A Hero

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A small monument of a golden pilot is on Avenue Louise, the scene of a heroic attack on the morning of January 20th, 1943 from lone Belgian pilot, Baron Jean de Selys Longchamps. This was the culmination of his dogged desire to fight the Germans wherever he could.


After the Belgian surrender, the Baron fought his way to the Dunkirk evacuation and immediately returned to France to fight. After their capitulation he went to Morocco, where he was arrested and imprisoned in an internment camp. He escaped over the Pyrenees into Spain and onto Britain where he joined the RAF.


He had asked permission for an attack on the Gestapo HQ in Avenue Louise but got no response, so when on mission over Flanders, he diverted his Typhoon, flew low over Brussels and let rip with cannon fire at the Gestapo HQ at 453 Avenue Louise, threw out a Belgian flag and Union Jack and raced home as fast as he could. Up to 30 Gestapo officers died.


The British demoted him for disobedience and gave him the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery. Sadly he died 18 months later, returning from a sortie over Ostend.

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One More Monument by Fia-Stina Sandlung

Not a great photo, but a dark morning suited this piece. In front of the war memorial is a black square set into the ground. On it is inscribed "In Honour Of The Future Victims Of Swedish Made Weapons".

At once this artwork reconciles the homage to the previous previous fallen and a duty towards building a peaceful future.

As you read the inscription you automatically look down, taking in the inscription as you bow your head to the existing monument.

Why Sweden? Well it's neutrality doesn't seem to harm it's weapons sales.

kaabala

kaabala

Brussels recreates Mecca's famous Kaabala in Martyrs Square off Rue Neuve.

Update: Whoops! I've just realised that this isn't a rennovation of a monument but a work of art for europhilia.

Atomium

Built for the 1958 Brussels World's Fair (Expo ‘58), the Atomium represents a magnified unit cell of an iron crystal. While it was planned originally to last only six months, it still stands today.

In my humble opinion, the more accurate description of this tourist attraction is the one provided by Up Front Brussels. Simple as that: it is literally a load of balls.

No matter how thrilled I am by Blogger's new video publishing tool, instead of a video recorded last night, showing the monument, blinking balls and all, here goes a shot, also taken in the dark. I’m afraid magnifiying glasses wouldn't help much so I'd better refer you to the " plateau du Heysel ", which is definitely worth a visit.

Meanwhile, here is the inside of Roi Baudouin Stadium, located closeby the above mentioned brilliant monument, where I was yesterday for the Belgium-Argentina rugby match. Our national rugbymen did play very well against a highly ranked team. Who cares about the 8-36 score, the marvelous rugby spirit was yet again the winner here, and both teams' supporters enjoyed themselves altogether, not only through the whole match but also during the third half that followed, as usual.