One cannot simply visit Berlin without being confronted with its grim past. There are two different stories to be told here: one about the second world war and its horrors, and one about the separation of eastern and western Berlin by means of a large, concrete wall. A lot of places in Berlin testify to …
In the final week of 2014, we went citytripping in Berlin. For me, personally, it certainly was one of the most memorable citytrips, and one I truly enjoyed from beginning to end. It was the combination of culture (e.g. the Museuminsel), history (Berlin Wall and WWII memorial sites, and a wide array of associated musea), …
We visited the Italian island of Sardegna (Sardinia) in the summer of 2013, and we still regard this holiday as one of our favorites. It was the ideal mix of relaxation, culture, nature and excellent food. We did consider to fly to Sardinia, but after comparing the costs we decided to go by car. This …
I wasn’t sure what title to give this account of our one-day walk through Firenze (Florence) in July 2013. We were merely passing by on our way back home (after visiting Sardegna) and the scorching heat (temperatures around 45°C, that’s around 113 degrees Fahrenheit) wasn’t really motivating us for long walks and intensive visits. We …
For a traveller, the weather is always that one undesired factor of unpredictability. Especially when you are having your summer holiday in a Mediterranean country (i.c. Slovenia), you don’t really anticipate long periods of heavy rain. But there we were, end of July, expecting lots of sun, but receiving a much more humid sensation… We …
During the Easter holiday of 2015 we spent 3 days in the Ardennes with Maarten’s family. His father turned 70 and that called for a celebration! Maartens parents travel to the area of Bouillon each year in fall, to enjoy hiking and good food. This spring their children and grandchildren were invited as well, to …
This beautiful open square has outstanding architectural value, with buildings dating mostly from the 17the century. The earliest mention of activity on this place, is 1174. It was then called Nedermarckt (Lower Market). The present name came into use in the late 18th century. At the Grote Markt both public & private buildings surround …
Bruges has been a very influential city in medieval times with regards to both commerce and culture. Both its spacial and structural organisation was conserved throughout the years and the city’s groundplan documents the different phases of its development. In the late 19th century, a renovation of the facades gave the city a neo-gothic …
The Belfry of Ghent. The 56 Belfries of Belgium and the North of France are belltowers of medieval origin (all built between the 11th and the 17th century), representing the transition from feudalism towards mercantile urban society. In this sence, they are strong symbols of the rise of civil liberties in the Middle Ages. …
Beautiful red houses of the small béguinage in Ghent. In the 13th century the béguines (women who lived a religious life, but without any formal vows) founded the béguinages as closed communities where they could live and worship in a quiet environment. They are architecturally distinct unities within cities, composed of small houses, a church …
