It is only 10 pm yet I am tired. And I have no real plan or lay out in my head of what I want to communicate to you my blog readers, except that I want to post some photographs. I will try to stay away from rambling (a real threat when writing in this near-zombie state.) So what are some of the latest news-flashes from the Fultons living in Antwerp (some of which will be illustrated)? Evelina had her second "kermis" in Belgium. This summer we took her to the big one here in Antwerp. Kermis, I suppose is comparable to the state-fair in the U.S.A. Although I realized that in all my time in Texas, I never went to one. Is that for the better or not, those of you who have been, let me know! This one recently took place in Hasselt, where my parents live. She is a pro now and is very good at fishing for duckies and shooting the water gun. She collected more stuffed animals at the Hasselt Kermis than in Antwerp. Phew... And she was introduced (by my parents) to the delicacies that come with Kermis, "smoutebollen" (i.e. fried dough-balls loaded with powered sugar.) The little finger in the picture of them is, needless to say, Evelina's.
Then, Robert and I took off for a weekend and went to London. We are still testing the proximity of exciting places in relationship to our front door. In about 5-10 minutes we walk from our front door to the station, where we catch a train to either Antwerp Centraal or Brussels to then hop on the next train to, previously Paris, now London. Total travel time = a few hours. Although I must add that the trip to Paris is much more pleasurably than the one to London. Really guys, you Brits, just let go of the ol' continent-hang ups and join the EU. It would make life easier for all of us, on and off the continent. Going to London, although not far, is cumbersome. Anyway ... Reason for this visit was an exhibition at the British Museum on Hadrain.
I have no energy right now to really get into the effects of this exhibition on me. For this was more than simply seeing stuff one likes considering it was the first true contact (whether through the objects themselves or me reading about them) with Roman art (and in particular the period I am working on) since leaving the US. Going to see this meant something and stirred up some "stuff." But as I said, I will leave the ponderings on that for later. Anyway, there was of course much more at the BM than this particular exhibition and I finally saw, after looking at pictures over and over, reading and reading about them, and studying and writing on them for one of my doctoral exams, the Parthenon Marbles. A very weird feeling indeed, I must admit, to see them finally in the "flesh" and in London of all places. 
I have many thoughts on London actually, the sharing of which I am now too tired for. But I will share just a few more photographs now. I was not very inspired to take pictures there, that should give one a clue of what my first (yes, I had never "really" been, only once before for a few hours during a lay over) impressions are. We will go back for certain. If not only because I still have sooo much art to see there -- didn't even make it to the National Gallery or the Portrait Gallery, and I would like to try the Tate when it isn't super crowded (is that possible?). In addition, one of my very favorite Van Eyck's (the Arnolfini Wedding Portrait) was off the wall at the BM getting ready to be used in an upcoming exhibition! RATS! Gotta go back soon. Luckily it is not too far. Cumbersome and expensive as hell yes, but not far. Anyway, some more shots.
Fall here has been stunning. Who said the weather in Belgium sucks? We have been enjoying it. And so has Evelina. Here are fall pictures of recent. She is rally into spotting mushrooms and was delighted to find a "spotted" one just like the ones the Smurfs live in. So we all admired it (amidst repeated don't touch-cries from our part)
And last but not least, the house update. Did you think just because I haven't mentioned it of late that it is all done? Oh no. But we are making progress! There is still one floor we do not use but for storage of boxes that still need unpacking. The unpacking cannot happen yet because we don't have furniture yet, or more specifically book shelves. The same WAS true for our bedroom floor. But after a few weekend of work and several trips to the nearest Ikea (yes, Ikea again, soon there will be a post devoted to this wretched store one cannot live without), we are now out of the boxes and all settled in on our floor. I am so happy, there are no words! I am actually writing this now from my "office" where I intend to spend quite some time to come. I will show some pics. Completely finished it is not as we are still waiting on the plumber to install the airconditioner here (see the hideous wires sticking out the wall) and of course still need to fill some of the shelves with books and the walls with more pictures. But the main thing is that the boxes are gone! I guess I should have had "before" pictures too, but I never feel like taking those.
So that is the update for now. As always, more later, and for now greetings from Antwerp with love.
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