Ready to welcome a new year

On this last day of 2016 I would like to thank all of you for visiting my blog so regularly, and for leaving your kind comments each day. I appreciate them a lot. A big bow to you!!

The robin on the photo is a frequent visitor of our garden in every season. I can't tell if it's always the same bird but I like to think so. This photo was taken yesterday and it's my contribution to Saturday's Critters on Eileen's blog.

So, let´s get ready to celebrate New Year´s Eve and welcome 2017 with a smile :)

Yesterday's sunset

Arriving home at around 5pm yesterday afternoon, this was the view from our back door. I captured it with my mobile.

I'm linking to Skywatch Friday.

'Water Sword'

This sculpture by Dutch sculptor Adri de Fluiter (1940) is called 'Waterzwaard' or 'Water Sword'. It is placed just outside the village of Coevorden, on the parting of the canals 'Coevorden-Picardië-kanaal' on the right and 'Schoonebeekerdiep' on the left. With his sculpture De Fluiter wants to express that the canals lost their functions as transport ways for vessels; the sword symbolically splits 'then' and 'now'.

The photo was made earlier this month on a sunny and cold Sunday afternoon.

In the chocolate museum

As you maybe know Belgium is known for it´s high quality chocolate, and during our stay in Bruges we visited the chocolate museum called "Choco-Story". It tells the story of the transformation of cocao into chocolate, the process of making chocolate and why Belgian chocolate is so delicious. In 2013 the Belgian post even created stamps that smell and taste like chocolate.

We witnessed a demonstration of making bonbons, and of course were invited to taste them at the end :) Mmmmmm!!

Donkey's Gate

Last week I showed you the 'Blacksmith's Gate', this is the 'Ezelpoort' or 'Donkey's Gate'. There are in total 4 medieval city gates left in Bruges. This one was built in 1297, then rebuilt in 1369. Alterations were carried out between the 14th and 17th centuries. The last restoration was in 1991-1993.

This is a view from the other side. Nowadays the gate is only used by pedestrians and cyclists.
If I wouldn't know better I'd say it looks more like a castle! Including it's own swans in the canal :)

Tweede Kerstdag

December 26 is celebrated here as ´Tweede Kerstdag´ or 'Second Christmas day´, though it's less 'official' as December 25. Many people go out today, either to enjoy a walk and get some fresh air or maybe visit one of the many shopping malls that are opened. Others just stay inside and relax.
We just arrived home from a 12 km walk in windy though sunny weather. Nice! :)

On the photo -taken last evening- is the Christmas crib underneath our Christmas tree.

Merry Christmas

Photo taken at the Swedish Christmas Fair in Groningen, earlier this month.

Brainteaser

The 24-December edition of our local newspaper traditionally includes the 'Dr. Denker Kerstpuzzel' ('Dr Thinker Christmas Puzzle'). And it is a real brainteaser! 40 squares with a small drawing or a few letters and/or numbers. Some seem easy to solve but a lot are way (for me anyway haha) too cryptic.  It's the kind of word game that gets into your head, as many times you feel that you are SO close to finding an answer but it just doesn't happen..
This year's theme is 'Dr. Denker goes wild': all answers have something to do with east Africa and/or the animals living there. Wish me luck! ;))

Merry Christmas

Fijne kerstdagen!

Merry Christmas!

Where and what?

The facade of this house in Bruges tells passers-by what can be found where..  On the top floor BEDROOM and PING-PONG, then one floor down to the STUDY and BATHROOM + DRESSING, down again to the KITCHEN and LIVING ROOM, and finally the BASEMENT...

Blacksmith's Gate

From the ring road that surrounds the old city center of Bruges there is a number of roads that enter the city. Closest to our hotel and thus the road we took passed the Smedenpoort ('Blacksmith's Gate'), originally dating from the end of the 13th century. The current gate was built on the remains of the old one in 1367, however throughout the centuries the gate has undergone many changes.

Walplein

This small cobbled square in the heart of Bruges is called Walplein (Wall Square), a name that is possibly referring to the first city walls that were built nearby in the early 12th century.

Monday murals

I am following up my blogpost from last Monday (see HERE) with 2 more murals from the walls of the former Groningen Sugar Factory. Isn't this tiger fabulous?

And nice to see it combined with a totally different kind of mural next to it.

I'm linking to Monday Mural.

Musee Promenade

'Musee Promenade' was part of an outdoor art project along the Belgium coast in the Summer of 2015. The exhibition took on a variety of shapes, such as drawings on the beach, architectural installations, and signs in street scenes.
This somewhat Greek-like design was near the North Sea in 'Het Zwin Nature Park', and close to the Running Hare sculpture I showed you earlier. (see HERE)

Christmas shop windows

I love to see the creativity of shop owners in this time of year. These are 2 photos from shop windows in Bruges taken at the end of November. Here a display of Santas..

..and here, a bit of reflection included :), a snowman about to collapse as he is being torched by some happy though hungry creatures!    And all are made of chocolate..

Have fun this Saturday!

Sunset

After a number of gloomy days it was sunny today, though a little bit colder too. I took this photo at 4:15 pm when the sun was beginning to set, and then suddenly realised that Winter solstice is not far away. Time is flying!

I'm linking to Skywatch Friday.

At no.9

I couldn't pass this door belonging to no.9 (somewhere) in the city of Bruges without taking a photo.

I think it was the combination of angels, the reflection in the glass, and the faded blue/green tile picturing a sheep..

Dinner and Bed

During one of our strolls through the city of Bruges I photographed this sign of ´La SUiTE SAnS CRAvATE´. It's a Bed & Breakfast, and, because they own a restaurant as well according to their website, they also call themselves a Dinner & Bed.
The text on the elegant sign says 'La Suite Sans Cravate' which is French for 'Room Without a Tie', and the Dutch words 'Tafel en Bed' stand for 'Table and Bed'.

I'm linking to signs, signs.