Mons

Mons, Belgium is where NATO has its SHAPE headquarters. This means, when Joe has to go to Belgium, we stay in the small town of Mons. We arrived at night, causing the place to look dark and a little forlorn. It is an old industrial town, and lacks some of the gothic splendor of the larger cities where we had been staying. Most of the buildings are constructed of brick, which is an unusual medium for European buildings. I will be the first to say that I misjudged it. My first impression was sadness, as if Mons was a town that time was not kind to, and then forgot, but I found my mistake the following morning.

It’s amazing what sunlight can do to improve the image of a place. While Joe was at work, I walked uphill into the town square. It was a hive of activity as workers prepared for the beginning of the Christmas market at the end of the week. Our hotel was maybe 100ft down one of the side streets off the square so it was easy to navigate around the town without getting lost. I wandered around and saw an interesting church under construction, and began to appreciate the differing style of architecture, as it gave quaintness to the tight streets.

I visited the tourist office and received a free guide book on the town and the surrounding area. In 2015, Mons will be a UNESCO Capital of Culture, and the tourism office is hard at work making sure the town is ready to receive an influx of visitors. Construction work is already underway, and many places were closed to undertake preparations for the event.

The guidebook did call my attention to the Castle Park. This sight was open(ish) and in the city, so I could easily walk to it. I asked him about it, but Joe had never been there, so I was off to explore this new territory on my own. I am convinced that I discovered the prettiest place in Mons.

Castle Park is situated around the belfry, which is famous on its own for being the only baroque belfry in Belgium. The belfry tower is easily discernible from anywhere in the city, and it rises up behind all the buildings on the square. To find my destination, I simply walked uphill, and kept the belfry in front of me. The entrance to the park is near a youth hostel, and is up a one way street. I was hesitant but climbed up this street too, and through the gate. It was open so I figured that if the park were closed I could at least use the open gate in my argument, The road led upward between two walls, so the view during the climb was unexceptional. It terminated under a stone building, and before me lay a beautiful park on top of the city. The sunlight at the summit was warming, and the park’s height provided wonderful vistas of Mons and the surrounding towns. I walked twice around the park, reluctant to leave, but it was lunch time, and I needed to be back at the hotel room. Normally, the belfry is open, and visitors can tour inside, and presumably, climb to the top, but this too was under construction, so I had to content myself with merely walking in the park.

The following day I brought Joe to witness it for himself. In warmer weather, I believe I will spend my mornings there while he works, happy just to be in such a pretty place.