John Brown
@johnbrown1325.eurosky.social
Post-Brexit Brit, now also Belgian. Pianist, singer, percussionist & accordionist, occasional pretend Scotsman. Cats, music, gardening, science, birds, etc.
Forest fire in The Netherlands sets off shells from WWII. The same thing happened in France last week. Makes fighting the fires *much* more complicated
C'est du Belge @polbegov.skyfleet.blue · 5h agoIncendie aux Pays-Bas : les démineurs sollicités face à d’éventuels obus de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, des pompiers belges viennent en renfort
People in front of me on Le Shuttle trying to conduct a phone conversation while travelling undersea at about 140km/h and complaining when they get cut off 🙄
Spent a lovely evening listening to bats via a special bat microphone
So frustrating: my new accordion, that I have waited over three months for, is now in Belgium, but needs to return to Italy to have microphones fitted, so I probably won’t get it for at least another month… 🪗
And then this World Cup happened. and FIFA did the Balogun thing. And the target was Belgium. and if European history teaches us anyrhing its that no European power gives a shit about Belgium until suddenly EVERYONE does. Because if you can fuck with Belgium, you might do it to any Euro power.
I like the Evolution series with Chris Packham, particular the one about bats. I wonder if he had to record it twice: “arse” for the Brits and “ass” for the Americans (also “poo” and “poop”)
Film you’ve watched more than six times with a gif. hard mode: no star trek, star wars, lotr, marvel, disney, or ghibli.
Brazil Movie
ALT: Brazil Movie
static.klipy.com
Alexandre Plennevaux 🇧🇪🇪🇺@pixeline.be · 6d agoFilm you’ve watched more than six times with a gif. hard mode: no star trek, star wars, lotr, marvel, disney, or ghibli.
These roses are the best colour. Have a very poor smell though 🌱
My local ice cream shop has just introduced “pastel de nata” flavour
Jesus Rendon & Nia Ot: Aguantar Challenge
Alt: Jesus Rendon & Nia Ot: Aguantar Challenge
static.klipy.com
The best surprise: after 35° yesterday it’s now raining, and it wasn’t even forecast
Saw one of these in my garden today (a hummingbird hawk moth, not my picture)
Brilliant news story. Julius Caesar lived 400 years before his alleged visit, local inhabitant Juliet Capulet was fictional, and the ‘amphitheatre’ contained fibreglass
Euronews@euronews.com · last wk.In Italy, a structure promoted for years as an "ancient Roman amphitheatre" has turned out to be a fake, constructed recently using modern materials.
Well I enjoyed The Film. I thought the storytelling was brilliant, some spectacular visuals (the horse! the cyclops!) and the supernatural elements are handled really well. Yes a lot of the dialog is clunky, the armour occasionally plasticky, & I could have done without the big fight at the end.
Only one Goodie left now… I recently listened to an interview with Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie’s musicality came across really strongly, something which is only mentioned briefly in the article
Bill Oddie, naturalist and broadcaster, dies aged 85
Oddie came to fame as one of the comedy trio The Goodies, but was later known for his expertise on wildlife and birds – which led to him presenting the BBC’s Springwatch and Autumnwatch
theguardian.com
5 minutes rain and high winds now back to warm sun, and any dampness has evaporated. I guess that’s all the rain we get for a week
I had the most Belgian excuse why my meal was delayed in a restaurant today: there was a problem with the mayonnaise. NB: when it arrived, the mayonnaise was delicious and obviously hand made
Ruin a book by adding a word: War and Peace and Zombies
laurentfranckx.bsky.social@laurentfranckx.bsky.social · 2w agoRuin a book by adding a word: Today, tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow
This is awful: 2026 heatwave deaths only surpassed by the worst days of the first Covid wave
The Brussels Times@brusselstimes.com · 2w agoThe number of daily deaths has only been higher during the first wave of Covid-19 in April 2020.
Difficult to read the label, but I will not be buying this rosé from my local supermarket (it’s called Wine O’Clock)
No free flypast for me today: in previous years the helicopters have flown in formation over my house on the way to Brussels, but not this time
Belgium celebrates it *not raining* on National Day
C'est du Belge @polbegov.skyfleet.blue · 2w agoMétéo en Belgique : le pays sous un agréable soleil et sans drache nationale
On this day, 21 July 1831, a cry of "Long live the King!" preceded Leopold I’s arrival on Place Royale to be sworn in as King of the Belgians.
Today in History: The first King of Belgium is crowned in Brussels
On this day, 21 July 1831, a cry of "Long live the King!" preceded Leopold I’s arrival on Place Royale to be sworn in as King of the Belgians.
brusselstimes.com
Ryanair tells me my flight is boarding, but they haven’t yet announced the gate…
If it’s 0-0 after extra time then Belgium will be the only team to have scored against Spain in this tournament
England beat Argentina in the rugby, and easily leading France in the football Not a bad day for English ball sports
