After I returned to France I met up with my neice and her grandmother. I drove them to Vaux Le Vimcompte and we explored the chateau and the lovely, manicured gardens. I felt that my mother would have been proud, as she has a penchant for chateaus, so I felt I paid homage to her interest by going. Versailles (which I have not been to) is based on the design of this chateau, but of course it is much bigger. It’s really strange to think of people actually living here and thinking about how weird the idea of roalty is… it’s a totaly fucked up idea to keep people in line once you give it half a thought. Like why should people pay and grovel for another group of people? Of course the same applies to any kind of arbitrary hierarchy.
Pink Flamingos, Gent
The night before I left Gent A. and W. took me to a very kitchy, very cute bar called Pink Flamingos. Barbie dolls hung from the chandelier, people ocrammed into the bar- hipsters, professionals, students, even an old man who everyone seemed to know. It was a perfect place to enjoy my last sips of really good Belgian beer in Belgium, as well as the pleasure of W. and A.’s witty conversation and excellent company.
The last few weeks…
Since I last posted where have I been? First, after returning from Belgium I spent a few days running around Paris with my neice and her grandmother (photos forthcoming) seeing the big sights as it was my neice’s first time in France… Eiffel tower, Musee D’Orsay, Louvre (I had forgotten how spectacular the building itself it)… I used my museum educator knowledge to decorde hieroglyphics in the Egyptian collection and yes, we saw the Mona Lisa. It was really neat to talk about my neice’s impressions of Paris, probably the biggest city she has been to.
Afterwards I went to the French Atlantic coast for several days which was quite a contrast- getting up late, riding bikes to the beach, going to the market everyday for vegetables for dinner. So relaxing.
Now I am back in Paris, enjoying tea at Marriage Frères and the streets and feeling of the 11th and 12th arrondisements, having decided I prefer east Paris to west Paris. Now I am sitting in my sister’s study watching theSeine go by and the late summer (that feels like fall) rain fall. This is just ashort entry to say don’t give up on this blog and many photos will be coming, probably on wednesday night or thursday.
Second Hand Market, Gent
I posted even more photos on my flickr account, so check it out if you like…
Secondhand Market, Gent
Today featured quite a huge second hand market in Gent. Though we didn’t end up buying anything, besides a CD in W.’s case, we spent about 2 hours looking at all the fabulous jumbles of junk covering an entire neighborhood in Gent. What I loved best were the juxtopositions of things, the lack of order and usefulness, the social function of the secondhand market (it doesn’t matter if you sell, it more the epxerience). It was what I imagined, but didn’t find, at the marche au puces in Paris, so I felt lucky to find this kind of ambiance in Gent.
Tintin’s Rocket
The comics museum was less than exciting and W. detected much outdated information and bad translations… but here we are with Tintin’s rocket! I remember everyone in my elementary school classes being crazy for Tintin and I never could quite grasp it, but later in life it seems old fashioned (espeically racial and political stereotypes) but still intriguing in some way. I am interested to check out hte documentary “Tintin et Moi”about the creator, Herge, which recently aired on P.O.V. upon my return to the US.
Grand Mark Brussels
Though I was a little less than impressed with Brussels, less so than I hoped to be, it did seem to roll out the red carpet for me with flowers covering the grand square, which only happens once every two years for a few days in August and the opening of the royal palace, which happens with about the same frequency. Even though the concept of royalty is totaly scary to me I enjoyed getting to look in the palace.
Manneke Pis
Translated as “the little pisser”this statue has been replicated all over the world, but this, in Brussels, is the the original. Swarmed with tourists, A. and I look dubious… according to my Lonely Planet guidebook this is one of Belgium’s national symblos, though I am not sure if Belgians would aggree…
Wim in Brugges
This is my favorite photo of W…. you can hear more from him (in Dutch) at http://hilversum-gent.blogspot.com (and can you beleive we have been pen-pals since we were about 18? It seems crazy to me…)
Begijnhof Brugges
The Begijnhof is a community of nuns living together cooperatively and the one in Brugges has been named a UNESCO world heritage site. The umbrella gives you and idea of the Belgian weather as W. and I explored Brugges tiny mideval streets and sights. It is breath takingly beautfiul, classic and interesting, but also overrun with tourists. Fortunately for us none of them seem to bother with the side streets and we spent an afternoon not only seeing the sights but taking in this town.
Killerfemme 