Leaving Brussels
One last quick blog entry before we leave tonight for Scandinavia... We've had a wonderful time relaxing in Brussels. A highlight last Friday night was a performance of Gounod's Faust in a tiny little theater just off a lively Brussels side street, performed by tiny little actors about 24 inches high: the puppets of the ancient Toone theater. Toone has been around since 1830, and the current director, "enthroned" in 1963, is the seventh in this line of distinguished marionettists. Although a bunch of the colloquial French escaped us, the spirit of the drama came through the movements of the simple puppets. You could see the puppeteers' faces and hands as they manipulated the strings, which added immensely to the performance. (Google "Toone" and "Brussels" for more info and pictures.)
Over the weekend we made several more tram trips to the Grand'Place, and on one of these spent a fascinating afternoon in the Musical Instruments Museum. Upon entering, you're given headphones so that as you stand in front of each instrument case you hear period music played on that instrument. The displays of fantastic and fantastical instruments from all over the world and centuries of development were augmented by Rob's knowledgeable commentary on the mechanics and music of each instrument.
Following the sound of closely-harmonizing singers one afternoon during this holiday weekend, we found ourselves in the Place Espanol under the gaze of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza -- and when we turned around discovered on the other side of the square a powerful statue of Bela Bartok, whom we visited several times over the next few days.
The downcast and pensive visage captured something ineffable and very moving to me (R).
Finally, last night we celebrated our anniversary with dinner by the Grand'Place, a wonderful finale to our time in this ancient living city. Tonight we board a bus for the 22-hour ride to Oslo and then on to fjord country!
posted by robduisberg @ 8:37 AM
2 Comments:
This has been a charming record of your trip. It produces spasms of longing and envy in me that would be revolting if they weren't so pitable. As you can see, I have nothing substantial to say, but "thank you" seems worth saying anyway.
- Jimbo
I see that you are revisiting the same places that we visted in 1973. Brussels, Geneva, Interlaken. I hope they all brought back good memories of our youth. I'll be curious to hear, upon your return to Seattle, how different you found them. Glad to hear you are having such a great time!
Paul Booker
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