OSTEND HABOUR - BELGIUM

As we are still living in restricted movements and freedom, I have to dig in the past to find some pictures of a "normal" world. 

In summer we like to go to the sea and there is a direct train which takes you from Brussels to Ostend, a lovely town. But now with all these Coronavirus rules, it becomes complicated.

The trains only accept now 80 people per wagon, because last week they were overcrowded. To lay on the beach you have to book a space before ! The mask you have to wear when outside on the street or beach, but you are allowed to take it off when you sit on your beach towel in the sand ! Fortunately otherwise we would all have a brown forehead and a half brown nose, the rest of the face remains white ! New fashion ! 

Under these circumstances I prefer to stay home and wait until this crazy time is over. Now we even have to leave our name and address in the restaurants, but I am sure that the names and adresses are not always right. I have nothing to hide but too much is too much. We also are allowed to shop, but only one person at the time and for 30 minutes ! I wonder how you can choose furniture alone and not as a couple in half an hour ??? 

These are pictures from the Ostend Habour three years ago when, the world was still "normal" . Lots of events and festivities took place in Ostend. This year everything is cancelled.

There were exhibitions of replicas of  historical ships like the "Bounty" from the movie

all that is finished for I don't know how long, nobody knows how long the Corona Virus will honor us with its visit !

For many people it is very hard  ! Especially for the elderly people in retirement homes. They are all closed and no visit is allowed. Some of them just don't understand why the family doesn't visit them anymore. Probably amongst those who died, it was not the Virus but the loneliness although the personal tries to do their best to distract and help them.

Some wonder if ever one day we will have our "old" or rather former way of life back.

For the first time ever, the whole world is involved. That has never happened.

The boats are floating so cheerfully on the water

The sky is blue, people are walking around without mask and social distance and have a drink in a café, hopefully this will happen next year ! 

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AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND AUGUST 15

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

WEEKEND

On Saturday was the Assumption of Mary, Jesus mother for those who slept during religion classes. Of course I had completely forgotten anyway it's a catholic holiday and all shops in whole Belgium were closed. That's why I had to ask what happened and I was not the only one. The religious festivities to honor holy Mary were cancelled she too had to suffer because of the Corona virus. Some fests are very famous and very folkloric, with costumes from centuries ago and even a black Mary who usually is carried through the village ! 

I don't remember what I did, nothing special anyway I was looking for a shelf for my T-shirts on internet and suddenly it was noon.

In the afternoon Mr.G was in Spain (virtually) watching the formular one preparations and I escaped to Myriam ! The sunny weather changed into dark clouds and then a thunderstorm arrived and I returned home. It rained so heavily that I could hardly see ! A few km further suddenly no rain anymore but sunshine again !

In Brussels the rain caused flooding in some areas, while we here in Waterloo had heavy thunderstorms and rain.

On Sunday was the same all shops closed and people who wanted to take the train to the coast changed their mind because the weather had cooled down and it was not like last week. As last week there had been a real riot at the Belgian coast to get a space on the beach dispite the fact that you had to book (!!) your space, the trains were congested, were was the social distance of 1.50 m ???. The responsible bunch of politicians decided to let only 80 people in per wagon today, but it wasn't necessary, lots of people didn't show up ! Now the shops at the seaside complained. What a mess !

The "Sales" period which still exists in Belgium had been delayed instead of July it had started on August and only during this period boutiques and shops are allowed to sell their stuff to reduced prices. This year due to all these regulations, one person at the time for 30 min shopping, had held back people to go shopping. 

As on Sundays the shops are closed too, Myriam proposed to come over and fix my curtains which had fallen down because the little rolls holding them broke, the fabric was too heavy.

 The good girl put new rolls and hung up all the curtains again ! I get dizzy on a chair and she is 7 years younger which makes a difference I had realized during our move ! 

Lots of things I could do myself I can't do anymore but that, probably is the case of all of us except the politicians who still "work" way over 70 ! Nicole came with her and we spent a nice afternoon, only poor Mr. G. had dificulties to follow his beloved Formular 1 because of us three chatterboxes.

 Myriam had put the little rolls for the curtains on the table and it looked so funny because the butterflies belong to the table cloth !