Belgique..Brugges..Binche..Bruxelles..By Golly!

2.6.08..Bonjour! I'm back from Belgium to real French life again..I was quite surprised by how diverse it was. I actually heard and saw more Flemish speakers than French. Apparently the influence shifts between the two depending on the royalty. Belgium is the center of the European Union because it was the first ground in Europe where men of different homelands fought together. Well, for Mardi Gras I spent the afternoon in Binches, a city famous for its celebrations! And do they ever know how to party! There are men dressed up called "Gilles" who aren't allowed to go anywhere without a drummer leading them. As soon as I stepped onto the street, one old gille grabbed my face and kissed both cheeks welcoming me to Mardi Gras and Binche! haha, I was shocked, and the other girls were dying that they didn't have their cameras out! The tradition is that the different traditional characters promenade through the street and everyone throws oranges! There were thousands and thousands of oranges being thrown absolutely everywhere! All the streets smelled citrus-y after just a couple of hours.
The next day we went down to Ghent to see the altarpiece in the cathedral there. First I looked at a replica so I could get up close and find all the details I was to look for; then I went to see the original. Spectacular doesn't even begin to describe it. It was so full of symbolism, I’m sure one could spend days just finding parallels and connections. Personally, I found the panels depicting the annunciation of Mary by the angel Gabriel the neatest. Unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed to take a picture.
My favorite detour of all though, was the last place I stopped before returning home: Chantilly. It was first home to the royal Montmorency family in the 1400’s. Yet over the years became known for events including: Molière’s plays being performed and Louis XIV staying for a visit. My choice work of art inside was a Roman mosaic from 100 A.D. which depicts Zeus in the myth when he turns himself into a bull in order to rescue the beautiful Europa. He then leaves her on an island and after time this becomes the land we know as Europe.