LB55'55-Emiel-on-the-blog: November 2013

Former Stockmans Mill Merksem - House and Office (point of view: near my grandmother's little goldfish pond and aviary)

130901 - zagerij stockmans

Repro Merksem Expanded

left to right (nowadays in a horrible mauve and pink):

-the place where I was born
-former butcher Dockx, my grandfather's (later butcher Vertessen)
-former grocery de Charel (specialist in seeds)

130901 - repro

Plantin en Moretuslei - Alternating Traffic Lights - Antwerp

130828 - spoorwegbrug plantin en moretuslei

Birch at De Zomerfabriek - Antwerp

130828 - zomerfabriek

Antwerp Brewery De Koninck - E.B.E.S. Tower (Léon Stynen - 1958)

130825 - de koninck ebes boomgaardstraat

St-Norbertus Psychiatry - The Mad House - Duffel

In the seventies my father's only brother locked his mother, my Bobonne, away in St-Norbertus psychiatry, Duffel. Don't know how he managed but he did. My uncle drank too much, an alcoholic. Addicted as he was he needed money. So, once he got his mother interned he sold lots of antiques out of her house. One day we drove in our 404 Familiale to Duffel to visit her. Awful crying echoed all through the hallways, spooky phantoms, cold solitude and bitter loneliness. Where we found our Bobonne, in a locked cell, she sat on a chair, apathetically staring, broken by drugs. There was no way gettin' her out, St-Norbertus defenitly couldn't or wouldn't let her go. Secretly my father settled an arrangement in a nice retirement home in her old neighbourhood and then, one night, he kidnapped her. It's been a very bad thing, for years and years my father felt like he had no more brother. Years passed by, then we heard my uncle was dying. At his death bed my father forgave his brother and so did we. He died in peace. Well done, Dad, love you!

130828 - psychiatrisch centrum sint norbertus duffel

Grafitti at Duffel Station

130828 - station duffel

Corner Grocery Store

130825 - bleekhofstraat / provinciestraat

Backyard between Pelikaanstraat and Lange Herentalsestraat - Antwerp

130825 - pelikaanstraat

Tiles and Shutters

130825 - Vestingstraat

Vestingstraat 60 - Antwerp Golden City

Walk out the door
The Old Vestingstraat
Hand in my Pocket (burn burn)
Meet Garlic Jew
Hand over Sparklin' Stones
Hundreds of Thousands
No Worries neither Fears
Then get straight back
Walk through the open door
My Ol' Vestingstraat
Oh Oak Elevator
Third Floor
Lift me up