European culture and Belgian beer and canals!

Marvellous skies from my windows and I do try NOT to keep photographing them compulsively as they are so delicious. Instead, an image of a lovely Renoir seen at the Picasso exhibition; see below!

Another busy week but a free weekend in which to catch up though this morning, Saturday 31st October, a member of the English-speaking group which meets nearby on a Thursday evening for a few Bruggelings taking the opportunity to practise their English while drinking the occasional Belgian beer, did me a great favour. One of the the group had recounted details of a new beer he had tried and which he warmly recommended; a map was drawn for me as a dedicated beer lover, especially of the Belgian kind. The only sale point he knew was in the garden and pet shop belonging to the mother of the boy wonder who had created the beer and really, a car was needed if one were to purchase the box of 24 bottles. And why would one make the effort to go there [to Sint Kruis, a suburb of Brugge] just to buy six? So John did the great favour by offering to run me there this morning.

I found the whole experience delightful; John commented on various parts of the city en route, often pointing to boyhood houses, and scenes, and the shop proved to be really large and full of garden, pet and household stuff so that we wondered if this were the right place for a beer outlet. Indeed it was and the proud mother pointed to the large display near the entrance. Her son designs brewery installations and is passionate about beer; his aunt suggested he think of creating one for her to sell in her B & B and voila, after some long months in the act of creation, the blonde Spijker bier [ pronounced Speyka beer] was born. Bless him, there is even a Spijker bier glass, in the honourable Belgian tradition. Most impressive and the beer I had, in the special glass, with lunch, later, proved to be excellent. I just love these unexpected little trails which lead to good things!

With friends who were staying, yesterday to my favourite chocolate shop in Simon Stevinplein, Dumon, which combines its chocolate sales with four smart tables and chic stools where customers can order a hot chocolate from a number of chocolate varieties, or, indeed, coffee. A made-in-Heaven combination and incidentally, good commercial practice because it is difficult indeed to resist buying something from the sumptuous chocolates on display after having sampled the free chocolates that accompanies the drinks.

And this was after a lovely hour or two at the permanent Picasso exhibition which boasts 100 wonderful Picasso drawings, engravings, lithographs and some ceramics. There is one early room with a continuous loop showing a film of Picasso at work. The huge exhibition begins with a pleasing display of Impressionist prints, engravings,  drawings, letters and photos by Corot, Renoir, Degas, Rodin, Toulouse-Lautrec and goes on to display works by Chagall, Braque and Matisse with a large corridor of work by the Surrealist artist, Joan Miro before the splendid richness of the Picasso section which deals with Picasso’s beginnings, the Spanish tradition, cubism, the African influence, surrealism, ceramics, portraits, simplicity and his commitment to Peace.

 As one left, exhausted, but also exhilarated, the feeling of delight underlined a feeling of being part of Europe, with these marvellous artists, of different nationalities, all belonging to the greater Europe. Their works were highly individual and their nationalities had shaped their development but as artists, they were, and are, also important pieces in the European cultural patchwork. The wonderful Picasso drawing to the right, is somewhat marred by the reflection of light blighting one eye. One could no doubt airbrush that imperfection out if one only knew how to use Photoshop!

Today, Sunday, a blissful 'do nothing' day which took in a visit to Sint Paulus, the bakery, coffee and a pink grapefruit pastry break at the newly-reopened patisserie on Vlamingstraat nearby; e-mailing; and a long walk to take advantage of the wonderful warm weather this afternoon. I followed the canals from Jan Van Eyckplein and walked for an hour and a half, enjoying being part of the throng, on foot and bike, doing the same. The Autumn leaves carpeting the paths and grass along the route enhanced the beauty of the day and the experience. I finished by returning home to sit on the terrace and read yesterday's Telegraph. Perfection!

I think I must also try to stop photographing reflections in canals; surely a world-wide cliche of Brugge. But, hard to desist from so doing when the results are seriously enchanting.!

A short blog this time; I leave for a holiday in Turkey in a couple of days and lots to do before then!