A comic book jaunt in Belgium
By Wang Yanlin |
July 25, 2010, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
Belgium is not only the source of delectable chocolates and dazzling diamonds, it is also the birthplace of the famous comic book hero Tintin and the blue Smurfs. And if you want a trip back in time, you can visit a village where ancient life is reenacted.
Tintin, a young Belgian reporter adventurer who fights the bad guys first appeared in 1929 and the Smurfs who battle the evil wizard Gargamel first appeared in 1958.
For years, Belgium has been an incubator for comic artists, with its open, creative atmosphere and it's a paradise for young children. If you're planning a family trip with children, they'll love Belgium.
Belgium and France have a long history of comics and comic books and Brussels is a hub of the animation industry.
If you turn a corner in many ordinary streets, you're likely to find bright murals depicting many comic characters, including Tintin, his dog Snowy, the Smurfs and many others.
If you are attentive, you may discover two addresses on some street signs. One is the street name, of course. The other, usually in white, is the name of a hero associated with the locale, or whose creator lived or lives in the neighborhood.
The Belgian Comic Strip Center is in the very heart of Brussels, housed in a splendid Art Nouveau temple and former textile warehouse. It's an essential stop and explains why Belgians call comic strips their Ninth Art, after the other traditional eight such as painting, music and architecture.
Visitors can learn everything about the birth and development of a comic strip -- the journey an artist must make from concept to shop. The center explains why after so many decades, Tintin remains popular and how the Smurfs rose to stardom after first being just a spinoff of another comic story.
According to center curator Willem de Graeve, Tintin with his naive look and unruly top cowlick has a globalized face that makes him welcome everywhere. The Smurfs' success was accidental. They first appeared in a monthly magazine as several cute blue fingers, which sparked huge curiosity among small children. They were so fond of the Smurfs that they wrote to the author, urging more stories and more quickly delivered.
The center sells comic books, figures and many products featuring Belgian comic strip art.
For a taste of the old days in Europe, you can visit Limburg, a province known as the green lung of Belgium just 80 kilometers from Brussels.
There you can tour Bokrijk Park -- which recreates bygone village life -- and the Open Air Museum -- and later if you crave luxury you can shop in nearby Maasmechelen Village, a chic discount outlet for luxury brands.
From March to September Bokrijk Park is an idyllic village without computers, television and appliances, without paved roads, without supermarkets and clothing stores.
Actors and volunteers play the roles of shepherd, baker, village school teacher, clergyman, postman and housewife. You will see how people raised their sheep, taught their children, cooked their food, baked their bread, wove their clothes and somehow managed to survive without electricity.
The baker uses firewood for his oven and visitors can shape and bake their own special breads.
It's like wandering back in time. People in costume tell stories of Belgium going back to the middle ages. They play old games of bowling, and visitors can join in.
If you miss shopping, visit Maasmechelen Village, one of nine villages under the Value Retail Plc in Europe to sell discounted luxury goods; some are sold for as little as half original price.
The sale seasons are January and July.
Tintin, a young Belgian reporter adventurer who fights the bad guys first appeared in 1929 and the Smurfs who battle the evil wizard Gargamel first appeared in 1958.
For years, Belgium has been an incubator for comic artists, with its open, creative atmosphere and it's a paradise for young children. If you're planning a family trip with children, they'll love Belgium.
Belgium and France have a long history of comics and comic books and Brussels is a hub of the animation industry.
If you turn a corner in many ordinary streets, you're likely to find bright murals depicting many comic characters, including Tintin, his dog Snowy, the Smurfs and many others.
If you are attentive, you may discover two addresses on some street signs. One is the street name, of course. The other, usually in white, is the name of a hero associated with the locale, or whose creator lived or lives in the neighborhood.
The Belgian Comic Strip Center is in the very heart of Brussels, housed in a splendid Art Nouveau temple and former textile warehouse. It's an essential stop and explains why Belgians call comic strips their Ninth Art, after the other traditional eight such as painting, music and architecture.
Visitors can learn everything about the birth and development of a comic strip -- the journey an artist must make from concept to shop. The center explains why after so many decades, Tintin remains popular and how the Smurfs rose to stardom after first being just a spinoff of another comic story.
According to center curator Willem de Graeve, Tintin with his naive look and unruly top cowlick has a globalized face that makes him welcome everywhere. The Smurfs' success was accidental. They first appeared in a monthly magazine as several cute blue fingers, which sparked huge curiosity among small children. They were so fond of the Smurfs that they wrote to the author, urging more stories and more quickly delivered.
The center sells comic books, figures and many products featuring Belgian comic strip art.
For a taste of the old days in Europe, you can visit Limburg, a province known as the green lung of Belgium just 80 kilometers from Brussels.
There you can tour Bokrijk Park -- which recreates bygone village life -- and the Open Air Museum -- and later if you crave luxury you can shop in nearby Maasmechelen Village, a chic discount outlet for luxury brands.
From March to September Bokrijk Park is an idyllic village without computers, television and appliances, without paved roads, without supermarkets and clothing stores.
Actors and volunteers play the roles of shepherd, baker, village school teacher, clergyman, postman and housewife. You will see how people raised their sheep, taught their children, cooked their food, baked their bread, wove their clothes and somehow managed to survive without electricity.
The baker uses firewood for his oven and visitors can shape and bake their own special breads.
It's like wandering back in time. People in costume tell stories of Belgium going back to the middle ages. They play old games of bowling, and visitors can join in.
If you miss shopping, visit Maasmechelen Village, one of nine villages under the Value Retail Plc in Europe to sell discounted luxury goods; some are sold for as little as half original price.
The sale seasons are January and July.
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