Brussels

Half-term holiday and a trip on Eurostar to Brussels. Stayed at an 'apart-hotel' for a change as it meant we didn't have to eat out so much, the exchange rate not being what it was. But we treated ourselves to a couple of meals out, both at places which cater excellently for veggies, and which we remembered with fondness from our last trip - Dolma and Cafe Novo.

Saw lots of great art and architecture, but what captured my imagination the most were the Art Nouveau houses which we spent a lot of time searching out, and the art which we came across by accident in the streets.

Part of Oxfam's campaign for an agreement on climate change at Copenhagen. Signed the petition, had an interesting chat with one of the campaigners. One artist created all these miniature refugee shelters, which are travelling Europe this autumn.

Not sure what this is making a statement about - street trees maybe? A surprise anyway.

Pretend cracks in the walls, and drifts of Cosmos instead of builder's rubble. Not the usual building site! (In Ghent).

Also in Ghent, this is apparently another effort to raise the plight of the world's poorer people in the face of climate change and rising sea levels.

It's a real tree, and somebody has cleverly painted an extra branch on the wall behind.

Art Nouveau houses next post!