Not far from Rochefort, the Monkey visited the truly quaint village of Celles, nestled amongst the rolling hills of the Lesse River valley region. The closer of the two churches in this photo is the 12th Century Saint Hadelin Church. The parallel hilltop church gives Celles a unique look. Many of the houses are constructed of gray fieldstones like the ones the Monkey is resting against here, adding immensely to the village's character.
The Monkey inspects a brewing tank in the Du Bocq Brewery, in Purnode, near Namur. This independent, family-owned brewery opened on a farm in 1858, amd today produces ten different beers: Blanche de Namur, Saison Regal, Saint Benoit Blonde, Saint Benoit Brune, Triple Moine, Deugniet, Regal Christmas, and three varieties of La Gauloise: Brune, Ambrée, and Blonde. Thirsty?
The Monkey enjoys an early morning mist somewhere in the Ardennes, the hilly, eastern section of Belgium that borders Luxembourg and Germany. In this region, there is a significant German-speaking minority that adds to the complexity of Belgium's multilingual, multicultural mosaic.
Fields of this head-high, bright yellow rapeseed (mustard) flower are a common sight in Europe. Here, the Monkey climbs the stems of some mustard flowers in southern Belgium. Contrary to popular belief, mustard flowers are not an ingredient in mustard gas, the toxic weapon first used in Ypres, Belgium by German soldiers in September, 1917. Rather, these flowers are used to make much more benevolent products, like rapeseed oil for cooking. The poison gas's name derived from the odor that afflicted soldiers described, of mustard, garlic, horseradish, or even apples.
Home——Region Selector——Special Features——Monkey FAQ——Contact——Links
Copyright monkeytravel.org 2002-2005. The Monkey respects your right to use his photos for your personal, non-profit entertainment or for educational purposes.