6 Feb 2018

MY TOWN IN BLACK

When we moved to Waterloo (Belgium) in 1975, it was a charming village, with lot of fields, woods and space. Cows were grazing and you had a butcher, a food shop,  a shoemaker etc, and no supermarket or any big store or fashion boutiques. For that you had to drive to Brussels and do your shopping there.

Today it has all changed, the little shops have disappeared or nearly, we have all boutiques you also find in Brussels, the cows are gone and Waterloo became a city, because now we have more then 30.000 inhabitants.

All this is a normal way and the progress, so nothing to say, but why paint houses and new builts in black ?? The weather here is so depressive and the black buildings certainly don't cheer you up.

I drove along the main street which goes all through Waterloo. At the beginning it is called Chaussée de Waterloo and where I live it suddenly changes to Chaussée de Bruxelles.  And along this very long street houses or buildings are now grey or black !









It even looks sad in the sunshine.




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13 comments:

  1. I agree. The dark colours may be fashionable but let us add some colour to life, and buildings.

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  2. Wow someone created a fashion trend! Don't have many black houses around here but there was definitely a trend for green doors (light sage) and more recently grey has been in favour but again a fairly light grey so not as depressing as your black.

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  3. And no flowers or shrubs to relieve the dullness. What your city needs is a neighborhood beautification program. Window boxes or hanging baskets of flowering plants would make all the difference!

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  4. I much prefer a bright palette of colour, such a shame as they are nice buildings.

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  5. Black is not a nice colour for a building but dark colours tend to lose their heat much more slowly so maybe that is the idea, to retain the heat from any sunlight you might have. But they do look depressing.

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  6. I think the black paint is considered "art" in some circles, Gattina, although I agree with you...it is entirely too somber and depressing.
    I hope, however, you are managing to be your usual happy self despite all the buildings wearing mourning colours, my friend.
    We think of you often, and of the wonderful guided tour you gave us in Brussels.
    Wishing you a happy 2018.
    Hugs from here,
    Kay
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  7. I wonder if they are using dark colors to keep natural heat better. But I do prefer lighter colors :-)

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  8. Sometimes, 'progress' isn't all that great. But things change and, as hard as it is, we have to learn to accept it--even if it takes a long, long time :)

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  9. I guess black buildings are modern, but - like you - I prefer colour.

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  10. The buildings all look so neat and tidy even if a bit dull. There are no awnings to keep the sun and rain off shoppers as there are here. Nowhere to shelter from a sudden storm or blazing sun.

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  11. Buildins are beautiful and trendy.

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  12. Huh! You need to come to Florida -- houses and stores are often pink or green or turquoise or yellow ... and it is all fine. Just the opposite as you -- the sun shines almost all the time here, and the houses are bright too.

    I am trying to think about Eugene (our Oregon home) and what colors new construction usually is -- the weather there is more like yours. There are not bright pink or yellow houses or buildings , but I don't think everything is black either.

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  13. Grey seems to be the colour of the moment.

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