Today I set myself a challenge. I decided to go on an ordinary Saturday morning walk in my very ordinary neighbourhood, in search of the extraordinary.
So I worked out a 13 km route, took the bus to Wespelaar, and walked back home, in search of the unusual.
Did I succeed? Judge for yourself…
Well, my quest got off to a good start; a traffic policeman certainly makes an unusual sight in a garden. The gnome doesn’t look too happy to have been ousted from his usual prominent position.
And here’s an interesting road sign! It means “changed family situation”. An original way to publicize a recent addition to the family!
Another surprising sight: I wasn’t expecting such a display of colour on the last day of January!
…especially when temperatures have been dropping below freezing point, and today in particular is exceedingly cold.
The clear winter’s morning light certainly makes for a beautiful picture along the canal.
Not too sure what this fascinating looking building is …
… but just a bit further, some major renovations are taking place on an ancient gateway.
Now this is unusual. A incredibly narrow plot of ground for sale, advertised for construction. What might someone construct on such a small strip of land? A toilet? A cycle shed? A dog kennel?
And finally, what could this be?
It’s one of 235 machine gun pillboxes built during the Second World War in a line from Antwerp to Waver.
I created Discovering Belgium in 2011 to share the country’s hidden stories, fascinating places, and remarkable people. Through articles, photography, and audio walks, I share discoveries that reveal Belgium beyond the obvious. Hope you enjoy this site.
I do think you’ve succeeded in finding some unusual things along your walk Denzil. My favourite is the sign about the birth of a new baby. And I love the photo of the canal. It’s so different from how the countryside looked when we were there in September.
Unfortunately I had inadvertently set my camera for low resolution capture, so the resulting photos of the canal were not as good as clear or defined as they could have been. Nevertheless, they still provide a good memory of a lovely day out.
You did great. 🙂 All the photos are interesting, but the reflections in the canal is a gorgeous shot. The gun pillbox photo is interesting since I just finished watching Fury, a WWII movie.
Thanks for your comment Judy. The bunkers were all armed with two firing ports positioned to give flanking fire. Most had overlapping fields of fire. They were initially camouflaged or made to look like sheds.
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I do think you’ve succeeded in finding some unusual things along your walk Denzil. My favourite is the sign about the birth of a new baby. And I love the photo of the canal. It’s so different from how the countryside looked when we were there in September.
Unfortunately I had inadvertently set my camera for low resolution capture, so the resulting photos of the canal were not as good as clear or defined as they could have been. Nevertheless, they still provide a good memory of a lovely day out.
It looks pretty good to me. It reminds me of the canal from Bruges to Damme.
You excelled yourself! That canal and the reflections was worth the trek, all by itself! The birth announcement is most original. 🙂
Thanks Yvonne. I wonder if the birth signpost will now be copied elsewhere, maybe in English?
You did great. 🙂 All the photos are interesting, but the reflections in the canal is a gorgeous shot. The gun pillbox photo is interesting since I just finished watching Fury, a WWII movie.
Thanks for your comment Judy. The bunkers were all armed with two firing ports positioned to give flanking fire. Most had overlapping fields of fire. They were initially camouflaged or made to look like sheds.
Now that is interesting. Thank you for the further explanation.
Inspiring idea 🙂