A (photo-) blog about the beautiful Belgian town Bruges as seen through the very two eyes of an inhabitant. Sharp, witty, and... always admiring.
14-05-2006
Neighbourhood store in the Peper street
This small neighbourhood store and the lady who owns it are something to be prized. This courageous woman has been keeping her small store ever since 1950. She started it with her husband but now that he is deceased, she is running it all on her own. I went in there this afternoon. Yes, although it is Sunday, she was open for business. It is her whole life, her only livelihood and the whole neighbourhood has a special fondness for this woman and her small store.
14-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Opus Latino
In a covered lane between the Burg and the Wollestreet, named Ter Steeghere, there is, about halfway in the lane, a restaurant-tearoom. You can only reach it by walking down the stairs. Here, seen from Ter Steeghere, is the terrace of the restaurant, which operates under the name "Opus Latino". In the background you can see the street coming left from the Rozenhoedkaai (Rose Hat Quai) and which used to veer right beneath the Waterhalls, along the Market and towards the Kraanrei and the Spinolarei.
14-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Airbag
Where the accordeon player of day before yesterday was doing what he does normally, that is play his instrument, these two gentlemen are participants in the "Airbag" festival. And, in contrast to the first player, who knew the music he was playing, these two are having a constant look at their music sheets.
14-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Brugse Metten Pie
. Not "Matten Pie" (a specialty of the Geeraardsbergen area, as all pastry lovers know), but the original Bruges Metten Pie can be savoured here, on this "Bruges Metten Walk" commemoration day. Yes, French-speaking people can have a bite too, since we are all a lot less violent than we were 704 years ago. It is no longer necessary to be so : the French have stopp4ed bothering us and our Lion of Flanders is now as tame as a lamb.
14-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
The "Mettenwalk"
This if the fifth edition of the "Mettenwalk" organized by the July 11th Committee of Bruges City. Actually, you can do the walk on foot or you can use your bicycle, as the length of the walk varies between 6 and 42 kilometers. You can even choose at what time you want to start your walk as departures are scheduled anywhere from 8 in the morning till 3 in the afternoon. The walk is a commemoration of the famous "Brugse Metten" a rebellion which started in the morning of May 18, 1302. On that day, under the commandment of Jacques de Chatillon, the French were set to invade Bruges. However, rebels who, very early that same morning, had managed to slip out of the city, paid the French army a surprise visit and got them out of their beds in a most disagreeable manner (at the precise hour of the "Metten", that is, the first part of the daily breviary prayer, which was divided into three nocturnes, being mostly psalms and lessons, and the first past of the night office.) All who failed to pronounce "Schild en Vriend" properly - and this, the French could not - was sure to find no pity and was massacred. The "Brugse Metten" rang, in fact, the beginning of the "Guldensporenslag" (The Battle of the Golden Spurs). Which is why it is so fitting that the start- and arrival points of the walk should be here, at the city halls in the centre of Old Bruges.
14-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
New Territories
Yesterday, I went to the "New Territories" exhibition, in the upper halls of the Belfort. I had no idea what the exhibition realy was about. I saw the entrance was free and the exhibition would be open till May 29th. I discovered the exhibition was the work of video-artists who tackled the Palestine-Israel question and learned that right at the opening ceremony there was an incident because, in the printed program, there was an Israeli logo to be seen (the Israeli administration had given two air-travel tickets) and several Palestinian participants wanted to take their work away from the exhibition. In any event, the exhibition is going on and it is well worth a visit. Most of the videos, I find, might be compared to the movie Powaqqatsi and its two sequels, the difference being that while Powaqqatsi did not really have a message to convey, these videos did. In one instance, for example, Donna Conlon from Panama shows a movie showing ants busily dragging tree-leaves over the ground but here and there, those leaves are really leaf-sized pieces of cardboard depicting the flag of several countries and of the peace logo. In another instance, Lisa Abdul from Afghanistan shows a video wherein people are painting what remains standing of their destroyed houses, just so to put a bit of colour in their lives. In the last one of the exhibition halls I found photos such as those we get to see in the newspapers and on television : heart-rending scenes in war-torn areas, photos which are usually found on the "Photo of the Year" lists.
14-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
The Sacred Blood procession
Eleven more days. This scene depicts a few of Jesus' pupils who, seeing how tired he is, try to keep the children away from him. However, Jesus told them "Let the children come to me!" and he picked up one of them. Here is the photo foto.
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14-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
13-05-2006
Lacemaker
I started my blog about Bruges a little more than two months ago and I have not shown you a photo of a lacemaker yet. Here is a nice one. Most all lace-boutiques have a lacemaker, working either on the sidewalk, in front of the store, or inside, to attract buyers. One could compare them with the Indians on some Reserve, who will don their traditional garb and execute a Rain dance to attract tourists and their money. However, contrary to so many traditions, as well as traditional occupations, lacemaking is still widely practised in Flanders, albeit often as a very popular hobby, with positively superb results. Have a look here Claudette or here Gisela. It still is mainly women's work. There are boys and men who do lacework, but they are a minority.
In the past, lacemaking in Flanders, and certainly in Bruges, was synonymous with earning one's daily bread. It meant an additional income, needed so families would not go hungry. The work was boring because it was generally an endless repetition of the same pattern. Most people actually would work 10 to 12 hours a day.
There were several Bruges lacemaker songs, named "tellers", because, as well as telling a story, they would also be a means of counting the movements of the bobbins, as well as setting a working rythm. In the lacemaking schools and workshops, the fastest lacemaker would be the one in charge of singing and, in this manner, impose a working rythm. Here is one such song, which gives a slight idea of the difficult life people had :
"Wandering towards a poor cottage I have to go through streets where there are knives and swords. I have to cross a bridge of glass And ring a bell of flame and fire. There is a witch who opens the door And asks what I am looking for. 'T is here that I have to live."
The same words were repeated ten times.
13-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Minnewater park
Here, at one of the entrances to the Minnewater Park, another one of those decorative posts with the elegant letter "B" and the small crown.
13-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Wijngaard square (Vineyard square)
Bruges is a paradise for artists. Whether it's painting or drawing, artists love to work in the numerous picturesque spots in this city. Sometimes, you see a whole group of them working in the same spot. It's too bad, though, that most artists seem to prefer the Rozenhoedkaai (the Rose-hat quai) and the Wijngaard square. Of course, here is where the greatest number of tourists will spend some time and thus, where the artists multiply their chances of selling their work. Which, after all, isone of their aims.
13-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Art or kitsch?
It does not matter, it is beautiful. Cynical but funny. Notice the details. Five to twelve, long live grandpa, the bawling child, etc...
13-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Keramiek Kasper (Ceramic Casper)
. You will find him in the Wijngaard street (the Vineyard street). Keramiek Kasper (or Ceramic Casper, in English).
13-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
The Sacred Blood procession
Johannes de Doper was door Herodes gevangen genomen omdat hij kritiek had geuit op diens levenswijze: hij had Herodias, de vrouw van zijn broer tot zich genomen. Op een feest danste de dochter van Herodias zo bevallig dat Herodes zwoer haar alles te geven wat zij vroeg. Zij vroeg het hoofd van Johannes de Doper en zo geschiedde.
13-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
12-05-2006
Another protest rally
Next Sunday, May 21st, at 1:00 p.m., another protest demonstration will be held against violence in our community. Participants will meet on the Market. Violence MUST stop. Whatever aspect violence may take, it has to stop.
12-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Protest sit-in
The Maalse Roadway, one of the most important access or exit roads of Bruges. This evening, quarter past six. Hundreds of people are holding a protest sit-in on this road where, otherwise, at this time, hundreds of cars would be speeding by. The protest is aimed at the violence in our community. Saturday night, at exactly this spot, skinheads attacked two people who had subsequently to be hospitalized. One of the victims, a coloured person from Paris, is still in a coma. The skinheads had come out of an ill-famed café a bit farther up. The recent numerous acts of senseless violence against foreigners is just too much for all these people here. They will not stand by and remain silent. Our society does not tolerate such behaviour. All levels of government need to take strong measures to prevent such hateful acts. Is this a coincidence? In the middle of the photo we do recognize the man with the sunglasses : our alderman for Culture, Yves Roose.
12-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
airbag festival
This city's second "airbag-festival" is in full swing, in an attempt to restore the accrdeon to its proper glory. I wonder whether this man is aware of the festival, and I presume he is not. Festival or no festival, he is playing here in any event, hoping to earn euro-money. Preferably as fast as possible.
12-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Quiz for schoolchildren
This, now, is how schools organize a trip to Bruges : they give their students a list of questions about what they will see, along the streets they will be taken through. Nowadays, when you are in the most popular tourist sections, it won't take you more than five minutes before you notice one or more of these groups. The whole pack runs from one spot to the next one, paper and pen in hands. The questions they have to answer might be, for example, what kind of animals live in the ancient ice-cellar next to the Minne-bridge (bats - as I explained with a previous photo). Or, what is the slogan used by the city to make its population aware of its responsibility for the dog-poop problem (No dog-poop on the stoop). Seldom does one see such a group remain more than five minutes in any one spot. No time, it all has to go very fast. Modern teaching method? Did they really "see" bruges? I often wonder. The answer is No. Did they have fun? Yes, they probably did.
12-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Entrance to the Karthuizerinnen church
The church is in the Karthuizerinnen street. At first, this order of nuns lived in a convent in Sint-Andries, barely a few kilometers from here, but outside the city walls. In 1578 the nuns had to abandon their convent and take refuge in Bruges because of the troubles caused by the religious wars. Do take a closer look at the facial expressions on these heads.
12-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Karthuizerinnen church (2)
. This church, who became a military chapel more than a century ago (in 1893) has, in contrast with most churches who are quite heavily adorned, a very sober decor.
12-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Karthuizerinnen church (3)
The church, as seen from the corner of the Oude Burg. On the wall are the lists of the war victims, people of Bruges who were killed.
12-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
The Sacred Blood procession
. For three days, the parents of Jesus had beent rying to find their son. They hadn't known he had remained behind, in the temple.
12-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
The Sacred Blood proession
,Josef and Mary are desperately looking for their son Jesus. Finally, after three days of searching, they find him in the temple with the scribes.
12-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
11-05-2006
Jolly month of May
't Was in the jolly month of May hey, hey, 't was in jolly May! And, passing through Bruges while coming I saw all the litle flowers blooming; 't was in the jolly month of May, hey, hey, 't was in jolly May.
free interpretation of a poem by Guido Gezelle
11-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
The May Fair
The May Fair. Every morning the city's clean-up teams are quite busy and... the means are equal to the job.
11-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
The Sacred Blood procession
The Three Wise Men. In Belgium, we call them "The Three Kings", as you can read here. In previous years there have been different Melchior's. This is the 2004 Melchior.
11-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
The Sacred Blood procession (2)
The Three Wise Men. Since there were three of them, you still have two coming. Here is Balthasar. The Three Wise Men came from different directions to see the child Jesus. They are bearing the symbols of wisdom of the Western, Eastern and African cultures. Here, you will notice the yin and yang design on the banner.
11-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
The Sacred Blood procession (3)
The third of the Three Wise Men, Caspar. Caspar, as we can see from the expression on his face, was a bit reluctant to come and see the child Jesus.
11-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
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
The sponge-bearer
. Which one, do you think, has the better physique? This runner wearing a number or this boy gathering the sponges?
08-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Who would like a sponge?
08-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
More cobblestones
. Runners and joggers who hate cobblestones better abstain from the "Straight through Bruges" race. Such stretches are just too plenty in Bruges. Here, the runners enter the Westmeers. The street, of course. And the terrace of the "Dolle Dries" (Crazy Dries) was quite a nice observation spot.
08-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Towards the Jan Van Eyck square
Towards the Jan Van Eyck square, ambiance and public assistance were rather lacking. Typical Belgian behaviour. Compare this with the enthousiasm of the millions of people along the path of the New York Marathon, where all runners, from the first to the last, are greeted and applauded.
08-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
Spinolarei
A few more snapshots of the .Straight through Bruges" race. The people frm Bruges did participate in great numbers.
08-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
The Sacred Blood procession
Tableau of the Prophets. Yesterday, you saw Moses with his Ten Commandments. Today, here is King David and his harp. He expresses his confidence in God by means of playing songs on this instrument.
08-05-2006, 00:00 geschreven door Blog from Bruges
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