Wednesday, June 2, 2010

My first week in Belgium!





Last week we did a day trip to the North Sea at a sea shore in France.  Along the way, I saw my first REAL (and very old) windmill...it was amazing!  And how convenient was it that there were flower beds full of tulips close to it?!


We continued on to the seashore, to a spot where you could look across the English Channel and see the white cliffs of Dover.  It was a little hazy and my pictures didn't show the cliffs but here's a few of the beach where we had a picnic and a snooze in the sun.





We stopped for coffee (as usual) on the way back in a little village in France and I snapped a few shots of the red clay tile rooftops.  I'm so inspired here and I think photography, combined with some sort of mixed media artwork could be in the future...lol..





Not that my photography is anything to get excited about (yet, anyway...lol) but I can picture using these rooftops somehow...

I also got to see an amazing art exhibition of a Belgian symbolist painter, Gustave van de Woestyne at the art museum here in Gent.  This was one of my favorite paintings...



and I managed to get myself in trouble there, as well... So typical for me...lol.  Apparently I got "TOO CLOSE!" to one of the paintings and a little twerp who worked for the museum freaked out and came over and lectured me in Dutch.  When he finished his big warning, I told him I didn't understand a word he said.  I DID get a little satisfaction out of that! LOL..  Actually, all I had done was point at something in a painting, but apparently he thought my finger was a combo finger/switchblade or something.........sigh..... lol

Another day, we took a walk through the city and I saw this huge cat looking out an even "huger" window of the second story, watching all the activity below. 



A few last pics of an ancient abbey very close to here, in ruins now, but absolutely wonderful!





Stay tuned for Week Two, which included a trip to the Netherlands AND a fabulous antique shop I found!

12 comments:

~Judy~ said...

Anne, your pictures are amazing!! Sounds like you are gonna love living there.

Sylvia said...

Lovely pictures. Can't wait to see what you found in the new antique shop. I am so glad that you are enjoying it.

Carin said...

Glad to here from you again and what a beautiful pictures. Can't wait to see the pictures you are going to take on your trip to the Netherlands, because its beautiful there too.
Hugs from the Netherlands,
Carin

Kajsa said...

Thank you for sharing your pictures! I love that part of Europe!

Sweet Sue said...

Glad to hear and see all is well with you, enjoy your immersion:)

mainely stitching said...

How wonderful to hear that you're there and already having such a great time! :D

VickieV said...

Love the pictures! Wish I was there. Looking forward to more pictures and to hearing what you found at the antique shop!

Katrina said...

Don't you love it! We lived close to Mons for three years, it was wonderful. Your pictures are so pretty.

Deb said...

It looks beautiful there. Your pictures are wonderful.

Cari said...

I'm glad you made it safe and sound to Belgium! Thanks for sharing the beautiful pics!! Hugs

Anonymous said...

Wow! I can't wait to see more pictures and hear more stories. Do you have a new email addy? I need some books for my store. www.StitchStore.NET

sylvia shenk said...

Anne,
I'm hoping you can help me. On your chart "her tulip garden" on her dress can you reccommend anything other than french knots.
I am absolutely horrible at making them and that is the last thing I have got to do.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Sylvia