Making Lunch in Belgium
Animation, Belgium, Cuisine

It’s not easy finding the chanterelles (girolles), even if all you need is a handful (une poignée).
Category Archive 'Belgium'
04 Apr 2018
Making Lunch in BelgiumAnimation, Belgium, Cuisine![]() It’s not easy finding the chanterelles (girolles), even if all you need is a handful (une poignée). 18 Jul 2016
Comment Combattre le Terrorisme? [How to Combat Terrorism?]Belgium, Islam, Terrorism, Video![]() Belgian video: With a song? with humor? by posting on social media? with speeches by politicians? or, then, perhaps… 22 Mar 2016
ISIS Took Credit For the BombingsBelgium, ISIS, NATO, Terrorism![]() Which attacks, you know, really, are what we used to call An Act of War. Personally, I think the Belgian Army, all by itself, would be quite adequate to march through all the territories controlled by ISIS, shoot all armed opposition, and generally do to that portion of the Fertile Crescent what Sherman did for a 50 mile-wide stretch of territory between Atlanta and Savannah. But Belgium is, after all, part of NATO, and the NATO Treaty says that attack on one NATO member state is an attack on all of them. So all of NATO ought to declare war, today, and start assembling Operation Sherman, the military expedition intended to make large portions of Northern Syria and Western Iraq howl. 11 Mar 2015
Le Privilège du BlancBelgium, Le Privilège du Blanc, Queen Mathilde, The Pope, Traditions![]() Though handicapped by a recent knee injury, Belgium’s Queen Mathilde accompanied her husband King Philippe to a papal audience previously scheduled. Hello Magazine Rafal Heydel-Mankoo, who is a connoisseur of these kinds of traditions, noted that while traditional protocol requires women granted a papal audience to dress in black, a number of Catholic queens and princesses enjoy Le Privilège du Blanc entitling them to appear in white. The consensus was that Queen Mathilde’s white mantilla was quite becoming. 21 Aug 2013
The Maid of GhentAntiquities, Arms and Armor, Belgium, Ghent, History, Middle Ages![]()
The standard’s symbol of a maiden comes a 1388 poem by Bouden or Baudouin van der Loore, De maghet of Ghend (The Maiden of Ghent), a poem of 240-odd verses, which allegorically describes a war between the city of Ghent and Lodewijk van Maele, Count of Flanders fought between 1379 and 1385. In a dream, the poet sees a beautiful arbor, located in the middle of a wilderness where two rivers come together: an allusion to the city of Ghent. In the arbor is seated a graceful lady, resplendent in black fur and wearing on her right arm fine gems spelling out the letters: G, H, E, N and D. The maiden is accompanied by a silver lion with golden crown and necklace — the defender of the city. In a clear voice, the maiden sings a heavenly song. But the maiden is soon threatened by a gang of soldiers who covet her purity and her freedom. Across the river appears the leader of the army who turns out to be none other than the father of the beleaguered virgin, i.e., the Count of Flanders. On his banner, he bears a black lion rampant on gold. The poet now warns the lady that they are surprised and surrounded by many enemies. She replies that she has much good company which can come to the rescue if necessary. And when the poet looks around he sees emerging out of the mists from the North East, Christ, St. Jacob, St. Bavo, St. Macharius, and from the East came Saint George and Saint John, and from all directions, all the saints to whom were dedicated in Ghent churches from their exact geographical directions. With the protection of this heavenly host, the maiden has nothing to fear. Still, she hopes for a peaceful end to the conflict with her father. The poet, now awakened, closes with a short prayer to God and the Virgin and all the saints to save the maiden and reconcile her with her father. 09 Dec 2012
Belgian ShariaBelgium, Decadence, Decline of the West, Democracy, Islam, Islam![]() The election of Islamic Party municipal councilors in several towns in Belgian is provoking controversy, as the newly elected officials do not bother to conceal their intentions to use democratic means to overthrow democracy and turn Belgium into an Islamic state operating on the basis of Sharia law. video: December 12, 2012 25 Jul 2012
Grace In AdversityBelgium, King Albert II, The Right Stuff![]() The embarrassing little accidents of life afflict even royal persons. Above, King Albert II of Belgium finds his sword stuck in drain cover on his way to attend mass at St. Gudule-Cathedral in Brussels. National Post coverage As we see below, however, a king is able to be be a good sport and laugh over his own discomfiture Hat tip to Rafal Heydel-Mankoo. 14 Nov 2008
Celtic Coin Horde Found Near MaastrichtArchaeology, Belgium, Celts, Eburones, History![]()
19 Sep 2007
Belgium Breaking Up?Belgium, Language, Politics![]() The cover of the 7th edition of Politieke Geschiedenis van Belgie [Political History of Belgium] features an illustration of a merged Lion and Cock. This graphic representation of an animal with two aspects: the head, arms and a leg of the Flemish lion, and the tail, wing, and claw of the Walloon cock symbolizes the Federation of Belgium: a country divided by language. 100 days have gone by since the general election on June 10th and rival French and Flemish-speaking parties have remained unable to form a government. The Economist has already editorialized in favor of dissolving the Belgian Federation. September 6th:
And AP reports that this week, someone tried to sell Belgium on Ebay:
18 May 2007
Belgian Candidate Makes Quite a PromiseAmusement, Belgium, Bizarre, Politics, Second Life![]() Barcepundit reports a pretty spectacular election promise made by Tania Derveaux, a protest candidate for the Belgian senate running on behalf of the NEE (I think that translates as: “No!” -JDZ) Party. She is pledging to deliver 40,000 oral sexual services, either in person, or in the computer game Second Life. The young lady’s campaign promise is clearly intended as a response to what her party believes are exaggerated promises of new jobs by other Belgian parties, so I would not necessarily count on receiving that promised service from Tania (live or on-line) if I were you. She will probably get Bill Clinton’s endorsement though. ![]() |