Investigating ancestors is best done with somebody who knows what they’re doing. Bob Nellis arranged in advance to meet with Jean Pierre Petre and Michel Henry, respectively an historian and Michel who lived in the area and was not only a language assistant but also knew a lot about the goings on in this area. With them Bob was able to fill in a lot of blank spots in his information needed to complete some of his sleuthing. Of course it was a very educational day but also encouraged us to appreciate what these beautiful towns represent and how they might have provided a life, good or bad, for the previous inhabitants. After all, many of them left other countries.
A memorial There was of course massive destruction during the war Finally Jeff enters the photo The house of a very prominent family in the area One of the major houses with large farming concernsQuite an impressive entrance A chalk making furnaceThis is how it was made and that used for fertilizer and possibly some other things Working on a roof on an old house
I took the train to Wavre, Belgium to meet and support a Cornell classmate, Bob Nellis, in his search for ancestors and the history of the area and the people for a book he is writing. The subject is not only his family but of many Belgians who immigrated to the US in the 1800s. He was brought up in a town of Belgian immigrant families possibly from the same general timeframe as his ancestors and even possibly from the same general area in Belgium. He kept repeating the term “Walloons“. It seems that is a term of community, identity and endearment used in reference to the French speaking Belgians. I think reading his book after it is published will give you a much better frame of reference. I will put a reference to his book and where you can buy it after it’s published.
visiting graveyards is a good way to understand the families of the local population. He found many variations of his family name in the graveyards which sparked a lot of enthusiasm which I can understand having done that myself.A local church his family may have attended A memorial to the great war, the war to end all wars Jeff and Bob grew up together and Jeff ventured here from Minnesota (departing from his home in Michigan) with Bob. Jeff was the chauffeur, photographer and bodyguard.Memorializing an industrialist. The grill in the car looks very much like an old RenaultMemorial for the war deadYou have to point at something to show it has value. I can imagine his emotions as he walks through the church and absorbs his ancestors attending a service. A very solemn occasionAgain, it’s important to point These churches were very small so you can imagine the populations were not large and getting smaller as people left for other countries Europeans tend to take their dogs pretty much everywhere they go so the sign is indicating the sacredness of the graveyard and not to bring animals that may not understand the significance of the place. My dog, Mon, was very sensitive to spiritual things so I think he would’ve stayed out on his ownIt was very foggy in the mornings. It reminded me very much of the old movies of World War I and World War II were battles were being fought in the fogWhat was very disheartening was most of the businesses closed permanentlydue to lack of customers. It seems the big box stores have taken away business and hollowed out the old communities. That was very sad to see. So while this is very much a walking town I don’t know how you can commune with people if their meeting place is some giant store where you just greet people in passing if you happen to know them.Our timing was very close to Halloween A very nice mushroom sauce for an elegant dinner Bob treated us to a very elegant dinner at an extremely nice restaurant, a great topping for the day of ancestor searchings.And of course you have to have ice cream and a grappaAnother delicious dessert At the end of the day we celebrate our adventure by admitting we have similar taste in hats, except for Jeff’s Borsalino styleA beer, a glass of wine, a gin tonic or a glass of water; whatever you desireJeff has done the hard work today as the chauffeur in a foreign country so he very much deserves the beerBut it was very tiring for everybody. Let the ancestors come to visit in our dreams
Antwerp station is beautifuldown by the riverHet Steenthey are proud of their Stella beer (not my cup of tea)Cathedral of Our Lady Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraalnice public transport systemAustralian ice cream imperialists; probably contains beer
Old city entrancePlatzstagnant….beautiful greenBelgians love word playa building set for renovationSt. Rumbold’s towerHolocaust Museum. Jacqueline might have been one of my relativesMaurice might have been one of my relatives
the world’s largest atomjust strange!surveying my domaindoes the statue on top get dizzy?Cicero never looked better at the supreme courtthe halls of justicethe park in front of the palacethe palacewatching a UFO
St. Peter’s cathedral is worth a visitcarved from one logthe stationobviously he is pouring knowledge (water) into his brain. open access is efficientso many “Asian” restaurants. Most are really Vietnamese or Turkish run. there are no Japanese here in the restaurant business that I can seeone of the interesting bike creations. so many people have these unusual bikes to take care of family and businesshaven’t heard of the drink on the bottombeing a Californian at birth my DNA is fixed to wine. so I am happy wine is inexpensive hereat 22:00. still lightthis is a new shop but seems this gelato is pretty popularhad to try the peanut mix with a scoop of chocolatecity hall at night
Leuven is very close to Brussles and worth at least a day visit. there is more to the town than the stuck beetle
city hall…soooo famousPlatzdidn’t note his name but must be famousthese types of facades seem so common in Belgiumfamous people who patronized this restaurant/barHawaii in BelgiumBeer and wine in the hotel vending machinesnaais is a dutch word meaning “sew”. this is a seamstress shopIn Germany people Blow the dirt away. In Belgium the Suck it in.looking like a secret agent with a backpack
