A curious case of Canadian fast food

Canada is not the first place that comes to mind as a home of fast food, like burgers and pizza - poutine and Tim Hortons notwithstanding.

However, recently I've noticed some fast food outlets naming themselves after Canada or Canadian places. And as they say, 'three is a trend', so here we go.

In Larnaca, in Cyprus, I saw Toronto Pizza. I've heard of Chicago pizza and Detroit pizza, but not Toronto Pizza. (Though Wikipedia claims there is a Toronto-style pizza, as well as styles named after several other Canadian places.)

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In Spa, Belgium, I noticed this restaurant called Canadian Burgers and Pizza. The menu posted outside didn't feel especially Canadian.

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Finally, in Oldham, I spied Toronto Fried Chicken - and I've seen it called 'the best fried chicken shop in Oldham' online.

So, the big question here is: why? and why Canada?

Statues and sculptures in Tournai

Last August, I was travelling from France to Belgium, and had to change trains at Tournai. It was somewhere I had never heard before, but looking it up, I found it is one of the largest cities in Wallonia.

So I decided to take a look around. And what a pretty city! It was a warm sunny day when I was there, so the city shone and looked its best.

What I noticed most were the many statues and monuments around the city. So, I thought I'd write about them.

Jules Bara

One of the first statues encountered after the Tournai train station is this impressive monument to Jules Bara. He was a 19th-century Belgian statesman and liberal politician who was born in Tournai. He served in numerous governments and was a Minister for Justice - but that doesn't stop people in Tournai dressing him up during carnival.

Adolphe Leray

Heading toward the river Scheldt, on Rue de Becquerelle, there is a memorial fountain to Adolphe Leray.

Adolphe Leray was a poet and songwriter born near Tournai in 1810. He wrote popular songs in French and Picard dialect. The bust from this fountain was stolen in 2003 and finally replaced many years later in 2017.

Barthélémy Dumortier

Barthélemy Dumortier was a botanist and zoologist, as well as a politician. Born in Tournai in 1797, he took part in the Belgian revolution in 1830. Three years earlier, he had published Flora Belgica, cataloguing the nation's plants.

This monument was erected in 1883, the work of sculptor Charles Fraikin. There is also a bust of Dumortier in the National Botanic Garden of Belgium in Brussels.

Christine de Lalaing

It's rare to find a statue depicting a real-life woman. This monument to Christine de Lalaing takes pride of place in the centre of the Grand Place in Tournai.

Christine de Lalaing, the Princess of Epinoy, led the defence of Tournai against Spanish troops during a siege in 1581. She was the wife of Pierre de Melun, the governor of Tournai, who had left for an attack on another city. In his absence, Christine de Lelaing organised Tournai's resistance and took part in battles on the ramparts. The siege lasted two months and ultimately proved unsuccessful. Christine de Lalaing was injured, dying several months later.

Her bravery earned her the respect and thanks of every citizen. This monument was erected in 1863, the first in Walloonia which was dedicated to a woman.

Louis Gallait

Louis Gallait was a 19th-century artist, born in Tournai in 1810, who studied in Tournai, Antwerp and Paris. He was mostly known as a painter of portraits and historical paintings.

He is honoured with a statue in the centre of the Square Paul Bonduelle, itself named after an important architect.

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Circle lines | Brussels

A few weeks ago, I was in Brussels so took a circular trip on the Brussels metro. I travelled on the 6 line on an almost entire loop (with a small walk between two stations). Here's what I saw:

- A woman wearing a denim shirt tapping her hand on the phone she was carrying

- Two girls wearing matching brown skirts and black t-shirts, with different backpacks - one pink, one with red polka dots

- A man scoffing down a panini

- A girl with a colourful giraffe on her sweater

- A man with the words 'got no fears' on his jacket 

- Flowers: a woman carrying a white flower on a wooden twig, two women carrying fuchsia

- Someone with a red backpack emblazoned with the letter M

- A lot of people wearing purple, supporting Anderlecht for a Croky Cup match  

- A man wheeling a TV on a trolley

Grey Brussels

The day I arrived in Brussels was very grey. It didn't rain but slate, granite and charcoal clouds filled the sky.

While I was wandering around looking for colourful Art Nouveau and Art Deco, the grey above inspired me to find very below.

Brussels buildings

I went to Brussels a few months ago.

There, I spent some time wandering around the city looking for the Art Deco and Art Nouveau architecture that the city is famous for.

My two favourite places were the tucked away remains of the Gresham Hotel (part of the Royal Museums complex) and the Horta Museum (which sadly does not allow photography).

It's maybe an obvious point but much of the architectural features are high up on the buildings and cannot be seen in detail from the ground, loosing some of the finesse.

Equally many of the buildings are not always publicly accessible so their interiors remain unseen.

Nonetheless, many marvellous mosaics, wonderful windows, swirly sinowy steel railings and more can be seen.

Variations on a Brazilian flag

When I was in Belgium, I saw this flag hanging from a building. It's the Brazilian flag re-purposed with Belgian colours.

I love this take on the Brazilian flag, re-purposed to support Belgium in this year's football World Cup.

So I decided to make a few more flags:

 This could be any number of countries - Australia, Costa Rica, Chile, France, Croatia.

Cameroon.

Colombia or Ecuador

Netherlands - though I suspect they're more likely to have a big, bright orange flag.

Germany

 Portugal

1

Iran or Mexico or Italy

Ivory Coast

 Nigeria

Spain

Switzerland

Uruguay or Bosnia and Herzegovina

Antwerp Centraal

Definitely one of my favourite parts of Antwerp was its train station.

Antwerp Centraal is a cross between a cavern and cathedral for trains. The front of the station is built with a traditional-looking but eclectic, elegant style.

Coming out of a large initial waiting room / entrance space, stairs leading up to the main space of the station. Inside there, the station's real amazing quality shows.

The trains are on four levels, seeming like they are all stacked on top of one another. Escalators and stairs connect all the levels, giving the whole station a vast, futuristic quality. There seems to be lots of space, even though there are trains arriving every minute or so.

And just when you think you've got the measure of the station, you discover a whole lot more to it. My words can't really describe how astounding Antwerp Centraal is; hopefully these pictures will.

Antwerp, port city

MAS, a museum in Antwerp, explores the idea that Antwerp, as a port city for several hundred years, has seen cultures meet mix and exchange in many different ways.

This idea was in my mind as I wandered around. One evening I passed somewhere with the words Seamen's Club above the door. Intrigued, I looked in and found a social club for people (though mainly men) who work on ships. 

Inside, I found a large room with a bar at the end. It had simple beige tiles on floor, the walls were painted an insipid yellow - except for one in a bright, gaudy orange. Tables and chairs were laid out, each with plastic roses in beer glasses filled with blue-coloured sand.

When I walked in, the room was in a disconcerting hush. Everyone was watching a man playing card and coin tricks.

Those that weren't watching the trickster were glued to their phones, iPads or laptops - seemingly taking a precious opportunity to contact home. The men often crowded around others to see... their latest family pics, the weather in their next destination, or Miley Cyrus's new video. It could be any or all of the above. 

A door led out to a chapel in an adjoining room. Nearby that door, a bookshelf had printed news digests from India, Ukraine, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Croatia, Romania, Philippines, Poland, China and Burma. Novels by Jackie Collins, Barbara Vine, Cecilia Ahern and Sheila O' Flanagan were sitting on the bookshelves.

A guestbook in a little shop at the back of the bar showed that some guys had spent last New Year's Eve there, celebrating the start of 2013.

I didn't speak to anyone there, except to order two beers. It didn't seem right somehow.

After an hour or so everyone left, piling on to a free bus which took them back to the port.

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A few days later I decided to walk out to the port. While there was a running and cycling track along the way, this was not really an area in which to stroll. Truck drivers glared at me.

On the way, I passed through old industrial areas now regenerating (with museums, a nightclub and a bar called Stockholm). The port seemed distant - a constant hub of barely perceptible activity.

I never really made it to the port - it is a good few miles out. I certainly didn't see up-close any of the mega-liners on which the men at the Seamen's Club doubtless work.

But, along the way, I did see...

Unexpected connections - a boat called Mozart moored next to Siberia Bridge, Lithuania Street next to Lefebvre Bridge.

Buildings so big it's hard to imagine how they were filled

And an unexpected splash of pink among all the grey industrial concrete.