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I have recently taken up jogging again and in Bruges, there is no better place than the Remparts. I did start a bit late, last night. On purpose, in fact, because I wanted to take advantage of the coolest time of the day to run a bit. But right now, "cool" is relative. It was still 25 degrees when I started even though it was already dark. Then, I reached the Potters rempart, I was struck by the rather great number of.... I give you two guesses why this stretch of what is really the Katelijne rempart, has been dubbed the "Potters"* rempart in popular parlance.. Even when those men with fire in their pants are not around, I cannot get rid of this niggling impression that one of them might be hiding behind one of the knobby trees. Well, when it's dark, I just run a bit faster.
* "Potters"= homosexuals.

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Since yesterday, I am once more without a camera. Mine is still in for repairs and I had to give the camera which was lent to me, back to its owner. The owner was leaving on a trip. And when does the ordinary Belgian use his camera? When he travels and when there is a family gathering. Thus... that camera is now travelling. However, provided I am getting my own camera back before long, you won't even notice its absence in this blog. I can't show you anything "actual" for now, but on the other hand, it leads me of necessity to a bit more improvisation and creativity. Improving some of my photos a bit, for instance...

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With "Jerry's Cigar Bar", about which I told you previously, in the background, to the right, we have here a house to which people hardly pay attention when walking by. Oude Burg 33. And yet, it is one of only three houses now remaining in Bruges who are in the pure Renaissance style. (Not to be confused with Bruges late-gothic, as happens with so many houses.) The façade is the authentic one, built in 1571. It was restored in 1980-1981. The first owner was Willem Clynckemaille, after whom the house is named "de Clyncke".
Another remarkable fact about it is that it was bought, in 1863, by the Xaverian Brothers (the "Frères") and a short time later their founder, the Dutchman Theodoor J. Rijken, came to live in this house. And it is from here that the Xaverian Brothers started the enormous expansion of their foundation. They now occupy almost the entirety of the block between the Mariastreet, de Nieuwstreet  and the Guido Gezelle square.

On the façade of the Clyncke house, at 33 Oude Burg, which was built in 1571, you can see these two stone medallions depicting the mythological figures Mercurius and Ceres. They were probably commissioned to be installed there around 1577, when Highes, who was a wine merchant succeeded Willem Clynckemaille as occupant of the house.

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A unique spot in Bruges in this era where smokers are being more and more stigmatised and isolated. "Jerry's Cigar Bar" is probably the only place in a wide area where one can not only buy smokers' paraphernalia and strong drink; one can also sit down in a very beautifully appointed bar and spend some pleasant moments tasting appreciable goodies. For those who prefer to do that outside, the bar's nice terrace is right on the Simon Stevin square. Such moments are lost on me but, for those who want to savour those pleasures (not devoid of risk, it would seem) of life, by way of a Cuban cigar or a glass of Glenfiddich, for example, then here, you are at the right address.

A last sample of bad taste. I do not want to mention the name and the address of the store any more.

... with a twist : the owners of the business did them themselves. Well, they did used chal. This is the entrance of the wo_men_at_work  store. One can make any number of comments. Their promotional stunt by way of introduction to their business was a poster showing the virgin Maria with a crown of thorns on her head. This poster was to be seen at Flanders Inside   "Maria At Work" on July 21, 2006. Inside the store near the display-window there was the same picture with candles all around it. Then they did away with it. (Likely some protest had been voiced). Was this supposed to be an eye-wink for the benefit of Bruges? When I saw the... thing, I was just speechless. Then three words spontaneously came to mind : kitsch, bad taste, stupidity.

 Foto genomen gisterenmorgen om 10 uur in de Mariastraat.  Mariastraat 10, meer bepaald.  Vanavond meer hierover.

Quite recently the area was in a bit of upheaval because suddenly, there had been several and repeated sightings here and there of... snakes. The latest news is that all but one of the snakes were caught and that the one who is still enjoying its freedom might have elected, for the last two weeks, to hide somewhere in the cellars of the four-star hotel "Hans Memling" in the Kuiperstreet. Apparently, they are of the harmless cereal-snake variety. Snakes probably feel in their element in this warm weather and these particular ones decided to go and have a look outside. It is suspected that a local snake-collector might be missing a few of his pets...