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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Is Ieper open?


Steven Broomfield

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10 minutes ago, Steven Broomfield said:

 

Without wishing to re-open the interminable debate, one can't help wondering if that's the result of more (and quicker) testing.

 

Anyway, we're in the planning stages: latter part of September.

 

Believe me, it's not just the result of more testing. Local measures (by the mayor of communes) will be possible and a number of actions have been taken already, among them more obligatory wearing of mouth masks (in busy streets, in bars and restaurants while on the move in it - to go to the toilet, to go to one's place etc).

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Slightly surprised to see that the LPA have increased the number of people who will be admitted to the Menin Gate from 150 to 400 (face masks compulsory, but, as ever, enforcement?...)

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6 hours ago, sassenach said:

Slightly surprised to see that the LPA have increased the number of people who will be admitted to the Menin Gate from 150 to 400 (face masks compulsory, but, as ever, enforcement?...)

How do you stop people from standing in the square or the street from it?

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1 hour ago, healdav said:

How do you stop people from standing in the square or the street from it?

You can't, obviously. As I understand it, the LPA are simply restricting the number of people who can come through the barrier erected near the bar on the corner of Menenstraat. It was 150, now 400.

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15 hours ago, healdav said:

How do you stop people from standing in the square or the street from it?

Only by a very hard Brexit :ph34r:

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I haven't been to the ceremony under the gate for some years, but have visited Ieper. A walk through the gate at 11pm when all is quiet is moving enough in itself.  Alternatively if you wish to hear the buglers, a quiet position somewhere on the ramparts at 8pm serves well. I am afraid I found the crowds and some of the "presentations"  disturbing, long before Covid. 

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2 hours ago, keithfazzani said:

I haven't been to the ceremony under the gate for some years, but have visited Ieper. A walk through the gate at 11pm when all is quiet is moving enough in itself.  Alternatively if you wish to hear the buglers, a quiet position somewhere on the ramparts at 8pm serves well. I am afraid I found the crowds and some of the "presentations"  disturbing, long before Covid. 

 

One advantage, because of covid, singing is considered quite dangerous, so there is no more "Clash of the Choirs" at the Last Post ceremony...

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Considering the latest decision of the Security Council, make sure you ALWAYS have your mask on in the city or at least within reach for any less populated places.

Social Bubble is reduced to 5 persons…

 

M.

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Thanks, everyone. Given the latest advice from the Belgian Prime Minister (or is that the Prime Minister of the Belgians?), we've decided to scrub it. Better luck next year.

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20 hours ago, Steven Broomfield said:

Thanks, everyone. Given the latest advice from the Belgian Prime Minister (or is that the Prime Minister of the Belgians?), we've decided to scrub it. Better luck next year.

 

in this particular case MADAM Prime Minister… this just to rub it in that for the first time ever, the country is ran by a woman… just saying…

 

But it's Belgian Prime Minister. Only the King and Queen are "of the Belgians"

 

M.

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The LPA has changed the maximum number of people allowed to be under the Menin Gate for the ceremony again; down from 400 to 200.

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4 hours ago, Marilyne said:

 

in this particular case MADAM Prime Minister… this just to rub it in that for the first time ever, the country is ran by a woman… just saying…

 

 

 

M.

 

I was trying not to discriminate: she may be a woman, but she's still the Prime Minister. And we beat you to it by 40 years!

 

4 hours ago, Marilyne said:

 

 

But it's Belgian Prime Minister. Only the King and Queen are "of the Belgians"

 

M.

 

I was being tongue-in-cheek ;)

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Loin de moi l'idée… I don't know how you say that in English… I never took your post as anything less than a little word-banter amongst friends… no worries about that.

The fun fact about Miss Sophie at the helm of our country is that we also endure the joke: "put a woman in charge, first thing she does in cancel football and close the pubs…" Cheerio to that!

 

second phrase… I'm serious… it's a semantics question that a lot of people get wrong. I often hear "the Belgian King" or "King of Belgium", and that's a mistake. the King is "Roi DES Belges - Koning der Belgen" and this was defined in the Constitution of 1831 and has not changed since. Reason can be found in the French revolution. The Kings before were, f ex "roi de France", because they were king by the "grace of god".... it was their divine right to be king. this changed with the Revolution, when the monarchies became constitutionnal. The country and the land belongs to the people and the king has only limited power and upon intronisation, still has to swear allegiance to the Constitution and the laws of the Belgian people. so he is King "OF THE" people.

 

I suggest we one day re-visit this explanation around a good pint of Belgian beer… (can also be called beer of the belgians… but there's a lot of them!!!)

 

this was your Belgian Lesson of the Day… LOOOOOL

 

M.

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