DONALD AND CATHY'S WORLD ADVENTURE

Iris Day in Brussels

  This weekend was  Iris Day in Brussels so on Sunday we set out looking for Iris "stuff".  We did not see any Iris', but we did see some beautiful - odd presentations.  And for this Blog......I will let you create the words for these unusual scenes......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even the statues and lamp poles were dressed!

 

 

It was a fun day for ALL!

 

When we got home, I looked up why it is called Iris Day.  The iris is the symbol of the city and this is the celebration of spring.  It was the 20 year anniversary for Iris Day.  We told you.....the Belgians celebrate everything!

Carnival in Binche Belgium

Each year the town of Binche in Belgium celebrates carnival with a very elaborate parade on Fat Sunday.  We went last year and had a lot of fun and got some great photos.  So we decided to try again this year.

The costumes were equally as entertaining as last year and completely different.  This event is said to date back as far as 1549 and is actually a catholic event, ending one day before ash Wednesday.

 

These three gilles (clown-like performers) were part of one group.  The gilles are the principal performers.  They march/dance around the town in groups to the beat of a drum.  Each group must have a drummer to participate in the parade.

  The crowd was much bigger this year.  We could hardly walk down the street.

On Fat Tuesday, the gilles dress again and eat oysters and champaigne for breakfast.  At the end of the parade, blood oranges are thrown at the crowds.

Two from the harlequin group.

   

Me, dancing with the cats!

 

 A few more of our favorites:

   

 If you look closely, you will see all of the "gilles" are men!

 

As for the children, you will see both boys and girls dressed.  They are not part of the formal parades, but some are equally as elaborate.

He's a cutie.

   

Unfortunately, our Belgian rain showed up. 

 

Like the little one in this photo...

 

We were ready to go home when it started raining hard.

  Until next year....

ZINNEKE PARADE - BRUSSELS JUNE 08

 

All we can say is...these Brusselonians sure like their parades.

This was called the Zinneke Parade .....translated from the French site:  "it is a social and artistic project which invites each and everyone to develop its creativity.  It is also a whole human festival 100%, without amplification nor engines."   

.......and creative they were!  Artsy ones:

very bazaar:

funny ones,

The shower girls! 

colorful ones:

They love their stilts here too!

Look closely at the photo on the left above - there is a child on stilts and then in the back a man on a double stilt. 

They have a different theme each year.  As far as we could decipher - this year the theme was "the sea and water".

It was a dangerous parade for D.  A very big monster knocked his glasses off his head into the crowd.  Did I mention his REALLY good glasses?  Fortunately two ladies walking by saw them and picked them up.  He was so lucky as the streets were wall to wall crowds.

He also got his foot stepped on by a "specially-abled" artist.  The artists were a real mix, men, women, very young to very old, even specially-abled.  The artists were very active with the crowds and did such stunts as painting faces and spraying people with water.  The situation where the specially-abled boy (Downs syndrome) stepped on D's foot was very cute.  The boy did it very gently and then laughed and laughed.

At the very end, the parade closed with the "Final Jump".  Here we are gathered with the group for the final jump. 

What is the final jump you ask - translated from their site:  "a photograph of all the paradeurs in full jump! Large and small, tired and unchained, all the participants will jump - in the street - in a sudden explosion of energy, to exceed gravity. What to make while jumping? It is a free choreography! Each one is free to imagine its Jump. The important thing is to take off!"

We were "hanging" with the crowd for the Final Jump - See D in action for his final "jump":

          

and here is the sponsors photo we found on their website - yep, there we are!  D is pretty clear - black coat with hand in the air.....look closely to see me  :  ) 

 

WELCOME TO OUR BLOG - OUR FIRST POST: MARDI GRAS WEEKEND

HAPPY NEW YEAR! We have been dragging our heels on starting a Blog, but after great encouragement from Polt-Erratic (blogger professional), we are going to give it a try. Mainly because we want to share our adventures and photos with our family and friends and sending them in an email is getting to be difficult. Those of you who know us well and love us (which should be anyone reading this) know that D and I are arguing over exactly how many photos to send.....I want lots.....he only wants the best three. Guess who won? : )

January was a quiet month for us. It is hard to believe it is over and we have moved into February. Friday starts our busy spring travel with Slovenia. Over the next few months, we will also travel to Amsterdam, Paris, Geneva and London (humm .....do our hosts know this yet?). Donald's parents arrive in late April for a three week visit. We are really looking forward to this.

But this week is Mardi Gras. Many cities and towns celebrate the last day before the six weeks of Lent. Belgium’s most famous Mardi Gras festival takes place in Binche, a town of about 30,000 people, 34 miles south of Brussels. They say it attracts thousands of visitors annually for this event.

 

So we jumped on the train Sunday morning and headed to Binche to see what this was all about.

On  shrove Sunday, the first of three days of Mardi Gras, the Gilles, and others in peasant, Harlequin and Pierrot costumes, parade through the streets of Binche and dance to music played by brass bands, showing off their dazzling costumes. It began at at 10:00 AM, we arrived around 11:00. Wow, what a sight! It was so festive and they were right, there were thousands of people........

 

It was quite the experience trying to walk through the crowds, let alone take photos! But everyone was very friendly and in a very good mood. Those dressed up loved to pose for the camera, even the children.

 

Ratatouille was one of the themes. For both children and Adults.

Strawberry shortcake another.

 

Confetti was everywhere. The children in the 2nd photo are picking it up off
of the ground so they can throw it again.

 

Not so sure these two were enjoying the day!

 

He was a shy one!

 

The little ladybug. Precious!

Hello Kitty! Dads....would you do this for your daughter?

 

 

 

Some costumes were very elaborate as you can see from the three men above.

Where's Waldo?

 

This group was from a clockwork orange!  Everyone was having fun!

 

 

HAPPY MARDI GRAS TO ALL!

 

{note - if you can not tell, that is confetti I am throwing in your honor!}