Autumn Colors in Parc de Woluwe

Mercredi, 2 novembre.

Hello from Brussels, where I'm in the midst of a mid-week weekend, as the Royal Library of Belgium has been closed in honor of All Saints' Day and All Souls Day. (But tell me more about how it's the Americans who don't have a separation of church and state, okay Europe?) Though I'm a little skeptical about the secular origins of these vacation days, I've been taking advantage of my first time off to catch up on things like fresh air and sunshine and I have to say ... I. Am. Loving. It.

Located in the suburb of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, the Parc de Woluwe is one of the city's largest parks, filled with over 180 species of trees -- the vast majority of which have burst into color over the past couple of weeks. So what better place to spend a November morning off?

 

Some of the main features of the park are its étangs, or ponds, which were dug out when the park was created in the late nineteenth century by King Leopold II.

Today, the two bodies of water cover much of the park and are home to everything from ducks and swans to Eurasian coots and Egyptian geese. (And yes, these birds are as funny-looking as their names are funny-sounding.) I even got up close and personal with a teenage swan, halfway through his transition from ugly duckling!

 

It may only be the second day of November, but these leaves are ready to go!

I was impressed by the park's mixture of paved pathways and wooded trails. While glimpses of the city are unavoidable from most viewpoints, there were moments when I did truly feel like I was wandering in the woods! Plus, it helped that on a chilly weekday morning, I had the whole thing almost entirely to myself.

 

Found a quiet spot in the woods.

 

 

Of course, Woluwe isn't the only place turned hyper photogenic by the change of season. Stay tuned for more photos of Brussels at autumn!