Autumn is my season

Picture me, wearing three layers of clothing with a thick jacket over them, asking this Belgian brother of a former colleague (who was acting as my host and guide while in his city) to click my camera so I would have a memory of an autumn tree in this heart city of Europe. He had a good laugh at my expense when I explained that I am not that interested in having my picture taken anywhere but under that tree with no leaves. Unfortunately, my memory fails me now that I cannot recall what tree was that. I could not blame him because he diligently explained and shared to me how old this former convent for women and there I was more excited to find my so called autumn view.

If you ask me why I, who have always lived in a tropical country, would instantly have a liking for a season that I have yet to fully see and experience, I would not be able to come up with any logical explanation. Except that when I saw Belgium and its autumn colors, I guess I must have felt like really transported back to the past. Yes, that must be it then. Because autumn colors meant that the city was covered in a grayish color, with the sun hardly in view and by 3 PM, it was beginning to get dark. And with that as a background, it was easier to breathe in its glorious past.

So I had fun reminiscing how many centuries this and that building has been in existence or that palace (Royal Palace) has been in use or that park has been enjoyed by this former colonizer of other civilized world. And I had a taste of real al fresco dining and fine dining in a century old former cave (in Ghent). And of course I saw the famous little boy who was always peeing at everyone who dared to venture near his statue (the fountain of Manneken Pis). Or the open museum (somewhere either in Bruges or Mechelen) where the Belgians transported everything back from one of the African colony (so difficult to recall). Or the university campuses of Leuwen with its different architectural styles.

In all, my first taste of autumn was so beautiful that I really can say that it is my season. And as I have never experienced it again since then, the memories are not only vivid but still grayish.