Fighting the Cobbles - My trip to Belgium in 2018, Part 28 - In and Around Wavre

This blog continues the previous Part 27,
https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2018/10/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in_11.html

Thursday, June 28, 2018

   

'If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress'

Barack Obama

   I woke up truly refreshed after a nice night in a comfy bed. In this early hour I've checked my phone and camera if they were charged and then walked over to my clothes which have been dry. I felt like an early bird, happy but with a grumbling stomach!

   The breakfast room was easily to find and as empty as it was had the choice of all free tables. The two tones of the wall matched the colors of the decoration nicely; the soft light of the morning sun submerged the whole room into a very warm light. It was a kind of touching, the room itself seemed to be an invitation to a great breakfast... 

Romantic Morning Atmosphere in the Breakfast Room...

   Not to be carried too much away I occupied a table in front of a corner opposite from the windows. It was the only place which let some sunlight in. I went to the buffet, grabbed a plate, the flatware and put bread, cheese and sausage on it and went, not without a cup of coffee, to my place. I enjoyed a very nice and maybe too rich breakfast by myself, neither a guest nor someone from the hotel showed up.

Rich Breakfast for a great Start into the Day...

   Finally every breakfast comes to an end and before I finished two men sat down on one of the free tables not far away from me and obviously discussed business matters. 

   I went back to my room, packed my things and tried to keep the system where I could find my things when I needed them easily. At least I packed my camera and phone into the messenger bag and said farewell to my room. The elderly lady behind the reception desk checked me out and I hauled my luggage down from the 2nd to the 1st floor over some stairs because the hotel did not have a lift. Through a glass door I've stepped out of the hotel into the sunlight.

   Form yesterday's tour through the heart of Wavre I still remembered the way to the city center which is here in the form of the City Hall. It was built in the 18th century and originally housed a church from the Roman Catholic religious order of the Carmelites or, in formal, the 'Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel'.

City Hall of Wavre, built in the 18th Century

   The attraction of Wavre is not only the city hall by itself. On the left side of the picture, covered by a plant and a road sign, there is a famous bronze statue of the small boy named Maca who once tried to climb the wall of the city hall. Because of this incident, Wavre is also called the 'City of Maca'. Tradition holds that touching his buttocks would bring a year of luck. As with all bronze statues the touches leave the parts shiny and stand in contrast to the rest of the statue. I followed the tradition, hopefully nothing seriously would happen during my trip. This statue shows actually the obvious Belgian humor often articulated in the different comics from this country.

Bronze Statue of the naughty Boy Maca, who climbed the Walls of the City Hall of Wavre

   Walking around the City Hall I've noticed some workers decorating a shop during this early morning hours. Staying with the theme 'buttock' and 'naughty action' I thought I should wait for the right moment and pushed the button of my camera in the moment when the elder gentlemen touched the female part of the commercial for underwear...

Two Men decorating the Window of a Shop…

   Not far way from the City Hall is the Gothic Church of St. John the Baptist which was built in 1475. The dominant tower houses a 50-bell carillon, a musical instrument that is typically housed in the bell tower of a church. When I arrived there were preparations for a fair going on, so I had to cut the photo. I could not avoid the two workers, sorry or good for them...

Church of St. John the Baptist

   With the crossing over a beautiful river my time in the old city of Wavre came to an end. On a big road crossing I could decide to continue on a flat road towards a highway or up a steady hill to the industrial area. I've decided to take the 2nd route...Bye bye Wavre!

(to be continued@
https://gerdiwanninger.blogspot.com/2018/10/fighting-cobbles-my-trip-to-belgium-in_29.html)

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