Remembering & Living in Leuven

Some days you want to go for a long run and some other days you want to go for a nice, long morning walk, admiring the city you live in and all it has to offer.

Leuven, Belgium @CearasKitchen

This is a bit of a different spin on the regular #MoveitMondays post. I though I’d share with you where I’ve been living over the past couple years.

Leuven, Belgium @CearasKitchen #travel

Leuven, Belgium @CearasKitchen #travel #Fall

It occurred to me the other day that even though I bring my camera with me whenever I travel I have few photos of the quaint and beautiful city I’ve come to call my second home.

Leuven, Belgium @CearasKitchen #travel #Belgium

Leuven, Belgium @CearasKitchen #travel #leuven

So this morning, I got up early to go for a stroll and took a couple photos of my favourite places. It’s a cool feeling to step back and take a look at where I’ve been living through a camera lens. I have come to love and become so accustom to so many little spots in this city. I thought I’d share a couple of them with you today 🙂

Travel Leuven, Belgium @cearaskitchen

Welcome to the city of Leuven, Belgium. The city of Stella Artois, Medieval Abbeys and charming side streets.

Leuven, Belgium @CearasKitchen #travel #beautiful

Leuven, Belgium @cearaskitchen #love #travel #happy

Leuven, Belgium @CearasKitchen #travel #love

Leuven, Belgium @CearasKitchen #travel #happy

Sometimes I forget that I’m living in an 11th century city and sometimes I cannot stop thinking about all the history that has happened here over the past centuries.

Travel Leuven, Belgium @cearakitchen #love #belgium #travel

Travel Leuven, Belgium @cearakitchen #love #belgium #travel #happy

Because tomorrow is Remembrance Day and Remembrance Day is particularly a big day here I thought that this post was especially well suited. This year is the 100th anniversary of the First World War so tomorrow will be a historic and solemn day in Leuven.

Leuven, Belgium @CearasKitchen #travel #medieval

It’s hard to fathom that where I am currently living was totally devastated during both World Wars. It’s crazy to think how quickly a city can change. The flowers grow here throughout the city and during poppy season the wild flowers grow as far as the eye can see.

Travel Leuven, Belgium @cearakitchen #love #belgium #travel #leuven

During my undergraduate degree I worked alongside veterans at the Canadian War Museum. I always felt privileged that I was given the opportunity to get to know and listen to their stories firsthand. I heard some amazing stories and met some people who I’ll always remember while working there. And now that I live in the middle of Europe where these events took place it makes you do a lot of reflecting.

Leuven, Belgium from @cearaskitchen #travel

Thinking and remembering everybody effected by trauma, war and unsettling things around the world this week. <3 Lest we forget.

Travel Leuven, Belgium @cearakitchen #love #belgium #travel #Fall

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37 Comments

  1. Thank you for sharing this beautiful city, Leuven! It looks so calm, quaint and lovely with beautiful old buildings where the past is still very present! What was your favorite historical site in Leuven? I’m particularly fond of Belgium and really, really enjoyed everything there especially Antwerpen.

  2. Oh gosh visiting Belgium would be a dream come true since I am so into old style architect buildings and medieval style structures!!! I would love riding my bike around the cobblestones. Oh such a lucky girl 🙂

    1. Come on over to Belgium! 🙂 It’s a great place to visit and soak in all the architecture (and chocolate tehe!). 🙂

    1. You do! Get your bum over here from Italy!! And take some more pictures of Palermo – I love your Sicilian Sundays posts!

  3. So hey, can I like.. come be your roommate? Pretty please? I promise I’ll do all your dishes AND mine and feed you tons and we can take runs together and long walks on the beach through the freaking gorgeous city. Et parler ensemble le français! Bien que j’en ai tout oublié..

    Also, this morning was definitely a I-should-run-but-OMG-my-legs-lets-just-awkwardly-walk-home-with-full-gear-on-and-the-iphone-armband-so-it’s-totally-clear-I-just-wimped-out morning.. yay…

    1. Um yes please! As long as your bring a Waffle Maker and swear to make me your delicious Vegan Pumpkin Waffles like everyday (still on my list to make when I go home for Xmas & have accesss to my mom’s waffle maker!) 😀

  4. Absolutely gorgeous pictures, Ceara! To be honest, I don’t know too much about Belgium, but I’m in awe of how beautiful it is. Sounds like you live in a place so full of history! It’s amazing how far that country has come from both World Wars. What a wonderful tribute, too!

  5. I love the beautiful photos Ceara! I’m originally from Europe (but live in the US) and always like to look at pictures that people take, while in Europe!

  6. Stunning photos! Now I am no photographer, but even I took some nice pics in Europe, mostly of bikes! Ha. I love how people stay active using bikes so much more than we do in America. My husband is thinking of biking to work, but I’m on the fence until we get better life insurance!! The roads near us are crazy and it would be a scary drive everyday. Love the window box too =)

    1. I love the biking culture here as well Laura!! There are more cars than bikes on the road in Leuven! 🙂 I know what you mean about being scared that it’s too dangerous in some parts – I’m way too chicken to bike on busy roads!

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