FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

1. The week started well with a lot of sunshine, still a bit cool to sit outside, but at least the world looked more cheerful ! Besides my aqua gym where we danced again in the water, I sorted out some photos and did nothing special besides being lazy like my cats.

2. Mr. G. had to have a topography, I hope it is the right word, because here they call it pet scan which sounds funny as Mr. G. is not a pet but a human. At least I think so. The whole procedure lasted 2 h and I decided to not return home but see what I could visit in this area of Brussels.

3.


The only interesting place near the hospital was the Royal Observatory of Belgium, from where our weatherforecasts etc come. I just could take some pictures from outside, because I had not enough time for a detailed visit. It is open to the public and certainly very interesting for those who are interested in astronomy and astrophysics. Meanwhile Mr. G had finished and I could pick him up.

4. As usual when it is still too cold to sit in my garden, I go to Nicole, her terrace is wind protected and very warm. In summer it is so hot there that she can't sit on it, then my garden is a welcomed place.



For her birthday Ilona and I had offered her one palm tree, and she was so pleased that she bought a second one. Now it looks really "holiday".


5.


Ilona, Nicole and I wanted to to enjoy the sunshine somewhere near home, and landed in the Brasserie of the old farm which had once served as hospital for Wellington's wounded soldiers. We sat there the whole afternoon, the view is just so beautiful, when you think that you in a town and have countryside just at your doorstep. The star of course was Charlie, he went from table to table to say hello and waved with his big bushy tail, then he settled down in the shade. With the result that all people there were talking with us about .... Charlie !

We had an excellent afternoon !

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

PYJAMA REQUESTED FOR HOTEL CHECK INS IN BRUSSELS

Ever since the terrorist attacks in Brussels, tourists hesitate to visit this dangerous "hell hole" as Donald (Duck) Trump called our town. Belgium is also the nest of future terrorists and of course the TV helps for creating this unjustified reputation. In reality, I see as much danger as you  from the places concerned thanks to Television, in real life in the city center life goes on as usual.

Anyway wherever you go in Europe today, it can happen,that you are blown up, but you can also die by falling down the stairs to the basement if you have one. The funniest thing is, that I wanted to escape (from the attacks in Brussels) to Tunisia, but the Belgian government doesn't allow me to go there because of the danger, but I am allowed to go into Brussels city center. Strange is also that I am allowed to spend my holidays in Turkey, which every day has a little riot somewhere and people killed. Strange logic. I don't even try anymore to understand. 

To help the hotel sector crisis, Brussels is launching a fun operation: the Brussels Pyjamas'Nights. The goal ? Encourage as many people to come or return and sleep at the hotel, including the Iris Festival which will take place on 7 and 8 May.

The condition is to check in, wearing a pyjama and you will get a minimum of 50 % discount from the 5th to 8th May included.



Linking to Jenny's Warm heart Wednesday


I found this a great idea ! Maybe I should spy on some big hotels and take pictures of the guests in pyjamas !






Some suggestions ....

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Photo session (son, grandson and little friends)







more participants here

THE NEW MONT ST. JEAN FARM IN WATERLOO

Ever since there is nothing to see at the Waterloo Lion mount anymore except a new built restaurant, (the museum of the battle is under ground) Waterloo inhabitants,  my friends and I prefer to go to the old historical place of the Mont St. Jean farm It had been used as a Hospital by Wellington during the Waterloo battle. It had been beautifully restored and is on the way to become a real nice place to spend some time walking around or having a drink. The farm had been bought by Anthony Martin who with his team took the challenge to save the site and make it really worthwhile to visit.

Read more ....... here

more participants here

WEEKEND REVIEW APRIL 30

Since end February until end August there is an exhibition of Salvadore Dali's works. It was already since a long time that we wanted to go there and finally managed it this weekend. As the exhibition was inside the Liege station, we took the train from Brussels to Liege and were there in about 1 1/2 hour.




The Liege station is a new construction, very modern and very expensive and nobody has never understood why in a medium town such a luxurious station had to be built. Unfortunately it is very open and full of drafts not really suitable for a northern country, especially when it is cold.



We first had lunch in  a very nice restaurant inside the station. For the first time we ate Liège meatballs which were served in a delicious sauce with salad and chips.

Then we started the exhibition. It was not at all what we had expected, seeing paintings of Dali, no it was an exhibition of his sculptures and fancy inventions, the real beginning of modern art and also of the man himself.



You couldn't contest that he had a lot of imagination ! I sat on Marilyn Monroe's lips and we admired tables with women legs and also insects made of strange material like alarm clocks, screws etc. I will write a post about the exhibition later.





Strange selfies !

With one creation we had a lot of fun. I saw a painting which covered the whole wall, but it was not a painting it was a slide picture over a mirror. So first I didn't realize but when I stretched out my arm to touch the wall, it was far away. I had to walk on the mirror and that was the effect wanted. I nearly got dizzy. Nicole and Ilona followed and I took these pictures. When a group of young girls saw that we did selfies they laughed and did the same ! Then we continued our walk through the exhibition.

When we had finished we had a coffee and then took the next train home. Outside it had rained the whole day, but we hadn't even realized as we didn't leave the station only to pick up our cars and drive home.

On Sunday fortunately the weatherman had announced rain, so the sun was shining as if paid for.
My son had come to Waterloo together with Toby but this time he stayed with his best friend. They invited us for coffee and cake so that we could see them too.

He had some photo shooting to do for his friend's little daughter and Toby of course was happy to play with his friend and sleep together ! Very important when you are a child !



I took a picture of the photographer, and then one of his models. They both looked so cute !



Then they played in this huge property after some outside photo shootings and then we had coffee and strawberry cake on the terrace ! It was so nice and warm !