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Flanders today decEMBER 24 2008

N°61

I N DE P E N DE N T N E W S W e e k l y

The Bruges Issue i

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Fire and ice

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Bruges puts some bite in its old-world image Lisa Bradshaw t first we thought it was our imagination. But the news just kept trickling out of Bruges with such regularity that we finally had to admit: it was a phenomenon. Bruges – the little mediaeval city famous for its old, stony architecture, its tiny cobblestoned lanes, its horse-drawn carriages, its history of lacemaking – is changing its image. Rather than trying to avoid the hundreds of thousands of British and American tourists that pack the place year round to revel in its unyielding “charm”, we suddenly felt jealous of what they were getting, what we – with our noses in Brussels and Antwerp and Ghent – were missing. Bruges has become cool. The capital of West Flanders has always seemed a bit stodgy to the rest of Belgium – a tourist trap by day that shuts down at 19.00 like an old man with a nightcap climbing into his four-poster bed. And while the city’s stalwarts, such as the belfry or the chocolate museum, are certainly still in place, the avant-garde art, politics and design creeping in around

them is giving Bruges a contemporary buzz it has never felt before. The last few months alone are proof. The recent multi-disciplinary festival called “The Messenger” served as a politically-charged response to Flanders’ ongoing integration programmes. A city not well known for its immigrant population, Bruges put it smack in the faces of both local residents and tourists, dotting outdoor spaces with huge posters of immigrants paired with personal stories. “Integrate them into what?” the curator commented to Flanders Today. “They are already part of society.” The “international” tag that has in fact always eluded the city (not counting the tourists), is peeking out in other ways, too. This month’s December Dance was the city’s second annual international dance festival. With a focus on Quebec, it brought this important centre of contemporary dance to Flanders. Along with world-class performance, it also paves the way for future collaboration between the Flemish and Quebec dance scenes. Continued on page 3

Ring out the old, ring in the old Leterme resigns over Fortis Alan Hope nd so Belgium ends the year without a government, having spent most of the year with one that barely functioned. As Flanders Today went to press the King was holding talks with leading political figures, hoping to find someone who could pick up the pieces of Yves Leterme’s shattered administration. Meanwhile, the country was faced with the uninspiring choice of being led again by Jean-Luc Dehaene or Guy Verhofstadt, both former prime ministers who now appear to be building new careers as saviours of the nation.

Freeze!

Eat!

Sleep!

Make a mad dash through the snow Join the world’s great chefs as they and ice festival before your toes concoct new dishes out of the most fall off and then warm yourself unlikely combinations. with a glass of mulled wine.

Spend the night in a bed and breakfast to meet the natives and experience the real Bruges that most tourists never see.

9 Feature 1, 3, 5-6

Active 7, 9

Living 10-11

News 12

Business 13

On Friday 19 December, Yves Leterme formally resigned his entire government, standing down for the fourth time since his triumphant success in the elections of June 2007. Then, he garnered 800,000 personal preference votes – a magnificent total, but not enough to enable him to govern. His resignation at the weekend came after he was accused by the senior magistrate in the country of bringing pressure to bear on judges in an ongoing case in which the government is involved – the decision to suspend the sale of bank-insurer Fortis Continued on page 12 Agenda 14-15

Interview 16

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Editor’s Notes

From dusk to dawn, until 5 January. Derek Blyth

online

Belga

www.solstis.be

icking Tia Hellebaut as the top Face of Flanders for 2008 was the easy part: finding something new to say about her is more difficult. We featured her twice on our cover, even when – or especially when – hope for Belgium’s Olympic medal prospects was at its lowest. Hellebaut took the gold in the high jump, and, for one brief moment, the rifts in this divided nation were forgotten. At the end of the year Hellebaut announced she was giving up athletics, a sad piece of news leavened only by the fact that she is also pregnant. With her departure, and that of runner Kim Gevaert, Belgian sport loses two world-class figures.

Belga

Vieillard. In a separate installation on Barricadenplein, Vieillard construct a circle of backlit screens in different colours to create a giant rainbow on this somewhat forgotten city square. The artist emphasises the health benefits of his work by referring to it as “winter therapy”. The route ends on Stefanieplein, where the Belgian light artist Koert Vermeulen has constructed an installation intended to evoke a falling stack of Christmas parcels. You might also notice rainbows of light on top of certain buildings along the inner ring or city trams bathed in a strange light. It all adds up to an inspired project to make the city more warm and convivial while the days are at their shortest.

Marleen Temmerman Marleen Temmerman may well be the most highly regarded political figure in the country. She’s a senator for SP.A but is better known as a champion of women’s reproductive health, not only in Belgium at Ghent University but in the third world, where, as a senior gynaecologist and expert in tropical medicine, she fights for the cause of women affected by HIV in Africa. This year, her own health became the story, when it was reported she had undergone surgery. The operation appears to have been a success, but Temmerman will rest for another month.

Belga

s the winter solstice approaches, cities in northern Europe can be depressing places to live. But Brussels at least has been taking steps to bring light to the city squares and streets. Down on the Grote Markt, the town hall façade is illuminated with a strange shimmering light show, while in the middle of the square blue light pulses in a forest of Perspex tubes. This year, the city has gone one step further and commissioned three artists to design light installations along the inner ring road that marks the boundary of the old city. The route begins on Rogierplein, where the British artist Jason Bruges has used the Dexia Tower’s 4,200 interactive LED bars to create a light installation called “Tower (giftwrapped)”. The work uses video camera images of people passing by to project a changing pattern of colours onto the walls of the 145 metre skyscraper. Continuing around the inner ring, a line of trees on Kunstlaan glow with a mysterious blue light created by the French artist Victor

Tia Hellebaut

Probo Probo is the name given to a fully automated “huggable” robot under development by the Robotics and Multibody Research Group at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Brussels Free University). He’s not quite huggable yet: the foam and fur still have to be added for Probo’s big press debut in February. The international robotics community is keeping a close eye on this cutting-edge technology: Probo is designed to work with children in hospital and is being programmed with emotions that react to real-life situations.

Winter therapy: Victor Vieillard’s light installation on the Barricadenplein helps to combat winter blues

Flanders Today misses two issues over the Christmas and New Year period. But we’ll be back in your letterbox on 14 January.

Flanders Today 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden Editor: Derek Blyth Deputy editor: Lisa Bradshaw Tel.: 02.373.99.09 _ Fax: 02.375.98.22 News editor: Alan Hope E-mail: editorial@flanderstoday.eu Agenda: Sarah Crew Subscriptions: France Lycops Picture research: Esther Bourrée Tel: 02.373.83.59 Prepress: Nancy Temmerman E-mail: subscriptions@flanderstoday.eu Contributors: Marie Dumont, Stéphanie Duval, Advertising: Evelyne Fregonese Tel. 02.373.83.57 Sharon Light, Alistair MacLean, Marc Maes, E-mail: advertising@flanderstoday.eu Ian Mundell, Anja Otte, Monique Philips, Verantwoordelijke uitgever: Derek Blyth Saffina Rana, Leander Schaerlaeckens, Steven Tate, Christophe Verbiest, Denzil Walton, Rory Watson Project manager: Pascale Zoetaert Publisher: VUM NV Vlaamse Uitgeversmaatschappij Gossetlaan 28, 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden Editorial address: Gossetlaan 30,

Erik van Looy This year Erik van Looy launched the much-awaited follow up to De Zaak Alzheimer, his 2003 international success and one of the most popular films in Flemish history. Loft may not have been what everyone hoped, but Erik Van Looy, with his tousled hair, goofy-boy grin and jovial character lost no love because of it. He’s one of Flanders’ most popular celebrities, thanks to his ability to be charming on camera, too, as the host of the clever TV quiz show De Slimste Mens ter Wereld.

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Solstis

TALKING DUTCH notes on language

TOP FACES OF FLANDERS 2008

realiteit

recently having lunch with some Belgian Ihadwascolleagues. The conversation thankfully nothing to do with work. We effortlessly

slipped in and out of three languages. No gathering could have better illustrated the multilingual capacities of Belgians. Believe it or not, the conversation turned to Sinterklaas _ Saint Nicholas and, to everyone’s surprise, we discovered that the French-speaking part of the country has different traditions to the Dutch-speaking part. Fair enough, you might say. Then someone described the scene in the middle of November when Sinterklaas landed in Antwerp. A Fleming remarked on the usually casual mayor wearing a tie for the occasion. Then there occurred a moment which drew me up short. None of the French-speaking Belgians had ever heard of Patrick Janssens, the mayor of Antwerp. Clearly, we were inhabiting different realities. Life is often an illusion, but here in Belgium it can be surreal. Perhaps it’s just my imagination, but the lines between the real and the unreal seem to blur in this country. Take the crocodiles in a zoo near Liège. The animal welfare organisation Gaia recently published a damning report on the lack of housing for the animals: “de krokodillen konden nergens schuilen _ the crocodiles had nowhere to shelter”. General mutterings of condemnation rippled through the country until someone went to see for themselves. And what did they find? Plastic crocodiles. Gaia’s excuse? “Vanop de plaats waar we stonden, was het moeilijk te zien dat de krokodillen vals waren _ From where we were standing it was difficult to see that the crocodiles were not real”. An easy mistake to make. Then there was the dangerous snake in the small coastal town of Koksijde. Local officers were called out but were reluctant to tackle the reptile themselves. While waiting for a veearts _ a vet, two police officers (quite a crowd must have gathered by now) made a gingerly approach and discovered that de slang toch niet zo gevaarlijk was als gesignaleerd _ the snake was not quite so dangerous as it looked. It was in fact a plush toy. The chief inspector reassured the locals: de bevolking van Koksijde was op geen enkel ogenblik in gevaar _ the population of Koksijde was at no time in danger. Well that’s a relief! And the owner? De eigenaar is onbekend _ the owner is unknown. And the snake? “We zullen er intussen goed voor zorgen _ We will take care of it in the meantime.” Job well done. No, things are not as they may seem in the land of Magritte. I recently went to the gemeentehuis _ town hall – to renew my verblijfsbewijs – residence permit with a photo of me without glasses. The eagled-eyed official was reluctant to attach the unbespectacled photo to the new card. I suggested that if challenged I could simply remove my glasses for comparison. Gravely she replied: “Het is uw eigen verantwoordiglijkheid _ It’s your own responsibility.” Yes, realiteit is a burden.

Alistair MacLean

FEATURE

Continued from page 1

Marie Chouinard

And then, in one final coup, Bruges did the unthinkable. It re-invented lace. A craft tradition dating back hundreds of years and a Bruges stereotype that had come to make Belgians yawn – but now it’s all the rage. New voguish fashion, shadowy installations, gorgeously delicate mesh furnishings and white lace formed into the shape of a wheelbarrow – the lace festival Kantlijnen (Lace Lines) is indeed a metaphor for what Bruges is doing to itself: bringing new life to an old style. Though this all seems very fast to us, it’s actually the fruit of much labour. Back in 2002, Bruges was the Culture Capital of Europe, and it struggled with the mantle, bringing in consultants to help incorporate modern arts. Though Bruges is a city with many museums, none of them is contemporary. “In the wake of 2002, the museums began to discover that there is art beyond the 16th and 17th centuries,” smiles Michel Dewilde, curator of the visual arts department for the city. Institutions came together for Kantlijnen, and he assures us that there are more cutting-edge collaborations coming next year, culminating in a city-wide project in 2010 with Flemish artist Luc Tuymans as the head curator. There are a few reasons why Bruges has not followed in the more avant-garde footsteps of Antwerp or Ghent, but the most obvious is that it has no university and no art or music academies. “You can only study here until you’re 18,” notes Dewilde. “All the artistic talent from Bruges – and from the whole region – goes to

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Brussels or Leuven or Antwerp. And then they don’t come back. This year in Mons, there was an exhibition of Bruges talent – but not one of them lived in Bruges.” Dewilde sees a great opportunity in Bruges, though, specifically because of its centuries-old traditions. “We need to re-think this type of museum city with its huge number of old buildings and artworks into the 21st century,” he says. “We can ask international artists to come here and work with this past or to react to it, which would create a more living, vibrant city.” In a way, a lack of contemporary traditions frees the city to move forward in any way it chooses; it’s like a blank slate. “We don’t have to work with any Belgian or Flemish or Bruges artistic context because it’s not here,” says Dewilde. “So why not work with an international art context in every discipline and bring them here. And try to bring back the Bruges talent.” It sounds easy. “But it takes a lot of effort,” he admits. “Changing perceptions is not easy.” But it’s not impossible. Let’s not forget the film In Bruges – which may not have done anything for Bruges’ contemporary arts culture, but it sure made it seem like a dangerously mysterious city where Russians run guns from inside 16th-century Tudor houses and ghostlike figures masquerade in back squares. A modern take on ancient traditions.

In your face, lace haters: Bruges launched a festival that stylishly re-invented their oldest profession (right); December Dance brought the best of Quebec dance to the city (below); Abattoir Fermé and Union Suspecte teamed up during The Messenger festival to present They Eat People, where a Moroccan Brusseleer runs for office (below right)

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flanders today.indd 1

29-10-2007 13:45:57

THE BRUGES ISSUE

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The best of Bruges As Ray found out in In Bruges, there’s more to the city than sightseeing

Shopping 1

Callebert

ith a half-century reputation, this shop is the epitome of modern decor, with three floors of the latest interior design. You’ll find everything from quirky kitchenware to colourful bedroom decorations, made by the most highly regarded international product designers from Alessi to Vitra. No wonder it’s such a popular spot to register for newlyweds. Wollestraat 25, www.callebert.be

Rombaux The next best thing to a concert must be a visit to this wonderful shop. Rombaux’s cosy interior is filled with a large and specialised collection of classical and jazz CDs, through which you can peacefully browse to your heart’s content. Furthermore, the shop is the go-to place if you’re looking to buy, rent or repair a piano. Violins, harps, guitars and musical scores are also available here, to fulfil the dreams of every musician. Mallebergplaats 13, www.rombaux.be

L’Héroïne Prepare to fall in love with Belgian fashion when you walk into this boutique. This is the only place in Bruges where you can buy designs by Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester and AF Vandervorst, including their fabulous shoe collections. L’Héroïne completes the picture by also offering more affordable Belgian collections such as Noon and Just in Case, complemented by the jewellery designs of Karin Nuñez de Fleurquin and Wouters & Hendrickx. Noordzandstraat 32

Lunabloom The bright colours of Lunabloom instantly make you feel as happy as a five-year-old. Though much of the shop’s cute stuff is aimed at exactly that age group, grownups will have trouble resisting the charms of its original gifts, clothes, self-made fashion accessories, tin toys, soft rag dolls with great big eyes and fun interior decorations. Eeckhoutstraat 17b, www.lunabloom.be

Hoet Optiek When you need glasses, there’s no reason not to buy the crème de la crème of design, which happens to be Belgian and sold in this wonderful shop. But this place is more than just a shop, it’s a haven for innovative eyewear design. Six generations have helped customers find their perfect look for their face in this iconic boutique, one of the few places where you can find the exclusive Hoet collection. Even if you don’t need glasses, it’s worth a visit. Vlamingstraat 19, www.hoet.be

Dining Kooktheater Sans Cravate Forget your fancy suit and matching tie, because they’re not welcome at Sans Cravate. Though the restaurant has had a Michelin star since 2006, it has stayed true to its philosophy: offer guests a top quality culinary

3 1 2 3 4

Fifty years of the coolest interior decor at Callebert Sit and listen at Rombaux The best look for your nose at Hoet Design Great stuff for you – we mean your kids – at Lunabloom

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THE BRUGES ISSUE

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experience in a warm and intimate environment. The the place turn into a dance floor, where young and open kitchen lets you watch a top chef ’s wizardry. old swing to the beats of a live DJ. Vrijdagsmarkt 15 Art and design buffs will also love this spot, where the tableware is as artful as the gastronomic cooking. Langestraat 159, www.sanscravate.be Even if you only visit once, Retsin’s Lucifernum is the kind of place you never, ever forget. A private home owned by one Willy Retsin, you knock on his door You’ll think you walked into an authentic French on a Saturday night and, if he’s in the mood and his brasserie when you open the doors. But even though little candlelit bar is not yet full, he’ll let you in. You the fresh baguettes and Américain smell and taste can only get drinks with rum, and they are served by just like in Paris, you’re still very much in Bruges. The Latin beauties surrounded by vintage statues, cologolden glow of the warm lighting and the wood inte- nial-style paintings and live Latin music. Twijnstraat rior make it an ideal spot to relax and enjoy a lovely 6-8 meal of carpaccio or pheasant after a busy day. Eiermarkt 5, www.brasserie-raymond.com

Retsin’s Lucifernum

Brasserie Raymond

Le Bar

Arthie’s The highly original interior at Arthie’s hovers somewhere between art, design and funky kitsch. It’s an eclectic and colourful background to a dining experience just as interesting. Arthie’s celebrates “the art of eating”: the food is fresh and tasty, the presentation is unusual. A fun place to have lunch and a delicious pancake during the day or a fashionable dinner in the evening. Wollestraat 10, www.arthies.be

Tanuki If you’d like to learn more about Japanese food, Tanuki is the place for you. The restaurant with a traditional interior has several menus that offer a taste of everything Japanese cuisine has to offer. Further, you can steal a glimpse of the chefs at work in the open kitchen, where they prepare the fresh sushi and sashimi. For those who’d like to try it at home, there’s a small shop in the restaurant selling everything you need. Oude Gentweg 1, www.tanuki.be

Concertgebouwcafé It’s only open for lunch, but it’s during the day you’ll want to visit anyway because afterwards you can wander up to the top floor for a spectacular view from the rooftop terrace. This cafe in Bruges’ performing arts centre is a great spot for a light lunch and a glass of wine – it has an admirable selection. Admire the modern and trendy interior design by architects Robbrecht and Daem and listen to the CD of the month, which features something from the centre’s concert programme and is always on sale next to other assorted CDs. ’t Zand 34, www.concertgebouw.be

Drinking La Fuente Are you ready for an apéritif by candlelight? Then step into the warm surroundings of La Fuente, where you can sit at intimate round tables or have a drink at the bar. Those who stick around long enough will see

For the ideal mix of cosy and classy, the modern, loungy Le Bar is the place to be. Fancy champagne, artful cocktails or Scottish whisky, whatever tickles your fancy will be on the menu and will perfectly complement the delicious tapas. Cigar lovers will be pleased to know that the Havana selection is just as varied and alluring as the drinks menu. Torhoutsesteenweg 481, www.lebar.be

Bauhaus This youth hostel bar is where Bruges is hiding its nightlife. If you are on the lower side of 30, you’ll fit right in with the travellers who’ve come back after a hard day of being touristy and the locals who come to meet attractive foreigners. But the interior is beautiful, too. It’s lined with mirrors, clocks and old lamps out of the Paris metro. 450 beers decorate the menu. Langestraat 133

Favela Favela makes the best Mojitos and Caiperinhas in Bruges. The exotic interior will make you feel as if you’ve stepped right into a Cuban holiday resort with waving palm trees and the sand of the beach under your feet. The typical SouthAmerican music further puts you in a festive mood. Before you know it, you’ll lose yourself to the dance. Hoogste van Brugge 1

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Arthie’s looks as good as it tastes

Michelin-starred Sans Cravate

The best night of your life: Retsin’s Lucifernum

Hospitable hostel: Bauhaus

ACTIVE

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Ice cold fever Denzil Walton f heavy snow should fall in Flanders this winter, Flanders Today’s readers will no doubt head out to gardens and parks to build a snowman. What about breaking with tradition and creating something different? Like, for example, an orc or a sabre-toothed tiger? Or you could go to Bruges and see these, plus the many more amazing creations that are on display at Ice Magic, the annual snow and ice sculpture festival next to the city’s train station. Here, young and old are encouraged to participate in an interactive journey through magical rooms containing stunning works of snow and ice art. Afterwards, you enjoy a drink at the ice bar or warm up in the nostalgic tent of mirrors. The opening of Ice Magic was preceded by five weeks of hectic preparations. It takes a whole week just to put up the tent – a specially designed, double-walled thermal structure filled with 1,850 square metres of insulation. This is necessary to maintain the temperature at minus 6 degrees. (This is a hint: the place is freezing, wear your wool cap and socks.) Week two sees the arrival of the ice and the production of massive bricks of snow. Four hundred tons of snow is used to make bricks by crushing flakes into powder and compacting it in wooden moulds. Then it’s all re-frozen, layer by layer, until the mould is removed,

leaving immensely strong bricks. The ice for the actual sculptures is also made in giant blocks, weighing in at 1.8 tons and standing taller than a man. “To get crystalclear ice, we freeze moving water at minus 30 degrees,” explains Alexander Deman, the event’s organiser and one of the sculptors. “It takes four weeks to produce one block.” Since Ice Magic needs 300 tons of ice, the production facilities run year round. During week three the snow bricks are assembled into walls to separate the exhibits and guide visitors around the meandering path, and the ice blocks are arranged in their final resting places in the tent. Then the artistic work begins, when 38 ice sculptors arrived from across Europe and North and South American. “Each sculptor has his or her particular speciality,” explains Deman. “This could be carving people, animals, buildings or abstracts.” For two weeks, the tent was filled with the sound of buzz saws, drills, hot knives and chisels – amid a bewildering variety of languages. The biggest challenge for the sculptors is limited space. After forklifts manoeuvred 700 tons of snow and ice into the tent, there wasn’t a lot of space left. “All the sculptors were working in very confined spaces with dangerous, sharp equipment,” says Deman. “We all had to be pretty conscious of the proximity of our neighbours.”

You might freeze to death, but there’s nothing else like Bruges’ snow and ice festival

However, all was completed on schedule and without mishap for the grand opening last month. The sculptors returned home, leaving Deman and his local team to keep everything up and running. “It needs to be constantly maintained,” he explains. “People – and not just children – are always tempted to touch the sculptures – particularly the ice princess. Consequently, fingers break off or small parts gradually melt and shrink. So we are constantly going around repairing the sculptures.” And then there’s body heat: the warm breath from thousands of visitors condenses on the sculptures and gives the ice a misty appearance. It’s burnt off with a quick burst from a blow torch. This is the seventh ice festival in Bruges, and they are so successful, Deman is frequently asked to put on ice events elsewhere, in places as diverse as Dubai and Turkmenistan. However flattered he is by such offers, he simply doesn’t have the time, since he also organises the annual sand sculpture festival in Blankenberge. Even now, in the middle of the ice festival, he’s already hatching a vision for the sands of the coast next July. If you were spending all day in a 6 degree tent, wouldn’t you? Ice Magic, until 11 January, opposite Bruges train station

online

www.icesculpture.be

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ACTIVE

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FOOD

Primal tastes

11 ingredients, 11 chefs. Watch what they do next

An Gydé n 5 January, some of the world’s most famous chefs meet in Bruges for the first edition of The Flemish Primitives. Though it might sound like an odd title for a culinary event, it is intended as a meeting of minds from the artistic and scientific sides of gastronomy and wine. Hence the link to the Flemish primitives, the painters of the 15th and 16th centuries who developed new techniques by interacting with other artists from other genres, like sculptors and writers. This interaction completely changed the world of painting, and the organisers of this event hope for a similar revolution in the world of food. The theme this year is “food pairing”. Research shows that ingredients can be combined with each other if they share important elements of taste. It turns out that strawberries, for instance,

work very well with peas or with camembert – combinations that are not often imagined, let alone seen on your plate. The Catholic University of Leuven performed a taste analysis on 11 key ingredients. Scientists at Creax Food in Ypres then used the analysis to make a list of ingredients that can be combined with each of them. Eleven chefs came in to creatively work with their suggestions. If you want to know what the result of all this thinking tastes like, you’ll have to head to Bruges. The event welcomes some of today’s culinary superstars, which will appeal to the general foodie public as much as professionals. Albert Adria of El Bulli in Spain (widely considered the best restaurant in the world) and Ben Roche, the adventurous and technically innovative pastry chef of Chicago’s Moto will both be there. Heston

Blumenthal, the chef at England’s The Fat Duck (the world’s second best place to eat) is the event’s guest of honour. These top chefs will work sideby-side for a live food pairing demonstration. From Flanders, you can see chocolatier Dominique Persoone and chefs Filip Claeys (De Jonkman), Gert De Mangeleer (Hertog Jan), Viki Geunes (’t Zilte) and Peter Goossens (Hof Van Cleve) at work. But be warned: this bunch doesn’t come cheap. Tickets will cost you about €350 each. The Flemish Primitives: Food Pairing, 5 January, 9.00, Concertgebouw, ’t Zand 34, Bruges. Tickets from 070.660.750

online

www.theflemishprimitives.com

A real Flemish primitive: Peter Goossens

elgium has only two threestar restaurants, and one of them, most conveniently located for The Flemish Primitives, is in Bruges. The other is the Hof Van Cleve in the little town of Kruishoutem in East Flanders. Peter Goossens is the chef and easily Flanders’ most famous. The man seems to spend as much time commenting to journalists as he does in the kitchen. We took our turn to find out how Goossens will work with Europe’s other great chefs to turn out brand new tastes and textures during The Flemish Primitives.

What can we expect at The Flemish Primitives?

good. You have to put the food in your mouth, when all is said and done. You don’t put it in your ears, do you? So sometimes something looks good on paper, but in reality it doesn’t always work. We, the chefs, are now asking the scientists to look at the question in the opposite way: tell us why we like shrimp croquettes, for instance. You have the taste of oil, breadcrumbs, shrimps – and there’s the almost runny texture. These components together make something that is delicious to us, but why is that so? That’s what we’d like to know.

Food pairing would seem to be a more scientific approach to gastronomy.

frowned upon. But food still has to stay healthy. Food shouldn’t become some kind of décor where That’s true, but this approach to you just chuck everything in. food has existed for a long time. And of course one thing comple- Doesn’t your chef ’s heart ments the other; it’s not so much bleed when you have to a competition between the two create a dish starting from approaches. Chefs are now getting a plastic bag of vegetable to know products that have been essence? used in the food industry for a long time. Binding agents, for instance, Well…we also try to make the we didn’t know and didn’t allow products that are available better. in our culinary culture. In our That way we support the big training, we were taught to use kitchens and the food industry. only fresh ingredients. But now, And nowadays these products are these kinds of things are no long really high quality.

It has to provoke the reaction: “Wow, I want another plate of that!” That’s it. From the first mouthful, you should have the impulse to say: “That’s delicious.” That’s my definition of a perfect dish. If you construct a dish, you always have to make sure you have enough contrasting acids. If everything tastes sweet, it’s not right. Acids also assist in digestion, so you’ll eat a lot more of something that tastes a bit tart than of something overly sweet.

You are a juror in the My Restaurant series on TV, and you have a reputation as being the most straightforward with the candidates.

First, there is an exposition on the Flemish terroir and then in the afternoon some of the chefs – including me, Sergio Herman, Heston [Blumenthal], Albert Adria and Geert Van Hecke of De Karmeliet [Bruges’ three-star restaurant – will do a demonstration. All of the chefs have received a product from the food industry, along with an analysis for the best food pairing. In my case, it was red pepper coulis. I’m going to work with orange, cardamom, chicken skin and guava in combination with squid.

That’s what it’s like in a real kitchen, so I think it’s good that the public gets a glimpse of how things actually work. In a kitchen, there are no grey areas: it’s black and white. I’m not going to say something’s good if it’s really bad. The client in your restaurant won’t accept that, either. Life in a restaurant is tough; it’s hard work, long days. Sometimes you really have to work like a dog, that’s just the way it is. It’s impossible to automatise anything. Everything has to be done with your own two, little hands. Interview by An Gydé

Have you discovered surprising or new taste connections with the help of the food pairing theory?

Everything is constantly evolving, so you have to be aware of these new scientific insights. But, of course, the dish still has to taste

What are the features of a perfect dish?

“Wow, I want another plate of that!” Goossens knows how to please at Hof Van Cleve

online

www.hofvancleve.be

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LIVING

F L A N D E R S T O D AY i D E C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 0 8

Anne Croquet

BED & BREAKFASTS

No place like home Denzil Walton ost people visiting Bruges book a hotel online, but an increasing number are using the internet to track down bed and breakfasts. Some select B&Bs because they’re good value, but others choose this option because they want to stay in a genuine Bruges house owned by a local. B&Bs in Bruges began to surface in the 1970s and, in some cases, are still being run by the same proprietors. Most were started by couples whose children had left the family home and who therefore had a room or two available. Because running a B&B leads to a lot of socialising, the concept grew in popularity. Now there are more than 140 in and around Bruges. B&B proprietors – and their customers – know that a good B&B is based around the provision of four key elements: a warm welcome; a clean, wellequipped room; a big and healthy breakfast; and personal attention to guests. The last in the list is often the first reason why so many tourists book B&Bs in Bruges. The city’s hotel receptionists might have all the tourist guides, but how well do they really know the city or have the time to talk about it? “Many of Bruges’ B&B owners have lived here all their lives,” says Annemie Dieltiens, Head of the Guild of B&Bs in Bruges. “So they have a wealth of first-hand knowledge about everything to do with the city, whether it’s the most romantic place to dine, where to hire the best bikes or which lace shops offer the best deals.” This personal knowledge is something that the new breed of B&B owner often fails to understand.

The Bruges bed & breakfast tradition combines old with new, style with hospitality

Over the past few years, many young entrepreneurs have bought property in Bruges and converted part of it, thinking that all they have to do is provide – literally – a bed and a breakfast. But even a cursory glance at comments left online disproves this: “extremely friendly and helpful owners”, “the owner picked us up at the station”, “he showed us where to catch the bus”, and “we were able to pick the owner’s brains for restaurant recommendations, and they were always perfect”. In other words, it’s the owner’s personal knowledge of the city and willingness to share it that sets a B&B apart and encourages guests to recommend it – or return to it. This requires more than the ability to clean a room and spread a table. It’s therefore no surprise that some of the more recently opened B&Bs in Bruges have closed down, while the older ones continue to receive a stream of satisfied guests.

Lady Jane

his B&B is a novelty: The three rooms are furnished in completely different styles. The “Lady Jane” is all romantic English with a four-poster bed. The “Japan” room contains original tatami mats, a futon, and Japanese-style chairs and table. The “Africa” room is decorated in colonial style with original machetes and spears, tribal headgear and other African artefacts. The three rooms share two bathrooms, and the Africa room is reached by climbing a narrow, winding staircase from the sitting room. The ample breakfast arrives on a tray in your room: juice, milk, chocolate milk, yoghurt, rolls, cheese, meats and fruit. A kettle for making coffee or tea is right there in the room. All prices are for double occupancy; prices may vary depending on number of nights stayed

F L A N D E R S T O D AY i D E C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 0 8 i 1 1

Anne Croquet

Contrast

hough we hate to be repetitive, we have to join the list of publications recommending this very special bed and breakfast in the heart of Bruges. Just alongside a canal, the three rooms are in a huge old forge at the back of the neo-Gothic house, formerly used by an ornamental metal worker. Owners Cathy and Dries have completely renovated the interior into ultra-modern rooms with plenty of light and space. Would you like the giant round window or the triangle? Either way, you have a view on the garden and your own terrace. The breakfast is suitably abundant, and the owners perfectly hospitable. Lisa Bradshaw €80-€90; Predikherenrei 5; www.contrastbrugge.be

Hugo De Wulf, the owner of Lady Jane, is extremely friendly and is more than happy to sit down with guests and talk about Bruges. He has converted his mediaeval cellar into a delightfully snug wine cellar where the local wine club regularly meets. Guests are welcome to join their wine tastings – an excellent way to meet the locals. €60-€80, 11 Carmerstraat, www.bb-bruges4u2.be

Dieltiens

oen and Annemie Dieltiens run a beautifully renovated house only a few minutes’ walk from the centre of Bruges. It’s the home of a family of art-loving musicians, so expect soothing classical music over breakfast while you admire antiques and paintings. The three charming rooms with wooden floors are tastefully decorated, elegantly furnished and equipped with armchairs, wardrobes, TVs, tea and coffee and wireless internet. Each room also has an en suite bathroom with – a nice touch – a power-shower. Breakfast is served in the gorgeous dining room around a communal table underneath a crystal chandelier. It will keep you going for hours, thanks to a sumptuous spread of bread rolls, meats, cheese, muesli, pastries, juice, yoghurt, fruit, coffee, tea and chocolates. The owners provide a warm welcome and are more than willing to offer suggestions for a day in Bruges. €60-€75; Waalsestraat 40; www.bedandbreakfastbruges.be

Hip Bed & Breakfast

his 1930s mansion, located a 10-minute walk from the city centre, was recently refurbished and transformed into a trendy house with two guest rooms. Owners Guido and Virginie Olbrechts have created a comfortable and relaxing place to stay. The rooms, dubbed Heaven and Earth, are bright and modern, with en suite bathrooms, an LCD TV and fruit, tea and coffee. Breakfast includes juice, cereals, breads, yoghurt, figs, dates, local cheeses and coffee or tea. “If a guest wants an omelette, I will happily make one,” adds Virginie. The owners lived in Japan for three years and are keenly aware of the need to make travellers feel at home in a strange city. €70-€80; Werfstraat 99; www.hipbandbbruges.be

Andre’s Bed & Breakfast

his B&B is in a beautifully restored traditional Flemish house two kilometres from the centre of Bruges, which allows for plenty of parking and a complimentary ride to and from the station. Owner Andre Brutin also has two bikes for hire. A large breakfast includes fresh croissants, breads, orange juice, hot chocolate, tea and coffee, homemade jam and marmalade, cereals, cheese and cold meats. In the evening, guests are welcome to sit in the cosy living room to sample one or more of Andre’s wide selection of Belgian beers and pick his brain as to where to go the following day. Families with little children are very welcome: facilities include a cot, a high-chair and a range of toys. €50-€75; Velodroomstraat 126; www.andresbandb.tk

Facing page from top: Zen-out in Lady Jane’s Japanese room; the Hip B&B splashes colour in with earth tones; Andre’s is away from the bustle of the city This page from top: Old and new combines flawlessly at Contrast; Dieltiens dining and bedrooms feel like a real home

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NEWS

F L A N D E R S T O D AY i D E C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 0 8

FIFTH COLUMN

Leterme goes down for the fourth time

Yves Leterme has made Sagain,othatprimeafterlongminister trip to the royal palace once the Supreme Court announced that there were “significant indications” that members of the federal government had attempted to influence a judicial ruling on the sale of Fortis to BNP Paribas. Leterme has offered the resignation of his government to the King, who was still considering his decision as this publication went to press. Leterme’s exit reads like a Greek drama. In 2007 Leterme was “the man of 800.000 votes”. “Good governance” was to Leterme what “change” is to Obama. The Christian Democrat offered an alternative to the politics of liberals and socialists, which were judged too frivolous for these times. “Who believes these people?” Leterme said about them. By the end of 2008 Leterme has failed by his own standards. The state reform he promised has yet to be concluded. Meanwhile, his party CD&V has seen its cartel with the small nationalist N-VA go bust, which weakens its electoral power. On a more personal level, Leterme has suffered too: his health has deteriorated, he has estranged a number of his closest allies and his credibility is tarnished. “Who believes Leterme?” some people are now asking. This crisis bears all the hallmarks of Leterme’s personality. His unbounded work ethic caused his cabinet to do everything in its power to get the court ruling needed to let the sale of Fortis proceed smoothly. Leterme is also a bad loser: he simply would not accept a ruling going against the sale. Another aspect of Leterme that played a part in this crisis is his irritation with what he calls “factual errors” (especially in the press). To avoid any of these, Leterme summed up at length the contacts between his cabinet and the Fortis judges to a flabbergasted parliament. His aim was to prove that he had done nothing wrong, but he achieved the exact opposite. That Leterme read out some of the protagonists’ text messages was even more ironic. The prime minister has a reputation for endless texting with his inseparable Blackberry, even when engaged in conversation. (Rumor has it he even did so during an audience with the King, although that might just as well be another “factual error”.) And now these text messages contributed to the end of his government. Leterme’s political future is unclear so far, but this crisis goes beyond one man. Clients, staff and shareholders are still in doubt about the future of Fortis, Belgium’s largest bank. The budget for 2009 has yet to be voted, while the economic crisis continues to hit Belgium hard. The only reason that this country is still more or less functioning is that the regional governments have managed to stay out of this crisis. But everyone agrees that the crisis has to end as soon as possible.

Anja Otte

to French-owned BNP Paribas. Leterme admitted that he had “contacts” but denied interference. The judiciary claimed otherwise, and justice minister Jo Vandeurzen resigned under the shadow. After an unseemly hesitation, Leterme followed. To get a picture of just how much of a poisoned chalice the premiership of Belgium has become, one only has to look at the queue of people unwilling to take up the post, at least in the current circumstances. Yves Leterme has let it be known he is not in the running – only in Belgium would the man who caused the collapse, and who has been accused of the most blatant breach of constitutional propriety, find it necessary to expressly state he was not a candidate for his own succession. Also not interested: Herman Van Rompuy, a highly respected figure who combines gravitas and experience; Didier Reynders, the finance minister whose whole career has been a progress towards the top job; and Flemish minister-president Kris Peeters, Leterme’s successor in that job, now busy with intercommunal dialogue. The choice of a prime minister is only one of the questions

Belga

Shutterstock

Exit Leterme

Continued from page 1

now facing the political establishment. They also must decide whether the new government is the same as the old one. So far, only Leterme and justice minister Jo Vandeurzen are stepping aside, although others have been damaged by the whole Fortis affair. Other names have been linked to the affair, and will be

scrutinised by the parliamentary committee now to be set up. Another issue is how long should the new government govern? Open VLD is adamant it should end in June 2009, largely because they are in favour of holding the federal elections on the same date as the regional and European elections. CD&V,

meanwhile, thinks the government should carry on to the end of its term in 2011. It may have no choice: according to experts federal elections may be legally impossible until the constitutional problem of the electoral district Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde is resolved.

DOWNFALL 10 scenes in a Greek tragedy Act I, scene1: Panic in the streets

he board of Fortis in September denies rumours that the bank is facing liquidity problems. Worried shareholders withdraw €20 billion and the three Benelux countries step in with a cash injection totalling €11.2 billion. The move is intended to stop the share price crashing, but it fails.

Act I, scene 2: Betrayal by foreign powers

One week later, in early October, Dutch finance minister Wouter Bos backs out of the agreement and the Dutch buy out all Dutch assets of Fortis – including the ABN Amro acquisition which had brought Fortis to the brink of collapse – for €16.8 billion. The Belgian government, still reeling from the bailout of Dexia bank, takes over Fortis and agrees to sell to BNP Paribas in return for equity. Later, when the shares are again traded, the price plummets to below €1.

Act I, scene 3: Revolt of the mob

An attempt in November by a group of some 2,000 small shareholders to have the sale suspended fails before the commercial tribunal in Brussels. The court orders a committee of experts to look into the conditions and price of the sale.

Act I, scene 4: Mounting despair

A ruling by the appeal court in Brussels on Friday 12 December suspends the sale of Fortis to BNP Paribas for 65 days to allow shareholders to have their say. The government goes into crisis mode.

Act II, scene 1: Strange happenings

On Monday 15 December, justice minister Jo Vandeurzen appoints the procurator-general of the Cassation court to look into unspecified “irregularities” in the conduct of the case. The

problems centre on one of the three judges, Christine Schurmans, who called in sick and did not hear parts of the pleadings. Laywer Mischael Modrikamen, acting on behalf of the small shareholders, calls on finance minister Didier Reynders and prime minister Yves Leterme to “put their egos to one side” and begin looking for a way to placate shareholders. The call would be repeated in various quarters over the next few days by those who saw the ruling as an opportunity for the government to repair relations with aggrieved shareholders. Instead, the government tried every means at its disposal to overturn the ruling.

office. Leterme admits his office had contact on as many as five occasions in two days with Jan De Groof, husband of Schurmans. De Groof later admits that his wife told him the way the ruling would probably go – a fact that in itself could lead to her being charged.

Act III, scene 1: The enemies gather

Thursday 18 December: The inner circle of ministers known as the kern meets no fewer than four times, and Chamber chairman Van Rompuy takes it upon himself to hand out documents to members. A letter from senior Cassation president Ghislain Londers makes it clear there was an attempt to bring political pressure on magistrates. There was also, Act II, scene 2: Rumours of Londers claims, a breach of confidentiality conspiracy The illness of judge Schurmans comes under when the government became aware of the increased scrutiny on Tuesday 16 December tenor of the ruling two days before it was actuas some ask whether her incapacity was part ally handed down. of an attempt by the government to create the Act III, scene 2: First blood conditions for a procedural objection. Schur- OIn the afternoon of Friday 19 December, mans has a reputation for being independent, Vandeurzen resigns, maintaining his innobut her husband is prominent in the CD&V. cence nonetheless, considering it impossible for him to do his job while the shadow Act II, scene 3: The hero becomes of suspicion hangs over him. Later in the mad evening, Yves Leterme offers the resignation In a decision that leaves every observer of his whole government to the King, who baffled, Leterme writes a letter on Wednesday holds his decision in reserve. 17 December to Vandeurzen laying out the contacts his office had with the public pros- Act III, scene 3: Tragic destiny ecutor and with Schurmans’ husband. His The King continues to receive representatives cabinet chief was the go-between, the letter of the main political parties at the palace in claims, and no undue pressure was brought to Laken on Monday 22 December. The choice bear. The opposition calls for his resignation appears to narrow down to one political heavfor breaching the constitutional separation of yweight, Van Rompuy, and two former prime powers. His denial of the use of pressure was ministers. In the meantime, the country looks immediately countered by the Brussels pros- forward to a New Year under yet another careecutor’s office, one of whose magistrates was taker government, with no progress expected allegedly threatened by another of Leterme’s on the budget, on the economic relaunch cabinet, Pim Vanwalleghem, on secondment plan, or even on the sale of Fortis bank. Exit to the cabinet from the Brussels prosecutor’s Leterme amid mourning and wailing.

BUSINESS

F L A N D E R S T O D AY i D E C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 0 8 i 1 3

Free radicals

The Free Record Shop finds the groove again Marc Maes he ailing Free Record Shop is trying hard to woo customers who have stopped buying CDs. With a new pilot store in Antwerp and a revamped slogan of “All entertainment is yours,” the company hopes to be able to attract more buyers into their shops. Such a proactive approach to court buyers was necessary, particularly since music sales have dropped in Belgium as a result of the increasing popularity and convenience of legal and illegal downloading. With 72 stores in Belgium – 50 of them in Flanders – and over 200 in the Netherlands, the Free Record Shop company opted to evaluate the future of the entertainment industry as part of its “Free Future” plan. The company carried out a market research survey to gauge the position and profile of the shops, the consumer’s perception, and the overall image of the brand. “How to attract consumers to our shops and keep them as clients – that was our key message,” says Dominique Frantzen, commercial manager at Free Record Shop. “Our name has a solid historic backbone and brand recognition is close to 100%, so there was no need to change that. What we did was adapt the experience inside the store and make it more focused and open. The new concept has been implemented in our new shop, which is located inside the Metropolis multiplex cinema (with approximately 3.5 million visitors a year). It’s the first record shop with this concept in the Benelux region.”

Is the CD on the way out?

FLANDERS TODAY DECEMBER 24 2008

N°61

I N D E P E N D E N T N E W S W E E K LY

The Bruges Issue I

Shop! p.6

Erkenningsnummer P708816

Ring out the old, ring in the old Leterme resigns over Fortis Alan Hope nd so Belgium ends the year without a government, having spent most of the year with one that barely functioned. As Flanders Today went to press the King was holding talks with various leading political figures, hoping to find someone who could pick up the pieces of Yves Leterme’s shattered administration. Meanwhile, the country was faced with the uninspiring choice of being led again by Jean-Luc Dehaene or Guy Verhofstadt, both former prime ministers who now appear to be building new careers as saviours of the

Freeze!

Eat!

9 Feature 1, 3, 5-6

Sleep! Spend the night in a bed and breakfast to meet the natives and experience the real Bruges that most tourists never see.

10 Active 7, 9

Living 10-11

News 12

Business 13

nation. At the weekend, Yves Leterme formally resigned his entire government, standing down as prime minister for the third time since his triumphant success in the elections of June 2007. Then, he garnered 800,000 personal preference votes – a magnificent total, but not enough to enable him to govern. His resignation at the weekend came after he was accused by the senior magistrate in the country of bringing pressure to bear on judges in an ongoing case Continued on page 12 Agenda 14-15

Dominique Frantzen, commericial manager of the Free Record Shop Belgium, stands under “the source” Frantzen emphasises that the Free Record Shop goes well beyond the traditional perception of a music store. Catering to all tastes, the stores boast a diverse selection of CDs, games and DVDs stored in differently coloured racks and displays. But the core business is still music. “Over one third of our turnover is generated by music sales and we remain one of the main retailers in Belgium for CD singles,” he says. The nucleus of the new shop is “the source” – the company’s in-house “narrowcast” system (which broadcasts music within the shop). The system features eleven bowl-shaped screens

displaying images and music. “It’s the simultaneity that plays a crucial role here; people see what they hear,” Frantzen explains. “The “source” also became the basis for a new word – it’s your source, it’s ‘YOURCE.’ In addition to our own products, we can use the screens to advertise candy bars or concerts.” The shop is also equipped with seven scan/listen/preview posts, which give direct access to the Free Record Shop’s stock of over 300,000 titles. This allows the customers to browse trailers, previews and other information. Each post has a “sound shower” hanging over it, which spreads the sound over the customer. He or

hen the CD replaced the LP, it was touted as the future of music. But some wonder if the CD is losing popularity. It seems not. While audio sales (for albums, singles and music DVDs) dropped in the first six months of 2008, the CD still accounted for 20% of total turnover in the Belgian entertainment market, and close to 25% in units sales. Legal downloads and mobile phone sales represent just 6.8 % of turnover in Belgium. “This makes our country unique,” says Olivier Maeterlinck, director of the Belgian Entertainment Association. “In other countries, legal downloads account for 15% to 30%.” But the situation is expected to change. “The Belgian industry estimates that only 5% of all downloads are legal, but we believe that the rate will go up by the end of 2008. Our figures for 2008 already show a 20% growth in legal downloads compared to 2007.” Maeterlinck explains that the Belgian music industry has suffered less from the downward trend in physical sales compared to other countries. “While these traditional sales continue, we are anticipating an increase in digital sales to about 10% of total turnover. With these promising figures in mind, the launch of a new retail concept like the Free Record Shop in Antwerp is encouraging for the entertainment industry. If the retail sector is prepared to invest in innovative projects to attract more consumers, the industry can continue to invest in the development and production of new music, films and games.” she can browse the inventory and order music, a game or movie, with a guaranteed delivery within 48 hours, either at home or in the shop. “The bulk of our catalogue remains music – with some 270,000 titles available – but we also offer some 6,500 games and 22,000 DVDs,” says Frantzen. “We strongly believe in physical product sales,” adds Erik Lejeune, managing director of Free Record Shop Belgium. “About 94% of our music is sold as a physical product, while music sales account for 36% of our turnover. This is not

the case with many of our retail competitors, both in Belgium and abroad, but we remain specialised in music.” Lejeune highlights the fact that this first “Yource” store is a joint project by the Dutch and Belgian Free Record Shop divisions. “The idea was developed in the Netherlands, and we were given this unique opportunity to launch the concept in Belgium: a see-through store where you can walk in and hum your favourite song – and the shop assistant will be able to find that exact track for you.”

Return to the Source

W W W. F L A N D E R S T O D AY. E U

Fire and ice

Interview 16

a cold day in December, Get Flanders Today in your letterbox each week Onseveral key figures in the port of Antwerp travelled to the village of Gouvy, France, to sign Want to keep in touch with Flanders? an agreement that transferred e e Fr Simply fill in the subscription form below and send it to: ownership of the source of the ! River Scheldt to Antwerp. n Flanders Today o ti p i r c s b Members of the European Shipu s Subscription Department ping Press Association (ESPA)

Waterloosesteenweg 1038 _ 1180 Brussels _ Belgium Fax: 00.32.2.375.98.22 Email: subscriptions@flanderstoday.eu

The newspaper version will be mailed to subscribers living in any of the 27 countries of the European Union. Residents of others countries will receive a weekly ezine. Name: ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Street: ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Postcode: . ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ City: .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Country: .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... e-mail: .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Privacy policy: We fully respect Belgian legislation on the protection of personal information. The data we collect will only be used for distribution of publications and will not be disclosed to any third parties without express consent.

joined the Port of Antwerp Authority and the municipality of Gouy to sign the agreement transferring ownership from the ESPA. It’s not just the River Scheldt that links Antwerp and Gouvy. They have a relationship that goes back to the aftermath of the Great War, when the Flemish metropolis donated 200,000 Belgian francs for the restoration of damaged buildings in the village. The mayor of Gouvy, Moïse Derizon, and port of Antwerp alderman Marc van Peel have agreed to develop the Scheldt source into a tourist site, beginning modestly with a joint project to create a car park. M.M.

AGENDA

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Classical & New Music Antwerp deSingel Desguinlei 25; 03.248.28.28, www.desingel.be JAN 10 20.00 Belgian National Orchestra conducted by Nikolai Alexejev, with Boris Berezovski, piano: Ledoux, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky

Bruges Concertgebouw ’t Zand 34; 070.22.33.02, www.concertgebouw.be JAN 3 20.00 New Year concert: Harmonie des Champs-Elysées with Marcel Ponseele, oboe and conductor: Dvorak, Bizet, Gounod JAN 13 20.00 Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen conducted by Etienne Siebens, with Bart Vandenbogaerde, violin: Vienna’s Glory: Strauss, Korngold, Beethoven

Brussels Bozar (Paleis Voor Schone Kunsten) Ravensteinstraat 23; 02.507.82.00, www.bozar.be Concerts at 20.00: DEC 24 Mozart vs Mozart, comedy musical with Christophe Gillis and Bernard Vancraeynest JAN 11 11.00 An De Ridder, soprano; Tine Deckers, piano: Fauré, Hahn, Poulenc, Massenet, Bellini, Liszt, Puccini. 15.00 Belgian National Orchestra conducted by Nikolai Alexeev, with Boris Berezovsky, piano: Ledoux, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky De Munt Muntplein; 070.23.39.39, www.demunt.be JAN 9 12.30 Thomas Oliemans, baritone; Malcolm Martineau, forte piano: songs by Fauré, Poulenc Flagey Heilig Kruisplein; 02.641.10.20, www.flagey.be JAN 14 20.15 New Year concert: Brussels Philharmonic conducted by Cristian Orosanu: Dvorak, Smetana, von Suppé, Strauss Musical Instruments Museum Hofberg 2; 0475.76.23.32, astoriaconcerts@skynet.be JAN 11 11.00 Ensemble Guarneri: Fauré Protestantse Kapel Museumplein; 02.332.06.66 JAN 13 20.00 Gustav Leonhardt, harpsichord: Forqueray, D’Anglebert, Purcell, Pachelbel, Leroux, Couperin Royal Conservatory of Brussels Regentschapsstraat 30; 02.213.41.37 JAN 8 20.00 New year’s concert: Kate Royal and Christine Rice, sopranos; Roger Vignoles, piano: Purcell, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Gounod, Chausson, Rossini JAN 12 20.00 Trio Florestan: Haydn, Ives, Smetana

Evergem (Ghent) Cultuurcentrum Evergem Weststraat 31; 09.358.51.00 JAN 3 20.00 ‘Muzikale en Poëtische Winterwandeling’ (Musical and Poetic Winter Stroll) New Year’s concert by Arte Musicale JAN 11 11.00 Harmonieorkest Guy Duijck, aperitief concert

Ghent De Bijloke Jozef Kluyskensstraat 2, 09.269.92.92, www.debijloke.be JAN 10 20.00 Christoph Prégardien, tenor and Andreas Staier, piano; Schubert JAN 11 16.00 Billy the Kid (Copland) by the DeFilharmonie, children’s concert Handelsbeurs Kouter 29; 09.265.92.01, www.handelsbeurs.be JAN 14 20.15 Fauré Quartet: chamber music

F L A N D E R S T O D AY i D E C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 0 8

Vlaamse Opera Schouwburgstraat 3; 070.22.02.02, www.vlaamseopera.be JAN 8-18 15.00/20.00 Falstaff by Verdi with Vlaamse Opera Symfonisch Orkest and Koor conducted by Enrique Mazzola, staged by Giorgio Barberio Corsetti with Bruno Caproni, Ana Ibarra, Werner Van Mechelen and Elzbieta Ardam

Leopoldsburg CC Leopoldsburg Kastanjedreef 1; 011.34.65.48, www.ccleopoldsburg.be JAN 9 20.15 The Belle Epoque Orchestra

Ostend Kursaal (Casino) Monacoplein; 0475.60.76.78, www.nieuwjaarsconcert2009.be JAN 4 15.00 New Year concert: Brussels Philharmonic conducted by Rik Ghesquière: Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky

Wetteren CC Nova Molenstraat 2b; 09.365.20.20, www.ccnova.be JAN 14 20.00 De Belgische Kamerfilharmonie & Liebrecht Vanbeckevoort: Mozart

Opera Antwerp Vlaamse Opera Frankrijklei 3; 070.22.02.02 DEC 28-30 15.00/20.00 Falstaff by Verdi with the Flemish Opera Symphony Orchestra and Choir, conducted by Enrique Mazzola

Jazz & blues Borgerhout De Roma Turnhoutsebaan 286; 03.292.97.40, www.deroma.be JAN 15 20.30 Rony Verbiest, Antje De Boeck and Jef Neve

The Music Village Steenstraat 50; 02.513.13.45 Concerts at 20.30: DEC 26 Billie Holiday Songbook _ Elaine McKeown & the Swingmasters DEC 27 Gino Latucca & the New Look Trio DEC 30 Lorenzo Di Maio Trio DEC 31 Latino New Year’s Eve Party

Elversele (Temse) Huis De Fortune Dorpstraat 56; 0476.31.02.55, www.mellowtime.com DEC 27 21.00 Yvonne Walter with Rony Verbiest Trio

Ghent Bij’ De Vieze Gasten Reinaertstraat 125; 09.237.04.07, www.deviezegasten.org JAN 10 20.30 Neruda Charlatan Vlasmarkt 6; 09.224.24.57, www.charlatan.be DEC 28 22.00 Backback JAN 4 22.00 The Valerie Solanas live De Centrale Kraankindersstraat 2; 09.265.98.28, www.decentrale.be Concerts at 20.00: DEC 28 Bart Maris Trio JAN 4 Kurt Van Herck, saxophone; Jacques Pirotton, guitar JAN 11 L’Âme des Poètes Hotsy Totsy Hoogstraat 1; 09.224.20.12, www.hotsytotsy.be JAN 8 20.30 La Cigarette Sans Cravate, acoustic trio

Hasselt Muziekodroom Bootstraat 9; www.muziekodroom.be JAN 8 20.30 Big Blind

Pop, rock, hip-hop, soul Ardooie

De Werf Werfstraat 108; 050.33.05.29 JAN 8 20.30 The Nu Band (US)

Cultuurkapel De Schaduw Wezestraat 32; 0479.80.94.82, www.deschaduw.net DEC 31 23.00 Point Final all-in party with DJ Woekie and DJ Mathieu JAN 10 20.30 Amour Fou!

Brussels

Antwerp

Archiduc Dansaertstraat 6; 02.512.06.52, www.archiduc.net Free concerts at 17.00: DEC 27 Egon JAN 3-10 Les Archiduks JAN 11 Pete Robbins, Mikkel Ploug, Thomas Morgan and Dan Weiss

Kelly’s Irish Pub Keyserlei 27; www.kellys.be DEC 24 21.00 Pat Kelly DEC 26 22.00 Andrew Mavin DEC 27 21.00 Steve Keane DEC 28-30 21.00 Akim

Bruges

Beursschouwburg Auguste Ortstraat 20-28; 02.550.03.50, www.beursschouwburg.be JAN 14 20.30 Animus Anima Jazz Station Leuvensesteenweg 193-195; 02.733.13.78 Concerts at 20.30: JAN 7 Stefan Bracaval Quartet JAN 8 Jazz Station Big Band JAN 10 18.00 Grass Monkeys JAN 14 Henri Greindl Quintet Le Grain d’Orge Waversesteenweg 142; 02.511.26.47 JAN 9 21.30 C-Sharp Sounds Jazz Club Tulpenstraat 28; 02.512.92.50, www.soundsjazzclub.be Concerts at 22.00: DEC 26 Yvonne Walter Quartet DEC 27 Chris Joris Quartet DEC 30 Da Romeo & The Crazy Moondog Band DEC 31 23.00 New Year’s Eve party with Super Combo Creole JAN 2 Chamaquiando, salsa JAN 3 Ben Dubray Quartet JAN 4 Karim Gharbi Duo & Trio JAN 5 Latin Groove Sextet JAN 7 Master Session JAN 8 Tuesday Night Orchestra JAN 9 Caribe Con K, Caribbean music JAN 10 21.00 The Singers Night JAN 11 Sian Jazz Band JAN 12 Ronald Baker International Quintet JAN 14 Ester’s Birthday Party, jam concert

Don’t miss this season

Sportpaleis Schijnpoortweg 119; 0900.26.060 Until DEC 27 20.30; DEC 31, 22.30 Clouseau Crescendo

Borgerhout De Roma Turnhoutsebaan 286; 03.292.97.40, www.deroma.be JAN 8-9 20.30 Scala: ‘Paper Plane’ Rataplan Wijnegemstraat 27; 03.292.97.40 JAN 10 20.30 The Rhythm Junks

Brussels Ancienne Belgique Anspachlaan 110; 02.548.24.24 Concerts at 20.00: JAN 8-10 De Nieuwe Snaar JAN 10 Sjansons patinées. Riguelle, Neeka & Theuns sing Van De Velde Beursschouwburg Auguste Ortstraat 20-28; 02.550.03.50, www.beursschouwburg.be JAN 10 20.30 White Circle Crime Club Fuse Blaesstraat 208; 02.511.97.89 Concerts at 23.00: DEC 27 Dave Clarke Estroe. Flesh presents Geoffroy aka Mugwump DEC 31 Technasia DJ set + Dosem live. Frederik JAN 3 Fuse resident night: DJs DEG, Pierre JAN 10 Tom Dazing, Kr!z

lthough we just hate to choose favourites during the holiday season – we love all our Flemish cities the same, you know – it must be said: Bruges has the best Christmas market. Spread across the centre like a trail of lights to guide your way, there’s a beautiful surprise around every corner, and the best Belgian waffles this side of...well, anywhere. There’s also a huge skating rink, outdoor music and a delicate spray of twinkles in the Gruuthuse Museum courtyard. It all lasts until 4 January. What are you waiting for?

Speaking of Christmas markets, many cities and villages keep them going past Christmas. Aalst

Aalst on Ice: Christmas village and covered ice skating rink Until JAN 4 on Grote Markt www.lavera-events.be Antwerp

Christmas Market Until DEC 28 on Groenplaats and outdoor skating rink on Grote Markt www.antwerpen.be

Le Botanique Koningstraat 236; 02.218.37.32 Concerts at 20.00: JAN 10 Little Joy JAN 11 Lonely Drifter Karen JAN 13 James Yuill

Vlasmarkt 6; 09.224.24.57, www.charlatan.be Concerts at 22.00: DEC 25 Fred Starks (US) DEC 31 ‘Pick up’ NYE – top 30 of 2008

Stekerlapatte Priestersstraat 4; 02.512.86.81, www.stekerlapatte.be DEC 31 New year’s party with live entertainment

Kinky Star Vlasmarkt 9; 09.223.48.45, www.kinkystar.com Concerts at 20.00: DEC 25 Dreaming of a Black X-Mas DEC 28 Boenox DEC 30 Zilke JAN 4 Du Parc JAN 6 Kim JAN 11 Off theRadar JAN 13 Monogold

Marni Theatre Vergniestraat 25; 02.639.09.80 JAN 6 21.30 Musique Flexible, improvisation Tour & Taxis Havenlaan 86C; 02.549.60.49, www.tour-taxis.com DEC 27 22.00 DJ David Guetta Vorst-Nationaal Victor Rousseaulaan 208; 0900.00.991 JAN 13 20.00 Oasis

Vooruit St Pietersnieuwstraat 23; 09.267.28.20, www.vooruit.be DEC 24 17.00 Music for Life, radio marathon by Studio Brussel to raise money for a good cause JAN 10 21.30 Goodlife JAN 12 20.00 Boeijen, Hofstede and Vrienten

Brielpoort Lucien Matthyslaan 9; 09.381.96.82, www.briellennium.be DEC 31 23.00 New Year’s eve party

Muziek & Theatercafé Trefpunt Bij Sint-Jacobs 18, www.trefpuntvzw.be DEC 27 20.00 New Year’s concerts: tuba concert featuring Dick Van Der Harst and Mario Van Assche, de Test eu Gents Band and special guest

Geraardsbergen

Hasselt

Ideeënhuis Vredestraat 20; 054.41.04.89, www.ideeenhuisgeraardsbergen.be DEC 27 21.00 Best of the ’80s party

Groovytunes Genkersteenweg 282; www.groovy-tunes.be DEC 24 22.00 Xmas Bells casino and club where women receive VIP service including champagne and gifts

Deinze

Ghent Capitole Graaf van Vlaanderenplein 5; 0900.69.00 JAN 5 20.30 Julien Clerc, chanson Charlatan

Heusden-Zolder CC Muze Dekenstraat 40; 011.80.80.89, www.muze.be JAN 9 20.15 The Rhythm Junks

AGENDA

F L A N D E R S T O D AY i D E C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 0 8 i 1 5

Klokhuis Theatre Parochiaanstraat 4; 03.231.71.81, www.vlaamsfruit.be DEC 26-29 15.00 Supermam (in Dutch)

Until MAR 8 Continental Superstar, mechanical organs from the Ghysels collection, with recreated dance floor, bar and lighting

Until FEB 22 Ensor & Raveel: Kindred Spirits, drawings and paintings by the Belgian artists

Ardooie

Royal Museum of Fine Arts Regentschapsstraat 3; 02.508.32.11, www.fine-arts-museum.be Until JAN 4 Meunier in Seville, 80 paintings made in Spain by 19thcentury Belgian artist Constantin Meunier Until JAN 18 Landscapes and portraits by Belgian artist Lismonde Until JAN 25 Breuk en erfenis (Separation and Heritage), show marking the European Union’s French Presidency, with 1970s works by French artists Until FEB 15 CoBrA, major retrospective on the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Cobra movement

Speelgoedmuseum Nekkerspoelstraat 21; 015.55.70.75, www.speelgoedmuseum.be Until JAN 4 50 years and 3 generations of building with LEGO

Cultuurkapel De Schaduw Wezestraat 32; 0479.80.94.82, www.deschaduw.net JAN 3-4 20.30 Het eerste Mirakel van kindeke Jezus (in Dutch)

Borgerhout Hof Ter Lo Noordersingel 30; 03.543.90.30, www.ccluchtbal.org JAN 11 14.30 La Vache Kirri (in Dutch)

Brussels KVS Bol Lakensestraat 146; 02.210.11.12, www.kvs.be Until DEC 28 20.00/15.00 Singhet ende weset vro, musical theatre staged by Ruud Gielens, music by Zouzou Ben Chikha (in Dutch with French surtitles)

Ostend Kursaal (Casino) Monacoplein; 0900.69.900, www.musichall.be DEC 28-29 14.30/19.00/20.00 The Peking Acrobats

Visual arts Antwerp

Brussels

Winter Wonders: Annual Christmas market with ice skating rinks, big wheel and sound and light show Until JAN 4 on Sint-Katelijneplein, Vismarkt, Beurs and Grote Markt www.winterwonders.be

Outdoor skating rink Until JAN 11 on Theaterplein 058.51.29.10, www.koksijde.be Ghent

Christmas Market: annual market plus outdoor ice skating Until DEC 30 on Sint Baafsplein and Emile Braunplein Koksijde Best Holiday Decorations Competi- 09.221.45.28, www.gent.be tion: Residents of Koksijde compete Hasselt for the most original garden and Christmas Market home decorations Until DEC 30 on Molenpoortplein Until JAN 6 across Koksijde-dorp and Leopoldplein 0498.10.69.03, www.koksijde.be www.hasseltlokaal.be

World, Folk Antwerp De Singer Bavelstraat 35 (Rijkevorsel), ww.ajazzexperience.be DEC 27 20.30 Concert Sensual with Eva Kieboom

Borgerhout De Roma Turnhoutsebaan 286; 03.292.97.40, www.deroma.be JAN 2-3 20.30 Raymond van het Groenewoud & Fernando Lameirinhas

Bruges Concertgebouw ’t Zand 34; 070.22.33.02, www.concertgebouw.be DEC 26 20.00 Pedro Soler, guitar, Gaspar Claus, cello, Beñat Achiary, voice and percussion: flamenco music

Ghent De Centrale Kraankindersstraat 2; 09.265.98.28, www.decentrale.be JAN 11 16.00 Abu Araki Al-Bakheit, protest singer (Sudan)

Dance Bruges Concertgebouw ‘t Zand 34; 070.22.33.02, www.concertgebouw.be JAN 10 20.00 Rosas in Fase, four movements to the music of Steve Reich, choreographed by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker

Brussels KVS Bol

Lakensestraat 146; 02.210.11.12, www.kvs.be JAN 8-10 20.00 Les Ballets C de la B in Pitié!, based on Bach’s St Matthew Passion, staged by Alain Platel with music by Fabrizio Cassol Vorst-Nationaal Victor Rousseaulaan 208; 0900.00.991 DEC 30 19.30 Saint Petersburg Ballet in The Nutcracker, with music by the Ukraine National Philharmonic Woluwe-Saint-Pierre Cultural Centre Charles Thielemanslaan 93; 02.773.05.80, www.art-culture.be DEC 29-JAN 15 20.30 Brussels Ballet in Barbie Story, choreographed by David Sonnenbluck

Theatre Antwerp Antwerpen X Berchem, Antwerpse Ring; 070.344.555, www.daens.be Until JAN 18 Daens: The Musical (in Dutch with French surtitles) deSingel Desguinlei 25; 03.248.28.28, www.desingel.be JAN 9-10 20.00 Black Battles with Dogs by Bernard-Marie Koltès, directed by Arthur Nauzyciel (in Dutch) Stadsschouwburg Theaterplein 1; 0900.69.900, www.musichall.be DEC 26-28 14.00/15.00/20.00 Evita, musical show JAN 2-11 15.00/20.00 Annie, musical (in Dutch)

Contemporary Art Museum (MuHKA) Leuvenstraat 32; 03.260.99.99, www.muhka.be Until JAN 4 The Order of Things, group show questioning the use of archival images Fotomuseum Waalse Kaai 47; 03.242.93.00 Until JAN 4 Gérald Dauphin, retrospective of work by the Antwerp photographer (1938-2007) Modemuseum (MoMu) Nationalestraat 28; 03.470.27.70, www.momu.be Until FEB 8 Maison Martin Margiela (20) The Exhibition, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Antwerp fashion house Zilvermuseum Sterckshof Cornelissenlaan; 03.360.52.52 Until JAN 18 Fifties Silver, Belgian civil and religious silver design from 1950 to 1970

Bruges Groeningemuseum Dijver 12; 050.44.87.43 Until DEC 31 Leuven Loans, 15thand 16th-century paintings and woodcarvings from Leuven’s Van der Kelen-Mertens museum Until JAN 4 Stradanus: Artist at the Medici Court, retrospective of Bruges-born artist Johannes Stradanus, with paintings, drawings, prints and tapestries

Brussels Argos Centre for Art and Media Werfstraat 13; 02.229.00.03, www.argosarts.org Until JAN 3 Interstitial Zones, 15 artists offer a critical alternative to the mass media’s coverage of modern history De Elektriciteitscentrale European Centre for Contemporary Art Sint Katelijneplein 44; 02.279.64.35 Until JAN 11 Réfléchir le monde (Reflecting the World), photographs, video and installations by contemporary French artists to mark the European Union’s French Presidency ING Cultural Centre Koningsplein 6; 02.547.22.92 Until MAR 15 Oceania: Signs of Ritual, Symbols of Authority, sculptures, masks, artefacts, weapons and utilitarian objects from Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia Royal Museum of Art and History Jubelpark 10; 02.741.72.11

Tour & Taxis Havenlaan 86C; 02.549.60.49 Until MAR 31 That’s Opera: 200 Years of Italian Music, a look behind the scenes at the making of an opera, travelling exhibition by music publishers Ricordi WIELS Van Volxemlaan 354; 02.347.30.33, www.wiels.org Until FEB 22 Un-Scene, works by young Belgian artists

Ghent

Mechelen

Meise Kasteel van Bouchout, Meise Botanical Garden Nieuwelaan 38; 02.260.09. 20 Until FEB 1 Plantenportretten (Plant Portraits), watercolours by the garden’s illustrators

Festivals & special events Flemish coast Fireworks: New Year’s eve and New Year’s day festivities in coastal resorts including De Panne, Koksijde, Oostduinkerke, Middelkerke, SintIdesbald and Ostend DEC 31-JAN 1 at various villages and cities along the coast www.dekust.org

Antwerp Jewish Culture Festival: Exhibitions, theatre, music and film exploring local and international Jewish life Until DEC 2009 across Antwerp www.joodscultuurfestival.be

Design Museum Jan Breydelstraat 5; 09.267.99.99 Until JAN 26 100 years Demeyere, stylish cooking utensils by the Belgian manufacturer Until JAN 26 Retrospective of German Jewellery designer Hermann Jünger (1928-2005)

Millenium Nacht: New Year’s celebration along the Scheldt, including dinner, live acts, party and all-in packages DEC 31 at Stuurboord, Rijnkaai 96 and Hangar 29, Rijnkaai 150 www.oudjaar.com

Kunsthal Sint-Pietersabdij Sint-Pietersplein 9; 09.243.97.30, www.gent.be/spa Until MAR 29 Flemish wall tapestries from the 15th and 16th centuries

Kantlijnen: The Face of Lace: A celebration of lace, from ancient craft to contemporary art and fashion Until MAR 14 in venues across Bruges www.kantlijnen.be

Museum of Fine Arts Citadelpark; 09.240.07.00, www.mskgent.be Until JAN 18 Giambattista Piranesi, prints by the 18th-century Italian architect and artist Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst (SMAK) Citadelpark; 09.221.17.03, www.smak.be Until JAN 3 Faux Jumeaux (False Twins), carte blanche to Belgian artist Michel François Until JAN 18 Anyth_=, paintings by Werner Mannaers Until FEB 22 The Absence of Mark Manders, installation by the contemporary Dutch artist Until FEB 22 Pluto, installations by contemporary German artist Max Sudhues

Hasselt Modemuseum Gasthuisstraat 11; 011.23.96.21 Until JAN 4 Ten dans gevraagd (Invitation to Dance), dance costumes by fashion designers and artists from 1920 to the present day Z33 Zuivelmarkt (Beguinage) 33; 011.29.59.60 Until JAN 4 The Great Exhibition Part 1: Europe, a project by Ives Maes linking world exhibitions to science fiction

Maaseik Maaseik Museum Lekkerstraat 5; 089.81.92.99 Until MAR 31 The Terracotta Army of Xi’an: Treasures of the First Emperors of China, warrior sculptures from the world-famous Terracotta Army shown with 200 artefacts from the Qin and Western Han dynasties

Machelen-Zulte Roger Raveelmuseum Gildestraat 2-8; 09.381.60.00

Bruges

Snow & Ice Sculpture Festival: A glacial fantasy world created by 40 international ice sculptors, with refreshments available from the ice bar Until JAN 11 on the square outside Bruges train station www.icesculpture.be

Brussels BE Film Festival: Best of Belgian cinema from 2008 DEC 26-28 at Pathé Palace, Anspachlaan 85 02.248.08.72, www.befilmfestival.be “Just 09”: New Year’s celebration including gastronomic buffet, champagne, stars and celebrity DJs and with a chic and eccentric dress code DEC 31 at La Tentation, Laekensestraat 28 02.543.44.40, www.nieuwjaar2009.com New Year’s Eve: Gastronomic dinner followed by a prestigious party DEC 31 19.00 at Grand Casino, Duquesnoystraat 14 02.289.11.30, www.gcb.be

Ghent Agriflanders: Agricultural fair JAN 8-11 at Flanders Expo, Maaltekouter 1 09.241.92.11, www.flandersexpo.be New Year’s Reception: Annual drink for all Ghent residents JAN 11 11.00 on Sint-Baafsplein www.gent.be Spekken: Children’s theatre festival DEC 26-30 at Theater Tinnenpot, Tinnenpotstraat 21 09.233.77.88, info@uitbureau.be The Sound: New Year’s Eve party with several DJs where the focus is on the music and visuals DEC 31 23.00 at ICC Ghent, Citadelpark www.the-sound.be

16 i

LIVING

F L A N D E R S T O D AY i D E C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 0 8

INTERVIEW

“Bruges is a regular character in my novels” Pieter Aspe (real name Pierre Aspeslag) is Flanders’ topselling author. His latest novel Bankroet is currently at No 6 on the bestseller list. We track down the crime writer who put the fear of death into Bruges. Like the 22 before, Bankroet is a Bruges-based mystery featuring Commissioner Pieter Van In and his wife, an investigating magistrate. The series has sold more than 1.5 million copies, and the popular television series Aspe is based on his work. He lives with his wife in Blankenberge, in an apartment overlooking the marina.

Most of your novels are set in Bruges. Why?

I chose Bruges because I lived there, so I knew the place very well. It would have been possible to use another city, but I would have had to first learn all about it. Besides, there’s something innocent about Bruges that, if you mix it with crime, creates a contrast that’s very interesting. It’s not a major city – look at how Inspector Morse takes place in a university town where nothing very much happens. Bruges has that same kind of thing – something charming about it, which gives the crime another dimension.

Morse is not the only detective character closely identified with a particular place: Aurelio Zen’s Rome, Inspector Rebus’ Edinburgh, and so on.

Location is very important in most crime novels. Literary fiction is another case because that’s more concerned with the relationships between people than the place itself. But a crime story has to have a location where the crime and the investigation takes place. In many ways, it’s as important as the characters. Bruges is a regular character in my novels.

Over the course of 22 books, you’ve perpetrated crimes

from your books.

VTM adapted the first 10 books for the first series of Aspe, but since then others have written the stories. It’s not difficult for me to hand over. It has nothing to do with me, in fact. I write books, and TV is another world.

ranging from Satanic abuse to art theft to political corruption. Isn’t that a little far-fetched for little, mediaeval Bruges?

There’s a difference between real life and fiction, and in fiction there’s no problem. It’s a bit like the Road Runner cartoons, where the coyote keeps getting blown up and never dies, but people accept it. In any case, truth, as they say, is often stranger than fiction. I carry people along in a story. That’s what I set out to do when I started writing: to keep people amused and entertained for a couple of hours.

At the same time, readers of crime fiction can be extremely demanding. Everything has to be just right, or they’ll let you know about it.

Your work has also been turned into a radio series, comic books, even a murder game at the Bobbejaanland theme park. Is there another medium you have your eye on?

I wouldn’t know what’s left. Maybe a musical? You know what might be good? Action figures – of Commissioner Van In and Magistrate Hannelore.

Your first two books are published in French and will soon be published in Italian. Do you have your eye on circumstances. I’m like a sponge, in front of me, and I had to get out other markets?

soaking it all up. And then you let things sit in the back of your mind, ripening or fermenting, until one day the chance comes to use it, and I get letters from people all the it all falls into place. time. They check everything. I was visiting the prison here in Bruges You don’t live in Bruges any last week, and one of the prisoners more. Does Blankenberge wanted to talk about the way I had inspire you the same way? used the words al and als: “already” It’s just the same. Anyway, I can and “if ”. He was convinced I’d got see Bruges from my apartment it wrong. Someone else wrote in to window. It’s just 17 kilometres complain that I’d had one character across the fields. hit another one’s head against the back door of a Saab convertible, You’re still turning out a and that Saab convertibles don’t book a year, after all this have four doors. I have contacts time. How do you stay when I need to know something motivated? – magistrates, policemen, doctors. But I’m not the sort of author who Two books a year. My motivagoes out on regular patrol with the tion is that I like to do it. If I wait too long between books, I get police. itchy and irritable. I started writWhere do you get the ideas? ing to escape my grey existence. I Maybe five percent come from was working as the concierge of the news. The rest of the time I’m the Holy Blood Chapel in Bruges, constantly watching people and and I had a sort of mid-life crisis. recording what’s going on around I had got to about 40 and I figured me. My inspiration comes from I had maybe 25 more years of this

THE LAST WORD

Things we’re looking forward to in 2009

and do something else. So I made the most idiotic decision you could make – to become a writer, the job with the least possible chance of success. You’d be better off becoming a hairdresser or something. I bet everything on the most hopeless prospect.

But it worked out.

It worked perfectly right from the start. I don’t have any of those writers’ tales of rejection. My first manuscript was accepted by the first publisher, bingo. And that’s the way it’s been since. The first book was difficult to write because I had no training and no experience. It took me four or five false starts and 16 months of writing, but after that it went well. I just tried to think about what I like to read: a straightforward story with a decent plot.

In one way, the series has got away from you. VTM has adapted the stories into a TV series, but they’re not all

People were very surprised at the reaction in France – that a Flemish author could go down so well. I try to explain that I’m not a Fleming, I’m un belge qui habite Blankenberge. It would be nice to break through into English, but that’s a tough market. The Swedish have done it, with the Wallander series [by Henning Mankell], then everyone wanted to have a Scandinavian. We go every year to the London Book Fair, but there’s very little interest in translated novels in Britain, and even less in America.

What’s the next novel about?

The next one is set against the background of a Miss Flanders contest, and it’s a story involving the Chinese mafia and container traffic in Zeebrugge. The title will be Misleid (Mislead).

Mr. Aspe is having a joke with Flanders Today. Or is he? Only time will tell. Interview by Alan Hope

Belga

GeneralMotorsAntwerp

TheChina

Issue BrusselsFilmMuseum Wafels &Dinges Europalia China

Regional elections

Beaufort 03

Two years in the planning, Europalia China offers an ambitious programme of Chinese art and culture spread over four months. Held in various venues across the country, this is going to one big festival.

Elections for the three regional governments are being held across the country in June 2009. Expect to see election posters appearing in Flemish fields in the early spring.

Last time they had wooden elephants walking into the waves and small bronze babies crawling up the dike. Three years on, Beaufort 03 is guaranteed to bring astonishing art to the Flemish coast.

TrappistBeerCycleRides

LettersPage TalkingAboutFlanders Today next year in Flanders Today