Photography Essay - Poelbos

The Poelbeek is a park, located in Jette, one of the 19 municipalities of the Region of Brussels. At the beginning of 2018, I spent a considerable amount of time in one of the nearby hospitals. As you can imagine, a walk in the Poelbos always made me feel better.

Blankenberge - Everybody to the Pier!

Today, I take you back to the Belgian coast, to a town called Blankenberge. Just like Ostend, it has a train station in the centre, which connects it with some of the most important cities and towns in Belgium. Cross the road and you can take the "Kusttram" (Coast Tram) and go to any of the other coastal towns.

The location in Blankenberge that attracts locals and tourists alike is without any doubt the pier, constructed in 1933, it is 350 meters long and is built in the art-deco style. Having a walk here and admiring the views of the sea and the nearby dunes is a must.

I took all of these pictures around mid-February of last year - so, just a couple of months before leaving Belgium for Spain - and as you can see, even on a sunny winter day, Blankenberge attracts a lot of visitors. Can you imagine what it is like duri8ng hot summer days?

Some more facts and numbers:

• The train station of Blankenberge was built in 1863.
• At the beginning of the 20th century, Blankenberge was a popular destination for Royals.
• In general, tourism started booming after World War II.
• Want more information about what to do and where to stay in Blankenberge? Check out the official touristic website.

Remembering My Old Neighbourhood

It's with a certain fondness that I think back about my days in Brussels. Don't get me wrong: I love it here in Spain. What is not to love? More sunshine, a more relaxed attitude of the local people, a cheaper way of life, the bigger diversity of landscape, the food (especially the tapas culture)! But 10 years is a long time and difficult to forget... It's funny actually, given the fact that for a long time I used to hate the Belgian capital.

I also remember that during my first days in Spain, I actually missed the metro and the tram! Not being able to travel underground felt really odd in the beginning.

Anyway, I took most of these pictures at and around the Congress Column, in the heart of Brussels. This column was erected in the middle of the 19th century in order to commemorate the important events in the struggle for Belgian independence. At the foot of the monument, you can see the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

And Then Winter Came...

Wet and cold weather has arrived in Spain; the hot summer days have now become a very pleasant memory. I just hope it won't become as cold as it can be in Belgium!

Anyway, I took the following pictures in Brussels Park as well, but this time in winter, January 2018 to be more exact. It looked like a completely different place, compared to the previous post. So sombre and desolate... Yet hauntingly beautiful.

Tomorrow, it's time to update the movie website again. If you have seen the Oscars timeline, you know that a big weekend is coming up! So, next week you can expect an Oscars update again.

Golden Memories of Brussels Park

You can expect just about any kind of weather in October in Belgium, but in the middle of that same month two years ago, we were actually blessed with summer weather! And the park nearest where I used to live - and where I could enjoy that extra sunshine - was the Brussels Park (also known as the Royal Park).

With its 13ha, this is certainly not one of the biggest parks of the Belgian capital. But for locals, tourists and office workers alike, this is a nice green space, away from the daily duties, amidst the hustle and bustle of one of Belgium's busiest towns.

Established at the end of the 18th century, the Brussels Park has a main pond with a beautiful fountain, a kiosk, a bandstand and a theatre building. It is nestled in between the Royal Palace and the Belgian House of Parliament (the two buildings actually mirror each other). From a distance, you can also see the Palace of Justice.

The Brussels Park is easily accessible with public transport: buses, trams and metro all stop at one of the main entrances of the park. And one of Brussels' main train stations - Brussel Centraal/Bruxelles Central - is nearby as well.

From now on, I will update the travel website every Tuesday and Thursday. If you are looking for my movie website, I have moved it to visualreviewer.wordpress.com.