Out and about

Excuse me for being tardy yet again! Work was rather full-on this week, leaving me with little or no energy and sore eyes so that, but for a couple of quick visits to blogland, I was forced to limit my screen time in the evenings.

However, I'd made a pact with myself to at least be caught up with the month of July before we're off on our next adventure, so I'd better stop beating about the bush and get on with things. This time next week, I'll probably be in a frenzy of packing for our week away, but for now let's return to July's penultimate week.

It was the day after my visit to the dentist and, being completely free of pain and the need for taking painkillers for the first time in many weeks, I was feeling on top of the world.

It was a day of mixed weather, with sunny spells alternating with cloudy ones, and highs into the low twenties. 

Determined to make the most of my vintage Summer frocks, which lately I'd been neglecting in favour of skirts, I was wearing this black floral butterfly-sleeved one. A Think Twice sales bargain in May 2024, with its lightweight crepey fabric it's an absolute joy to wear.

I picked up the sky blue of the forget-me-not-like flowers in its print with my swallows-in-flight brooch and even my necklace - a recent sales bargain from Mango - has a single sky blue one among its multi-coloured beads.

As I strolled into the direction of the nearest Think Twice shop to my office during my lunch break, the wide open doors of the Handelsbeurs (Stock Exchange) at the end of the cul-de-sac were beckoning me. Only open during the school holidays, it had been a while since I'd been inside this architectural gem.

Originally opened in 1531, it has been called the Mother of all Stock Exchanges since it provided the blueprint for many others across Europe. The building, which was designed by the Antwerp architect Domien De Waghemakere (1460-1542), burnt down on two occasions, in 1583 and 1858. After the last fire it was rebuilt in a rather opulent neo-Gothic style. The originally open courtyard was covered with a spectacular iron-and-glass dome, which was added in 1853 by the engineer Charles Marcellis (1798-1864).

After losing its function as a stock exchange in 1997, the building stood vacant for 20 years. However, following a thorough restoration, visitors can now once again enjoy its impressive interior. 

When I was finally able to tear myself away from all that splendour, I retraced my steps and went for a rummage at Think Twice, whose shop is situated a little further along the same street. As this was the final day of one of their famous rounds of sales, everything was going for € 1. I don't think I've ever found anything on a € 1, but apparently I was in luck ... 

Clutching my finds, I joined the long line at the till, when I suddenly noticed a girl who was wearing a dress with a very familiar print. Turned out that she'd bought it from my flea market stall the previous week! We ended up chatting and marvelling at the coincidence! 

Courtesy of Belgium's National Holiday on Monday the 21st, it was only a three-day working week, with Friday rolling along in no time.

Sunshine and showers kept playing a game of tag all day, but with highs of 24°C wearing a breezy Summer outfit was of the essence.  I fell in love with the navy, flower sprinkled vintage C&A skirt at Think Twice in May 2024, while the petrol coloured top - which is by posh label Essentiel Antwerp - was charity shopped a couple of months later. 

The skirt's double zig-zag rows of orange stitching were matched by my necklace - one of my most hardworking ones, picked up from a Welsh antiques centre in 2017 - and my recently found pleated leather belt, whose other colours refer to the ones in the skirt's pattern as well. The enamelled butterfly brooch was a flea market find.

With the weather gods in a foul mood all week, we'd kept a close watch on the forecast, as we had plans for Saturday. With rain forecasted in the morning one day, and in the afternoon the next, those who are supposedly in the know kept us on our toes all week until finally on Friday it looked set to stay dry all day.

Desperate for a change of scenery, we'd decided on a trip abroad, to the wonderful city of Middelburg in the Dutch province of Zeeland. Those who have been following me for a while might remember our previous visits here. We even stayed there for a couple of days in a gorgeous airbnb - which is sadly no longer in business - in November 2018 and November 2019.

After leaving our car in a street near our former airbnb, where parking is free of charge, a leisurely 10-minute walk crossing two canals in succession took us into the heart of the city.

Crossing the first of the canals, we were greeted by the familiar sight of whitewashed windmill De Hoop, which was originally built in 1735. For the very first time, though, we were able to see its sails turning, so that we made a detour in its direction to make this short video.

Just before crossing the bridge over the second canal, we admired the striking 17th-century Kloveniersdoelen building.  Among other things, the building has served as a training space for the kloveniers (archers), a military hospital and the Provincial Music Library. while nowadays it features a cinema and a café.

Across the bridge is Langeviele, a traffic-free shopping street. It was still too early for lunch, so we walked its length until we arrived at the Markt or market square.

Middelburg's magnificent gothic town hall, which was built between 1452 and 1520, is taking pride of place here. We feasted our eyes on its fascinating details, its façade featuring gargoyles, the statues of Zeeland's counts and countesses, the turrets, gothic windows and the distinctive red and white wooden shutters. Its main tower, which boasts a clock and carillon, is mockingly called Malle Betje (Mad Beth), as it used to run behind the town's other clock tower, the Lange Jan (Long John).

Hunger pangs guided us back along Langeviele, where we had lunch at our favourite restaurant, Reynaert & Co.  At 22°C, but with a gentle breeze, we were able to sit outside on its sheltered terrace at the front, where we could people watch while savouring Spanish toasties and glasses of  La Trappe Nillis, a non-alcoholic Dutch trappist beer.

Afterwards, we strolled back into the direction of the Markt, where we were slightly disappointed by the absence of the flea market which was taking place here last Summer. Instead, there were a couple of market stalls lining the square, including a giant one selling all manner of cheese. There was no denying we were in the Netherlands!

Middelburg is a city brimming with historic sites. Second only to Amsterdam, Middelburg once had the largest number of historic buildings. When the Dutch East India Company (VOC) was in its heyday, Middelburg was one of the most important cities in the Netherlands, and there are still many reminders  of this Golden Age here, with over 1100 listed buildings in the old town.

Continuing on one of the shopping streets leading away from the Markt, we soon spotted the aforementioned Lange Jan. The iconic 14th century Lange Jan tower belongs to a large abbey complex. With its 90 metres, the tower is soaring above the town and is visible from far and wide in Zeeland's flat-as-a-pancake landscape.

The Nieuwe Kerk (New Church, above) too is part of the historic Abbey complex, which dates back to the 12th century. During the 14th and 15th centuries, two churches were created from the original singel church. The Koorkerk (Choir Church) was intended for monastics and the Nieuwe Kerk for parishioners.

The Nieuwe Kerk is used by the Protestant Congregation of Middelburg, and it's where Jos took a breather while I photographed the interior, most notably its striking organs. In spite of its ancient looks, the current Van Leeuwen organ (above, top centre and top right) was built in 1954 to replace the original organ which was lost in May 1940 to the ravages of war. The second, modern, organ (above, below centre) dates from 1985.

We then sauntered through the atmospheric cloisters towards the abbey courtyard, where we stopped for outfit photos. Jos was wearing rust-coloured C&A trousers, a St. George by Duffer shirt, which was a gift from Vix & Jon, and a State of Art blazer bought from a gentlemen's outlet shop here in Middelburg last Summer. Oh, and his best Panama, which had thankfully survived the previous week's rain unscathed.

I was wearing the pleated green and white zig-zaggy maxi skirt I charity shopped back in June, combined with a green plaid patterned King Louie-by-way-of- a-charity shop blouse and topped with my beloved denim jacket from Think Twice. 

We kept wandering at will, strolling through the Kuiperspoort (above, top left), a picturesque cobbled courtyard lined with historical gabled houses and warehouses, which was built by the coopers guild between 1586 and 1642.

We emerged from the Kuiperspoort onto the Rouaanse Kaai. Around 1540, a new harbour was constructed in Middelburg, which was accessible via a canal that had been dug shortly before. Along the route to the new harbour, quays were named after the type of trade (e.g. beer or peat) or the origin of the trade – in this case, the French city of Rouen.

There are no less than 26 listed monuments on this stretch of quay, including 23 residential houses from the 18th and 19th centuries.

We watched the world go by for a while, sitting on a bench at the edge of the canal, waving back to the tourists who were enjoying a boat trip around Middelburg. 

Then we walked back to the city centre for an afternoon treat. As always, we ended up in Wooncafé for scrumptious slices of Mon Chou cheesecake and cups of cappuccino. 

Tired, but happy - it had been Jos's first full-day excursion since the start of his health problems last September - we then decided to call it a day and traipse all the way back through the town to where we'd left our car. 

I'm leaving you with a final peephole view of the Lange Jan, taken through the framework of climbers decorated with birdcages in Middelburg's quirky Reigerstraat.

If all goes well, I'll be back with a final July update on Friday. Who know, I might even be able to venture into August. Hope to see you again then!

January blues

As at the end of January my blog has only just made it to its beginning, it's clear that I've got a lot of catching up to do.

But first things first: I would like to thank you all for your well wishes! I'm glad to report that I've been feeling much brighter this past week as, physically as well as mentally, I seem to be on the mend.

For the sake of continuity, I will have to relive it all though, starting with my first day back at the office on the 2nd of January. Although I didn't exactly relish the early wake-up call, my days of leisure had apparently managed to recharge my batteries even if that pesky cold had done its best to throw a spanner in the works.

The amount of work waiting for me at the office was more than reasonable and as the builders renovating the Art Deco tower building were apparently still enjoying their holidays, it was a haven of peace and quiet for once.

Determined to keep things positive, I ignored the rain which kept falling down in buckets all day, and walked to the nearest Think Twice shop for a browse. The shop in question is in a cul-de-sac with one of the entrances of the recently restored Stock Exchange (Handelsbeurs) at its dead end. 

The ground floor with its beautiful central square is open to the public, but lately only during the school holidays. I instantly abandoned my original plan when to my delight I noticed one of its doors standing wide open.

The original Stock Exchange was opened in 1531, and it was the first one ever built specifically for this purpose, becoming the model for other exchanges all over the world. The original building, which was designed by the Antwerp architect, Domien De Waghemakere (1460-1542), burnt down on two occasions, in 1583 and 1858. 

The architect incorporated a courtyard surrounded on four sides by unusual Moorish arcades. It was originally open to the sky so that God could observe the transactions, but was later roofed over to protect the merchants from the harsh northern climate.

After the last devastating fire in 1858, a new stock exchange was built. 

The current opulent neo-Gothic building was designed by architect Joseph Schadde (1818-1894), who incorporated many of the original building's features, and was completed in 1872.

It went on to serve as a stock exchange until 1997 when most of the business was moved to Brussels. 

Until that time, the courtyard was also used for book markets and events - I remember going to gigs and parties here in the late 1970s  and early 1980s - and the renowned Antwerp Fashion Academy held many of their famous end of year student fashion shows here. Access to the courtyard was eventually closed off for safety and security reasons in the late 1990s, after which it stood empty for almost twenty years.

But then a miracle happened: the city finally found the necessary funds to renovate the building, which took place between 2016 to 2019. 

It was re-opened to the public in October 2019 and if you ever find yourself in Antwerp during the school holidays, it is well worth stepping inside to admire the Moorish arcades, the walls decorated with world maps, the stunning stone columns and the 56 wooden stockbrokers offices.

The figure of the 19th-century architect looks down on the courtyard from a first-floor balcony (below, bottom left).

The metal roof structure has been repainted in its original green rather than the rusty brown shade it was painted in prior to the renovation. This serves to bring out the best in the floral motifs in the roof. They symbolize the goods which were once traded here: barley, grapes, oats, hops, tobacco and cocoa, among others, and thus refer to the original function of the building. 

Here, the architect was well ahead of his time: with their striking ornamental character, these wrought iron structures could be considered a forerunner of Art Nouveau!

The photos were taken on two consecutive days, as it immediately became apparent when I visited on Tuesday that my phone's camera wasn't up to capturing all those magnificent details. I therefore returned on Wednesday, armed with my proper camera.  

As for that browse at Think Twice, I did manage to nip in on Tuesday and find this floral pussy-bow frock.  

It was on the Wednesday that our bosses walked in, paying us a surprise visit from Miami. Although inevitably somewhat exhausting, these visits are usually quite enjoyable, as they are both really nice guys. This time, however, things went a bit pear-shaped, as my colleague and I had quite an unpleasant altercation with them just before they left on Friday. For obvious reasons, I won't be able to go into any kind of detail, but let's just say that my anxiety levels went through the roof and I was down in the dumps for days.

I definitely wasn't feeling up to much on Saturday, so needed lots of colour to get me through the day.

As by now the temperature was on a slippery slope towards freezing point, this thin knit dress of many colours, charity shopped in February 2022,  couldn't have been more perfect for the job. I layered a green long-sleeved t-shirt underneath and was wearing opaques in the same colour, although you need X-ray eyes to see them.

The green wooden necklace is from the Belgian Les Cordes label via the charity shops, and both the darkest green textured leather belt and the waffle knit orange long-line cardigan were old charity shop finds as well. 

Only my tan boots and the little yellow bird brooch were once bought brand new on the high street.

We spent the morning dismantling the tree and banishing it to the basement for another year.

Although initially clearly showing her disappointment, Bess eventually took it into her stride and was happy to have her scratching and climbing posts back where they belong.

Sunday had a dull and grey start, but as the mercury took another dive towards freezing point, the weather gods regaled us with sunny spells and a clear blue sky later in the day.

Both my patterned blue velvet midi skirt and red and navy jumper were found at Think Twice, albeit with several years between them. I couldn't get over how well they got along together!

I can't remember whether the brooch - a girl wearing blue and white and holding a posy of diamanté flowers - was a flea market or charity shop find, but the red beaded necklace was definitely the latter.

The half-elasticated belt with its massive square buckle was picked up from a high street shop near my office in the Autumn of 2022.

As we do every Winter, we have been supplying the winged visitors to our garden with free food. We had been wondering why the left side of our little feeder seemed to be emptying much faster than the one on the right. The mystery was solved while we were having breakfast that morning! In order to avoid the greedy wood pigeons from eating us out of house and home, we have moved the hanging strawberry bucket elsewhere, but still they keep finding ways to get at the feeder.

We went to Jos's son and daughter-in-law for a family get-together in the afternoon. As is the tradition here in Belgium, our 2 and half year old grandson Cas was "reading" his Nieuwjaarbrief (New Year's letter). Children here are expected to write a letter with New Year’s wishes for their parents, godparents and grandparents, which is then read out loud in front of everyone. Obviously, at his very young age, Cas can neither read or write, so it was his Mum, Carolien, who did the honours, with a little help from Cas.

As a reward, he was given presents, ours being puzzles and a Playmobil road sweeper which Bompa (granddad) Jos and Nana Ann dutifully assembled.

In order to close the gap between my blog and the present, I am fast forwarding to the Friday of the next week, the 12th of January. 

In the run-up to the 1st of April, when I can finally start my official 4-day weeks, I am trying to ration my Fridays off so as not to eat into my holiday quota too much. That day, however, I took the afternoon off, to take a rest from what had been an exhausting week and nurse my newly emerged lurgy.

The week had been sunny but cold, with temperatures well below freezing point even during the day. After I had been wearing skirts and jumpers all week, I deemed it time for a dress. 

This Crimplene one, its fabric a mix of polyester, wool and angora, is an old favourite snaffled from a consignment shop several years ago. It's got its original self-fabric belt, which this time I exchanged for the same belt I wore with the dress of many colours. Again, I layered a long-sleeved top underneath.

Apart from my green suede boots, the rest of my outfit were either flea market (ring and bird brooch) or charity shop (cardigan and necklace) finds. 

So, that's all I've got time for now. I'll be back with the rest of the weekend and part of the next one in a handful of days. See you again soon!