals can get to be a bit of a pain, but otherwise it's livable. Should be better in the summer, they have a small terrace overlooking the trout pond. Beware tho' it closes on Tuesday and also mid-week if nobody is in the place at around 21:00hrs, they've a habit of closing it up..

  Fishing season is now open, it costs something like 300Bf to fish. Bring your own rod and line tho'..