Going Back in Time

Since we haven't done anything exciting lately, I'll catch you up on Christmas in Mons.

Each year since we've been here the Grand' Place has hosted a small Christmas market and a heart-shaped skating rink. We didn't get down there in time this year to take pictures of the rink, but we did manage to take a shot of one of the brightly lit streets off the Grand' Place. (I just can't remember which one!)



Topiary features among the decorations. This year there was a giant - what, giant? troll? He was unavailable for pictures when we were there but we were able to capture this huge winged creature.


And here's the Hotel de Ville on the Grand' Place. Our Grand' Place isn't as impressive as the ones in Brussels or Bruges, but it's not bad, especially for a smallish city in Wallonia. It looks right nice all decked out for Christmas!

Canal Ice

A while back I mentioned how cold it was in early January. Our canal (the Nimy-Blaton canal) froze solid. We thought it was just a thin layer of ice, but you can see from the picture below that it was actually fairly thick. David threw a stone out there and it just skipped its way across the ice. Barge traffic stopped completely for several days, and it took a good five days, once the temperatures got above freezing, for the canal to thaw sufficiently for the barges to resume sailing.

Here you can see how thick the slab of ice is. After it had started freezing, but before it froze solid, some barge traffic was still going through, breaking up the ice, which then refroze in these big sheets.

Yup, it was that cold!

Lies they tell us about Europe - Installment 2

In England the police don't carry guns.

Not exactly true. While not as common as in the US, where only Andy Griffith doesn't carry a weapon (other than his deadly sense of bemused tolerance), the arming of police officers has been spreading in the UK for some 15 years. Admittedly, we've been to the UK only once (so far), but you see lots of "Bobbies" with sidearms. They've traded in the cool hats, too. Now they wear regular police hats with a checkerboard band.

(For those joining us late, this is the continuation of a series that began a few months ago with installment 1. I was inspired to get back to it by Kerry and her caffeine posting)

These boots are made for...viewing?

I tell you, Belgian girls love themselves some boots! This time of year, probably about 90% of them are wearing boots. You have many variations: boots with jeans tucked into them, boots and long skirts, boots and short skirts, boots and shorts, little ankle-high boots, flat-heeled boots, high-heeled boots, suede boots, leather boots, plastic boots, boots with fringe, boots with buckles, combat boots. They love their boots.

The Choir

Last night I went with a friend to choir practice with a local (Belgian) choral group. Now, for those of you who know me, you know I'm an early-to-bed person. Well, choir practice starts at 8:30. Or, more accurately, people start arriving at 8:30. It doesn't actually start then. Practice goes for about an hour and half and then the social hour starts. Imagine me trying to be social at 10:15 (the champagne helped...)

I went partly because I miss singing and partly because David was out of town and partly because doing things like this is good for me. At least that's what people - extroverts - are always telling me. I wasn't sure I'd continue to go; it was sort of a trial run for me. But the choir director announced they had a new member and the rest of the choir took it for granted I was there to stay. They were delighted to have somebody new and it was bisous all around, both upon arrival and at departure. So I guess I've joined a choir. 

The Local News

I started watching the local news recently - ok, yesterday - because there's nothing else on at 7:00 while I'm waiting for dinner to be ready.

The big news is the cold. In case you haven't been following the European weather, we're in the midst of a deep, deep freeze. It snowed in Marseilles yesterday and in Spain today, and it hasn't gotten above freezing here in Mons since we got back last week.

Tonight there was a story about what they have to do to get barges through the boat elevator on the central canal, since both the canal and the elevator are frozen. There were also stories on the SPCA sheltering homeless folks' pets and farmers' efforts to thaw water for the cows (who are, remember, in the barn for the winter). Last night they did a piece on the demand for home heating fuel these days and how long people have to wait for delivery. "They should think and plan ahead!" one provider said. Then there were the kids sledding, down a snow-covered hill (instead of off the roof, if I heard correctly...).

What's really interesting is all the different accents I'm hearing. Some sound positively Canadian. This will definitely require more research.