The wind that shakes the Barley

The plan was, after a long search and discussion, to see the German/Danish movie Adams æbler (Adam’s Apples) but at the cinema we discovered that there were only french subtitles which wasn’t a problem for me, but for my partner of that evening it was... We had to decide in an eye blink for a different movie, but I wasn’t able to find one that was speaking to me & suggested to go have a drink instead as we were in the center anyway... the proposal was rejected and replaced for the movie The wind that shakes the Barley (Le vent se lève)... A film that gives a (non-objective) look at the Republicans in early 20th century in Ireland.

The movie started horribly. There were two thoughts constantly shooting through my mind:

I) Next time I select the movie!
II) How am I going to get out of this place?

I’m not the kind of lady that is easily frightened by shocking or bloody scenes. At a very young age I always succeeded to sneak underneath the dinning-table (when I should have been in bed) to watch secretly the scary movies that my big bro was watching. But with this movie I even had to turn my head away during the first scenes and even then my stomach was turning from the sounds that remained. After surviving this part, the movie started to get along and became less stirring and hope for a good film to come was there again.


However that hope was dissapointing. There was no actual match between the story that has been told & the images that were shown. In one scene they tell you a big national problem, the next scene they show you a group of local boys who fight against this in their own area, where the scene after that tells you that this has a big positive effect on the national problem, but they never show what... only telling the problems, showing the fights & telling you the solution. And actually writing this it may sound like logic but the way they show it in the movie takes away the logic.

For me it made the film unreliable and not clear which message the writer wanted to bring and from which angle the director was working.The film left me more the impression that I saw a try out film with a draft script. This is a pity because the actors played very well & convincing, putting on strong characters. Also the makers of the film had some amazing shots. It’s sad that a movie with such great, strong material is not brought to its full value.

Inside the VRT studio's

- The control room & my favorite spot at the VRT studio's -


It was great to have the opportunity to be present at the VRT (one of Belgium's biggest station) Saw a lot of great things that you as viewer/listener have no idea about and being present in the live shows of Radio Donna & Studio Brussels brought back old feelings from the times that I worked as a presentor at our own local radio station in the Netherlands.

Was strange though as well to deal with people who are big presenters/celebs in Belgium and I had no idea who they were. It was nice as well too because on this way there was a possibility for neutral communication. It reminded me a bit of last summer when I was visiting a hanball tournament with Mr.B & Hervé and there was this (appearantly famous) french player Laurent Puigségur and under the people there was much excitement and it took me quite some time to figure out why --> Definitly a Liz moment!


- break down of the election stages -



- Radio 2 -

- "Ketnet's Studio" -

- Radio Donna (On Air) -


*Special Thanks to Neil van Craeynest*

Celebrity week-end @ Delft

- "Tarzan" -



- "Rubeus Hagrid & Mr. I. Potter" -

- Our own home version of "Garfield" -

- "Professor Severus Snape" -

Na regen komt zonnenschijn

Yesterday Janneke asked me to join her on sunday to go to the center of Bxl. She needed to do some research for the Uni and suggested to have a drink afterwards. I agreed and after spending a wonderful short night and a silent sunday morning (= without construction workers) we left to have a walk through Brussels.

Ten minutes after we left it started raining but we went on and eventually the sun was stronger and beated the rain! A beautiful rainbow smiled to us with all her grace. The picture reminds me a bit of the advertisement of the movie Mongolian Ping Pong.

I was especially touched by this little sculpture. Normally I don't find them very interesting, but the street sign which says "Alley of Gifts" gives it such a great touch.

Eventually we never did the research and dove straight into an Irish pub. I drink sometimes, but I never liked beer. It's quite impossible to integrate and become a legal Belgian if you don't drink beer, but to my amazing this place serves really GOOD beer! Finally there's a beer I like & with this there comes an end to the period of being an outsider at parties where people drink nothing but beer. The music & atmosphere were a bit less, but they have big screens showing sports... Finally a good beer & sports, what more could a girl wish for?

A long, noisy way to Morphée's arms

For the people who read my message of yesterday... Forget I said anything about the sundaymorning works at the railtracks near my window. Appearantly they also do night work. Till 02 am I had the privilege to listen to the harmonious sounds of construction workers before falling into Morphée's arms!... Sundaymorning at 08am doesn't seems so bad anymore :-)

Re-location... finally!

Well... After many long weeks of administrative work I picked up my keys of my new place. There isn't much to say about it. It's amazingly small & the picture actually says it all. On the contrary the apartment building has a great location, the street is very quiet & near the center, low rent as the building is quite old, trainstation, trams & busses at the end of the street, the Uni only 07 minutes walking and lots of cute little restaurants and pubs in walking distance.

It will be an intermediate solution untill all papers are ready & I'll have my residence permit. I think the only "negative" thing to say is that it's small, but in the same time also comfy and nice. It's just enough for me. And it's nice as well to be close to everything and everyone, as most of the people I got to know here, are living in the same area or building.

Yes, it definitly doesn't sound so bad at all... And the fact that where there is a trainstation there are also traintracks, which in this case are running underneath my window is also acceptable. First it's annoying, but after some days you don't even hear the intercity anymore that goes by 06 times an hour. What I also can understand is that people need to work on the railtracks to keep it safe, but not that it has to be on sundaymorning at 08AM!!! Especially not understandable for someone who just reached her bed two hours before...

Welcome in Belgium's Paradise ;-)

On the move...

As the university is about to start again these coming weeks my obligations in the Netherlands are finishing and starting in Brussels. Lots of paper work to arrange in both countries. As I can't go into my place at Brussels yet there is nothing much left then to travel up and down. In the beginning I didn't mind so much, but when having frequent (major) delays it's not so funny anymore! As the international train promotes on the outside with the new Fortis Banking slogan "Getting you there"...they indeed get you there, but not saying when or how :-(

- Brussels South trainstation -

But when arriving in Brussels it's great to be there!!! :-)))


- A part of the Uni @ BXL (main part of my department) -

For me the university of Brussels is huge and I'm getting to know my way a bit, but I still remain impressed by the gigantic places. The university is surrounded by a lot of nature. It looks like an enormous parc & gives a lot of great opportunities to study outside in the sun or to rest between classes. It reminds me of Central Park in Manhattan. It's quite nice because it's so near the center of the city, but when being there it seems like you are far away from it. No disturbing city sounds, no impatient drivers & cabs hunking annoyingly their car over 7th avenue. Only here and there some ambulance/fire/police sirenes going through the city.

I can't deny that despite the long days I enjoy the traveling as well. It's great to see so many different people with all their own stories. When arriving back at Delft (late in the evening) there were two ladies getting on the tram. They were quite old (above 70) but acting like in their twenties. They had a night out and were on their way home. The neighbourhood we where isn't so safe and mostly you don't see elderly people on the tram. Normally you can find them in big groups (during the day) on bus 60 or 64 going to "the Hoven", which is their "headquarter". But not these ladies! They just sat between the young ones, being fresh, full of energy and enthusiastic from their night out at the Bingo. By this I nominate these ladies for Grannies of the Year! ;-)

Sète & Agde

- Sète -

From Béziers I took some days as well to visit the little places Sète & Agde. In Sète I decided not to go to a tourist office and just wonder through the town and see what's on my way. It was simple and comfy. In Agde I tried differently, but got completly lost all the time and wanted to visit this one place, but after walking & searching for a long time I gave up and went back. Later I discovered by a maptown at the trainstation that I wasn't far away if I just walked a bit longer!...


- Agde -

When walking by a small parc in a side street in Agde I discovered a little group of old men playing "Jeux de Boules". I stopped to look and they were so enthousiastic that they told me endless stories about all and asking me to come play with them.

- My new "play friends" -

Escaping the cold

- Charleroi Airport, day of departure... -

During my holidays I had some weeks with great temperatures, but as this never last long in the north I also spend a long time in rain & cold. A good moment for me to pack my bags and go some place better...
Destination: Mr. B. 's @ Béziers :-)



It was a long travel as it seemed that everything was delayed and it took me forever to get there, but Mr. B. promised me to take me to the beach when arriving & go play some volleyball. The idea that I would be on the beach that same evening with a group of sweaty men playing volley kept me believing all will be fine. Unfortunatly ('cause of the delays) I arrived too late for the match, but Mr. B. took me out for a great beach walk and some warm chocolate milk and eventually this was even better than the sweaty men!


- Left & right bedroom view from 5 star hotel "Casa de Mr. B." -

During the day, when Mr. B. was working hard, I went out to discover Béziers by myself. There was a nice young lady at the Tourist Office who gave me a map of the city and some brochures for things to do & see. We spoke French the entire time, but as mine isn’t perfect she asked me if I wanted the French or English versions. I asked for the French (to practice a bit) and she looked at me concerned asking if I was sure. I told her it wouldn’t be a problem... she said OK and putted the English versions into the French ones just for “security” ;-)


- Allées Paul Riquet & Mr. Riquet "himself " -



- Cathédrale St-Nazaire & Palais de Justice -



- Place des Bons Amis -



- Plateau des Poètes -

The weekend was “Hand ball weekend”. On friday evening I went with Mr. B. to training, where I catched some nice playing tips from Coach and eventually had my sweaty men ;-) On saturday morning we took the car and drove to Prades where Mr. B. had to attend a handball tournament. There we also met Hervé (co-referee of Mr. B. and after this weekend my second favorite French guy!) I saw some matches here and there and accompanied Hervé to transfer young referees from one gymnasium (in Prades) to the other (in Jacou).

On saturday evening we drove to Frontignan where Hervé & Mr. B. had to referee two matches together. One moment I don’t see handball for weeks and the next moment there’s handball everywhere again. At the end it was tirening, but when finishing we went to Hervé’s home to spend the night there and meet his family.

I could sleep in the room of his daughters who had a high sleeper. After climbing into the bed and hitting my head a couple of times to the ceiling I found some sleep. In the morning it took me about 15 minutes to figure a way out how to climb out of the bed again. After surviving we had a nice French breakfast with Scooby Do!

Sunday was another day full of matches at the tournament in Prades, but as Mr. B. was injured and I couldn’t see any more sweaty men, we drove back to Béziers and spended the rest of the time there.


- View from Place de la Revolution I -



- Allées Paul Riquet -



- View from Place de la Revolution II -

Craving for fish

Today when waking up around 7am I had a craving hunger for Haring, tipical Dutch raw fish served with raw chopped onions. It has been at least 06 months since I didn't eat this as before I ate it every week. So after updating my coffee addiction and a warm shower I took the bike to go into the city a bit and find the market to buy some fish. As it was still in the morning it wasn't very crowded. Only millions of Japanese tourist groups going out for the same reason as I, exploring the city and looking for this famous Dutch fish.



The famous haring and the guy on the left was eating his "I don't know how maniest" haring. He liked them a lot and his enormous enthousiasme when buying one more each time could only bring big smiles to the lady behind the counter

The best way to see Delft is walking. There are millions of little streets, "grachten" and little funny shops hidden between these (do take a map when you're not familiar!) When I was little I spended most of my free time at Delft at my grandmother's apartment. I always had to go with her to the local market on thursday, but my grandmother was already old and pretty forgetful. We always spended our entire day to buy fruit & vegetables as she always got lost for hours & as stubborn as she was (runs in the family :-) she would never listen to me as she knew best as the adult!

When being little I always said that I would marry at this building (above-city hall)

On my way to find my bike back (that's harder than you might think :-) I walked into this chair which quite surprised me... I stayed a little while, but my prince charming who putted the yellow rose there was not around... ;-)