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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2012 5:56:38 GMT
I needed a base for Sunday night in Belgium and decided that it would be Mons (Bergen to the Flemish). It is actually only 15 kilometers from the French border, but it is amazing how a small intangible detail like that can change everything: the food, the vocabulary, the paint on the buildings... Even the French never think of visiting Wallonia. When people try to think of cities worth visiting in Belgium, the only ones that come to mind besides Brussels are Bruges, Ghent and that's about it. Wallonia is considered to be a dismal industrial wasteland (partly true). Nevertheless, the region has some redeeming features, and Mons seemed very excited to have been chosen as one of the European Capitals of Culture for the year 2015, as there were already some banners up. This of course implied that they did not have much to which they could look forward before then. I knew really nothing about Mons and did not have a guidebook, so I did as I usually do -- I just walked around. I had the entire city to myself as usual. It is so strange to see these completely depopulated cities when you come from a place like Paris or New York.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2012 6:00:36 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2012 6:07:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2012 6:12:53 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2012 6:18:16 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2012 6:41:18 GMT
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Post by tod2 on Feb 22, 2012 9:50:38 GMT
That was a most interesting tour of the town Kerouac - a place, as you say, most people wouldn't bother going to see in Belgium! So many little photographic pleasures caught my eye - some like the uneven brick detail on a building where you can see the alteration in a higgledy-piggledy fashion, just lovely!!
The red post box with the two languages telling folks that this red oblong canister was indeed a Post Box! It reminded me of South Africa in years gone by where every announcement was in English and Afrikaans,( which is so close to Flemish).
I loved the really cute water fountain with the impish boy ready to take a slurp of water in his hand! And the three angelic-looking singers are a delight!
Thanks so much for the wonderful photos.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2012 15:06:47 GMT
I finally found the inhabitant of Mons being walked by her dogs. Anyway, I went about my major business of the day elsewhere, which might spawn another report. Back at the hotel, I waited until nightfall to venture out in search of sustenance, but would I find any in this empty place?
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Post by mich64 on Feb 22, 2012 15:28:42 GMT
So, did you find somewhere open to have your dinner? I understand that it is Sunday, but where is everyone? Is it customary for families to stay in for family gatherings perhaps?
You have some very nice photos of doors and shutters. I liked the one with the door and garage with the dome glass above and would have loved to be able to see what renovations they did inside.
I also looked at Mons as a base instead of Brugge, because we have been there, for our trip this fall, but my sister has not seen Brugge and I know she is going to enjoy it there.
Cheers! Mich
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2012 15:31:52 GMT
There was a nice fireplace with a roaring fire, and four levels of tables looking out onto the main square. Believe it or not, there were actually people inside. I dithered a bit over the menu. What about the moules? What about the magret de canard? What about the three kinds of carbonades? What about the baked chicons (the Walloon name for Belgian endive)? But I was intrigued by the special tartiflette made with Chouffe. Of course, I had no idea what Chouffe was, but I had an idea. So I ordered it, and the included glass of Chouffe came immediately -- as expected it was a local beer, in this case amber beer from the Ardennes. The waiter explained that the tartiflette was quite different from the traditional Savoyard tartiflette. "We call it tartiflette because of the potatoes, but of course with the Ardenne cheese and the Ardenne beer, it is not at all the same." That didn't scare me -- I was ready for something different. Anyway, I had a big bowl of cheese cubes all for myself while I was waiting. When the big baking dish arrived, it certainly did not look or smell like tartiflette. In fact it reminded me more of Alsatian baeckeoffe, although that it made with white wine rather than beer. A tartiflette is mostly sliced potatoes in creamy melted emmental with lardons. This was sliced potatoes with pieces of pork and melted cheese in a beer sauce. It was pretty good albeit not superior to a real tartiflette. Clearly it had just appeared on the menu, because the manager came to see me twice to determine whether or not I found the dish acceptable and to talk more about the preparation and the fact that it was a suggested recipe obtained from the Chouffe rep (!). I ordered a second Chouffe to avoid going back out into the cold immediately, even though the rare snowflakes had stopped. Finally, though, it was time to walk back to the hotel. I took the route passing the church. I said goodbye to the belfry as well. The train station next to the hotel was just as ugly at night. And then I was in for the night. This concludes the current information about Mons/Bergen (if it were an English town, that would translate to Hilltown or Hillside or some such, if anybody is wondering).
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 22, 2012 16:10:30 GMT
Here is the church, here is the steeple, it's all very pretty, but where are the people? Well, except for Kerouac, who somehow took killer pictures of this town which I suspect is not real, but something he found in a dream. (Awfully yummy food for a dream, though!)
I so much enjoyed the lush and the quirky photos throughout -- love the building with the flags & the verdigris clock tower & of course the little shop of weirdness.
I'm intrigued by some of the objects in the church which make it look like a warehouse for some old stuff the royalty wasn't using. That carriage?! Also intrigued by the very modern looking facade of the church. That object with the slender columns & the crowned head of a woman must be a reliquary. Was the church named Saint somebody or other?
Oh -- did you have fun?
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Post by bjd on Feb 22, 2012 16:32:08 GMT
A tartiflette is mostly sliced potatoes in creamy melted emmental with lardons.
What??? Never. A tartiflette is made with Reblochon. Emmental isn't even real cheese. What ever happend to that cook Bertrand?
What day of the week was it that it was so empty? Was it really cold outside? Or maybe FMT lent you his neutron bomb that he always uses before he does a trip report.
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Post by tod2 on Feb 22, 2012 17:28:55 GMT
You clever man you! Not only giving us the day shift in photos, you carried on taking more fab ones at night and showing off how different a place can look when the sun goes down I loved the cathedral in all it's floodlit glory! Kerouac, some time ago you mentioned you had Ibis points to use up - did you remember them and not pay the 69euros?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2012 17:45:52 GMT
A tartiflette is mostly sliced potatoes in creamy melted emmental with lardons.What??? Never. A tartiflette is made with Reblochon. Emmental isn't even real cheese. You are correct -- it should indeed be Reblochon. I get all of those dishes from Savoie mixed up!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2012 17:49:22 GMT
You can see some people in photos 4 & 5 of reply #9 and also a couple of lowlifes hanging out in front of the train station.
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Post by Kimby on Feb 22, 2012 18:17:13 GMT
What a nice photo essay! (And some good "patina" shots, too!)
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Post by fumobici on Feb 22, 2012 21:27:38 GMT
What??? Never. A tartiflette is made with Reblochon. Emmental isn't even real cheese. Heh. I like Emmenthal! Reblochon is obviously more interesting. Another fabulous report on a town I know nothing about. That such beautiful places are so eerily empty while at the same time so many hideous places are often so crowded will never add up to me. I'd live there in a eyeblink if they'd have me (they wouldn't, it seems only ordinary people that are brown colored are allowed to move to the EU). I'd even learn Flemish- which being near Dutch is probably among the easier to learn languages for an Anglophone.
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Post by bjd on Feb 23, 2012 8:30:45 GMT
Fumobici -- If your father lives in Italy, doesn't that give you some Italian advantage for living in the EU?
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Post by fumobici on Feb 23, 2012 18:25:56 GMT
Fumobici -- If your father lives in Italy, doesn't that give you some Italian advantage for living in the EU? Would definitely help getting an extended visa; for citizenship, not at all.
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Post by Kimby on Feb 25, 2012 15:38:00 GMT
Love those red and white striped window surrounds. Are they made of colored bricks or painted? Any closeups?
Also wondering if there were ANY people out and about, and if so, did you wait for them to leave the scene before clicking the shutter?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2012 15:48:57 GMT
Actually, this was one of my famous Sunday morning excursions, and European urban dwellers absolutely hate to go out early on a Sunday. I saw perhaps 10 errant tourists and maybe about 10 locals on urgent business (bakery) the whole time. And of course, yes I did sometimes wait about 5 seconds for anybody I saw to evacuate before I took the picture.
I think the designs surrounding the windows are painted. That sort of thing looks so normal to me that it never crossed my mind to take a close up, but now that you have mentioned it, it is the sort of thing that I will keep in mind for future reports.
As Bixa and I tiresomely (and untiringly) repeat often: one should never forget that one's ordinary surroundings are interesting and exotic to people on the other side of the planet. For example, if I were in the U.S. I might even do a report about the variations of rural mailboxes along the road. They are invisible to people who pass them everyday but a source of wonder to people who never see such things.
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Post by Kimby on Feb 25, 2012 16:05:26 GMT
if I were in the U.S. I might even do a report about the variations of rural mailboxes along the road. They are invisible to people who pass them everyday but a source of wonder to people who never see such things. So is this a subtle request for a new photo thread?
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Post by frenchmystiquetour on Feb 25, 2012 16:20:50 GMT
I know it was early on a Sunday morning but still, it's a city and I never imagined one could be so deserted at any time of day. It's even more amazing than my worthless deserted villages.
bjd - I swear I wasn't there prior to kerouac's arrival.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2012 16:26:14 GMT
So is this a subtle request for a new photo thread? I thought it was pretty blatant. Now if we could only find someone who lives in a rural area...
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Post by Kimby on Feb 25, 2012 16:28:02 GMT
If I find such a person, I'll point them your way! (Sanibel Island has a ton of mailboxes worthy of a pictorial as well.)
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Post by arizona on Jan 14, 2013 18:34:34 GMT
No one there?? From one person I know where he has gone: Brussels. Di Rupo, the Belgian PM, was mayor in Mons (officially still ) Maybe his house is on one of the (marvellous!!!) pics? Who knows?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2013 20:05:54 GMT
Yes, I know that Elio is from Mons. Even though he apparently emptied the city of all inhabitants, I really did find it quite pleasant to visit.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2015 19:34:13 GMT
In July I will make a report about Mons that should include quite a few more people. Mons is the European Capital of Culture this year, and I will be there on July 21, the Belgian national day. The city should be hopping.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2015 21:22:18 GMT
Thank you for reviving this thread. All I know about Mons is that it was the setting for one of the most extraordinary events of WWI: The Angel of MonsAnd of course, the fact that I had a relative named Mons McKay, whose father saw the angel in battle.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jun 19, 2015 12:43:17 GMT
Perhaps they knew you were coming so they all hid......
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