Here and there... my walks in the land of pralines, couques, and gosettes.. (page 9 of 9)

Lessines, and the Notre-Dame à la Rose hospital.

This Saturday, June 13th, was the reopening day of the Notre-Dame à la Rose hospital in Lessines. Initially, until the end of June, it will only be open on Saturdays and Sundays. Starting in July, it should reopen from Tuesday to Sunday, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. When it comes to the future, I’m speaking conditionally, since everything will depend on how the COVID-19 situation evolves.

Anne (An5) mentioned this place back in December 2019. Thanks to her! 🙂

The history of this Hôtel-Dieu, built along the Dendre River, begins in the 13th century when Alix de Rosoit decided to found a religious community where the sisters would pray for her husband’s soul and care for the poor and sick.

The visit lasts about an hour and a half with an audio guide provided. The place, beautifully restored, takes you through room after room showcasing period furniture, medical instruments that evolved over the centuries, and medicinal plants used,



the patients' rooms. Initially, patients were laid two to a bed, "to keep each other warm" (the red color of the curtains was chosen to make bloodstains less visible 😕)

Later, beds became individual, and you can see the equipment used:

A depiction of a plague epidemic caught my attention: At the time, municipal authorities insisted that the sisters take care of plague victims, something they weren’t prepared for at all. But they eventually agreed.

A painting depicts a plague scene: the man sitting on the right has a bubo on his thigh. On the left, a woman leans over a dying man, holding a cloth—probably soaked in vinegar—over her mouth to protect herself from miasmas (people believed the plague spread through the air). Above, on the left, is Saint Eligius, invoked in such circumstances because people trusted his powers far more than the medical treatments they still resorted to.



Next to the painting, a life-sized reproduction of a doctor: leather cape, a mask with a long beak filled with disinfectant medicinal plants, and at his feet, a diffuser of the same plants to purify the air:

Much of the visit also focuses on the lives of the nuns over the centuries. They followed the Rule of Saint Augustine, like most monasteries in the region, and were under the authority of the Bishop of Cambrai. An excerpt from this rule:

a nun’s room

the refectory and its riches, though it wasn’t particularly comfortable, with the sisters sitting on backless wooden benches. In each of the paintings, you can see the donors who paid for the artwork on the left or right, in exchange for prayers.



The Baroque chapel:

The visit ends in the medicinal plant garden, but I’ve been told I’ve reached the photo limit per post... so I’ll share one more in the next message.

Notre-Dame à la Rose Hospital (continued)

The visit ends in the medicinal plant garden, where you can still spend a good hour if, like me, you're interested in medicinal plants and the vegetables in the kitchen garden a little further on.



On the way back to the station, the René Magritte Cultural Center, the René Magritte Residence, and René Magritte’s name on a small shop window remind us that this is where the surrealist painter was born (on November 21, 1898), right here in Lessines.

And thanks also to all of you who enrich my stories with your tips and treats

You forgot to tell us about smoutebollen ^^

We’ve talked about it since then... and those who want to try them this summer in Brussels at the Midi Fair can do so from August 1st to 30th (following a few guidelines)

https://www.rtbf.be/info/regions/detail_la-foire-du-midi-aura-bien-lieu-cet-ete-a-bruxelles?id=10533231

For those who can't wait, there's always 'wit Madammeke' at Place Dailly in Schaerbeek right now (but she doesn’t give them away—like they say: 4.50 € for 7 croustillons).

I’m still sad about the Foire du Midi being canceled— for the carnival workers, for the kids who won’t get to go, and for the grown-ups like me who don’t go every year, just now and then, but like knowing it’s there.

Hello,

Summer is ending beautifully—the sun won’t leave us, and we won’t leave our sandals and light clothes behind... I’m really happy about that! 😎

What about walks in Belgium? For me, I mostly wandered around France this summer. With autumn approaching, I took the train to Tournai and, more recently, to the North Sea—no wind this time. Over the summer, the reservation requirements here and masks there didn’t really make me want to go. Now things are calming down a bit; we’re left in peace on the dikes and beaches 😛, though masks are still technically required (though half-respected) in the streets.

Just a few photos for fun: ...a balcony at Villa Francine in Ostend:

The beach near the Royal Galleries:

The Rock Strangers (those big red box-like structures) at the foot of the Sea Observer:

The sea, simply put:

And those for whom it’s home:

...didn’t spot any new estaminets on the pier 😐

Hi there,

I kinda feel like I’m talking to myself—there’s way more buzz in the COVID-19 threads. But that’s okay! I see the view count is almost at 7,000, so it looks like people are dropping by to grab a few ideas from this travel journal, and that’s the whole point—besides just sharing my walks.

Yesterday, thanks to the nice weather, I headed to Westende. From Ostend’s train station, all you have to do is hop on the Kusttram; it waits for passengers right alongside the stopped trains. Then you just sit back and enjoy the ride until you reach the Westende Bad stop. The tram stops right in front of the Villa Les Zéphyrs, a villa from the interwar period that’s now a museum showing how the middle class spent their seaside holidays back in the day. I didn’t go in because the opening hours didn’t work for me, but just so you know, it’s open every day from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM and from 1:30 PM to 6:00 PM, and admission is only 2 €.

In Westende, there aren’t many shops, restaurants, or much of anything else—very few people on the beach. At low tide, you’ll find yourself on a wide, long stretch of sand, keeping company with the seagulls. At high tide, the few local walkers gather on a narrower strip of beach, but it’s still far from crowded.

I feel like I'm talking to myself a bit

Yeah, a little... But just because you're talking to yourself doesn't mean you're not being heard 😇

Hello,

I kind of feel like I’m talking to myself—there’s way more buzz in the COVID-19 discussions. But that’s okay! I see the view count is nearing 7,000, so people are clearly dropping by for ideas from this travel journal, and that’s the goal—on top of sharing my walks.

Yesterday, with the nice weather, I headed to Westende. From Ostend’s train station, you just take the Kusttram; it waits for passengers alongside the stopped trains. Then you just let it take you to the Westende Bad stop. The tram stops right in front of the Villa Les Zéphyrs, a villa from the interwar period that’s now a museum showing how the middle class spent their seaside holidays back then. I didn’t visit because the opening hours didn’t work for me, but just so you know, it’s open every day from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM and from 1:30 PM to 6:00 PM, and admission is only 2 €.

In Westende, there aren’t many shops, restaurants, or anything else—very few people on the beach. At low tide, you find yourself on a wide, long beach with just the seagulls for company. At high tide, the few local walkers end up on a narrower beach, but it’s still far from crowded.







I’ve been following you from the start ;). Your lovely updates have introduced me to some hidden gems and possible visits in my own country 😎. You’re really not alone .

Wishing you some wonderful walks in our beautiful country . Dominike

Just because you're talking to yourself doesn't mean you're not being heard 😇

That's true. I sometimes read travel journals without adding anything.

I’ve been following you from the start 😉. Your lovely posts have introduced me to some hidden gems and possible visits in my own country 😎. You’re really not alone 😊

Wishing you wonderful walks in our beautiful country 😏 Dominike

Thanks, it’s great to know we have followers 🙂 Happy travels to you too. Moushika.

Hello Moushika, yes, I’m following you too—don’t worry, you’re not talking to yourself!

I have an idea but wanted to get your opinion: when we go a little farther and for a longer time (which wasn’t the case this year), I keep a travel journal on the forum. Two weeks ago, our much-shrunk vacation included 3 days in Famenne, where I took a few photos. Posting them alone in a mini journal doesn’t seem quite right. If you don’t mind, I can share this little addition to keep your discoveries company…

Keep up the good work! May the weather be with you…

Hi Brigitte,

If, like me, you try not to post too many photos (in 11 months, there are 228, and the number of photos per travel journal is now limited by VF), your story about the Famenne is very welcome here. 🙂 See you soon.

Okay, I'll get my thoughts in order—won't take long!!! Cheers.

Hello, Moushika! The photos of Westende Beach are such a nice change from La Panne, Ostend, and Knokke. Still the sea, the sky, the sand... space... breathing freely! Like this photo near Knokke-Le-Zoute toward the Zwin. Thanks for sharing! 😄

Thanks to you too! 🙂

These vast natural spaces are so soothing.

Hi Moushika, hi everyone,

First of all, thanks to Moushika for hosting me during a little stroll in Belgium!

Even though I knew all the special spots she’s been sharing with us for months, it wasn’t my first choice for this year’s vacation... Given the exceptional weather forecast... and the monotony of six months of forced isolation in the city, we decided to start with a trip to the North Sea coast, with a hike from Knokke to the Netherlands. We’d never seen the sea so blue, nor the wind farm off Zeebrugge so clearly—we felt tiny in the face of such vastness and serenity.



The following week, the temperatures were just as exceptional! Round two: off to the Famenne and the Ardennes. We weren’t the only ones with that idea, and even though we’d initially planned to stay in a charming countryside hostel, we ended up basing ourselves in Marche-en-Famenne—and we didn’t regret it!

This little town has been beautifully renovated, and its center has kept all its charm. Though Marche is surrounded by a sprawling suburb of soulless buildings and commercial chains, you can reach the town’s green lung, the Fond des Vaulx, in just a few minutes—a 30-hectare forest on the edge of the countryside, with plenty of hikes and activities. Back in the center: a lovely pedestrian zone, lots of sculptures (there’s a route planned at the tourist office), streets that feel like little alleys, and beautiful stone churches, like Saint Remacle’s.





For foodies (though I only found it at the hotel breakfast), the coffee tart is worth the detour... To prepare for a possible longer stay in the area, we wanted to see what had become of the two main tourist ‘monuments’ nearby...

First, Durbuy, famous for once being the smallest city in the world before expanding to include surrounding areas: it’s very pretty, but I’d say—don’t go! The positives first: the setting is gorgeous, with a view from the belvedere (you have to earn it...).

However, the town itself—tiny between its castle, a church, and a huge hotel—was packed with visitors. Parking lots were full all around, and in the main square below the castle, everyone was resting at the terraces—it was as crowded as the Grand Place in Brussels some other year! Along the few streets, you go from restaurants to tacky souvenir shops, hotels to guesthouses. You’ll need to stay outside and explore from there. The House of Megaliths and its site tempted us!

Next, La Roche-en-Ardenne: more spacious and less crowded! The loop of the Ourthe River is stunning. Just so you know: the town is at the bottom of the valley, and ALL the hikes are steep!





One (small) downside: I’d been dreaming of eating trout for our last day—meunière, Ardennes-style with ham, whatever... At lunch, we looked at 50 menus: nothing but pitas, burgers, and croque-monsieurs! We finally found a bar with a great beer selection that had ‘Trout meunière’ as the daily special. Beer lovers, you’re in your element here: the Chouffe from the Brasserie d’Achouffe—"the Belgian beer with the red-hatted gnome!"—the Lupullus, and from farther away, the Rochefort, Chimay, Orval, and more...

The trip wraps up, and I’ve saved the best for last—the cherry on top, the reason this day trip was worth it: the Romanesque church of WAHA, just a few kilometers from Marche. It’s a gem of Mosan Romanesque art, with its oldest parts dating back to 1050. From that era, the central nave, lower parts of the walls (visible from the outside), and some windows remain. It’s been beautifully renovated. Don’t miss the reliquary (a kind of shrine) of Saint Stephen—a remarkable piece of goldsmithing. You can trigger a short video with lighting and explanations—do it!



In 2004, J.M. Folon agreed to create stained-glass windows for the church’s renovation, painting watercolors inspired by the life of Saint Stephen. The windows were made and installed by the "Loire" workshops in Chartres, who worked with him. These works fit perfectly with the church’s simplicity, and their colors blend and contrast with the whiteness of the walls. We were dazzled by the whole thing!





So there you have our Belgian vacation—enough to give you an idea if the weather’s nice and you can’t (or don’t want to) go to the other side of the world! Have a great day.

Thanks Brigitte,

I remember that church in Waha, which I saw before it was restored. It stood there, so simple, as sober as could be—the epitome of minimalism. The stained glass must create a completely different light ambiance now.

As for Durbuy, I completely agree. You walk in tight lines between terraces, shops, and restaurants... it’s beautiful from above ;)

@Moushika

Here’s a thread that could be a great starting point for anyone looking to visit Belgium—far from the most famous spots, but really interesting!