The Blue Forest

It started mid-April... the blooming season in Hallerbos forest. Situated in both the Flemish and Walloon Brabants, the place transforms into a purple/blue sea every year in spring. A surface of 552 ha gets magically covered in a purple carpet of bluebells for a few weeks on...

"A wonderful spectacle of nature," explains Paula from Spain. "It gives you the impression that you walk in a fairy tale!" It is about 5 km away from Halle train station and you can dedicate less than half a day walking around the whole place. More information on: www.hallerbos.be

The bluebell forest of Hallerbos is getting more and more famous among expats and Belgians themselves, especially since a few websites started advertising it as "one of the most beautiful places in the world". Although the bluebell forest is still a very quiet and not crowded place, a downside of its popularity is a certain disrespect from visitors. People have been seen walking outside the official paths and stepping on flowers to take selfies, as parodied in Flemish tv-show "Fans of Flanders".



Now the flowers are starting to slowly fade, but it is still a beautiful place that is worth visiting, also because it has giant sequoya trees towering it. In any case, you can try again next year!

A big thank you to Paula De la Torre for her photos and feedback!

Item of the week: Maitrank

After a long post-winter period punctuated with rain, sleet and snow in April, flowers are finally blooming and the sun is shining... the ideal conditions to drink Maitrank!

Maitrank is an alcoholic appetiser from Arlon, in the Belgian province of Luxembourg. The territory used to be part of a greater Luxembourg duchy. The word "Maitrank" actually means "May drink" in Luxemburgish. Around Arlon, some people still use a Luxembourgish dialect, although they all speak French perfectly.

The drink is made of white wine from Moselle with a particular ingredient, sweet woodruff, which gives it a taste of hay honey and vanilla. It is a tiny flower with a sweet perfume. It grows in spring but the flowers are not blooming when they're picked. In fact, recipes may vary from family to family but it's always served with a slice of orange.

 
Every year, a Maitrank festival takes place in Arlon, hosted by a "Maitrank Brotherood" (Belgians have brotherhoods for every nice thing!). This year, it is organised on Saturday 21th and Sunday 22nd May. Folkloric ceremonies, contests, visits and of course a first growth Maitrank-tasting session expect visitors in the centre.

A moment of silence

Yesterday, at places most people in Brussels and I know very well, very ordinary places, it took only a few seconds to kill many innocent people.

My most sincere condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives on the attacks in Brussels.