Hello All

I am home but for whatever reason  my Kindle would not allow me to post even here so I am now at my trusty convent computer and there is so much more to tell about my trip to Brugge and Laceland! God Bless Patty for her yeoman's duty in posting as much as I could send her. All my posts and emailing were from the trusty 'Fast Food Joint' run by a busy, energetic and I might add quite gorgeous Scandanavian. Nuns had not been  in her scope but she came to be quite friendly and fascinatedas I frequented her cafe.
So on to Kantcentrum..... I have pictures snuggled in a residential sector of Brugge beside a Crusades era church it held two classes each morning and then demonstrations meaning anyone nearby could come and work on their lace and there was a monitor who would help you. I think you had to pay for this but I do not know. Tourists then or at least a few who wandered far enough from the center of Brugge to visit the Lace Museum attached  to Kancentrum could then see the real thing happening Hee Hee we were the real thing! I loved it! There were 15 in my class 6 Belgians, 2 Dutch, 2 French, 1 Chinese from Hong Kong and 1 Japanese who lived in Germany and 1 American nun.The reference was always 'oh you are from America' no separation of Canada Mexico or Brazil! So as you can see I was the only native English speaker. Chantal the teacher spoke several languages which buzzed around me no chance to learn by listening to others.... I could not understand anything!
I was almost in tears the second day as I had the least experience of  the group with 4 years in at lacemaking.But I persevered valiantly trying to figure out what she was talking about with the word junction. Sometimes the words she used I did not even get in English! Oh well miraculously after 2 or 3 nights of carting my pillow home to my cell at the convent guesthouse and working diligently I had a basic Flanders and felt again a part of the group which was much like us at Sacred Hearts laughing, struggling eating lunch together and at last day pictures and ice cream crepes at the local cafe by the canal and a nostalgic good bye until next year as of course one does not really learn enough in one year! Hmmm we shall see.

The museum with old laces was exquisite there are no other words and a little shop around the alleyway that claimed you could purchase old laces and receive a certificate of authenticity needless to say I did not go in but... it looked interesting. There was also a Folk museum nearby which I did go to having a display of the lace making diorama like from the 17th and 18th century. These were fairly common in different place as Lace making was such a part of the women's and sisters' history of this area.

Another post tomorrow. Happy Labor Day
Sr Madeleine