Something about Christmas preparations sets my nerves on edge.
Trees ripped from the forest.
Forced jollity.
Pretence.
Poverty amid abundance.
So, with apologies for the downbeat tone.
An edgy angle on Christmas preparations in Grote Markt, Brussel.
“How does light enter a house? If the windows are open. How does light enter a human? If the door of love is open.”
― Paulo Coelho, Eleven Minutes
(MAS | Museum aan de Stroom, Antwerpen)
One of the challenges faced by anyone in arriving in a new country is getting to grips with the local customs, the language.
In Belgium, that challenge magnified as there are two languages to learn, Français and Nederlands.
Nederlands is then spiced up a bit with various regional differences and some carefully inserted words designed to make sure it stands out from the language spoken by the inhabitants of that country to the North.
Despite my weekly lessons, I am essentially clueless.
However, I have benefited from a very clever public awareness scheme seemingly designed to help those new to the country get to grips with the most important words.
A scheme operated by governments at every level across the region.
Those words?
– omleiden
– omlegging
– onderbroken
But the really clever part is that the bright orange awareness raising posters signs, that are used to reinforce these crucial words, also guide the visitor to new and undiscovered places, some never to be visited again.
It really is a very clever initiative.
A little diversion from the rigour of #photo101
transitory treasure
Treasure is transitory, illusory.
One person’s treasure is another person’s junk.
What was once treasured now gathers dust on the shelf, in the attic, basement, on the table at the flea market.
The real treasure is what we hold inside us.
The feelings we have, for people, places, times.
The memories and hopes that can never turn to dust.
Treasure.
(Canal side flea market, Brugge)
NaBloPoMo 24 of 30 – photography101:16
“People are strange when you’re a stranger
Faces look ugly when you’re alone”
– People are strange, The Doors
(Centraal Station, Brussel)
Sometimes things just happen.
This is a very rough and ready clip.
These people appeared in the street and came straight at me.
So I lifted my camera and just fired away as they walked around me.
I just had to share!
“And a sentimentalist, my dear Darlington, is a man who sees an absurd value in everything, and doesn’t know the market place of any single thing.”
– Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere’s Fan
Not really sure about these.
Woke at four am with an idea.
Why not take a shot of a coin with the EU Parliament building in the background?
Not that hard to try, as the EU Parliament is right outside the window.
The scariest part of this (apart from the fact that I am dreaming of posts for #photo101)?
What if that euro coin fell off and landed on some poor soul’s head from the ninth floor?
If that had happened, I wouldn’t be writing this.
Penny euro for your thoughts?
NaBloPoMo 23 of 30 – photography101:weekendthree
“There’s a red house over yonder,
That’s where my baby stays…”
– Jimi Hendrix
My homework for the weekend #photo101.
Monochromium Atomium.
With a dash of red.
NaBloPoMo 22 of 30 – photography101:weekendthree
This trip was supposed to be to the top of Parking 58 which offers the best views across the rooftops of Brussel.
A locked gate bent me out of shape – angular
So, I grabbed this shot, and wondered if I would ever use it.
And, now, I have.
My contribution to this week’s Weekly Photo Challenge from The Daily Post at WordPress.
ps – you may also like to checkout my angular post on belgradestreets too…
belgianstreets 