Happy to be Traveling

Here are some more photos from our first day wandering in Ghent.

The gods of trains smiled. Or maybe the smurfs took the day off. One train, one platform, on time. Ghent is just under 30 min by train from Brussels (about 30 miles) so it didn’t take long. Soon enough, Vera and Phillipe were checking us in. Our apartment occupies the attic floor of their home…

Done with exploring the street art of Brussels, we went towards La Senne, the river near the Halle Gate (Porte de Hal). The Halle Gate is the former medieval city gate with the gigantic portcullis built in the 14th century. The exterior was being worked on but the interior was accessible. As gates go I’d…

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…

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…

I dunno but he keeps promising to explain soon. From yesterday at the Wiels Contemporary Art Center.

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….

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 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…

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. 

Our neighborhood (Sint-Gilles / Ixelles) is particularly dense with art nouveau buildings.

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…

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….

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…