You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘design’ tag.
Places we’ve visited last weekend:
Saturday, July 19th: the antique shops in the Kloosterstraat, Antwerp (B). We parked our car between the Vlaamse Kaai and the Waalse Kaai (free parking!). This quarter is also known as ‘t Zuid. The place is packed with art galleries, fashion houses, design stores and museums. It also has some of the city’s most trendy bars and restaurants to offer. The Kloosterstraat is only a few steps away. Here you can find a wide array of antique shops. The axis Kloosterstraat-Hoogstraat also acts as a link between ‘t Zuid and the Grote Markt (main market square). We had dinner at Chez Fred, a cosy little restaurant located at 83 Kloosterstraat. Sandrine had a huge bowl of Caesarsalad and I went for the seared tuna steak with zucchini. Veeeeery nice!
Sunday, July 20th: the Gentse Feesten, Ghent (B). This is probably Belgium’s biggest city festival. We went to see the Dutch group Hotel perform on the Polé Polé stage. They played a spicy mix of African and South American music. After the concert, feeling thirsty and in the mood for some more exotic vibes we went for a Cuban style cocktail at Mosquito Coast, an international travellers cafe and one of our favourite hangouts when in Ghent. Then we joined Sandrine’s parents at Faki, one of many Turkish restaurants located in the Sleepstraat. They serve the best lahmacun (Turkish pizza) I’ve ever tasted. We ended this perfect day sipping fresh mint tea in the Berber tent at the Baudelopark.
Monday, July 21th, Belgium National Day: the Zwarte Beek nature reserve, Beringen (B). It was just one of those typical Belgium National Days, with the rain pouring down for hours on end. Here in Belgium we even have a name for this yearly climatological event: the ”drash national”. Nevertheless, we decided to go for a walk in the Zwarte Beek nature reserve, situated in the little village of Koersel (Beringen). It is managed by Natuurpunt, a non-profit organization active in nature conservation and management. An 8 km footpath led us thourgh the marshy valley of the Zwarte Beek (it translates as “black brook”). Part of it is a corduroy road which seems to float above the wet forest floor. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves…
The banks of the Zwarte Beek
The corduroy road
1st Edition, May 2008
A – Africa: King Leopold II and the Belgian Government colonised the Congo until 1960. That’s why many Belgians still feel somehow connected to Central Africa, e.g. through a relative who worked there as a missionary or an entrepreneur.
B – Beer: It’s not the amount being consumed but the large variety of beers (1000+) that makes Belgium a top beer country. My personal favourite: Orval, brewed in a Trappist monastery.
C - Caterpillar: In summer the poisonous hairs of the Oak Processionary Caterpillar are causing a new and growing public health problem. Should have something to do with climate change.
D – Damien, Father: Was voted De Grootste Belg (The Greatest Belgian) in 2005. Since the Vatican in 2008 attributed two miracles to him, he’s just one step away from canonization.
E – Expo 58, 50th Anniversary: The first major world’s fair after WW II was held in Brussels (Belgium) in 1958 and ushered in a new and promising era of progress, wealth and comfort.
F – Fashion: Since the 1980s, Belgium plays a distinctive roll in the international world of fashion, with designers as Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Raf Simons and Véronique Branquinho.
G – Government: Due to major disagreements between the Dutch- and the French-speaking parties after the latest general election (June 10, 2007), Belgium was left without a Federal Government. The situation continued for months, until December 23 (2007) when an interim Government was formed. A new Federal Government came into office on March 20, 2008.
H – Health care: While struggling to meet the future demands of an ageing society, Belgium still has one of the best health care systems in the world. To me, there’s no better place to fall ill.
I – Iguanodon: Skeletons of this dinosaur genus are on display at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. Discovered in 1878 in a coal mine near the village of Bernissart, Belgium.
J – Jazz Middelheim: This open air jazz festival is set in a beautiful park near the Antwerp city centre. Lots of (inter)national artists, a lush green backdrop and a super relaxed atmosphere!
K – Kermis: Originally the feast of the patron saint of the local church, now a travelling funfair with a merry-go-round, air rifle shooting, fishing rubber ducks and lost of French Belgian fries.
L – Lighting, Street: No country has as much street lighting per sq km as Belgium. Astronauts are reporting a bright Belgium shaped spot when they look at earth through their spacecraft window.
M – Mechelen: Situated between Brussels and Antwerp. The city where I currently work and one of Belgium’s best kept secrets. The historic city centre with its St. Rumbold Cathedral, 16th century city palaces and lots of cosy corners is certainly worth a visit.
