25 Mar 2016

FRIDAY's FAVE 5

1. The week started as usual with aqua gym and in the afternoon Nicole and I wanted to go for a walk and a coffee somewhere, but because of the rainy wet weather we decided to better stay home and drink our coffee in her living room.

2. The next day my so peaceful world was very much shaken. When I opened my newspaper on line I saw that something was wrong in Brussels. Mr. G. turned on the TV and there we saw the disaster. Probably the same pictures as you did, because journalists and cameramen came over from the whole world.

3. In Waterloo, we didn't notice anything, it was as peaceful as usual. But on TV we could follow the whole day what happened in Brussels minute by minute. My friend Ilona who had to go for a check up to a hospital in Brussels, arrived well there, wondered that the main door was closed and that she had to go through a side door. When she came out a hell had broken out. Ambulance after ambulance arrived in the hospital, Police and Military were everywhere, the whole public transport was cancelled, cars blocked, people couldn't leave Brussels. Finally she decided to walk home instead of sitting there in a little café and waiting that a miracle would happen. She walked and walked for 2 1/2 hours (she lives about 18 km from Brussels center) and finally stopped once outside and called her caughter who picked her up. At one moment the telephone broke down, too many people using their mobiles or smartphones. The provider had to open other wifi lines.

4.


I thought about going to Brussels and to "La Bourse" where all people gathered and had put flowers, candles etc but then I decided not to go there was already enough trouble and difficulties on the streets for people who had to go to work. I watched a little TV not the whole day anymore, and heard that there are still people missing and couldn't be identified, sometimes they only found body parts and it takes time to do all the DNA analysis.



The King and Queen visited the airport and metro station and also the hospital where the heavily injured victims are. They were very shocked when they saw the damages !

5. The main theme in my painting course was of course the attacks. Fortunately nobody had somebody injured amongst family and friends, but several sons and daughters were stuck abroad and couldn't fly home to Brussels. Some of them managed to land in the other two available airports in Belgium, and are now without their cars, because there is no access to the airport parking in Brussels. The main difficulties was to get home from Brussels in this mess, some people did like Ilona they walked until they were outside Brussels center and then called somebody to be picked up.
The public transports are still not all running and the city is congested.

We painted and tried to have some fun, to distract us, we can't change anything we have to learn to live with the fact that it can happen everywhere at any time.





more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.




7 comments:

  1. Hi Gattina - they are such atrocities. Thank goodness Ilona did get home and it's lucky she can walk a healthy distance. Just not easy - but as you life goes on ... with thoughts over Easter - Hilary

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was so shocked to read the news on the mindless attack in Brussels. That's what I dread happening in my country.

    Glad that you and your friends are safe.

    ReplyDelete
  3. A very sad time for all Belgians and the rest of the free world.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes, I am so sad for all that has happened in Brussels. We learned today that a brother and sister from New York who have been missing, were found to be among the dead. They had been on the phone with their mother talking about coming home, when the mother heard the explosion, then the phone went dead. Such tragedy.
    I am glad you are safe, Ilona as well.

    ReplyDelete
  5. It's such a difficult time. You are so kind to think about going to Brussels where people gather to pay tribute, but I agree, it must be too difficult now.
    I'm so glad you and your friends & family are OK.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thinking about terrorism and even anticipating what might happen seems to be a part of life everywhere nowadays, but you have certainly now had it hit very close to home .... I am glad to know Ilona got home safely at last ... You are of course right that life goes on and the best thing we can do is to keep doing what we do and enjoying it! The terrorists would like to see us all give in to fear. But we will not give them that satisfaction.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm glad Ilona got home safely. It's good you went to your art class. It can't be easy knowing this threat so close to home.

    ReplyDelete

Dear Anonymous,
Please do not be shy and leave your name, otherwise you will end up in the bin !