Geraardsbergen (Grammont) art in the Stadhuis, September 2009. A photo post

Whilst in Geraardsbergen I took part in a guided tour of Geraardsbergen Stadhuis (the local government building). The Stadhuis houses a very interesting selection of art works, the lighting was not very complimentary to photography but I did my best to capture some of the works. I hope you enjoy them.

This was a sculpture made from plaster over wood

The rest are all of paintings

For other posts in this series follow the links below
Geraardsbergen (Grammont) Grote Markt (Grand Place), September 2009
Geraardsbergen (Grammont) Manneken Pis outfits, September 2009
Geraardsbergen (Grammont), St. Bartholomew;s church, September 2009, a photo and video post

BBE

Geraardsbergen (Grammont) Grote Markt (Grand Place), September 2009

Posting schedule

There will be four posts in this series, this clip a picture post, another clip and another picture post, with of coarse the Saturday Curiosity Box breaking things up on Saturday.

Last week I had the great pleasure of visiting Geraardsbergen (Grammont) in The Flemish Ardennes, part of East Flanders. Geraardsbergen is most famous for being the home to the original Manneken Pis, although the one there now is a copy of the original and is undergoing renovation, so I could not get any photographs of it. There was a Manneken Pis in Geraardsbergen for over a century and a half, before the one in Brussels made an appearance. This is a lovely little town and has numerous points of interest, some of which I hope to show you in this little posting series.

Geraardsbergen Grote Markt

This is the center of the town and has a wonderful historic feel to it.

For other posts in this series follow the links below
Geraardsbergen (Grammont) art in the Stadhuis, September 2009. A photo post
Geraardsbergen (Grammont) Manneken Pis outfits, September 2009
Geraardsbergen (Grammont), St. Bartholomew;s church, September 2009, a photo and video post

BBE

The Saturday Curiosity Box - Two new blogs for the roll and a commercial that tickled me pink

Two blogs for the blog roll

Lilac colored glasses - A blog from an American expat living in Belgium. This is mostly a written blog with some very interesting posts about the trials tribulations and joys of living in Belgium.

My Thai Photo Blog - A blog with some stunning and interesting photographs from Thailand and beyond. This is from a British expat.

I love this commercial

And I can't even work out what they are supposed to be advertising.

BBE

The river Leie (Lys) near Deinze, July 2009, a photo post

Earlier in the year I caught the train to Deinze and walked another stretch of the river Leie. These pictures show why I like this river so much, it is a river of contrasts. One minute you can be walking through an industrial area, where the large commercial boats load and unload, the next you are in the tree lined beauty of the Flemish countryside and then you can be diverted of to a recreational or natural area. Enjoy my snaps of the river Leie near Deinze.

An historic river barge

The view from one side of a bridge

The view from the other side of the same bridge

A commercial boat loading up

A cafe by a lift bridge, where I stopped for beer refreshments

The crest of Deinze

BBE

The pleasure marine near Menen on the river Leie (lys) September 2009

The river Leie (lys) is my favourite river in Flanders and whenever I have time and can find a railway station that is near the river, I go and walk a stretch of it. Walking near Menen I came across this marina, that proves (IMHO) that not all things modern are ugly, I kind of like this. The river marks the border between Belgium and France here so I am not sure if this marina is in Menen or Halluin. Anyway enjoy the clip.

The marina on the Leie, near Menen

BBE

The Saturday Curiosity Box - Two useful links for expats - And how to have some fun with toothpaste

Useful links for expats or those going abroad

A couple of useful additions to the Info websites list, below the blogroll on the left hand side of the blog.

AngloINFO - If you click on the country that you wish to know about and then scroll down a bit, on the right hand side of the page you will find a list of links that leads to useful information on things like driving and legal aspects for the country concerned.

AngloINFO Brussels - This is the page most useful for those living in or visiting Belgium

Fun with a tube of toothpaste and some sleeping people

BBE

Antwerp Cathedral, some details, May 2009, a photo post,

I visited Antwerp, Cathedral back in May of this year. many of the photographs that I took did not come out too well but I have managed to salvage some of some of the details of the Cathedral. Here they are.

The tower

One of the stained glass windows

A memorial plaque

A beautifully carved pulpit

Some of the original wall paintings, revealed during restoration work

Madonna and child

BBE

The Leie events, the last clip. Play laugh and be merry, for on Tuesday it's school. August 2009

The water boarding display

At the Leie Events, on the Balokken island near Wervik, There was a display of water boarding. I did not get the full spectacle of the display but the clip gives an idea of how it was.

Speedy on the water

For other posts in this series, follow the links below.
The Leie events, two clips. Play laugh and be merry, for on Tuesday it's school. August 2009
The Leie events, a picture post. Play laugh and be merry, for on Tuesday it's school. August 2009

BBE

The Saturday Curiosity Box - Two new blogs for the roll and don't try this at home

Two new Blogs for the blog roll

WRITER CRAMPS - A blog from a German lady living in Belgium, who likes to get out and about and show people where she has been.

an englishman in osaka - As it says on the tin. About life in Japan, sometimes with a funny twist.

Really, don't try this at home

BBE

The Leie events, a picture post. Play laugh and be merry, for on Tuesday it's school. August 2009

Here are some photographs of The Leie Events on The Balokken Island, near Wervik.

Paddling pool theater

Fire engine lift rides

Water boarding display

A couple of the raft race

Boat rides and kayaks for hire

People just chilling out

One way to keep the kids busy for 10 minutes

For other posts in this series click on the following links.
The Leie events, two clips. Play laugh and be merry, for on Tuesday it's school. August 2009
The Leie events, the last clip. Play laugh and be merry, for on Tuesday it's school. August 2009

BBE

The Leie events, two clips. Play laugh and be merry, for on Tuesday it's school. August 2009

Schedule

There will be three posts on the Leie events, this one, a photo post later in the week and another clip post, next week.

The Leie (Lys) Events

School re starts on the first of September in Belgium but on the last weekend of August, every year, Summer has one last blast. The Leie Events is held on the Balokken island in River Leie near Wervik. There is lots to see and do and people seem to enjoy this event very much. Enjoy the clips.

Some of the activities going on at the Leie Events



The raft race

For other posts in this series please click on the following links
The Leie events, a picture post. Play laugh and be merry, for on Tuesday it's school. August 2009
The Leie events, the last clip. Play laugh and be merry, for on Tuesday it's school. August 2009

BBE

The Saturday Curiosity Box - Some Belgian railway info sites and a clip of one clever dog

A couple of links for the info websites list about Belgian rail travel

Rail travel is an excellent way to get around Belgium. The trains are usually on time, clean and safe. Rail travel is also very cost effective here and day returns at the weekend are half the price of weekday tickets. So I thought that I would add a couple of links to the Info Websites list (below the blog roll on the right hand side bar) to help any one wanting to get around Belgium by train.

Belgian Railways NMBS - SNCB - The main Belgian rail network site. You can choose to read it in one of four languages and has information on train times, costs and special cards and passes.

Belgian Rail Network - A map of the Belgian Rail Network.

One clever dog

This made me giggle

BBE

Talbot House, All Rank Abandon Ye Who Enter Here, The Garden, Poeringe August 2009, a photo and video post

As Horticulture is my chosen vocation, I can say of Talbot House garden that it is of no particular horticultural significance, although it is a nice garden it is not of any great design or anything like that but it has been kept in a very similar style as it would have been during The Great War. So why am I posting about it? Well if you had just spent two weeks or more living in conditions like you see in this photo.......


Surrounded by mud blood and death, you would appreciate the serenity that can be found in the walled garden at the rear of Talbot House. To see what I mean just watch the short clip.

Talbot House Garden

And a couple of photos of the garden

Useful links
Talbot House
Poperinge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
First World War.com - A Multimedia History of World War One
WW1 - Ypres Salient, Battlefield guide

Other posts in this series
Talbot House, All Rank Abandon Ye Who Enter Here, Poperinge August 2009
Talbot House, All Rank Abandon Ye Who Enter Here, Poeringe August 2009, a photo post

BBE