Impressions from Liège/Celles/Tournai

The best weekends are definetely those which are shared with friends. My dear friend from Hamburg came to spend some days in Chocolate Country. The weather was warm and sunny and felt still like summer. As she had several questions from people being intrigued why one wants to visit Belgium, I had to give it all to make her stay remarkable, hadn't I?

First we had a go at the fleemarket in Liège - St. Pholien. It is held every Friday morning and when the weather is nice, it is a really lovely promenade under the huge trees. Then you can retrieve why Liège is named "Little Paris". Our "la Seine" is "la Meuse" and we have several bridges which were empathised after bridges over the Seine in Paris. Also the architecture of the rows of houses in the city do remember those in Paris. And Liège has also a very ancient history.

The items on the photograph below were the treasures I came home with. My friend had found - amongst other wee bits - a "deer caller", a long brass horn with a kind of funnel at the end. The Frenchman who sold it, found, it could have a multi-use and tried to give us a noise sample... we wondered if the deer was not more likely to run away with that noise. But, perhaps the husband might be the right victim and follow, after a bit of training, this call to come to dinner? I hope we get a feedback...or this metal thing might just get a place in her garden, upside down?

Afterwards we visited the new station of Liège which had been inaugurated just a week before. In reality it is even more impressive! It's the art of the Spanish architecte Santiago Calatrava Plenty of travellers with the TGV are passing from and to France, we - the wee Belgians - are really proud of it.

And then, there is the delicious Belgian chocolate. If somebody likes to see a yummee chocolate slide show, here is the link: http://www.joliet.be/chocolatshow/photos.htm

We went to the famous "le carré de Liège" where the night life takes place. Nobody goes before 23 h or later in the evening and seldom leaves before dawn. The houses are so narrow, no cars and there are mainly night clubs and bars. But in this quarter is also a famous shop: Darcis. This is one of the 'chocolate kings' and we brought some samples home for tea.

On Saturday we went to visit the event for rare plants in Celles. This market really offers seldom species and the exhibitors are all professionals. A good number comes from France which is just a stone's throw away. One can also meet our TV gardeners in real!

Whilst being in this area of Belgium, we went to visit Tournai. I knew it is very ancient, in fact it is the second oldest town of Belgium (:-) thanks to friend's researches). Coincidentally, the European Medieval Festivities took place and we could enjoy the colourful scenario. Everybody was dressed for the occasion, there were plenty of back pipers and other musicians, all afternoon medieval music. A falconer with his vulture who flew over people's heads. Plenty of stands where one could buy all kind of ancient armours and accessories, bows, arrows, knives, leather equipment ...

The fine weather allowed to have a meal outside and to enjoy all these colours and see pass all the ancient costumes around.

Sunday morning a visit to our local fleemarket marked the end of a really fine weekend!

I hope, you too, are now interested to visit Belgium and see more of it.