THE FATHER BLOG

There are some amazing beers in the world today and new breweries popping up all the time. But what is the most sought after beer in the world? It’s not surprising that it is one made by monks. That beer is Trappist Westvleteren 12.

Westvleteren 12 is primarily sold directly by the Sint-Sixtus Abbey in Vleteren, Belgium, via their online system, requiring a scheduled pickup. The only authorized physical retailer is the In de Vrede cafe, located across from the monastery. It is not officially distributed, so any other sources are grey market.

So my question is this: has anyone actually ever tried this one? I am tempted to look online and see if I can locate one even if it’s considered “grey market” just for a chance to taste it. If you have had it, please let us other beer nerds know what that experience was like!

Happy Good Friday! Good Friday is a solemn Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion, suffering, and death of Jesus Christ, observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday. It is considered “good” because it marks the essential sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins and the promise of salvation, leading to the Resurrection.

Not everyone is Christian and celebrating Good Friday today. But it doesn’t matter because we all have the ability to be good today and do one good thing. Give it a try.

Hold a door for someone, let someone ahead of you in traffic, simply smile and say “good morning” as you walk past someone, send a text to a friend you haven’t touched base with in awhile, etc. Little positive things can make a big difference. It’s so easy to be upset, angry, or annoyed with all the pressures in the world today and in our personal lives. But take a deep breath and focus on the good things today and hopefully all weekend long….and maybe it will carry over into every day life. The world isn’t such a bad place if you just either find the good….or be the good yourself.

Have a great weekend everyone!

It’s a fact that Europeans travel more internationally than Americans and I never really thought about the reason why. More or less, I was just jealous of their willingness to up and go and travel other countries and the world. Is it cost, time off, proximity to other countries….a combo of those and more maybe? For any of my European friends reading this…tell us what you think of this.

Some quick research and here is what was discovered:

Europeans often appear to travel more than Americans because of a mix of geography, policy, culture, and economics. Here are the biggest reasons:

1. Geography: Everything Is Closer ✈️

Europe is made up of many small countries packed close together. From cities like Paris, Berlin, or Rome you can reach several different countries in just a few hours by train or short flight.

Example:

• Paris → Amsterdam: ~3 hours by train
• Berlin → Prague: ~4 hours

In the U.S., traveling the same distance often still keeps you in the same country. A trip from New York City to Los Angeles is about 2,800 miles.

2. More Vacation Time 🏖️

European labor laws generally guarantee much more paid vacation.

Examples:

• In France workers get at least 5 weeks paid vacation by law.
• In Germany it’s usually 20–30 paid days.

In the United States there is no federal law requiring paid vacation, and the average worker typically gets about 10–15 days.

3. Cheap Transportation 🚄

Europe has dense and affordable travel networks:

• High-speed rail like the TGV
• Budget airlines like Ryanair and easyJet

Flights between countries can sometimes cost $20–$60, making weekend trips common.

4. Cultural Norms 🌍

Travel is deeply embedded in European culture. Many Europeans:

• Take multi-week summer holidays
• Frequently travel to other countries for long weekends
• Often learn multiple languages, making international travel easier

5. Better Train Infrastructure 🚆

Europe has excellent cross-border train networks like:

• Eurostar
• InterCity Express

In the U.S., long-distance train travel is less practical compared with driving or flying.

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💡 Interesting twist: Americans actually travel a lot domestically—road trips to places like Yellowstone National Park or Grand Canyon are extremely common—but because it’s within one country, it often doesn’t feel like “international travel.”

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✅ In short: Europeans travel internationally more because countries are closer, vacations are longer, and transport is cheaper and easier.