Blog from Bruges

Bruges inside out

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Dinsdag 25 april 2006

Carmersstreet

Back to the Carmersstreet and the English convent with its dome, which dominates the area. Notice the wall, to the right, where it says "Annaatje van 't Putje". (Anna of the Well). I will come back to that a bit later.

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Dinsdag 25 april 2006

The Sacred Blood Procession

And the procession is still not here. Public interest is huge. Everybody is now occupying her or his spot on each side of the street, except for a few latecomers who are still running on the pavement, but, police officers will soon warn them to either go back or stay on the side. Another few minutes of patience and the procession will be passing.

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Dinsdag 25 april 2006

gracious nuns

The nuns of the English convent were very welcoming and most pleasant.

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Maandag 24 april 2006

Poppies

"I blow out the light of the moon and only the poppies are giving light"
This is what is written at the entrance to the restored Weavers Court. A hundred years ago, the Weavers Court was still one of those "forts" where more than a hundred poor people lived, packed together in abominably inhuman conditions. Nowadays, less than ten people do live there, ineed in vastly more comfortable circumstances. And, in my opinion, they have inherited the most beautiful of the city's mottoes or proverbs. Well, a good night to all, count poppies rather than sheep and... see you tomorrow.

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Maandag 24 april 2006

Soccer Club Bruges

Yesterday, a very special event took place : the soccer derby between Club Brugge and Cercle Brugge. Well, it is always special. It happens twice every year, at least, for as long as the Cercle succeeds in hanging on to its position in the First National. Yesterday, Club won 2-0 against Cercle and, respecting tradition, the Club's flags are raised and displayed in the days following the event. To the sorrow and spite of the Cercle supporters.

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Maandag 24 april 2006

Because.... Spring is coming

... and here is the Sun. The small tower in the background sits atop the tiny church of the Begijnhof (convent).

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Maandag 24 april 2006

Colours coming back in Bruges

Let's leave the English convent for now and have a look ouside. It's nice to see that Bruges, after the long winter, is finally getting some colours again.

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Maandag 24 april 2006

Many people

As is shown by this photo, there was considerable interest for the English convent. Notice the organ, at the right, which dates back to 1895 and was a gift to the convent by the family of one of the nuns of that time. Straight in front of us you see the chancel, which is no longer being used. Lay persons are allowed to come to mass here, and are now sharing the ground floor with the nuns. Previously, that is, intul the Vatican II Synod, the nuns had to remain separated from the public. Which they did by sitting in the chancel.

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Maandag 24 april 2006

deus charitas est

This is the illustration of the godly virtues faith, hope and love, and the triumphant lamb as symbol of Christ who, by sacrificing himself, achieved the gift of absolute love.

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Maandag 24 april 2006

The English Convent

Today, you can expect several photos taken at the English Convent. Yesterday, Heritage Day, the nuns of the Nazareth Monasterium opened their convent, from 1:45 till 6:00 p.m., to the public. The monastery is called "the English Convent" because, during the French Revolution, the nuns had to flee to England, from where they came back eight years after that episode. They are canonesses of Saint Augustine. Looking at the cupola, there is Saint Augustine, being symbolically taken up into the glory of Heaven. Churches with cupolas are exceptions. The guides do like to explain that this cupola-structure was chosen because it created superior accoustics. All the wall-paintings were done by Emile Hirsch, in 1870. (A note for movie-fans : no, it is definitely not the actor of the same name.) A bit further on we find an illustration of the three godly virtues Faith, Hope and Love. The triumphant lamb is the symbol of Christ who achieved the gift of absolute love through his sacrifice.

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Maandag 24 april 2006

The Sacred Blood Procession

The daily "Sacred Blood Procession" photo. No, the Procession is not here yet. On the Market, the grandstands have been installed. Slowly but surely, people are trying to find the spot where they will be. On this side, they are waiting behind the bariers. Notice the scale model of the Belfort and the flat area specially prepared for the blind.

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Zondag 23 april 2006

A foretaste

Here is a foretaste of the "hidden treasures of Bruges" which I discovered today. This here is the cupola, inside the English convent. I can assure you, I had never seen it. Magnificent, as were the clear, brilliant colours everywhere in that convent. And "colour" was precisely the theme chosen for this year's Heritage Day. And just as magnificent and colourful was the hospitality of the nuns. Even though there were many people, and the place as busy as a beehive, the nuns remained smiling and ever ready to give yet additional explanations. I heard a conversation between a nun and neighbouring people, living in the same street, the Carmers street. The nun had never set foot outside the convent, had never been out in that street... I heard English visitors having a conversation in English with another nun. In between, I could hear two guides rambling off background history about the convent. Had it not been for all the other interesting places I did not want to miss on this day, I would gladly have spent the whole afternoon in that English convent. Fortunately, I managed to take quite a few photos. I do hope you like them.

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Zondag 23 april 2006

Bicycles

Even though I visited quite a number of Heritage Day events, I still found time today to have a walk, with my wife, along the Langestraat (the Long street). Flea-market, jumble-sale, food-stalls, terraces, fanfares, children's faces bright with colourful madekup. In a word : there was atmosphere. Maybe you did see us : we were the only ones walking up and down the left side of the street. Everybody else was on the right side. We were "ghostriders". You probably had to step aside to give us the right of way.
Bruges is a bicycle-city. When something is ado here, masses and masses of bicycles are left any which way in the neighborhood. Well, using your bicycle to come into the city is the right way to do things. Bruges is a very small, compact city and when something special is going on, it is quite difficult to... find a spot where to leave your car.

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Zondag 23 april 2006

Hall "de Bond"

This hall, about 30 meters distant from the Blacksmiths' Gate, is now being used as an exhibition hall. An exhibition of paintings by Pieter Vermeersch was planned, as well as a conference by the artist, but the event had to be cancelled because the painter was ill.

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Zondag 23 april 2006

The artist is ill

Phew - I am done with the city's "Heritage Day". It was not easy. Although I had planned well in advance where I wanted to go and what I wanted to see, I had somehow forgotten to look at...opening and closing times. So, this morning, even though I started at 10:00 a.m., twice I happened to be too early. And once, at the end of the afternoon, I was too late! Then here, I just happened to find a locked door. The artist, whose works were exhibited here, was ill. Nevertheless, I did see plenty and I learned a lot.

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Zondag 23 april 2006

Land Survey and Registry (2)

This is the entrance gate, at the Langerei, to the Land Survey and Registry. In the 13th century, there used to be a Pawnhouse (Pandjeshuis)here, where one could borrow money against a pawn. The interest to be paid on such a loan was incredibly steep until, in 1629, the Pawnhouse was replaced by something different, a "real mount of charity" where money was lent without interest. And now, it is the entrance to the Land Survey and Registry.

So that's that. On our way to another Heritage destination.

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Zondag 23 april 2006

Land Survey and Registry

My fascination with maps began when I was a child. My godfather was a land-tax collector and he regularly brought me maps. Maps of France, Switzerland, Europa, Belgium, as well as detailed Michelin city-maps . And sometimes there would be very old maps. I do remember one, an old plan of the city of Bruges and its environs, on which the railway and the train station of "Het Zand" were still indicated, as they were until 1940. Thus, from an early age on, I managed to acquire a good bit of knowledge as to the meaning of the colours and symbols on maps.
Today, the theme of Heritage Day is "colour" and here, at the Land Survey and Registry, the use of colours, then as now, and their different meanings, was explained to visitors. Notwithstanding everything I already knew about "map reading", I still learned quite a bit more. Of course, there is a big difference between commercial maps and tourist maps, and the thousands of kilos of maps stored here at the Land Survey and Registry offices. The purpose is to chart every parcel of land and every building in order to... levy taxes, of course!

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Zondag 23 april 2006

Flea market and jumble-sale

If you are not a "Heritage Day" enthousiast, then there is the fleamarket and jumble-sale for you. This is on the Langstraat and Hoogstraat (Long street and High street). This photo was taken at 11:00 a.m. and I suspect that it will look quite a bit busier this afternoon. Don't let the weather keep you away.

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Zondag 23 april 2006

The Sacred Blood Procession

Another sight, prior to the Procession. All the cheap (free) seats along the wall of the Dijver quai are already taken up. But, for now, a different priority is on the agenda.
Today will be an especially busy one : it is "Heritage Day" and, from 10:00 a.m., it will be "open house" in many places which are otherwise wholly inaccessible, and thus impossible to visit. Have no fear : Blog from Bruges is on the trail, camera at the ready.

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Zondag 23 april 2006

Snaggaards bridge

Vessels could still be seen here at The Langerei till the beginning of the twentieth century. Somtimes, the ships would even anchor quite farther up, deep inside the city, as far as the Jan Van Eyck square. However, since then, a few more recent bridges have been built across the Langerei. This one, the Snaggaard bridge, is one of those. It was named after the Snaggaard family, who had a house near the actual site of the bridge, as far back as the years 1100-1200.

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