Tapestry in Time

On the way out to the Normandy beaches, you virtually have to go through the town of Bayeux. Since this was the case, I wanted to stop in and start our visit to Normandy with some older history. Bayeux is famous for a tapestry that they house called, not surprisingly, the Bayeux Tapestry, which tells the epic story of William of Normandy’s conquest of England in 1066.

Where to start? This is a remarkable piece of needlework. It is technically embroidery, not tapestry, since colored wool thread was sewn onto a long linen scroll. Scroll is the best word to use since it is like a scroll, 20 inches wide by 230 feet long (yes, it is VERY long). The origin is a bit sketchy but it is believed to have been commissioned by William’s half brother Odo, the Bishop of Bayeux. The purpose for the tapestry is unclear but we do know it was displayed in the Cathedral in Bayeux once a year to commemorate William’s victory. It is also quite a lucky object, having survived the French revolution, Napoleonic plans for it, as well as WWI and WWII. Truly, a piece of needlework from 1067 to have survived to 2008 is remarkable.


The tale told on the tapestry starts in England with King Edward the Confessor sending an emissary to William in Normandy to notify him of Edward’s desire that he should succeed Edward upon his death, since he did not have a son and heir. Harold Godwinson, a powerful Earl, was responsible with this message but the trip did not go as planned. First there was a storm, followed by capture, finally finding release into William’s care after much negotiating. William requires Harold to swear loyalty to him (as heir apparent) and then sends him back to England.

Harold arrives home to be reprimanded by Edward (not sure here why) and then Edward dies. Harold is then crowned King, the plot thickens. When William finds out, he is furious and starts preparation for war to claim his stolen crown. The war preparations and travel over to England from Normandy are particularly fascinating on the tapestry. The battle is bloody and long but William eventually secures victory. The tapestry’s story ends here, which is why most historians believe that there is a section missing. Perhaps the missing segment shows William’s march through Kent to London and his eventual coronation as King.


The museum did an excellent job with the audio tour walk around the tapestry and not only did we enjoy the history lesson, but the artistry of work and the sheer survival of it were remarkable. I was tempted to purchase and try my hand at the embroidery of a section (in the gift shop which you had to walk through in order to leave), but it was REALLY expensive, and I don’t know what I would do with it once I finished it. D was glad that I had had this discussion in my head so that he didn’t have to have it with me in the museum shop.

Some interesting facts we learned while taking this wonderful trip down English history lane are as follows:
1. William had quite the promotion in name with the successful campaign against England. William was the illegitimate son of Robert the Magnificent, Duke of Normandy and Herleva, a tanner’s daughter. William inherited his father’s title and land upon his death (since he didn’t have a legitimate son, a bit of a theme here) and then fought hard to keep it, since there were quite a few who didn’t want to recognize a bastard as their leader – which is what he was known as, William the Bastard. After his success in 1066, he became known as William the Conqueror. Not bad promotion. I liked his father’s “Magnificent” better, but Conqueror is nothing to complain about.

2. Scholars believe that Haley’s Comet is depicted on the tapestry. In the Middle Ages, comets were believed to be warnings of impending doom. This comet appeared 4 months after Harold’s coronation (April 24). The common belief was that God disapproved of Harold’s treachery and sent a sign to show it. Naturally these beliefs were strengthened with Harold’s defeat and death within a year.
3. There are a few sections of the tapestry that aren’t understood. One was called The Mysterious Lady. It depicts the Bishop touching or slapping the face of a young woman. Some believe that this is William’s daughter who was betrothed to Harold (in coordination with the oath of loyalty), but then the slapping doesn’t make any sense. Some believe that it depicts some kind of sexual scandal that was well known at that time, but then why put it in this tapestry commemorating William? Interesting
4. The scenes of everyday life on the border of this tapestry are some of the best resources historians have for the social history regarding food, clothing, tools and life of the 11th century. The military history of battle and implements for battle are also valuable. It really was just a remarkable piece of work.

For those interested in seeing the tapestry, I found a wonderful resource that shows you section by section the whole thing, with a brief description of what is happening. I am sorry that the detail isn’t better, but you loose out on content if you go up closer. I love history and being in a place where you experience such a depth of it is beyond a treat. I truly appreciate bits of history like this that are unique - different than the standard paintings or pottery or pieces of metal. I guess since I do handwork as well, my appreciation is greater. Here it is:

http://www.bayeuxtapestry.org.uk/BayeuxContents.htm

Mont Saint-Michel

In soliciting suggestions for weekend getaways from coworkers, one place was among the most enthusiastically recommended destinations. Situated on France's northwestern coastline, Mont Saint-Michel is a spectacular abbey built on a small island a short distance from the mainland. The surrounding costal flats flood during high tide, but at low tide the flats are exposed providing access to foot traffic to the areas around the island.


The approach to the Mont was remarkable, catching glimpses of the top of the abbey across modern cityscapes, then across costal farmland. Around nearly every bend it seemed we were stopping to take photos as the increasingly visible detail made it increasingly incredible. As we walked up to the abbey, we both remarked how it felt like something out of the Lord of the Rings movies, and further research found Peter Jackson used the Mont as inspiration for the design of Minas Tirith in The Return of the King.


The sheep which graze in the flats around the site are a particular breed well suited to the salty conditions. I tried to get close to the locals but they wouldn't cooperate for a photo.


Apparently, Mont Saint-Michel is the second most visited site in France after Paris, and it is obvious why. J may disagree, but at this point, Mont Saint-Michel is in the running for highlight of the trip. And of course, like everything we seem to visit, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Belgian Specialties: Part 3 - Chocolate

(photo from the Belgian Tourists Office)

The chocolate is heavenly and we have enjoyed the variety. Chocolate came to Europe through the Spanish conquistadors and was made popular with the addition of sugar and vanilla to the crushed bean drink that the Aztecs enjoyed. By the 17th century the Spanish were exporting the dried crushed bean. The hot chocolate drink popular with the royal and privileged circles was made open to a more common populous, at least in Belgium, with the repeal of chocolate tax in the 19th century. The biggest contribution toe the chocolate industry from Belgium must be the invention of the praline in 1857 by Jean Neuhaus in Brussels. (A praline is a chocolate that has a hard chocolate outer shell and a soft inner filling. They are very nice, and there is an infinite variety of what the filling can consist.)

Currently, Belgium is the world producer of chocolate turning out some 172,000 tons of chocolate per year with more than 2,000 chocolate shops nationally. Godiva is probably the most well known Belgian chocolatier, but the smaller more “boutique” chocolatiers seem to be more respected in the flavor and presentation of their wares. D and I enjoy going into the little shops and picking out a small boxful of chocolates to nibble on throughout the day or week. Since much of the chocolate is made by hand, and all of the chocolate is very fresh, we feel obligated to eat it quickly in order to fully appreciate the chocolatiers ability. (I still generally prefer solid chocolate as opposed to the praline, but that is my personal preference.)


We are not necessarily that sophisticated of consumers, so we have a couple of favorites from the grocery store. Jacques brand is probably the one we trust most – they have a fantastic dark chocolate bar with candied orange peel shavings that is just yummy. And, to please our non-dark-chocolate loving friends, they also have a white chocolate with toasted coconut shavings that is a regular in the Avilla house. But, since we also want to be adventurous, we are trying things that they would NEVER offer in the States (at least in my opinion) like chocolate bars with thyme and sesame seed, chili pepper shavings, and lavender pieces to name a few. We have opened the thyme and sesame seed and D likes it – I am not convinced that it tastes good. When they are trying to convince you of the health benefits to the chocolate (it has Omega 3 on the label) I am suspicious that that means it doesn’t taste very good. Or as others might say, it is an acquired taste. Um hm.

Conclusion/ consequences
My respect for Belgian products has grown tremendously. I always thought that “good” chocolate came from Germany or Switzerland – I had heard of Belgian chocolate, but never really realized that this is the heartland of fine sweets. Also, D and I had stumbled across Chimay beer, one of the Belgian Trappists that is exported, at Whole Foods and liked it. So, coming here I knew that Belgium had some good beer, but I had no idea of the scope, ritual or tradition that surrounded it. Finally, French fries get no respect in the States because McDonalds has co-opted the image and let’s face it, “Supersize Me” has forever turned me off of McDonalds anything, much less the fries (The Smoking Fry extra on the DVD is just fascinating and horrifying at the same time.) I am not suggesting that fries are healthy, they aren’t, no matter what country makes them. Having said that, I have never had fries as good – with the possible exception of the homemade fries my dad makes when we visit in the summer, just yummy. I didn’t think that fries could be as embraced as a cultural centerpiece, by all generations, as they have been here. Interesting, and tasty.

The only problem with such a wonderful variety of good eats is that D and I have noticed that we have gained a little bit of weight. That was inevitable. We really didn’t put restrictions on ourselves with these lovely specialties – we knew our time here was short and didn’t want to miss out on the fun. However, when the time increased, we didn’t really want to cut short the fun, we didn’t “live” here so it is ok, like an extended vacation. You can see the problem with this logic – it is a lot like morning logic when you press the snooze button over and over, trying to avoid the inevitable fact that you have to get up. So, in order to address our logic problem we have recently committed to upping our work-out frequency and intensity in order to prevent having to cut some of our favorite Belgian traditions. Last time I lived in Europe I had a similar problem – the ice cream got me then (Austrian ice cream at Schwedenplatz is the best in the world, I still believe that); now, it is fries, chocolate (Nutella is in there too, I have been weak), and some darn good beer. And, I don’t think I would change it. D gets to play soccer with a bunch of Italians (that is for another time, he is living the dream) and I smile more while running because I know that my reward will taste sweet.

Belgian Specialties: Part 2 - Beer

Now, I really respect the Belgian appreciation of gastronomy. Unlike the French, who have fantastic wine down to a science, the Belgians have chosen to make beer their specialty. Beer has been made and drunk here since the Middle Ages when water was of questionable hygiene. After the breakout of the plague, St. Arnold, the patron saint of brewers, convinced locals to drink beer rather than water. Since beer was boiled and water wasn’t, the “cure” worked. Drinking beer instead of water curing the plague?…very interesting. There is a joke here in which I will refrain from making now, but feel free to do it yourself next time you partake in this beverage of choice.

The alcohol content of these beers is also significantly higher than most beers (ALL beers in the US) ranging from 6-12%. There are a couple that are even higher, but they are like a cross between beer and wine and are called “Lambics.” They are made with fruit and are extremely sour/tart, which puts off most serious beer drinkers. We have tried them. The high end ones are almost undrinkable. The low end variety is like a wine cooler, which I liked very much.

Legend has it that the alcohol content has increased since its origins in response to a government ban or restriction on the sale of liquor. Since the Belgians couldn’t get their other spirits when and how they wanted them, they increased the alcohol content of the beer, hence making up the difference. I have searched for corroborating evidence on this, but even Wikipedia has let me down. That may well mean that it is an urban myth instead of truth. Either way, it is a fun story.


Belgium has a rich history of making beer. They had up to 3 thousand of different breweries at its height (the early 19th century), only about 775 after WWII, but now down to about 100. Having said that, it is hard to keep a count on how many beers Belgium produces. There are seasonal beers, made only at particular times, and I believe, smaller breweries that are more cottage industries, somewhat like Oregon. Overall, I would say that there is wonderful depth and character to the beers. We have been keeping a spreadsheet on the different beers we have tried, whether we like them or not, a rating system and notes as to what might make it different from the others. We want to make the most of our time here and after appreciating the microbrew tradition in Oregon, we felt it only right to be able to state why and how we liked one over another. (My personal favorite is the Gordon Scotch Ale and D doesn’t have one yet. He did say, though, that the "Brigand" ale we tried was probably as close as he has to a favorite, so far.)

Among the dozen or so surviving abbey breweries in Europe, six are Trappist and located in Belgium, all established in their present form by Trappists who left France after the turbulence of the Napoleonic period. Rich dark ales produced solely by monks according to centuries-old methods in the six following monasteries; Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, Westvleteren and Achel. Only Orval is open to the public. We are hoping to make a trip down to see it. Westvleteren is the most exclusive. The monks only make 500,000L a year, which sell out within days of being on the market. The monks currently have no plans of upping production to meet demand, which makes finding Westvleteren difficult. They also do not have labels for the bottles, but the glass is stamped "Trappist" which is cool. The bottle cap tells you which beer you have. D and I hunted down a beer specialist in Brugge and bought 2 of the 4 Westvleterens. We haven’t opened them yet, but the www.beeradvocate.com rates the Westvleteren 12 as #1 and the Westvleteren 8 as #7. I look forward to seeing if the Avillas rate it as well. (UPDATE: Tried the Westvleteren Blonde last night, wasn't that impressed. It was a nice beer, but I would only give it a 3 out of 5. A bit too bitter for me. Nice and sweet, but the bitter after bite left me dissatisfied.)


The Belgian tradition is to have a special glass for each different beer – the logo of that beer on that glass, which has been especially designed to help the drinker appreciate the unique characteristics of that beer. It is AMAZING to go into a bar with hundreds of Belgian beers and see the hundreds of glasses hanging up over the bar. A definite up side is that it is much harder to get the wrong drink. We were told at our Brewery tour in Brugge that Belgians nurse a single beer all night, that they have a relationship with it and don't want to rush things. I do have to say, given the alcohol content, that is a good thing. We have noticed this tradition and therefore, really haven't seen much drunkenness, which is nice.

I could clearly go on and on, but I need to get on to my favorite Belgian speciality, Chocolate.

Belgian Specialties: Part 1 - Fries

Mons is extremely close to the French border – it is about a 15 minute car ride. Needless to say, the language and culture reflect the French influence. But they do have their own twists – the primary example I can think of is the Belgian love of frites (French fries, ironic on the name, hmm? But that is a rabbit trail for another day).

A small historical sidebar: Belgians claim to have originated “French fries.” According to Wikipedia, (that wonderful source of information, mostly reliable) Belgian historian Jo Gerard recounts that potatoes were fried in 1680 in the Spanish Netherlands, in the area of "the Meuse valley between Dinant and Liege, Belgium. The poor inhabitants of this region allegedly had the custom of accompanying their meals with small fried fish, but when the river was frozen and they were unable to fish, they cut potatoes lengthwise and fried them in oil to accompany their meals.” Interesting. It is impossible to know for sure who started it, but the Belgians have definitely adopted it and made it their national snack and are the largest consumers of them in Europe.

These frites aren’t like fries in the States, they are really much better. Apparently they fry them twice (very healthy) once at a low heat in which to cook them and then the second time at a high heat to give them that wonderful crispiness. They serve them with a variety of sauce options – the standard here is mayo, again, it isn’t mayo like at home, it is much creamier, almost like a tartar sauce and it is yummy. We have also had it with a curry sauce that was very nice. Ketchup is the standard American pleaser. They are served in friteries, which is a fry stand, but also at restaurants with all kinds of food. At the fry stand, the frites are served in a paper cone and you eat it with a spear or tiny fork. They are piping hot and fairly lightly salted. (They don't want the flavor of the fries to be masked by a wall of salt.) At restaurants, fries are served with fish, meat, mussels, omlettes, just about anything. Frites places are everywhere and they serve just about every meal with them. Fantastic. We have also witnesses, although didn’t visit, a Frites Museum in Brugge. These folks like their fried food. And, naturally, they go well with our next specialty (coming in Part 2), beer.

Cheeky monkey

So we have been here for just under 2 months and I have taken the opportunity to walk around town and Mons is an interesting place. It is remarkably beautiful in places and almost bizarre if not sad in others. I am sure that you could say the same for any location that is new to you (especially that of which is foreign), but I thought that I would put my thoughts down here and share them with you.

Mons' mascot is a monkey, hence the "clever" title to this blog. The best explanation for this that I can find is that there is a small bronze medieval statue, attached to the outside of Town Hall at ground level, that grants good luck to those that rub its head. Not surprising, the head is shiny from hundreds of years of rubbing. I have not found where this tradition came from (or why a monkey, or why it was posted next to the city’s most important building) but it has been around a long time. Famous “tourists” that have visited said monkey include Emperor Charles V of Hapsburg (1500-1558) and Emperor Napoleon of France (1769-1821). Bizarre huh?


I was shocked to realize how old Mons is – it is documented back to Roman times and beyond. “Mons” is a shortened version of Montes, which is mountains in French. Because most everything is bilingual (by this I mean that the signs change when you go from a French speaking province to a Flemish one) the Dutch/Flemish name is Bergen, same meaning. It began to grow and thrive upon the founding of a convent here by noblewoman Waudru (Sainte Waudru) in the late 600’s. As the community grew up around this religious center, the strategic value of the place also increased and the occupations began. To name a few, the Austrians, French, Dutch, Spanish and Germans have occupied what we now know as Belgium. (Belgium has been independent since 1830.)

The church that was built to pay tribute to Lady Waudru began in 1450 and was completed in 1621 – and it is spectacular. I had been walking around town (on my way back from the Red Cross – a thrift store, great sweaters!) and decided to pop in. I literally had the entire place to myself, which was cool and disconcerting at the same time. A person does feel small and insignificant in the face of such a building – ones eyes are naturally drawn up to the beauty and majesty of the soaring columns and arches, and I couldn’t help but think of the glory of God. The church is huge and imposing. The carving work was wonderful – both the stone and woodwork, completed by local artists. They had a huge ornate carriage (definitely in the Rococo style) off to one side that is used to carry the shrine of Sainte Waudru through the streets every year on Trinity Sunday. The crowd helps push the carriage along – whether this is because of the weight and the horses need help or if it is crowd participation I don’t know. Just beautiful.


Mons is known in the 20th Century for the fierce battle fought here which marked the first major action of the British Expeditionary Forces in World War I. [For those interested, more information can be found at: http://www.1914-1918.net/bat1.htm] It has also been home to NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) since 1967 when it moved from Fontainebleau after France’s withdrawal from the military structure of the alliance.


The Grand Place dates back to medieval times and truly is the hub of this town. I have to say, it is nice to go down and enjoy a meal or a hot chocolate at one of the restaurants on the Grand Place on the weekend – there is almost always something going on. We have witnessed Jazz bands, Swing bands, street performers, college initiation rights (I think this was like a fraternity thing), and an aerial acrobat team that “danced” on the buildings and dangling from wires, to name a few. There is also a pedestrian walking zone/shopping district directly off the Place which makes it that much more popular. I can say one thing for sure, there is a lot to like about Mons. It is an interesting place.

Seen at the airport

I had to take a colleague to the airport last weekend and noticed something interesting as we pulled into the parking garage:


This sign shows how many free spots are available on each level, and each aisle on each level has its own indicator of how many spaces are available on that aisle. Each parking spot has a sensor installed above it to detect when the space is occupied. Very clever.

The Brussles terminal is currently under construction, and as we walked into the terminal we noticed a construction worker struggling to carry a very large pipe:


Not something likely to be seen in the States.