Celia Hart's blog about what's going on in and around her studio.
Art, printmaking, inspirations, gardening, vegetables, hens, landscapes, wild flowers, East Anglia, adventure, travel.

Monday 4 March 2013

A few days away

It was our wedding anniversary last week, so we thought we'd go somewhere for a few days . . . we caught the train and four hours later we were

here . . .


. . . in Ghent, in Belgium. This is the view as we approached the city centre walking along the cobbled streets from the hotel; the three vast medieval towers rising high above the stepped gabled town houses.

The weather was cold, temperatures barely reached 3C for the whole time we were there; nor did we see the sun, clouds wrapped Flanders in a grey cloak – the colour palette was muted and subtle with accents of red tiles or green railings – like stepping into a winter scene painted by Avercamp or Bruegel.



At night the illuminated buildings looked like the points and picots of Belgium lace against the black sky and reflected in the water.


Despite the cold we walked all around the city and found lots of places to visit and things to see.

10 things to do in Ghent when it's flipping freezing!

Go to a classical concert in the breathtaking medieval hospital hall at De Bijloke.

See the Van Eyk brothers' "Lam Gots" (the Ghent Altar Piece or Mystic Lamb) in St Bavo's Cathedral

and also being cleaned in the restoration laboratory in the Museum of Fine Arts

Look at lots of cool stuff in the Design Museum

Learn stuff about all sort of stuff at MIAT

Laugh at the films of bands and drum majorettes in The House of Alijn

Have dinner at the Pakhuis

and a vegetarian gourmet banquet at Avalon

Stumble upon a lovely place for lunch

Buy a jar of mustard and a red nose.



Celia
xx








18 comments:

  1. A wonderful trip.I love your "Belgian points and picots" metaphor.
    Thank you for the little side trip.

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  2. Even though the weather was grey and cold your photos are lovely. I too like your description of the illuminated buildings.

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    1. Thank you, these were taken with my iPhone, I didn't take my big camera on this trip.

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  3. What a lovely place to spend your special day! :) x

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    1. Yes it was a good trip despite the unrelenting cold!

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  4. Lovely idea for a memorable wedding anniversary. Congratulations and thanks for sharing.

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  5. Looks like a wonderful trip. Thanks for sharing all the interesting links.

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    1. ... and a good way to keep a record of all the things we did ;-)

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  6. Celia, Ghent might have been very chilly, but your photos surely show how beautiful it is. I am sure that all the architecture will find its way into your art work...in some transformation, perhaps.

    Happy belated anniversary to you all, too.

    xo

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    1. I'm sure it all goes into the mix in my brain, Frances xx

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  7. The Design Museum is wonderful! It was being rebuilt when we were there (also in the cold) a couple of years ago. I'd go back to Ghent in a flash...

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    1. Isn't it!!! I thought is was superb, the new modern galleries at the back at amazing!

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  8. What a lovely trip, I lived in Belgium many years ago and it's a country of exciting contrasts in culture, language and landscape and often over looked. Happy anniversary!

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    1. Ghent is multifaceted! There is a large Turkish community which influences the food and street culture.

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  9. It's been a while since I was there. Don't you find the food better in Belgium than France?

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    1. I think you have something there! I have had some outstandingly good food in Belgium.

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