Flower Carpet Brussels August 2008

Here are the photos I took on Friday 15 August of the Flower Carpet on the Grand Place - Grote Markt in Brussels:




You will have to wait until August 2010 for the next flower carpet.

Flower Carpet Brussels August 2008

Every two years in August, in the even numbered years, the Belgians lay out a beautiful carpet in flowers on the Grand Place/Grote Markt in Brussels.

The inauguration will be on Thursday 14 August at 22.00 accompanied by the Sound & light Show (Son et Lumière) then the flower carpet will be on display Friday 15, Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 August. It can be photographed from the balcony of the Town Hall (Hôtel de Ville/Stadhuis) from 09.00-23.00. Friday 15th is a public holiday.
This site tells you everything you could possibly want to know about the carpet, including its history.
http://www.flowercarpet.be/site/main.php?lg=en
The site can be read in English, Dutch or French.

800,000 begonias, the national flower of Belgium, are used in the carpet.
http://www.belgiumtheplaceto.be/flower_carpet_in_brussels..php

This is a must see.

Antonia Harrison from Living in Belgium

Funeral of Scouts Leader Leen Dayers in Bolderberg

The funeral of 20 year old Scouts Leader Leen Dayers was held in Bolderberg, Limburg on 18 July. We know her mother, Elly Reynders, and so wanted to support her and her family on that most terrible occasion in their lives. My sons are also Bolderberg Scouts so they wore their uniforms and joined with the other scouts as they sung their "Avond Lied".

An estimated 500 attended, many of whom did not know Leen or the family but wanted to show local solidarity and support for the Dayers-Reynders family. Everyone walked behind the coffin vehicle the 500m to the graveyard where more tributes and farewells were given.

Leen was cycling home on the morning of Sunday 13 July when a motorist fell asleep at the wheel causing her death. A board was erected on the roadside to mark the spot of the accident. This board gave people an opportunity to write their own message to Leen and adorn the spot with flowers and teddies.


I was impressed by the deep friendships of the Bolderberg Scouts and it made me glad that my boys are being raised in this environment. I just hope they grow up to be such fine young people.

20 Year Old Scout Leader Killed by Motorist in Bolderberg

20 Year old Leen Dayers, known as Fodi by the Bolderberg Scouts, was killed by a motorist in our village of Bolderberg, Limburg on Saturday 12 July as she cycled home from a beach party with other scout friends. She was a leader of the Jonggivers and an active scout since she was 6 years old. “Al vanaf haar zesde zat ze bij de Trappers. Ze was een enorm geëngageerd, vrolijk meisje." She should have departed for scouts camp on Tuesday 15th but the scouts camp has been shortened to allow the scouts to attend her funeral on Friday 18 July.

My sons are younger members of the scouts in Bolderberg and although we did not know Leen, we know her mother, Elly Reynders, who is active in the community particularly in the Gezinsbond. When something terrible happens in a close-knit village community, many are affected. My older son and I will attend the funeral as a mark of respect to their family.

16/07 “We zullen je herinneren als goedlachse vriendin”. People are paying tribute to Leen leaving messages and flowers in Sint-Jobsstraat where the fatal accident happened.

“Leen was een opgewekt blij meisje, een echte levensgenieter”, vertellen Loes Keunen en Hans Roose, sinds jaar en dag haar medeleiders bij scoutsvereniging De Trappers in Heusden-Zolder. “Haar dood is een enorm verlies voor iedereen.”

Her friend, Charlotte Proesmans, was lightly injured.

Apparently, the 24 year old motorist fell asleep at the wheel. He had been working as a DJ and took a bloodtest to show that he had hardly drunk any alcohol. Ironically, he was in the same student club as Leen. He drove away from the accident without stopping but was later identified by an employee from Carglass in Hasselt when he took his car for repair.

Het Belang Van Limburg 16 July

Exquisa in Hasselt Hopes to Re-Open

Although Stephie and Yanaïka did not win "Mijn Restaurant" and the keys to keep Exquisa open, they have definitely not given up. A group of people are looking at possibilities to re-open the restaurant.

So great is the public interest that people are raising money to help the girls.

Binnenkort toch 'ons restaurant'?
En dan dé hamvraag: Gaat Exquisa terug open? De onderhandelingen zijn volop aan de gang. De huisbaas, de bank, de boekhouder en wijzelf proberen samen tot een oplossing te komen. Tot en met zondag zal Exquisa zeker gesloten blijven. Vanaf volgende week kunnen we jullie definitief uitsluitsel geven over de toekomst van het restaurant. Deze week gaan we eerst genieten van wat rust in Barcelona, samen met ons team. Een tafel reserveren is de volgende dagen niet mogelijk. Hou zeker onze website in het oog, daar zal op verschijnen wat er beslist wordt en natuurlijk vanaf wanneer jullie opnieuw kunnen reserveren.

Exquisa op eigen benen
Ondertussen horen we dat mensen spontaan acties opzetten om geld in te zamelen zodat wij ons restaurant over kunnen nemen. We ontvangen mails met de vraag om een rekeningnummer te openen of een benefiet te organiseren. Het lot van Exquisa laat een grote groep mensen niet onberoerd. Maar dat lot ligt nu in onze eigen handen. We zijn iedereen al enorm dankbaar voor de vele sms'jes en telefoontjes. Het is aan ons om te bewijzen dat we ook na 'Mijn Restaurant' in staat zijn om Exquisa verder de juiste richting in te duwen.

Visit the Exquisa website

Run the Brussels Marathon or Half-Marathon

The 2008 edition of the Brussels Marathon and Half Marathon will take place on Sunday 5 October. One of Europe's most beautiful marathons starts at the Cinquantenaire Park and finishes on the historic Grand-Place going through Brussels-Centre, Watermaal-Bosvoorde, Oudergem, Tervuren, Sint-Pieters-Woluwe and Etterbeek. I ran the 20km twice in 1984 and 1985 so can recommend it.

Discover the heart of Brussels with its green belt and register now via www.brusselsmarathon.be. This year, 10,000 participants are expected.

Would you like to stay a few days in Brussels? You will find ING's hotel promotion in cooperation with Holiday Inn Express on their website or book all your travel requirements on EuroTravel the one-stop site for travel to and within Europe.

Programme Sunday 5 October:
9 am: Brussels Marathon
9.30 am: Brussels Mini-Marathon 4 km
10.30 am: Brussels Half Marathon
See you in Brussels on Sunday 5 October!

Limburg Events 31 May and 1 June

Hasselt: live music 31 May from 20.00 and 1 June from 16.00, 28 stages with 45 groups/artistes, www.cultuurweb.be

Maasmechelen: Kleurrijk, 31 May 14.00-21.00 on Valkeniersplein, free entry
multicultural dance and music groups
workshops such as playing a Didgeridoo, street theatre and children's entertainment including a Cuban festival
hapjes & drankjes (food & drink) in an exotic atmosphere
www.maasmechelen.be

Zonhoven: Tirolermusic with Drauf und Drau
31 May 19.30 doors open, 20.30 start, Parochiezaal, Heikensstraat, Halveweg, 3 € entry
hot dogs & bratworst for sale

Blog: Living in Belgium