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Since it seems now suddenly possible to liberate money for a new museum, to be built on a section of the parking lot behind the Old Sint-Jan, why not cough up a serious amount of euro-millions to build an underground parking lot? Why not replace all this tarmac and these cars with, for example, a beautiful herb-garden? This is exactly what this whole area was, a few hundred years ago : a grand and magnificent herb-garden. Why could this not be created again? It would be one more tourist attraction and might become one of the most beautiful spots in the city, rather than the cancerous eye-sore we now have here.  I even did take pains to show it from its best side 

According to recent news reports, a new museum should soon rise up on this section of the parking lot of the Old Sint-Jan. Although press releases are numerous, their terms remain extraordinarily vague. But, whatever the case, I can only applaud the decision to finally do something about this cancer-spot in Bruges. This sight is an atrocity.

The stumbling block for our sweet and alert alderman Yves Roose (see previous commentary) is this thing here, which has no other aim than to heighten your pleasure at being rhoroughly horrified in this palace of... horrors.  The May Fair and village fêtes in general have existed for centuries and the attractons which were shown in previous times were far different from the ones we now get to see. I am citing an article from the Gazette van Brugge, dated March 31, 1883 - a newspaper which had an obvious catholic penchant :

A Wonder
"Yesterday there arrived here the most wondrous human being that was hitherto ever seen in Bruges. It is a negro, born on the shores of Lake Tanganyka in Africa. He was brought here by one of our officers, lieutenant Becker, who left Europe five years ago. The negro is of small stature and does not have a single hair on his head. His nose is flattened against his cheeks and is transperced by sharp spikes. His ears, pierced with heavy rings, are hanging on his shoulders. His eyes are red and his lower lip curls under his chin. In a word, the most wondrous negro that was ever seen in Bruges. He lodges in "Sebastiaan", with Mr. de Vos, on the Vrijdagmark near the station, where he shall remain until the opening of the Fair in Bruges. You can go and see him, against payment of a modest compensation."

This pharmacy had quite a collection of old magisterial recipe books. During WWII the Germans confiscated these books and, unfortunately, they were never returned. Still, there is one preparation, based on one of those ancient recipes, by Dr. Dryepondt, that can be bought here. It is "Belamy Tea", recommended against kidney- and bladder inflammation. And, even better, it tastes delicious (yes, I did buy some and I did enjoy drinking it.)

The year 1835 on the façade refers to the year this house, named "Hemelrycke", at number 7 Wollestraat,  (it is only a few paces from the Market) became a pharmacy. And it has remained a pharmacy since then. Thus, it is not the oldest pharmacy in Bruges, which does not make it less interesting. Quite to the contrary. The Dryepondt's renovated the interior in 1903, in the English style. Three generations of Dryepondts operated the business, until 1981, when the family left for Great-Britain. And now, we have the second generation of Baert's here.

As you can see, the medallion is in the façade of the "Dryepondt Pharmacy", and there is also one more date : 1835.
My research in the municipal library, under "pharmacy" and under "Dryepondt" was fruitless. Well, not quite : I did find ample facts about parhmacies and pharmacists from the twelfth to the eighteenth century. Historical facts relating to the last hundred years, or even the more recent ones, seem to be harder to consign than the older ones.
Thus, on to Internet. The result was just as pitiful. All I did learn was that Dr. Dryepondt had been in the army, that he went to the Congo, and that, together with Albert Donny,  in 1900 he published a book with the title Manuel du voyageur et du résident au Congo (Manual for the traveller and resident in the Congo) (Brussels, ed. Hayez). The book is indeed devoted to travelling in the Congo and the hygiene and medical matters in that country. He also seems to have created the first hospital in what was then Leopoldville. I learned furthermore that he also discovered a new species of figtree which was named after him (vijgenboom ).

I have been intrigued for quite some time by this medallion on the façade of number 7, Wolle street (Wool street). It shows a figure, in profile, of a somewhat older man, who has a mustache and a beard. On top, we read "1866-1932", and underneath "Doctor Dryepondt, pioneer colonial". My first inquiry only revealed that the medallion was th work of Victor Demanet and that it was placed here in 1939.

The Holy Tomb
This artwork was made in 1702
Mourners (pleuranten) are walking on each side of the tomb.
(Van Dale : pleurant = mourning figure on, or against a tombstone) 

This, too, is Bruges. The city of Bruges, known the world over from the postcards showing its small boats, small trees, small lanes, coaches, Halltowers, lace, chocolates, lovers, the love-ponds, Venice-of-the-North and lacemakers' bobbins.