Bruges, Belgium

Oh Bruges- untouched for hundreds of years.  All cobblestones and brick buildings and canals.   It's like a Disney fairytale come to life.  I keep expecting to see Belle or Gaston come around the corner.

Lille, France

Originally for Spring Break, I had planned to fly into Brussels, spend a few days, head to Bruges, walk the canals, and then end with a week in Paris.  But then Brussels cancelled 50% of incoming flights due to safety concerns, and Aegean rerouted me to Lille, France.  

What a happy mistake- Lille is a lovely little town in northern France that I was happy to spend a few days exploring.  There is a Flemish influence, but it is a French town through and through (the international art museum only had titles and descriptions in French, so I guessed a lot).  I very much enjoyed my short time there.  

Sunset in the park on my first night

Le Merveileux, Lille's famous dessert- two meringue cookies
held together with chocolate cream, covered in chocolate
shavings.  It was marvelous, as the name implies.  

Welsh- Lille's signature food.  1 piece of brioche + smoked salmon + mustard +
another piece of brioche + 1 pound of melted cheddar cheese.

Half 13th Century Cathedral, 1/2 20th Century Church due to a bomb
during WWII.  Full name:  Cathedral of Notre Dame de la Treille

The traditional section, with a lovely private chapel at the end

The new half, with modern stained-glass and a wall made of marble
which glows when sunlights hit it.  

The guardian angel of the church survived the bombing.

Wheels and Traces

A few months ago, I saw a call for volunteers to help with TedX Nicosia.  I am so glad that I got involved with this positive, supportive, optimistic group of people.  I think I'm the only non-Cypriot in the group, but they are all so welcoming and awesome.

Today, TedX Nicosia organized a historical bike tour through the Old Town to promote the big TedX conference in two weeks.  It was called Wheels and Traces.  The Dutch Embassy was a co-sponsor (of course, b/c as I learned today, there are more bikes than people in Holland), as was the city of Nicosia.  It was a great event, full of interesting history, and I'm so glad that I played a small role in it.  

the TedX Team, plus the Dutch ambassador (in orange) and the
deputy mayor of the Municipality of Nicosia (in green)

TedX Nicosia volunteers

last stop of the tour, at the Paphos Gate

in the shadow of a minaret

At the Famagusta Gate

along the Venetian Wall that surrounds the old city, there is a hidden saint
station built into the wall, at the site where a church was destroyed by the
Venetians while constructing the wall for protection