Eating in moderation, drinking a glass of good wine every day and avoiding chasing women are the secrets of a long life, Belgians Pieter and Paulus Langerock, the world’s oldest living twin brothers, say.
Born on July 8 1913, the brothers have lived together for most of their lives and until this day barely leave each other’s side, sharing a room at their nursing home just outside the Belgian town of Ghent.
“There isn’t much advice I can give. Don’t waste your time fooling around, don’t eat too much and don’t run after women,” said Paulus, seamlessly switching between French and Dutch, the country’s main languages, as well as the local Ghent dialect.
After their long careers as court magistrates in the middle of the 20th century, the besuited 102-year-olds prefer speaking French and being addressed as “Pierre and Paul.”
Both enjoy a glass of wine every day. “Get us a Bordeaux, but a good quality one,” Paulus tells his nurse at the Ter Venne retirement home into which they moved three years ago, only then giving up their own house.
Neither of them married, disapproving of each other’s choice of potential life partner over the years.
“Yes, Paulus is my best friend. We’re always together,” Pieter said.
While they are the world’s oldest living twin brothers, they have another three years to go to break the record of U.S. brothers Glen and Dale Moyer, both of whom reached 105.
Paulus says he does not care.
“When we were 85 we went to the doctor and he told us: ‘Don’t think you’ll be living to 100.’ Well, I never really wanted to be this old.” (REUTERS)