Europalia

Every other year Belgium hosts "Europalia" - a 4 month extravaganza highlighting a country's arts and culture. As I understand it, this event is a way to learn and experience another country. The Europalia series started back in 1969 and this year, during its 40th anniversary, the art festival features CHINA. Chinese customs, sounds and sights have filled Brussels.I have been fascinated by China ever since my grandparents visited when I was a young girl. The photo of them with the Great Wall had me hooked. Fingers crossed our travels take us there one day......but for now we have Europalia China lending an Asian feel throughout our city. There are Chinese puppet shows, film festivals, operas, dance and theatre. The four month agenda is vast and mind boggling!
It is hard to miss the costuming of the Mont des Arts square with the Chinese lanterns wrapping the building. Right before Thanksgiving our new friend, Joe, met us at the "lanterned" Chinese tea house for lunch.Joe was an instant favorite friend for Connor. He brought homemade M&M cookies for her. Yum! Check out Connor's face. Does that expression say "These are mine, so don't even think of touching them?!?" or what!?!?We had fun - an American trio in Brussels in a Chinese tea house. Talk about a cultural cross-section!Connor is a big fan of bamboo. The plant adorned the tea house decor. She loved the touch of the wood and the sound of the word. It is kinda a fun word to say, I agree. BambOOOOO!After a great lunch we left Joe and headed to Ali's for a playdate with baby Reagan. I turned over the little camera to Connor who had fun snapping away along the trek. My budding photographer! Brussels through her lens looks much different and lower than I am used to.There is one dress shop on the way to Chausee d'Ixelles (near Toison d'Or) that I just cannot pass without drooling. If I win the lottery one day I am going to shop here. They have many, many gorgeous frocks. I look forward to seeing the new window dressings each week.And such is a day in our life.
I am trying to navigate the rest of the Europalia China agenda to find more to see and do. I love the idea. We should do something similar in the States. It is one way to knit the world closer together.
Click here to learn more about this year's Europalia