Ghent

Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. (image source:Wikipedia)

Denise was determined that we would make a day trip to Ghent to see Jan van Eyck's wonderful 'Adoration of the Mystic Lamb' (left). This was one of the big thrills of our visit to Belgium. I've been fascinated by this painting for many years.

Reproductions, no matter how good, do not prepare you for the impact an original painting can have when you stand before it. Even though I was aware of the dimensions of the painting and the vibrancy of the colours, I was unprepared for the reality.

Once again, I have to thank my wife for a wonderful experience.

Unfortunately, this was the only object we were not allowed to photograph. Thus the image 'borrowed' from Wikipedia.

Side aisle, St. Bavo's Cathedral.

As you can see in the photo at the top of the page, we were met on our arrival with cold, wet, blustery weather - weather for which we were completely unprepared. We did manage to get a few photos of the town during short-lived breaks in the downpour but I can't say we were able to do it justice. It will have to go on our list of places that are deserving of a return visit!

Fortunately, Ghent is a place where you can quite happily spend most of your time indoors and, as is our habit in Europe, we headed straight for the churches.

It is the scale of the spaces enclosed by these buildings that first strikes you. In the photo on the right, the small red patch is Denise seen in the distance in one of the side aisles of the nave of St Bavo's Cathedral. You have to remember that these buildings were constructed without the aid of the powerful sophisticated equipment we see around modern construction sites. And they have stood the test of time far better than we can expect of modern buildings.

Then you begin to see the seemingly endless parade of details: the columns, the altars, even the floors. And the overwhelming profusion of art. You could spend a good part of a lifetime studying any one of these magnificent buildings. But we have only a day...