How did you spend your first day of this year? I’ve been to La Hulpe castle near Brussels to get some fresh air, away from the pollution of the city. I was surprised to find some remaining snow from 3 days ago. This is how it looked like:
Voi ce ati facut in prima zi a lui 2015? Eu am fost la castelul La Hulpe pentru o plimbare si aer curat, fara poluarea orasului. Am fost surprinsa ca inca mai era zapada de acum 3 zile. Frumos!
Oh yes! Finally! Snow came to town yesterday afternoon. So today I had to document the “event” and show you some photos of the snow in Brussels.
“Snow and Brussels” is not something you see often during winter because of Belgium’s maritime climate (with warm winters and cool summers).
Even though the snow didn’t cover too much (because it snowed only a few hours) the city looks nice and frozen, the streets are full of ice (not good!) and the sun is shining.
A nins ieri toata dupa amiaza in Bruxelles, iar azi a fost (si inca este) senin, soare si ger. Am iesit sa documentez “evenimentul” (zapada in Bruxelles!). Strazile bocna de gheata, necuratate, nesarate, nimic… (oare a luat autoritatile pe nepregatite?!)
Orasul este frumos, chiar asa putina zapada cum e, parca simt ca in sfarsit a venit iarna!
In our neighborhood/ Pe strada noastra gheata e necuratata
V on ice / V pe gheata
Located in Brussels, Belgium, The Tournay-Solvay Park is a romantic place at the edge of the Sonian forest where the industrialist Ernest Solvay built his country-house in 1878 (the house is now a ruin overlooking the lake).
The park has a rose garden (closed during the cold season). I can’t wait to see the rose garden when it’s opened in spring and summer, because apparently is one of Brussel’s most secret places.
Parcul Tournay-Solvay din Bruxelles este un parc cu peisaj romantic la marginea padurii Soniene unde industrialistul Ernest Solvay si-a construit o casa de vacanta in 1878. Casa (micul castel) este acum o ruina ce priveste lacul. Secretul parcului este gradina de trandafiri, pe care abia astept sa o vad la vara (in sezonul rece gradina nu e accesibila publicului).
Brussels to 2 days before Christmas: too hot – some trees bloomed, is cloudy and raining for a week – with small breaks here and there. But, despite the weather, I could not stay home: I had to take my camera for a walk. Downtown the windows decorated with Santa Clauses and candy look like your favorite Christmas story.
I also went up to the tenth floor of the parking lot at De Brouckere, one of my favorite places in Brussels (it’s an open terrace where you can see everything from top. Usually there is no one there, only the parked cars. That’s why I like it – it’s empty and calm in the heart of Brussels. From here you can see lots of people down on the street, but the noise does not reach to the top).
Bruxelul la 2 zile inainte de Craciun: cam caldut – unii pomi au inflorit, e inorat si ploua marunt de o saptamana – cu mici intreruperi. Dar nu am putut sa stau in casa, a trebuit sa imi scot camera la o plimbare.
Am dat o tura prin centru, m-am uitat in vitrinele cu mosi craciuni si bomboane, apoi am urcat la etajul zece al parcarii de la De Brouckere, unul din locurile mele preferate in Bruxelles (e o terasa deschisa in centru de unde poti vedea totul de sus. De obicei nu e nici tipenie acolo, in afara de masini parcate. (De-aia imi place, ca e pustiu si liniste fix in inima Bruxelului. De sus vad cum oamenii misuna in toate partile, dar galagia nu ajunge pana sus.)
The wheel at the Christmas Market at St Catherine – View from the De Brouckere parking rooftop / Roata din fiecare an din piata de Craciun. Vedere din Parcarea De Brouckere
The photos are taken in one of my favorite places near Brussels: La Hulpe. Today 21st of Dec 2014: leafless trees, gray sky and hungry ducks fed with bread by families with children. Quiet and only few people.
Poze facute intr-unul din locurile mele preferate: La Hulpe, langa Bruxelles. Azi, 21 Dec. 2014: copaci fara frunze, cer gri si ratuste infometate hranite cu firimituri de paine. Liniste si oameni putini.
There are many parks in Brussels, some are smaller, some bigger, but all are pretty and well taken care of.
Following are photos of Leopold Parc, one of my favorite parks in Brussels.
Leopold park is located just behind the European Parliament (the glass building in the first photo) and near European Commission in Etterbeek neighborhood of Brussels.
The photos are taken two days ago, on 17 Dec 2014. As you can see, the sky is dull, grey-white (typical for Belgium’s maritime weather). Nevertheless, the parc looks beautiful!
Bruxelul are multe parcuri, mai mici, mai mari, toate frumoase si ingrijite.
Azi va prezint poze din Parcul Leopold care se afla chiar in spatele Parlamentului European (cladirea de sticla din prima poza), in cartierul Etterbeek. Pozele sunt facute in urma cu doua zile (pe 17 Dec 2014). Dupa cum vedeti, cerul e alb-gri, specific climei Belgiene…dar chiar si asa parcul este minunat pentru o plimbare si va recomand sa il vizitati.
European Parliament (the round glass building) next to Leopold Park / Parlamentul European se vede in spate (cladirea rotunda de sticla)
Leopold Park has a lake with a little island. Many types of birds have their home here. / Parcul Leopold are un lac cu o mica insula in mijloc pe care salasuiesc diverse pasari.
A highschool building in Leopold Park / Un liceu isi are cladirea in Parcul Leopold
European Parliament / Parlamentul European
Woman feeding the birds in Leopold Park in Brussels / O doamna hraneste pasarile din Parcul Leopold
Discover through my photos other parks in Brussels
Descopera prin fotografiile mele si alte parcuri frumoase din Bruxelles
Holidays are coming! Holidays are coming! Holidays are coming! (always Coca-Cola). Now seriously I don’t like Coca-Cola, but I love this time of year! Maybe that’s why inspiration hit me today.
I made some photos of my latest winter ornament: Mister Snowman with the Christmas lights from the tree. Isn’t he cute? 😀 The snow in the photos is my imagination (because I want snow really bad, but Brussels is a bit too warm for that..).
Vin sarbatorile, vin sarbatorile, vin sarbatorile! Imi place perioada aceasta a anului. Poate si de-aia m-a lovit inspiratia azi: am facut poze cu cel mai nou ornament de Craciun, pe care l-am cumparat din Slovacia acum cateva saptamani. Nu-i asa ca-i dragut? 😀 Evident ca fulgii de zapada nu-s pe bune, dar as vrea. Serios, as vrea sa ninga in Bruxelles, dar slabe sanse pentru ca e cam caldut aici…
Also called Elsene (in Dutch), Ixelles is the neighbourhood in which I live in Brussels (I’ve had posts about it several times on this blog Here, here, and here). I often go to Place Flagey and the Ixelles lakes located next to it. Here is how it looks during this warm December month 🙂
V-am aratat deja poze pe blog din Ixelles, cartierul in care locuim in Bruxelles. E un cartier dragut, care mie imi place foarte mult, mai ales in jurul lacurilor. Dar haideti sa va mai arat cateva poze facute in aceasta luna decembrie, destul de calduroasa.
It was a sunny day today in Brussels. I took a walk around Ixelles Lakes at Flagey and made some photos. Here are the swans on the lakes (the ones with beige feathers are the babies from March).
Azi a fost soare aici in Bruxelles. Am iesit la o plimbare in jurul lacurilor din Ixelles si am facut niste poze. Iata lebedele de pe lac (cele care au pene bej sunt puiutii din martie).
Every year in Brussels there is a Christmas ‘light and sound’ show in Grand Place. Two years ago we had a Christmas tree made of giant cubes, this year there is a normal tree! Here are some photos I took this evening in the center of Brussels.
In fiecare an de Craciun, in Bruxelles e spectacol de muzica si lumini in Grand Place. Acum doi ani era un pom de Craciun abstract, facut din cuburi gigant, dar anul acesta avem pom normal! Iata cateva poze pe care le-am facut in aceasta seara. Nu-i asa ca e dragut?
The Christmas Tree in Grand Place in Brussels, December 2014 / Pomul de Craciun de anul acesta (Dec. 2014) din Grand Place in centrul Bruxelului
Christmas light and music show in Grand Place. The city hall is lit by red lights / spectacol de lumini si muzica in piata centrala din Bruxelles. Primaria este luminata in rosu
Grand Place – the city hall on the right / Piata centrala – in dreapta este primaria
Street decorations near Bourse in Brussels / Decoratii deasupra strazii
Christmas market in Brussels at Bourse / Stand cu globulete in piata de craciun din centrul Bruxelului
A window display / Intr-o vitrina
The city hall and the Christmas tree in December 2014, Brussels / Primaria si pomul de Craciun din Grand Place
The window of a pub / Geamul unui pub
Parc de l’Abbaye de la Cambre in Brussels (also known as Abbey Gardens, or Abbey of La Cambre ) is a small parc in Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium.
It’s located next to the Ixelles ponds and at 10 minutes walk from Place Flagey.
The Abbey was founded in the 1196, but was destroyed during wars in the 16th-17th century. It was rebuilt in the 18th century, having the shape that we see today.
I like to come here often because it’s close to our home, it’s beautiful, with hidden alleys and old, tall trees.
Parcul Abbaye de la Cambre (Parcul manastirii de la Cambre, “abbaye” inseamna manastire/abatie in limba fraceza) se afla in cartierul Ixelles din Bruxelles. Vin des aici, fiind aproape de casa si pentru ca e un parc foarte frumos, cu alei ascunse si copaci inalti si batrani.
Manastirea a fost fondata in anul 1196, dar distrusa in urma unor razboaie din secolul 16-17. Totul a fost reconstruit in secolul 18, pastrandu-se asa pana in ziua de azi.
In poze dupa cum vedeti, desi sfarsit de noiembrie, natura inca purta straie de toamna si copacii inca aveau frunze, deoarece temperaturile toamna si iarna sunt mai blande in Belgia fata de estul Europei.
(Sper ca in iarna care vine sa ninga in Bruxelles, ca ar fi tare dragut de fotografiat!).
Don’t miss/ Nu ratati:
I had planned to photograph Andrea, Vlado’s sister next time I visit her hometown, so in our vaction we left towards Kosice, Slovakia with the car trunk half full of photography equipment (tripods, light, backdrops, bulbs).
She was great in front of the camera and it was fun photographing her. I just love her photos! Here are some of them.
Am plecat spre Kosice, Slovacia cu jumate din portbagaj plin de reflectoare, trepieduri, becuri si altele necesare pentru sedinta foto pentru ca aveam in plan sa o fotografiez pe Andrea, sora lui Vlado.
Dupa aproximativ o ora de facut poze si 2 coafuri mai tarziu, am reusit sa ne destindem, Andrea s-a obisnuit sa fie in fata camerei si eu mi-am gasit inspiratia pt a o ghida pt outfituri si pozitii. Ce a iesit vedeti mai jos. Mie imi plac la nebunie pozele.
