The Ramparts, Or Rather Site Of The Ramparts (For The Fortifications Of
Bruxelles No Longer Exist), Form An Agreeable Promenade;
But the favourite
resort of all the world at Bruxelles in the afternoon is the Attee verte.
Here all classes
Meet; here the rich display their equipages and horses;
and the lower orders assemble at the innumerable guinguettes which are to
be met with here, in order to play at bowls, dominoes, smoke and drink
beer, of which there is an excellent sort called Bitterman. The avenues
on each side of the carriage road are occupied by pedestrians, and on one
side of the road is the canal, covered at all times with barges and boats
decked with flags and streamers. At the cabarets are benches and tables in
the open air under the trees; and here are to be seen the artisan, the
bargeman and the peasant taking their afternoon delassement, and groups
of men, women and children drinking beer and smoking. These groups reminded
me much of those one sees so often in the old Flemish pictures, with this
difference, that the old costume of the people is almost entirely left off.
Female minstrels with guitars stroll about singing French romances and
collecting contributions from this cheerful, laughter-loving people. The
dark walk, as it is called, near the park is a favourite walk of the upper
classes in the evening. There his Grace of Wellington is sometimes to be
seen with a fair lady under his arm.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 25 of 558
Words from 6720 to 6969
of 151859
