OLD RECORDER'S HOUSE

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This is the Old Recorder's House in the Burg. I have always found it impressive, the more so when I visited Brugge in 2008 and found it had been tarted up as a UNESCO world heritage site (2000/1). I remember gilt from my time in Brugge in 1967/8 but never this gleaming.

The tarting up proved very useful to the makers of the film IN BRUGES some years later. And as you can see from the photo above it is still gleaming.

The Recorder's House is described as "probably the oldest and most beautiful Renaissance building in the city".

The gilt figures are Justice,

Moses, and

his brother, Aaron

BLINDE EZELSTRAAT

I must explain. This is Blinde Ezelstraat. I have always remembered the name, along with Boogschutterslaan.

It seemed immediatedly obvious to me that they meant Blind Donkey Street and Archers Avenue. However, on reflection I realised that only the latter was fairly straightforward - Bow Shooters Lane.

It was only later that I realised the former was obvious only because I spoke Irish and was conflating it with my English. A donkey is Ezel in Flemish and Asal in Irish. Amazing what your mind can get up to behind the scenes.

But the street had another surprise in store for me this time. It was only when I started writing up my photos that I realised that the arch over Blinde Ezelstraat was the back of the Recorder's House.

In case you're wondering, the guy up there is Count Boudewijn (Baldwin I, the Iron Arm), the first Count of Flanders (represented as King Solomon). He was a ninth century warrior.

And the blind donkey? Well there are two versions going the rounds. The first refers to the blinkering/blindfolding of the donkey on the treadmill in the malt plant to prevent him getting dizzy.

The second explanation is more sinister. When the citizens of Gent were making off with the Golden Dragon of Brugge, the donkey pulling the cart refused point blank to head in the direction of Gent. So they burned his eyes out and he then had no way of knowing where he was going and off they went.

A third possibility occurred to me. Perhaps the donkey was simply blind drunk having managed to sample some of the product of his own labours. But I don't know if the Flemish of the period would stretch to this explanation.

Take your pick.