The sun shone brightly after a busy and dreary week. Having the chance to jump aboard my Moto Guzzi felt like a chance to seize with both hands. It had been a long time since I entered the south side of Belgium for the last time.
What was the driving strategy? Well, I wanted to photograph several architectural monuments, and one that attracted me last year was the Ardennes American Cemetery. It was heartbreaking to behold, but they all deserve full credit!
I would travel to the south of Belgium, to the lovely landscape of Aubel, and then to Honbourg, Henri-Chapelle. I shot this photo as I was leaving Hoeselt. The landscape has already changed from a flat pancake to some wonderful curled wavy roadways. That is, without a doubt, the thrill of riding a bike.
As you can see in the first photographs after Hoeselt, I arrived in Aubel via some lovely tiny roads. The Abbey of Val Dieu is located on this site. The Abbey is well known for its own beer, but mainly for its cheese. The Abbey was established in 1216 and features a basilica on the side. More information can be found here: https://www.abbaye-du-val-dieu.be/nl/
I got some images of the side, basilica, and cheese with me on my trip.
I continued my journey with some Abbey cheese in the side case of my bike. It wasn’t the warmest feeling because there was a cold wind on the nose, but I was thrilled to ride the bike through the curvy terrain.
As you may have guessed, my bike is my medicine, and on this curvy terrain, every bike rider smiles. After a few detours, I arrived at Henry-Chapelle, and what I saw there was spectacular!
Arriving in Henry Chapelle provided the amazing countryside vista depicted in the image above, but turning 180 degrees left me speechless and full of gratitude for everyone who died in battle.
A brief synopsis of the location Henry-Chapelle, taken from their website:
The Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial in Belgium, which covers 57 acres, is home to 7,987 of our military fallen, the majority of whom died during the advance of US forces into Germany. Their headstones are laid out in elegant arcs across a wide green grass that softly dips downhill. The cemetery is bisected by a freeway. West of the highway lies an overlook with a beautiful view of the Belgian countryside, which was previously a battleground.
The architectural memorials are stunning, and I photographed them with the utmost respect for the deceased and their families. Some pictures tell the entire narrative.
This last image depicts how the battle to end the madness in World War 2 unfolded. In recent days, the news has been dominated by the Ukraine-Russia situation. Sure, money is always involved in these situations, but we have been out of a corona crisis for more than two years. The globe was already on its toes, and there are many economic changes to be conquered.
Many families are struggling financially after Corona since living has become much more expensive.
Following these, there will be a top-down war. People of all ages are dying in Ukraine’s warzone, and we wonder why this is necessary. Why do individuals have to leave their houses or lose their homes as a result of bombings?
I hope that the world’s anger fades and that we can all come together to create a world filled with love for others. Forget about being selfish and instead contribute and share with love.
Peace is found in love.
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