|
|
Carnaval in Binche, Belgium is a really different experience. I’ve wanted to go since seeing pictures of these guys—the Gilles. Imagine 1000 of them in those creepy masks…
The masks are wax and, according to the tourist office web site, worn on Shrove Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. Eight-thirty, a two-hour drive away, after a long weekend in Hamburg wasn’t happening so we went for the afternoon parade. I had hoped for the scary masks, but they are only worn in the morning. Big ostrich feather hats are in the afternoon. Still, no less cool. Look at this thing!
The history of carnaval in Binche is little unclear. It’s roots date to the 14th century, and it has been recognized by UNESCO as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.” The festivities run Sunday to Tuesday, culminating with a parade and party thru the night.
We arrived in Binche roughly as the parade was starting. There’s no real advantage to getting there early, as the groups are all dressed the same, and the procession lasts close to 3 hours. Except maybe for parking. People park crazy and everywhere, but we found plenty of space in a dirt lot by a roundabout on the outskirts.
Gilles of all ages march in the parade. I just love this little guy (and in case you missed it, this mustache guy):
The Gilles dance to drums and brass bands, then throw blood oranges to (or at) the crowd. It’s difficult to tell. The oranges fly fast and hard. (Don’t stand outside a bar; drunk people seem to be a popular target.) You really have to pay attention or keep your head down or, better yet, stand at the front with kids where they hand them to you.
We came home with a couple dozen blood oranges. The oranges are considered good luck. People who needed the most luck had nets.
At one point Jacob said, “Can we go home? It’s raining.” Nope, orange juice. We stopped in a restaurant and when someone opened the door an orange flew in, hit a table and hit a table and hit me on the back. Easy to see why they put chicken wire over all the windows. Note the screened in balcony in the last pic below.
I’m a bit disappointed that we won’t be able to go back. If we were moving to Belgium, we’d be very close to Binche, and I’d be there next year at 8:30 a.m. Stupid Nato restructuring.
M O R E P H O T O S
From Shrove Tuesday Carnaval. Shot Feb 12, 2013 in Binche, Belgium
Viewing images
1-16
of
31
Viewing images
1-16
of
31
It’s funny when you see someone in crazy costume and they have a crazy mustache. This was one of the guys at Carnaval in Binche, Belgium. Look for more pics and a post on that soon.
3 Fonteinen is one of those places. We’ve been a bazillion times, but never bothered to take pictures. Until now…and with good reason—the new brewery! It wasn’t yet fully installed when we were there on open brewery days in September (note the four coolships), but with the start of brew season, it should be now. If you want to see in person, 3 Fonteinen will be open the first Saturday in November and December for tours (5€ per person).
M O R E P H O T O S
From 3 Fonteinen. Shot September 2, 2012. Beersel, Belgium
Viewing images
1-16
of
16
Viewing images
1-16
of
16
  
Maredsous is an abbey beer brewed by Benedictine monks in the Walloon region of Belgium. The beer is, imo, just okay. Perfectly acceptable, not exceptional. It’s the sort of reasonably priced, solid Belgian I’ll drink when we move back to the states. But for now, with 21 cases of the best beer in the world in the basement and a choice of Cantillon, why bother with something unremarkably “decent.”
While the beer isn’t my favorite, Maredsous is a place I’d visit again on a sunny Saturday afternoon or lazy Sunday or a Tuesday (or whatever). This area of Belgium is lovely, and the Maredsous visitors center has plenty of outside seating and nice playground for the kids. Inside they have a bookshop, a giftshop and a cafeteria-style restaurant. That took some figuring out. The system is a bit different; you order and pay for your food then take the ticket to the appropriate counter to pick it up. One counter for beer, one for hot food, one for cold food, etc. Free parking, free bathrooms and the church is free.
They do offer guided tours which sound interesting. The web site site promises a look into the life and work of the monks—taking you behind the walls to monks cemetery, ceramics studio, etc. Only one problem: They’re only given in French and Dutch. While the tour is cheap (2.50€), probably one you don’t get much out of it unless you speak the language.
I should have taken a picture. In the gift shop, they sell hand-thrown pottery including the traditional Maredsous chalice in very untraditional colors—pink, kelly green and navy. They’re really beautiful; I just couldn’t justify spending 10€ on one when I’ve never used the (mass produced, 50 cent thrift shop) one we have. Although, if someone said they wanted one, you wouldn’t have to twist my arm to get me to go get it for you.
M O R E P H O T O S
From Maresdsous Abbey. Shot September 1, 2012 in Maresdsous, Belgium
Viewing images
1-15
of
15
Viewing images
1-15
of
15
Photos from the first-ever open brewery days at Chimay.
Last week we toured the Chimay brewery at the Notre-Dame de Scourmont Abbey in southern Belgium. This was the first year the Trappist brewery was open to the public. Honestly, not my favorite of tours, but what an opportunity have one of the first looks inside.
A limited number of tours were given; they were free and bookable online (only on the French and Dutch versions of the Chimay web site). I can’t say it provided any great insight into monastic life or brewing or really anything because, well, the tour was conducted in French. My high school French doesn’t take me far beyond “Parlez-vous anglais?”, but it’s a brewery tour. What can they say that we don’t already know?
I had hoped to get to peek into the abbey, maybe see some monks like at La Trappe, at least visit the bottling line. Nope. The tour concluded with Chimay cheese and Spéciale Cent Cinquante. We received a 150-year-anniversary collectors glass as a souvenir of the visit and made our way to the restaurant down the street where they serve Chimay Dorée. The beer is good but the service is painfully slow (painfully slow by European standards and that means s l o w).
I did see a monk later…in the Carrefour parking lot.
M O R E P H O T O S
From Chimay Brewery. Shot August 31, 2012 at the Notre-Dame de Scourmont Abbey in Chimay, Belgium
Viewing images
1-16
of
33
Viewing images
1-16
of
33
As often as we’ve visited Belgium, we’ve rarely ventured below the language border. You hear things about Wallonia—how it’s run down and dirty and no one speaks English, etc. I don’t know about all that. Come to think of it, I’ve heard people speak this way of “Walloon” towns that aren’t even in Wallonia. (Americans. No one said we were smart.) Anyway, it was distance, not opinions, that kept us away for so long.
Having lived in Europe for three years, I don’t often have those, “Wow, where are we?” moments. They came in Wallonia. I think I love it more than Flanders. The gray stone villages, beautiful countryside, rustic charm. Why’d we wait so long? And when can we go back?
We ventured to Chimay for the first-ever open brewery days, stayed just south of Namur in Profondeville and visited Maredsous and Dinant. We could have easily stayed several more days. Next time we will. In fact, I’m plotting our return as I type. Hmmm…school holiday next week. Bastogne or Rochefort maybe.
UPDATE: This weekend, September 8-9, is open monuments day in the Netherlands and Belgium. Thousands of historical sites, some not normally open to the public, will be granting FREE entry Saturday and Sunday. Looks like I’ll be going back sooner than planned. Now the difficult task of deciding where to go.
And check this out—a swimming pool made from a boat. Here’s a close up.
Snapped this photo of an artist at work on the bank of the Meuse River in Dinant, Belgium on Saturday.
I love seeing the scenery and the artist’s perspective. And the curious crowd that gathers behind them. I imagine some day seating myself in front of a piece by one the great masters. A sketch book and an elaborate spread of materials before me. Then reproducing that masterwork in stick figures. And I would need mirrors. Mirrors to see the sideways glances and involuntary cringes of onlookers.
|
|
|
