In our street art ramble today we almost missed the Fleur de Papier Doré bar where Magritte and his surrealist friends used to hang out. I wouldn’t have noticed the bland facade with the tiny Fleur de Papier Doré sign hanging out front except that there was a large photograph in the window display next…
The First Movie
After inspecting the Horta House yesterday we took a bus to the WIELS Contemporary Art Center. On the second floor there was an exhibition of Lutz Bacher’s work. It was called “Burning the Days” which referred to her running around with a camera capturing the 60s and 70s. Black and white stills of a friend…
What is he doing?
I dunno but he keeps promising to explain soon. From yesterday at the Wiels Contemporary Art Center.
Lunch, not fancy but very filling
Chicken skewers (tangy), salad (crisp) and fries (thick) with white garlic sauce plus beer for me. Grubb had similar except fish skewers and he chose curry ketchup as the sauce for French fry dipping. And the non alcoholic sparkling water. Today I tried the Tripel karmeliet beer. “An Abbey-style blonde beer by Brouwerij Bosteels in Buggenhout….
Horta House
Around the corner from where we’re staying is the house where Victor Horta lived. Victor, along with Gaudi in Spain, was a Fin de Siècle architect who defined art nouveau in buildings all over Europe. Museums, libraries, mansions, train stations, if it had the art nouveau stamp, the blueprints were probably drawn up by Horta. Some…
Street art and the quest for sunglasses
Street art speaks for itself, whether it’s comic strip murals, feminist statements or god-help-us, the Smurfs (which were created in Belgium. That could actually explain the nutty train platform maze). The Mallones neighborhood of Brussels is rife with large scale paintings. Also, I broke my sunglasses (just cheap ones) and needed a replacement. I also…
Shadow Challenge
Friends Charlie and Wynette are currently walking the Camino and everyday they post a shadow picture. So Charlie and Wynette, we think a shadow challenge is in order.
A little neighborhood art nouveau
Our neighborhood (Sint-Gilles / Ixelles) is particularly dense with art nouveau buildings.
Sunday, and it feels like it
Starting in Persia…ending in Palestine with a flow through art nouveau and odd contemporary in between. We had a late start and a lazy day. Our first stop was for coffee at KooKoo with a Persian touch. Cappuccino and slice of pistachio rosewater cake for Grubb and chai latte with a slice of lemon cake…
Café Mechelen
Outside of some religious art in the dark confines of centuries old cathedrals, Mechelen struck me as one big outdoor café. That’s where most everyone seemed to be, sitting at tables with sweaters tied around their necks drinking beer and wine. Duck in a church to glimpse a Rubens and you’d most likely be alone….
A Candle For Mike
It was the dark look in Kafka’s eyes. A warning. “You might think that taking the train to Mechelen tomorrow will be an easy trip, brief, barely eventful,” they seemed to say staring out at me from the lampshade in the basement of the Parliamentarium, “but trust me, you’ll feel the frustration of sitting in…
Travel!
Subtitle: Toto, we aren’t in Japan anymore. Mechelen, a charming little town just north of Brussels. “Punches above its weight” Claude says. Today we decided to head that way. Tram to train station, train to Mechelen. No biggie. So, the tram was good. First tram ride. No fussing with tickets. Tap our phone to pay…
Battle Dress
Yesterday morning we tried to understand how the European Union worked. Then we had a gourmet lunch that was low on everything that was supposed to be bad for our bodies. It was in a restaurant that was part of swank health club. Just exiting the building I felt I was brimming with health. That didn’t mean…
Yet more Brussels pics
Eew!
Or, if you’re more cultivated, go ahead and say, “E U”, either way we know you’re talking about the European Union. I’ve always imagined the EU to be some abbreviated code for a select group of European bankers who meet periodically behind barrels of distilled spirits in some dank rathskeller to determine the exchange rate…