Belgium-Mechelen

The regular visitors of this blog know that the Baska Diyarlar-team have a tender spot for Flanders. Whenever we feel stressed or bored or both and we have some time and money on our hands, we flee South of the border, down Belgium way. Not even 200 kms south, there's another world with of Gothic melancholic cathedrals and flamboyant Baroque churches, tons of nice cafes and restaurants and gentle people who'll cook you rabit stew based upon their famous local beer.

St. Rombouts cathedral, Mechelen

Many would argue that these are clichees, which is fine but there's often a lot of truth in clichees, still one is welcome to continue arguing in the comment section. Here are some impressions of a winter weekend in the city of Mechelen/Malines, between Brussels and Antwerp. It's a cosy little town with lots of Medieval buildings and buidlings from later periods lining many beautiful squares. Not all of them are in a perfect state of conservation which adds to the atmosphere. Some of the seedier streets around the old brewery 'Het Anker' look like the way the will have looked in the 19th Century, and it's easy to dream away to those times during an early sunday's morning walk when there're not many folks around to disturb one's ramblings.

Saturday morning 11 am; excellent time for some oysters and Chablis!

The Belgians have a hard time being one people, differences between francophone Wallons and the dutch speaking Flemish population are on the increase over the last couple of years and there's a lot of talk about a seperation. At the moment of writing more than 200 days have passed since the last elections but still there's no new government because no coalition that is up to the problems seems to be possible. Still the people live well. Restaurants and cafe's are packed.

Queuing up for saturday's roast chicken at the market in Mechelen

People shop and meet on the squares and markets, eager to show their bargains and chat with friends and neighbours.

Street scene in Mechelen

On sunday the city council treated the citizens to free food, drinks and all kinds of acts on the main square. Luckily weather was fine and peace descended upon the crowd warmed by the mild sun, free beer and gin and merry atmosphere.

Drinks are on the mayor today.

City centre streets

During your walks in Mechelen there's a pleasing and/or sight almost around every corner.

The 'Koraal huis'

Though sometimes one comes across something disturbing, something that might just stick in your mind in a hidden spot, waiting to pop up during a sleepless night or some other difficult moment.

Children's entertainer waiting for business

But let's stop making sense and marvel at some wonderful sights we saw in Mechelen/Malines.

Did Eddy Wally die and reincarnate or is it Elvis?

Even in Flanders, some things better remain hidden

Adam and Eve have every reason to be sad

God, Jesus, Mary, all the saints and angels are quite lonely in the many cathedrals, churches and chapels of Flanders. A century ago they would all be packed but now there aren't many who attract enough of a herd to celebrate a mass on sundays. The scandals caused by child molesting priests and attempts to cover this up didn't do much to revive the faith, on the contrary, more people turned away from the Catholic Church. If you are a sentimentalist like one of the members of the Baskadiyarlar-team, it's a bit sad to see many of these buildings slowly perish because decent maintenance seems to be too expensive for many. Walking through these huge buildings that once housed throngs of faithful are now quite empty, only once a week in a corner of the mighty st. Rombouts there's a 'oecumenic service'.

Was it like this when the old Roman cults perished and their followers turned christian, rendering all the temples and the statues of the old gods pointless objects, whose symbolisms were understood by increasingly dwindling numbers of faithful? How many people still readily understand who is Saint-Anna and the two small children in her arms? Who's the litlle fella on the shoulder of st. Christopher and all these other saints who used to provide so much meaning and sollace to so many but are quite unknow today?

Anyway, the unpopularity has an upside, you're almost always one of the few visiting these wonderful places.

Onze Lieve Vrouwe van Hanswijk

In the basilique Onze Lieve Vrouw van Hanswijk used to attract hosts of people who came to seek her assistence to cure their sick or dissabled family members. Mary used to be very busy lady until about the first quarter of the 20 th Century. The walls of this church are covered in marble votif plaques thanking the blessed virgin for her help.

Just a few of the 1000-s of votif plaques in OLV of Hanswijk


Cupola of OLV of Hanswijk, a piece of the heavens cut out and dressed up in baroque fashion

Another sign that the Flemish are no longer held back by religious modesty and boldly
name their streets after sexual preferences.

We suspect that one of the best known flemish writers, Herman Brusselmans is a regular visitor of the Befferstraat, given the fact he will never miss a chance to publicly declare himself the "Befkoning van Vlaanderen" ( Flanders' king of cunnilingus).

Check back for more soon.