A (photo-) blog about the beautiful Belgian town Bruges as seen through the very two eyes of an inhabitant. Sharp, witty, and... always admiring.
10-05-2006
Hotels Ibis and Novotel
. In the Katelijne street, somewhat halfway, is the entrance to two hotels. Left, the "Ibis" and right, the "Novotel". A tourist who made reservations at the hotel "Ibis", after reading that he was going to be lodged in a 15th century convent (oh yes, indeed, that is what the "Ibis" advertises) is in for a rude shock. Honestly, wouldn't you expect something quite different from this late 20th century building?
10-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Alexianan Convent
Tourists expecting to spend the night in an old convent will be lucky, when they enter this inner court of the hotel "Ibis", if they manage to notice anything of the "old" in the actual transformation - please, let's never call it restoration - of what used to be the Alexanian convent. In 1841 the Brothers of Love even built a refuge and hospice for men here, but in 1982, the city fathers had little or no regard for history and had decided that the old had to make way for the new (NOVOTEL). And only for the sake of contrast was some of the original building integrated in the "Ibis" Novotel..
10-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Novotel
Were they really happily laughing about it in the eighties, when they shamelessly could demolish historical buildings? Novotel used materials from the small bell-tower of what ised to be the Alexanian convent, to build a bench in its hotel's inner court. The remainder of the convent was rased but they kep the small tower as a joke. Or were their intentions serious, at the time? Utterly bad taste is all that can be said about it.
10-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Everything in Bruges
... reflects the grace of the city. Even these posts are decorated with the logo of Bruges : the elegant "B" with the small crown.
10-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Even de sewer covers
... tell us we are in Bruges.
10-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Guesthouses
More and more tourists choose to stay in guest-gouses, or "Bed and Breakfast" as they are also known. Many inhabitants of Bruges are proud of their city and one way of proving it is to offer tourists a room as well as breakfast. The added benefit for tourists is that they are welcomed by people who will also gladly tell them all they now about Bruges, their city.
10-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Katelijne rampart
The Katelijne rampart as we now know it was developed between 1881 and 1890. But this part of the fortification wall goes back to the year 1662.
10-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Swan
This is how one usually sees our swans, in Bruges. Floating on the water, a small tree nearby. Quiet, tranquil, gracious.
10-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Swan (2)
... a less familiar sight. Walking along the path, searching for some edible tidbit..
10-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
The Sacred Blood procession
The shepherders come visiting the newborn child Jesus
10-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
09-05-2006
Ice cellar
I stood here, this afternoon, taking photos. A few female students from Holland addressed me. They were holding a questionnaire. ."Do you know what animals are kept in here?" was one of the questions. Fortunately for them, I knew the answer : bats. Time ago, long before refrigerators and deep-freezers were invented, this was an ice-cellar, used to store huge blocks of ice
09-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Sans-papiers
Inside the Magdalena church. Action for the "sans-papiers". Notice the broken English used.
09-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Refugees
... asylum-seekers, also called "paperless". Several churchleaders from Bruges rolled up their sleeves took action in order to help such people, here and in the neighbourhood of the St-Magdalena church. I do not intend to take a stance, but the reasons why these people should be helped are certainly reasonable ones. Friends of my sister are in the same boat. They were allowed to remain in this country for several years, they have two children and they became completely integrated. After eight years of living here, and their children now being 16 and 20 years old, this family still does not know whether they will be granted citizenship or will have to leave again. Having people live for years and years with such uncertainty hanging above their heads, with the very real daily fear they might be told "Out, you have to leave" is inhuman.
09-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Never lose courage
"If you can't fly, run If you can't run, walk If you can't walk, drag yourself But never stand still, never go down, always rise. If you can't laugh, smile If you can't smile, be glad anyway If you can't be glad, be contented But never abandon courage and always strive forwards."
Eugène Mattelaer
09-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Potterierei (2)
"Bruges the jewel, after noon when the sun is shining. A background of gothic houses, towers and campaniles looking down on the still canals wherein, as clearly defined as if it were a painting, the beauty of the stones is reflected."
Felix Timmermans
09-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Potterierei
This is the first time the path of the race goes through the Potterierei. I guess only habitual "cobblestone-grinders" just take them in stride...
09-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Watertower
And... the runners are facing their first up-hill stretch. Under this watertower is a bunker, which is now being used as an archery, equipped with a four-lane shooting facility. The Derby Archers of Bruges has even installed a cafeteria on the premises.
09-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
The Sacred Blood procession
Sixteen more days. In the meantime, this sequence has now reached the New Testament. The Sacred Blood Procession is a depiction of three different periods : 1. The Old Testament 2. The New Testament 3. This Historical Part Here, we have the beginning of the second part, the New Testament, which starts off with the birth of Christ.
09-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
08-05-2006
The effort
Nobody expected yesterday morning's rainy weather to do a complete turnaround and, precisely at the start of the "Straight through Bruges" race in the afternoon, become really very warm. After ten kilometers of running in this heat, closing one's eyes probably helped concentrating on the intensity of the effort.
08-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Young and old
. .Straight through Bruges" is a running competition made to measure for young and old.
08-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
E-mail me
Push this button to e-mail me.
Guestbook
Push this button if you like to leave a note in my guestbook
