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Remembering & Living in Leuven

November 10, 2014 by Ceara 36 Comments

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

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: leuven, living, remembering

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Comments

  1. best tips says

    March 24, 2023 at 7:20 pm

    Definitely, what a great website and illuminating posts, I definitely will bookmark your site.Best Regards!

    Reply
  2. rika@vm says

    November 14, 2014 at 5:48 am

    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.

    Reply
  3. Nicole @ Waterloo, with Love says

    November 13, 2014 at 1:21 am

    Brb. Getting my teleportation device.

    haha oh my, those places look gorgeous Ceara!

    Reply
  4. Arpita@ The Gastronomic Bong says

    November 12, 2014 at 10:44 am

    Such a beautiful city.. lovely architecture. . These pictures are so enticing I wanna pack my bags and jump onto the first flight I get to Belgium.. 🙂

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:47 pm

      🙂 Sounds like a great idea!! Thanks!

      Reply
  5. Shundara@savynaturalista says

    November 11, 2014 at 3:18 pm

    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 🙂

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:44 pm

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

      Reply
  6. ACE II says

    November 11, 2014 at 2:52 pm

    Looks like lots of fun!

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:43 pm

      <3 Thanks!

      Reply
  7. Tamzin says

    November 11, 2014 at 2:01 pm

    It looks like a lovely place to live very enchanting!

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:42 pm

      It is!! Thanks, Tamzin! 😀

      Reply
  8. Vanessa @ VeganFamilyRecipes says

    November 11, 2014 at 8:34 am

    Such beautiful pictures of Leuven. The cathedral is gorgeous. I’ll have to put it on my list of places to visit 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:42 pm

      Thanks, Vanessa!! Leuven is def. a beautiful city to visit!

      Reply
  9. Ilona @ Ilona's Passion says

    November 11, 2014 at 1:25 am

    Beautiful city, I love Europe .. It has lots of history and very beautiful castles and other buildings. Europe will always be home for me .. The place where I grew up..

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:40 pm

      Thanks Ilona! <3

      Reply
  10. Linda @ Veganosity says

    November 10, 2014 at 11:07 pm

    Thank you for sharing your city with us! The photos are beautiful. I love the architecture and the history of European cities.

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:39 pm

      Thanks for the sweet words, Linda <3

      Reply
  11. Cailee says

    November 10, 2014 at 11:03 pm

    Beautiful pictures!! I want to go there! 🙂 Just lovely!! Thanks for sharing and I hope that you have a great week!!

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:39 pm

      Thanks, Cailee! <3 Have a great week too!

      Reply
  12. Hadia says

    November 10, 2014 at 10:24 pm

    You live in a beautiful city Ceara. Love the old buildings and the amazing architecture!

    Reply
  13. Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says

    November 10, 2014 at 8:50 pm

    These are such stunning photos, Ceara! I love how much history there is and how beautiful all the buildings are! Thank you so much for sharing with us 🙂 This is such a wonderful tribute too!

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:38 pm

      Thanks for the kind words, Kelly!

      Reply
  14. Filip says

    November 10, 2014 at 7:19 pm

    Ceara,

    I love your beautiful pictures of a city were I was studying some decades (3

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:38 pm

      Thanks, Filip!! It certainly is a beautiful city!

      Reply
  15. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says

    November 10, 2014 at 6:15 pm

    This is such a fun post – now I need to get my bum to Leuven!! Those buildings are so pretty!! Also, I need to take more photos of Palermo…totally slacking there too, and this was a great reminder!

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:38 pm

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

      Reply
  16. Cheryl says

    November 10, 2014 at 5:41 pm

    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…

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:36 pm

      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!) 😀

      Reply
  17. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says

    November 10, 2014 at 2:20 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:28 pm

      Thanks for the kind words, Gayle! It is a beautiful place to live 🙂

      Reply
  18. Mira says

    November 10, 2014 at 1:12 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:28 pm

      Thanks, Mira! <3

      Reply
  19. Laura says

    November 10, 2014 at 1:06 pm

    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 =)

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:30 pm

      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!

      Reply
  20. Sarah@WholeandHeavenlyOven says

    November 10, 2014 at 1:01 pm

    I LOVE all these photos, Ceara! Makes me anxious to want to get over to Europe. I’d love to explore a historically-rich city like that!

    Reply
    • Ceara says

      November 12, 2014 at 4:30 pm

      Thanks, Sarah <3 I'm sure you'd love it!

      Reply

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