One of the days I was visiting Dries and he was working, I took the train and bus from Hasselt to the botanic garden in Meise outside of Brussels. It is BIG. Impressive. Covering 92 hectares of land, it can not be fully seen in a day. I could have spent several there, wandering aroundContinue reading “at the pumpkin patch”
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a Belgian tour
In early September in Belgium, during my long and winding railway journey home from the summer school in Peyresq, I visited friends. Dries in Hasselt and Jessica at her parents’ house in the small village Lummen. I like it, seeing where friends grew up, walking on their streets, hearing stories of teenage viola lessons andContinue reading “a Belgian tour”
jardin des plantes in Paris
The main plan for my day in Paris was to visit the botanic garden, Jardin des plantes de Paris. It was established in 1635, in France only surpassed in age by the botanic garden in Montpellier (which is a lovely garden, by the way). It also figures in the beautiful but sad novel “All theContinue reading “jardin des plantes in Paris”
my Sunday in Paris
[Written on September 11th] I had one full day in Paris. It started with breakfast at a café, café au lait, orange juice and pain au chocolat, while studying the map of Paris. It felt so French. I walked around in the latin quarters, looking at the small shops, cute houses, soaking up the friendlyContinue reading “my Sunday in Paris”
French journeying
[Written on September 9th] We left Peyresq early in the morning, everyone tired from the party the night before. Saying goodbye to the tutors and some of the lecturers in the village square, most of the participants at the airport, the last few at Nice train station. Wondering who I would see again, at conferencesContinue reading “French journeying”
the magic of old stones and music
Towards the end of the summer school, my voice gradually returned. I got some bad news about a friend back home, but being so far away there wasn’t anything I could do and I felt helpless – and also, weird, from being in such a social situation but not really having anybody there to talkContinue reading “the magic of old stones and music”
shades of a valley
Almost two weeks in Peyresq, and still I never got used to the view. The valley changed faces depending on time of day, weather. The color of the light. I could never not stop and marvel. Breathe it in. I think a place like this inspires open minds, big thoughts. They have chosen location wellContinue reading “shades of a valley”
lake-side lectures and butterflies: the second excursion
Our second excursion during the summer school first took us to a lavender farm. This is a completely different kind of agricultural endeavour than the shepherding. While the shepherd got a majority of his incomes from European Union support funds, the lavender farmer ran completely on what her crop could give her. Since lavender comesContinue reading “lake-side lectures and butterflies: the second excursion”
wordlessly navigating a summer school
The cold left me, but took my voice as it went. In a place full of new people, a summer school built on discussions and a prime opportunity to build a network of like-minded young scholars in the ecosystem services field, being voiceless is not ideal. I felt dull and plain, and like I wouldn’tContinue reading “wordlessly navigating a summer school”
walking to the shepherd: the first excursion
We also did two excursions as part of the summer school – a must, I would say, considering where we were. The mountains and valleys just would not be ignored. The first excursion was a hike up to a shepherd on the mountain. In the beginning, it was hot, sunny, bright, and we walked upContinue reading “walking to the shepherd: the first excursion”
Katja Malmborg 