Blooming colourful
Summer in Brussels is traditionally a time when the Eurocrats skip town and the tourists flood in. And during every August in Grand Place / Grote Markt, many of these visitors stumble across an extraordinary sight.
The Brussels Flower Carpet graces the cobbles for one weekend only when a bright, ornate pattern consisting of thousands of blooms is laid out for all to see.
Those who wish to can climb the antechambers and panelled corridors of the City Hall to the balcony overlooking the square, where the view is dazzling, especially at night.
Let's do the Photo Shuffle
Re: Let's do the Photo Shuffle
Together with my partner J, I am a keen photographer in a point-and-shoot sort of way. In other words, you can think of me as a 'documenter' rather than an 'artist'. This is a random selection culled from a collection of around 1,500 images that's available on this site. However, you will have to bear with me until I've tagged and annotated them all!
Recent non-carbon emissions
The Gospel According To Jesus Christ
José Saramago Harvill (first published 1999) You can imagine the sort of outraged comments this book will have provoked from many zealous Christians. If online bookseller Amazon certainly intended customer reviews to help sell books, there’s a danger here of their pages turning into a forum for religious debate. “The Bible storyline is flagrantly ignored, replaced, changed, [...] More about The Gospel According To Jesus Christ
Muur van Geraardsbergen
Every year on the first weekend in April, the Ronde van Vlaanderen cycle race files through the lanes and villages of Flanders. If this sounds like a Sunday idyll to you, think about the heavy, freezing rain permeating your clothing whilst you’re buffeted by strong crosswinds from the North Sea. Then contemplate pulling your bike through 264 [...] More about Muur van Geraardsbergen
Cantillon Brewery
J’s sister came to stay and after trying the lambic and gueuze at À La Bécasse on Rue Tabora the previous week, she fancied a visit to the Cantillon Brewery near the Gare du Midi. Cantillon is the last active brewery in Brussels and it is still a family business, occupying the same building on Rue [...] More about Cantillon Brewery
Virgin and Child Surrounded by Angels
I have waited several years to see this painting, on display at the Royal Fine Arts Museum in Antwerp. It depicts a resplendent, charged image that somehow escaped the censure of conservative times despite being, to modern eyes anyway, a deeply irreligious religious painting. Dominating the composition is the heavenly Virgin, whose allure is altogether earthly [...] More about Virgin and Child Surrounded by Angels
Just one more thing …
A selection of recent comments on MikePadgett.com:
- Re: Dreamweaver CS3 crashes and won’t start up again, 5 days 3 hours ago
- Mick Webdrive: Thank You...
- Re: Dreamweaver CS3 crashes and won’t start up again, 11 days 16 hours ago
- J. Smith: Well Wow, I could...
- Re: Cantillon Brewery, 11 days 16 hours ago
- J's sister: What a fantastic little brewery!! Hope to enjoy the...
Really Simple Syndicatees
- Russia rejects UN Georgia draft Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:04:24 Russia rejects a draft UN Security Council resolution on Georgia, saying it contradicted last week’s truce terms.
- Sarkozy makes Kabul crisis visit Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:05:35 French President Nicolas Sarkozy travels to Afghanistan to support his troops, a day after a deadly attack by Taleban fighters.
- Rice in Warsaw for defence deal Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:41:31 The US and Poland are to sign a deal to locate part of a controversial US missile defence shield on Polish territory.
- [audio] China Bans Release Of Carbon Dioxide By Citizens Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:00:44
Onion Radio News - with Doyle Redland
- Powerful ‘His And Hers’ Towel Lobby Stalls Gay Marriage Legislation Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:00:39
WASHINGTON—Gay rights activists protested the defeat of bill S. 743 Monday, saying that the proposed legislation giving homosexuals the…
- Julia Child A Spy? Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:00:10
According to newly released documents, chef Julia Child worked for the Office of Strategic Services, a U.S. spy agency, during World War II. What do…
