inSIGHT - Michèle DC

DISOVERING SENEGAL ❤
OMG... stumbled on several boxes with old pics and found those memories from a magical trip with my Mum to Senegal.
It was years ago... my professional career had been so energy consuming and it was time for a break.
Those days my Mum needed some 'oxygen' too and off we flew to Senegal.
A paradise resort to chill out, several trips around the country to discover Dakar, Gorée Island and the slave house where so many people were embarked for the 'New World' ... the salt pans, Casamance... and above all: the friendliness, warmth of the people.
A unique experience which helped us 'reload our batteries' ❤

Lac Atitlán, GUATEMALA (1987)

Le Lac Atitlán sur les hauts plateaux du Guatemala est réputé comme étant le plus beau lac du Monde ! Ce lac d'altitude est encerclé par des paysages volcaniques d'une rare beauté. Les villages en bordure du Lago de Atitlán sont paisibles et authentiques, car encore imprégnés de la culture traditionnelle maya. Autour du lac, se trouvent des viviers d'artisanat et de création artistique car la splendeur des environs inspire ! Et puis, chaque village est un bijou haut en couleurs.

CUZCO, PEROU (1989)

El Cóndor Pasa...

Such awesome memories from this encounter with locals in Cuzco...
The city was the capital of the Inca Empire from the 13th century until the 16th-century Spanish conquest.
In 1983, Cusco was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO with the title "City of Cuzco".
The indigenous name of this city is Qusqu.
Although the name was used in Southern Quechua, its origin is found in the Aymara language.
The word is derived from the phrase qusqu wanka ('rock of the owl'), related to the city's foundation myth of the Ayar siblings.
According to this legend, Ayar Awqa (Ayar Auca) acquired wings and flew to the site of the future city;.
There he was transformed into a rock to mark the possession of the land by his ayllu ("lineage").

SAINT-FERREOL, Catalunya (FR)

L'Ermitage Saint-Ferréol est une chapelle dédiée à saint Ferréol située à Céret (Pyrénées-Orientales).
Érigée au XIIIème siècle sur des bases préromanes, elle est reconstruite au xviiie siècle.
L'ermitage est mentionné pour la première fois en 1235.
Il fait alors partie d'un legs de Raymond de Llauro.
Ses bâtisseurs sont des moines bénédictins de l'abbaye d'Arles-sur-Tech.
Étant liés à l'abbaye de Moissac, certaines reliques leur appartenant sont mises à l'abri dans la région durant la croisade des albigeois.
Parmi celles-ci, des fragments des reliques de saint Ferréol et saint Julien sont conservées dans cet ermitage.
La chapelle devient donc un sanctuaire.
En 1655, la population de Céret attribue l'extinction providentielle de l'épidémie de peste l'ayant lourdement touchée,
grâce à l'intercession de saint Ferréol, d'où sa vénération séculaire célébrée chaque année à l'ermitage le 18 septembre,
alliant cérémonie religieuse et fête traditionnelle profane.
Procession, messe aux aurores, exposition des reliques réunissant les nombreux pèlerins cérétans venus à pied,
précèdent sardanes et repas champêtre sur le site, et rappellent l'origine de la fête patronale -ou Festa Major- de Céret.

ABU SIMBEL, EGYPT (1986) 🇪🇬

UNESCO HERITAGE SITE... unforgettable...

Overlooking Lake Nasser, the Great Temple of Ramses II and the Temple of Hathor, which together make up the Temples of Abu Simbel, are among the most famous and spectacular monuments in Egypt.
In a modern marvel of engineering, which matches Ramses II's original construction for sheer audacity, the temple complex was saved from being swallowed by rising waters and lost forever after the building of the High Dam, by being moved lock, stock and barrel to the position it sits upon today.

CAPPADOCE, TURQUIE (1985) 🇹🇷

On dit de cette région isolée des steppes d'Anatolie qu'elle est est peuplée de fées qui, de leur baguette magique, ont transformé la lave crachée par trois volcans surplombant la région en un paysage saisissant de colonnes naturelles de roches aux formes étranges.
En réalité, ces cônes coiffés de chapeaux de basalte, en équilibre instable, sont le résultat de l'érosion de l'eau et du vent.
On les nomme le 'cheminées de fées' et on leur octroie des pouvoirs magiques.
La Cappdoce s'étend sur 20.000 km2.
Une petite superficie seulement - environ 130 km2 façonnés par l'érosion et le volcanisme - est classée au Patrimoine mondial de l'Unesco.

PALLIETER born Prokofiev van 't Hof ten Eynder 01/09/2016 - 13/09/2023

September, 13th 2023... today brings rain on my heart...sweet boy only 7 years old...
It's so hard to believe you left for the big garden today.
The sorrow is abyssal for your 2-paws but also for your close friends ...
Blessed to have known you since you were born and enjoy your growing, maturing not only on the Ring but also in private sharing cookies and cakes with you and... cuddles of course.
Rest in peace sweetheart xxx

KISSES TO HEAVEN... WE MISS YOU SO DADDY...

20 YEARS…  

Words won’t be able to express the feeling of sadness, grief and utter rage for this silent crab that took you away from us in a lapse time of 15 days…
It was so quick and unfair to leave at such a young age…

20 years which have gone by like a whisper of wind…  
Yes you are physically gone and we merely wish you could come back just for a little while to hug you and say we love you… 
You were a wonderful Dad and a beautiful person, kind, helpful and generous with a sense of integrity beyond words. 
Just know that your legacy lives on and we try to abide by the values you taught us.
The day you left we lost our innocence but we became the keepers of your most valuable heritage; your moral heritage which we attempt to honour every single day.
 Yes I know Dad… you wouldn’t be so keen to be posted on social networks.  
You used to say true values and humility should prevail above everything… and one doesn’t need to ‘exhibit’ all the privacy and intimate feelings for the sake of a number of likes… 
Honestly I do understand this so well Dad…
I do not care about likes and privacy remains privacy but we felt 20 years was an anniversary to remember because we love you more than words could ever say.  
You were my Dad and my guide, truly one in a million. 
They say time heals…
I’m telling you it’s a f*** lie (sorry for the bad word).
The pain is tattooed on our hearts & souls.
We simply learned to live with it.  
May God protect you up there and please…. don’t get crazy at me for all the dogs we had and reached you up there… you do know I’ll always go for dogs & horses, I can’t change myself about that 🙂  
We love U xxx

ORIGAMI WORKSHOP 🇯🇵 🇧🇪

A wonderful time discovering the art of Origami 🙏.

Origami (折り紙, from ori meaning "folding", and kami meaning "paper" s the Japanese art of paper folding. In modern usage, the word "origami" is often used as an inclusive term for all folding practices, regardless of their culture of origin. The goal is to transform a flat square sheet of paper into a finished sculpture through folding and sculpting techniques. Modern origami practitioners generally discourage the use of cuts, glue, or markings on the paper. Origami folders often use the Japanese word kirigami to refer to designs which use cuts.

NOTRE-DAME BASILICA, HALLE 🇧🇪

A comfort place throughout the years and generations 🙏.

St. Martin's Basilica, also called Notre-Dame Basilica, is a center of devotion to the Virgin.
It comprises the Notre-Dame Chapel dating from 1335 and the current church dating from 1409.
The basilica is of Gothic construction. In 1775, it was surmounted by a baroque lantern.

The statue of the Virgin of Mercy (95cm high) was offered by Machteld of Brabant to the city of Halle in 1267. This remarkable statue sits above the high altar.
The guest book, kept in the crypt, mentions 59 miracles as well as the names of ten thousand members of the brotherhood.

In the Trazegnies chapel, a magnificent alabaster altarpiece represents the seven Sacraments.
In the ambulatory, you can admire the Notre-Dame chapel and nine other radiating chapels. The brass baptismal font originates from Tournai (Doornik) and dates from 1446.
The tabernacle catches the eye with its fine carvings and the brass lectern (15th century) in the shape of an eagle spreading its wings reveals another wealth of the basilica.

It was Pope Pius XII who elevated the church to the rank of basilica in 1946.

A little anecdote: after her marriage to Prince Philippe, Princess Mathilde offered her bridal bouquet to the Virgin of Halle.

#halle #basilica #sintmartinbasilica #church #virginmary #micheledc

ISVARA & KAITLYNN

Forever in our hearts...

It was my decision.
I knew what I was getting myself into.
Nobody made me, nobody put a gun to my head. I wanted it just like that. I knew I’d be tied down somehow. Care for them, feed them, walk them.
It doesn’t matter what the weather is or if I’m in the mood or not.
I promised them that as long as they were with me I will give them everything, take care of them and when they are sick I will take them to the doctor. That they are my babies.
I knew my purse would be tighter, my clothes covered in dog hair, and my stuff could be ruined, but that was my choice that I made.
Not saying it’s always been that way but it’s worth it.
I can never be mad at them.
The items can be replaced, carpet can be cleaned, my clothes can be washed.
What can’t be replaced, however, are those sparkling eyes that are so happy to see me when I come home that they fall over jumping on me. It doesn’t matter if I’m gone for 5 mins or 5 hours. Their affection and unconditional love are irreplaceable.
The times that they hear me cry or feel my sadness they come poking me with their cold noses and licking me with their slobbery tongues. Always making me laugh and feel loved immediately.
You don’t even notice the years fly by. Eventually their faces turn grey, movement slows down, they no longer are able to jump when I get home but the excitement is still the same.
Then one day the light starts to fade from their sparkling eyes, they stop going for long walks, and their days are spent laying next to me resting. We may have to go more often to the doctor. I may have to clean up accidents more often.
I wanted this when I decided to bring them into my life, I wanted childhood, youth and old age with all it’s beauties, happy moments and even the worst days with all it’s grudge.
There is not a single moment that I regret!!! I took charge of them when I took them in until the day I have to let them go.
My dogs will never have a new owner, will never end up in a rescue or at a shelter. I’m not moving if they can’t come with me!!! The person who would make me give them up isn’t born yet and never will be. They are part of my life, my family and will stay!!!
I have taken over this. From the first to the last day.
Until Death do us part!!!

YAKISHIME

Yakishime, firing unglazed wares at high temperatures, is said to be one of the most basic means to produce ceramics. The tradition embodied in these primordial wares continues unbroken to this day. This exhibition focuses on Yakishime wares, as part of Japan’s traditional culture, and presents their history from the earliest examples to the present through Yakishime tea vessels, food vessels, and works that are transformations of Yakishime into non-utilitarian objets d’art, aiming to provide an excellent opportunity to communicate this distinctively Japanese sensibility and aesthetic to the people abroad.

BRUSSELS FLOWER CARPET 2018...

Unique event every alternate year Brussels brought Mexico to the centre of Europe with a stunning floral creation!

More than 500,000 begonias, dahlias artistically set were devoted to Guanajuato, a Mexican region with an exceptionally rich culture and flower tradition.

The Flower Carpet is 75 m long by 24 m wide. 1,800 m2 of begonias, dahlias, grass and bark.
More than 100 volunteer gardeners put together this giant floral puzzle in less than eight hours. The day before the opening, the spaces between the floral motifs are filled in using rolls of sod. The flowers are so closely-packed that they can´t be blown away, and indeed they create their own microclimate! If there´s a heat wave, the sod is watered to prevent it from wilting. If the weather is too wet, the grass can grow by 4 to 5 centimetres in 3 days. The flowers remain fresh and preserve their splendour during the four days.

VIEW AT THE TOP ...

The fog has risen from the sea and crowned
The dark, untrodden summits of the coast,
Where roams a voice, in canyons uttermost,
From midnight waters vibrant and profound.
High on each granite altar dies the sound,
Deep as the trampling of an armored host,
Lone as the lamentation of a ghost,
Sad as the diapason of the drowned.

The mountain seems no more a soulless thing,
But rather as a shape of ancient fear,
In darkness and the winds of Chaos born
Amid the lordless heavens’ thundering–
A Presence crouched, enormous and austere,
Before whose feet the mighty waters mourn.

Poem by Georges Sterling.

CAPACIOUS EXHIBITION, BRUSSELS (BE)

Amazing painting exhibition displaying the works of 7 disabled artists from Osaka.
The explosion of colors & exquisite details provide the visitor with a vivid feeling of happiness, joy & positive vibes.

Capacious, the project title, is represented by the symbolic image of a large bag with no compartments.
The idea is to promote the potential of art when experienced without the baggage of conventional trajectories defining contemporary art or limitations of language.
A must see!

BUGAKU Ran-ryu-ou
A beautiful evening at Bozar, Brussels

A Samai dance performed with a Togaku accompaniment which originited in Tang Dynasty China.
The dance was composed to praise the bravery of Gao Changgong, Prince of Lanling, who lived in Northern Qi China around the year 550. It is said that the Prince always wore a ferocious mask to hide his mild and handsome face on the battlefield. Wearing a vermillion-based costume and a golden mask with moving eyes and a dangling chin, the dancer performs with heroic vigor.

YOSHIDA BROTHERS TSUGARU SHAMISEN CONCERT

Dec. 6th, Flagey Concerthall was the place to be!

Born and bred in Noboribetsu, Hokkaido (Japan) the Yoshido brothers held a divine performance yesterday in front of a well versed & enthusiastic public.

The Yoshida brothers picked up the shamisen at the tender age of five, and began studying Tsugaru shamisen under Takashi Sasaki I in 1990. After sweeping prizes at national Tsugaru shamisen conventions, the brothers made their major debut in 1999. The debut album sold over 100,000 copies, which is an extraordinary figure for a traditional folk music release.

They won the "Traditional Japanese Music Album Of The Year" category of the 15th annual Japan Gold Disc Award, as well as the "30th Anniversary Of Normalization Of Japan-China Diplomatic Relations Commemorative Special Prize" of the 17th Annual Japan Gold Disc Award.

Yesterday they granted their audience with 5 sublime compositions amongst which a special one dedicated to the victims of March, 22nd in Brussels.

VERNISSAGE EXPOSITION UKIYO-e

Musées Royaux d'Art & d'Histoire

Une exposition spectaculaire dans le cadre des festivités du 150ème anniversaire des relations entre le Japon et la Belgique, placées sous la protection commune de la Cour de Belgique, de l'Ambassade du Japon en Belgique & sous le parrainage du Baron Patrick Nothomb.

Le terme japonais ukiyo-e, qui signifie littéralement « images du monde flottant », trouve son origine dans le bouddhisme. Le « monde flottant » y fait référence à la vie sur terre, associée à la souffrance et à l’impermanence. Cette connotation négative à l’origine s’estompa avec le temps, et le « monde flottant » devint synonyme de plaisirs et de légèreté.

À partir de la seconde moitié du XVIIIe siècle, des artistes tels que Harunobu, Shunshô, Kiyonaga, Utamaro et Sharaku représentaient sur leurs estampes des courtisanes et des acteurs, stars de la vie nocturne d’Edo (l’actuelle Tokyo). Les artistes les plus connus, Hokusai et Hiroshige, quant à eux, perpétuaient au travers de leurs paysages le Japon traditionnel.

L’estampe de la fin du XIXe siècle témoigne de l’ouverture du Japon vers le monde extérieur et de la modernisation que cela a entraîné pour le pays. D’autres thèmes plus spécifiques seront également présentés dans l’exposition, comme par exemple les luxueuses éditions privées (surimono), les estampes érotiques (shunga), la production raffinée d’Osaka (kamigata-e) ainsi que les nouvelles estampes du début du XXe siècle (shin-hanga).

SAINT-BERNARD LOVE

A Sunday in Paradise ... it was scheduled since a while... it's just become the classical tour when kids are born at Linda & Franky's place to go & make their acquaintance, cuddle them & take care of their first 'official casting' 🙂

I call it my regular 'Saint-Bernard Bath' and just love it... The 2-paws kids do enjoy it as well and I'm always moved by the way they care about the little 4-paws, their instant, genuine love & affection for them. They turn themselves into big brother & big sisters of the little furry babes and prove to be their angel guardians. A delight for the eyes & heart.

NOBORU KATSUMI, Unesco World Heritage Artist of Noh Theater

Japanese Gardens Hasselt (Belgium)

An enthusiast audience was attending a unique performance by Master Noboru Katsumi on Sunday, Oct. 9th in the pavilion of the Japanese Gardens.
Noh theater is known as world's oldest traditional classical Japanese stage arts with a history of over 600 years old. UNESCO has declared this art form as ‘Masterpiece of the Intangible World Heritage’ in 2008. Noh theater is a kind of masked musical play of dance and song that best can be compared to the opera in the West.

OBON MATSURI (お盆)

Obon is an annual Buddhist event for commemorating one's ancestors. It is believed that each year during obon, the ancestors' spirits return to this world in order to visit their relatives.

Traditionally, lanterns are hung in front of houses to guide the ancestors' spirits, obon dances (bon odori) are performed, graves are visited and food offerings are made at house altars and temples.

At the end of Obon, floating lanterns are put into rivers, lakes and seas in order to guide the spirits back into their world. The customs followed vary strongly from region to region.

Obon is observed from the 13th to the 15th day of the 7th month of the year, which is July according to the solar calendar. A wonderful event held at the Japanese Garden in Hasselt, Belgium.

FLOWER CARPET BRUSSELS 2016

This year, Japan and Belgium are celebrating their 150th anniversary of friendly relations, established in 1866 with the Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation. On this special year, Japan has been given the honour to be invited as guest country to the world-famous Flower Carpet in Grand Place.

The 2016 Flower Carpet is showcasing nature in Japanese tradition with its numerous good luck talismans: flowers, birds, the wind and the moon are symbols of the natural beauty (Kacho -fugetsu); Koi (Japanese carps) represent strength and growth; pine trees and bamboos are signs of good omen; and the cherry blossoms, of course.

This ephemeral tapestry was made up of 1,800 m² of begonias.

Grand-Place Brussels

Musées Royaux d'Art & d'Histoire

Atsuko Bersma & students display their latest creations.