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.

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.

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.

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 🙂

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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