Scent of the Season

Sajid Javid, Minister of Health

Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer

First, a quiet chuckle of appreciation that Boris and Rishi have belatedly accepted the need to isolate after a meeting with Sajid minutes before he felt groggy and discovered, despite being double-jabbed, he had Coronavirus. Needless to say, the volte face came only after heated and widespread criticism of their intended taking of daily tests, not available to the general public. I do not enjoy the spectacle of the illness of others, merely, in this case, the delicious irony that a day or so before Boris announces the much-vaunted end of all restrictions in The Great Leap To Freedom for everyone, the sheer recklessness of this Governmental decision is demonstrated. As is the irritating over-the-top Boris joy at the finish of medically-approved Covid restrictions far too early in the present Delta variant up-swing in Britain. Also nice to see politicians remembering that, eventually, they will need the votes of the nearly-ignored!

Biskajersplein.

In the meantime, in beautiful Brugge, the air is so sweet as one wanders around; I suppose it is the scent of the summer season but it seems more fragrantly pervasive this year, particularly in the area of the Biskajersplein under the linden trees. Aromatic and full of promise. I walked along the Goudenhandrei yesterday to discover that, at last, Jon Lott’s The Bruges Diptych is finished. The Triennale opened officially on May 3^rd so I suppose July 18^th is only a little late in arriving at completion. I hear that there have been bureaucratic hold-ups, physical difficulties, neighbourhood problems of the ‘not in my backyard’ variety, and perhaps some delays over materials. BUT all is resolved, though I do privately wonder why on earth the neighbours might complain instead of welcoming the honour. True, the Diptych is Seriously Large and may well block light from the 
houses behind; true it rather overwhelms the allotted space but it IS 

The Bruges Diptych, Goudenhandrei.

temporary and will disappear soon after October 24^th. In the meantime the idea of the architectural diptych containing the new temporary pavilion in one half with the other half filled by the rear of the original waterfront house of Jan van Eyck,[though long-gone but still imagined] is pleasing. In keeping with the theme of the Triennale, we can conjecture the difference, perhaps the space, between what can be seen of the pavilion and the nearby house and what might take place behind the city’s facades. My own totally mundane question is over the COST of materials and labour to produce what is almost a house; an elaborate construction even for the Triennale and almost ready to house a homeless family! But it is beautiful and imposing.

I have seen almost all the Trauma exhibits and keep coming back to my favourites; The Strangler in 

Part of the Danse Macabre in Sint Maartensplein.

the garden of Gezellehuis [Hector Zamora]; the Bruges Diptych on the Goudenhandrei [Jon Lott] and the Danse Macabre, Hans Op De Beeck’s full-scale merry-go-round outside St Walberga. This stunning carousel is beautiful; it has all the festive elements of childhood fairground recall but all is covered in a thick grey monochromatic layer of dust? Or grime? Does this signify the petrification of childhood dreams and memories? The utter sadness of unrealised potential and possibilities? Why does Death feature so strongly in the images? What a conundrum but the roundabout draws the spectator back again and again, wondering, wondering.

In the meantime, gradually I have resumed coffee with the girls on Wednesday morning; Mah Jong with eight players; the get-together at the Oud Huis Amsterdam on Thursday evenings; occasional, weather permitting, Petanque at Minnewater. Plus the occasional walk with a friend for coffee. Etc. Normality is creeping back though the older citizens like me intend it to be a slow return to what used to be. Double-jabbed I may be, but caution reigns!

The Strangler

In the meantime, my terrace blooms on in profusion!

Entire Danse Macabre.