OUT AND ABOUT IN BEAUTIFUL BRUXELLES

    

 OUT AND ABOUT IN

BEAUTIFUL BRUXELLES

One of our greatest joys is to welcome members of our family, and other visitors to Bruxelles.  In this case our daughter Lindsey and her husband Dave from Salt Lake City, took time before their Mediterranean Cruise to visit us for two days.  It was so fun to share with them this beautiful city! 



The open air Red Bus tour is a must for all visitors, which took us to see all the highlights.   We first experienced the Red Bus in Paris with John, Ashley and Taylor on their visit at Christmas (and it was absolutely freezing riding in the open air).  We have decided that it is the best way to see a city..... that is if the weather is warmer!

As you can see, the Red Buses in Bruxelles advertize some of the famous attractions of the city.  We can see the beautiful gleaming Atomium (from a former World's Fair)  from our apartment windows.  Notice the famous " Manneken-Pis" on the back end of the bus.  They are everywhere in this city, and in every color of chocolate you can imagine!  When you see the original statue, it is only about two feet high, which surprises everyone!   The funny thing is that this little statue has about a dozen different costumes that they dress him in...so at Christmas he is wearing a santa's suit!!  Oh Yes.... and the Belgium waffles are everywhere!!!  They are sold on the streets, the subway tunnels, the grocery store entrances, and in every restraurant.... and the toppings are outrageously delicious! 

                             You can actually go up into these large globes!  We can see the Atomium
                            in the distance from our kitchen and living room windows, and it is beautiful!

                                Only on top of an open air Red Bus, could you get a shot like this!


                                 The medevial "Grand Place" is a must for every visitor!

Dave and Lindsey treated us to a lovely dinner at our favorite restaurant "Barbanera", which is in our neighborhood just around the corner  

              THE BEAUTIFUL BRUXELLES OPERA HOUSE

Once a year the Opera House is open for visitors.  It is so very beautiful, and we enjoyed the "behind the scenes" tour of back stage, dressing rooms and areas not usually open to the public.  We have just gifted each other season tickets, which will be for our birthdays, anniversary and Mother and Father's Day!

The detail and beauty of the work on this ceiling of the artisans of old Europe, is astounding!

NAPOLEON'S LAST BATTLE AT WATERLOO 

The famous battle where Napoleon met "his Waterloo" at the hands of the Duke of Wellington is just outside Brussels. We all took a fast climb up and down this hill overlooking the site and tryed to pictured the battle which changed Europe once again. This year, re-enactments of the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815) are being staged across Europe as part of bicentenary celebrations.  Last week, more than 1,000  congregated on the banks of the Neman River in central Lithuania, to re-stage Napoleon's 1812 assault on Tsarist Russia. The bloody history of Europe provides many such opportunities! Work is underway to transform the Waterloo battlefield into an exact replica of what it looked like in 1815. On this climb to the top of the hill, Lindsey was very enthusiastic about the great condition of her Dad and Mom!

Every visitor wants to visit the charming medeival city of Bruge. We find it a very peaceful, vibrant and authetic part of old Europe. The waterways let you glide effortlessly along, thinking deep thoughts and viewing the well preserved buildings over 300-years old! On a sunny day, it cannot be beat for atmosphere and "charm."

Thanks Dave for the boat ride through the canals of Bruge

                A beautiful Sunday dinner in the garden of my dearest friend and visiting teacher, Rebecca. Her little village, outside of Brussels, is an idylic pastoral setting where streets are made of cobblestones and about one car width wide, even in the 21st century!
      
      THE NETHERLANDS TEMPLE TRIP

We had a wonderful first visit to the beautiful Netherlands Temple with members of our ward R.S. 

Our carpool, with wonderful friends Rebecca, Robin and Sharon

Right behind the Temple is a charming small village and farmers market.  We purchased
                                 the best loaf of bread that I have tasted while in Europe!  Yum!!

I teach Relief Society the fourth Sunday of the month from Conference talks in the Ensign.  Since the theme was "Judge Ye Not" and "Forgiveness", I took my new best friend, "Zachary the Zebra", along to help me introduce the theme.  I first saw Zachary through the window from my favorite front row seat on bus number 63, as we were stopped in traffic.  He was standing proudly  in the window of an antique shop, but he was behind a table, which obscured a full view of his body.  Since I love the combination of black and white, and also love animal prints, I could not get him out of my mind that next week, and determined that I wanted to sometime walk back and find that shop for a closer look.   Since my view through the window of the bus was from his belly upwards, I was shocked when I finally saw how tall he really was!!!

 Zachary is carved from one solid block of wood, and is from Pakistan.  As you will notice, he has no kneecaps, which makes it impossible for him to bend over to eat those beautiful tulips.  I am certain that many unkind "judgments" were made by the other animals in the jungle, because he was not a normal zebra!!  Judge Ye Not!  Zachary stands proudly on my white desk in our small black, white and red family room.  He makes us smile whenever we walk into that room.......... and so we have decided... that he will move back to Washington D.C. with us when we go home, as I could not bear to leave him behind!!!


                
Photo taken in front of our charming old townhouse chapel in the upscale heart of Bruxelles, with a couple of our Young Women, and three of my dearest friends...L to Rt Sharon (who will soon move to Prague), Regina from the Congo and Vaitiare from Tahiti.  Vaitiare met her husband (from Russia), and joined the Church while at BYU Hawaii.  I love this unconventional chapel, and the beautiful dark carved wood winding staircase off the foyer.  I believe there are five floors, with a font in the basement, and a small elevator for those who have difficulty navigating the many stairs in high heels.  That would be me!

 Recently we arrived early to church, and  I was taking the tiny elevator to the basement, where I hide my flower arrangements and treats, until it is time to teach.  When the elevator reached the basement, which was totally dark......the elevator door would NOT OPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!  David was still out trying to find a parking place for the car, and there I was....stuck in an elevator in the dark!!!  I probably complicated things by pushing buttons...but what else could I do???  I finally pushed the "bell" button, and that connected me to the elevator company, who said they would send a technician out.  That could take hours!!!!!!!  Knowing that there were just a couple of people in the building, I started pounding my fist on the door and yelling!!!!  Not very lady like I know, but what's a girl to do!  Well to make a long story shorter, someone finally heard me and knew which closet the controls were in to make the door open.  Whew!!!  That is not a fun situation to be in!!!  Needless to say................I now take the STAIRS!

Last month we attended a zone conference in Bruxelles with our native French "Paris Mission President", President and Sister Poznanski....., and also our new Europe Area President, Jose Teixeira from Portugal, and his wife.   It was a great "shot in the arm" for all who attended, and for us it brought back many sweet memories of our service in the Hungary Budapest Mission, and also the Mesa Temple Visitors' Center, and working with all of those wonderful missionaries!!!   Onward and Upward.....  There is nothing like the mission field!!!!!

     

                    THE PETERSON FAM

                                                   

                                          Someone is missing here........Can you guess who?

                                  A prize to you if you can tell me who is missing here??? 

                                HAIL HAIL.................THE GANG'S ALL HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                      

We close this entry expressing the great love we have for each of our seven wonderful children, who have gathered in Utah from the East Coast to West Coast, for their "own family reunion".  We feel so blessed to have children who love being together...even while their parents are serving a mission. 

                                                             We love you all so much! 

                                                   AU REVOIR FROM BRUXELLES!

EUROPEAN UNION DIPLOMATIC EXPERIENCES

EUROPEAN UNION AND DIPLOMATIC EXPERIENCES

SPRING 2012

One of the most interesting parts of our assignment is to attend diplomatic receptions. We posted this photo previously, but gave no explanation. It was taken at a Danish  reception in the  EU Parliament with Nicolai Wammen, the Danish Minister for European Affairs. You can see that Darelyn has him charmed!  The magazine that he is holding, has his photograph on the cover to announce the Danish rotation into the EU presidency for the next six months.

                     

Since Bruxelles and Strasbourg each contain agencies and institutions of the European Union, they are often the sites of protests and public relations efforts representing many causes. This photo was taken at  Schuman Square adjacent to the European Council and Commission buildings near our home.   

Just a ten minute walk from our apartment is the  impressive and well manicured "Cinquantenaire Park", which reminds me of our beautiful Washington , D.C.  The magnificent Triumphal Arch, built in 1880 in a burst of patriotic pride to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Belgian independence, is flanked by a military history museum on the left, and a classic car museum on the right. (Two great interests of the Belgian people!) On any beautiful Saturday, David likes to walk there where he sits and reads, and watches the world go by... European style!  It is by far my favorite monument and area, and I often walk through those arches and another block further, where there is a charming shopping area. How could I be so lucky!

                                      

             All dressed up.......and a very special place to go!

On this particular occasion, we were invited to attend a concert and dinner at the very prestigious "Cercle Royal Gaulois", an all male private club in Bruxelles. Events there are almost always "black tie".  Many debutante balls and Belgian professional events are held at this club. The annual dues are extremely pricey costing thousands of Euros, and a rigorous approval process is applied. David passed the interviews, and because we are on a mission,  a member friend offered to cover the dues.  However, we decided not to join, as this is an "older gentlemen's club", (and after all, we are so young!) and we will be invited to events from time to time in any case.

A lovely dinner at the club with our host Pierre Ducuroir and his wife, Paulette (on the far right), with her sister in the middle. These wonderful women are from the town of Bastogne in the Ardennes region of Belgium where the "Battle of the Bulge" was fought in the harsh winter of 1944.  They recalled for us how the American General, Anthony McAuliffe, when surrounded, was ordered to surrender by the German command.  He sent back the famous one word response:  "Nuts"!  They were little girls at the time and  remembered covering the American tanks with their sheets, to camouflage them in the snow.  They said that when the American soldiers marched through the streets, they would throw nuts from their second floor windows!!  They said that they never forgot the sacrifice and blessings brought to their country by the United States Armed Forces!  They told us over and over how grateful they were to America!!!  It was so wonderful to hear their heartfelt appreciation.

           

 Prior to dinner a wonderful violin concert was held in this beautiful room. An "old world" charm is very much a part of Bruxelles everywhere we turn. In the 15th Century, the Dukes of Burgundy prevailed and the next two hundred years saw a high point in culture, finance and politics, only to end when King Louis XIV of France ordered the destruction of Bruxelles. The resilient Begians re-built the Grand Place and the magnificent buildings better than ever, and they still exist today. Three cheers for Belgian tenacity! 

Whaaaat........Bill Clinton in Bruxelles!!!!!!!!

William Sturdy is a Member of the European Parliament representing East Anglia in the United Kingdom. He is a Conservative free-trader and we have become good friends!  We think he is a dead ringer for Bill Clinton!!!

This photo was taken at the dinner following an International Conference: "The Arab Spring One Year After: Challenges, Prospects and Strategies for Change."  On David's left is Mohammed Rehan of the Egyptian trade union movement.  He will have a hand in writing Egypt's new Constitution.  They spoke at length about the United States Constitution and how to advance the  principles of separation of powers, checks and balances, independent judiciary, due process, respect for the rule of law, freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly in Egypt..  On David's right is Abdelhafidh Chaibi, a Tunisian academic and business man who was very active in the Revolution in his country. He is now helping to establish a stable and productive society in Tunisia,  and studied in the United States as a young man.

Following a meeting on: "Non-violent Protests and the Future for Moderate Islamic Reformers Post Arab Spring", it was a rare privilege to meet Bakhtiar Amin, former Minister of Human Rights in Iraq.  David was very happy to offer him words of encouragement in establishing a peaceful society where respect for religious diversity and freedom of worship could  prevail.  He is also the Secretary General of the Kurdish Institute in Paris, and holds an M.A. and Ph.D. from the Sorbonne. Our daily prayer is for Heavenly Father to place those persons in our path whom He wants us to meet. We are amazed at the number of high-level diplomats and EU officials with whom we have developed cordial and deepening friendships.

This photo was taken during a meeting in the Parliament on "The Mapuche in Chile: Economically Empowering  Indigenous Communities" chaired by Ana Miranda, a Member of the European Parliament from Spain. The person on the right is Victor Naguil Gomez,  international representative of the Chilean Wallmapuwen community in Paris. When I told these people how proud I was of my grandson, Elder Morgan Cram, who is serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Santiago, Chile, they were all ears and my credibility went up enormously! Notice that this meeting room in the EU Parliament is ringed with translation booths. The EU employs 70 translators and interpreters for each of the 27 member country languages. That is 1,890 people at a cost of over 14 million dollars each year!

Dr. David A. Peterson, Diplomatic Representative to the European Union for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 2011-2013.

"I think it highly appropriate to roll out the red carpet for this diplomat..."  says his wife!

Garden Reception at the lovely home of Ambassador and Mrs. Louis de Corimier, Canadian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium.

There are 754 members of the European Parliament from 27 member countries. Plenary sessions are held in Brussels, Belgium and Strasbourg, France, with elaborate meeting facilities in each city. Critics say this system is ridiculous and should have been abolished years ago, however, that decision would need unanimity and France could use its veto. Because Parliament is supposed to be a truly European body, its benches are not divided up along national lines. Instead, it is made up of MEPs belonging to broad "political families." (We have noted that the "bomb throwers" in the 1968 Paris student revolution    are now respected members of Parliament!)

David is at the Parliament so often, that he has become friends with this gentleman, who is the head usher at the Parliament.  Note the Medallion denoting his authority as an official "gate-keeper".

A festive "Europe Day" in front of the EU Commission's Berlaymont Headquarters, just a block from our apartment.    The European Union is still seeking its own identity. Part of the reason for the "crisis" in Europe today is the failure of convergence among member countries, where the old nationalisms have not faded away. The International Herald Tribune recently observed that only 2 percent of Europeans live in a different European nation than their country of citizenship. They still have very different understandings of the rule of  law, political order, work ethics and conceptions of citizenship. Unity out of diversity is going to be hard to achieve in the "European Project".

On "Europe Day", we were hosted by a Hungarian friend in the sacrosanct European Commission meeting room.  This is where the 27 members of the Commission meet each Wednesday, to decide weighty matters of European policy.  Here David is sitting in the chair of the Commission President, Manuel Barroso, of Portugal. 
                
                                 "GROWING STRONGER TOGETHER"
                
This banner displayed on the side of the EU Commision building proclaims" "Growing Stronger Together", in three languages. We have noticed a variety of EU propaganistic banners placed at this prominant site.  In the midst of the Euro Zone financial crisis, the desire on the part of the EU leadership is to consolidate more power in Bruxelles, at the expense of national Parliaments and democratically elected representatives of the European people in their home countries.  Ironically, it may require "more Europe" to overcome the almost fatal flaws in the original design of the European Union, which have been exposed during the current crisis.

 (The round glass structure on top of the building is where David sat in President Barroso's chair)

This photo was taken from the European Commission conference room on the 13th floor of the Berlaymont building. You can see the Triumphal Arch in the background, and the new oval shaped headquarters building of the European External Action Service.  (EEAS is the EU foreign service, and is headed by our good friend, Ambassador Pierre Vimont, who recently served as the Ambassador of France to the United States.)  This "flying saucer" shaped building is illuminated at night by deep blue lights around its perimeter,  visable from our apartment.   "Beam me up, Scotty!"

    

Every three months or in "times of crisis", the Presidents or Heads of State of the 27 EU member countries meet in the European Council building in Bruxelles.  (Named the Justus Lipsius building for an ancient European scholar.) These meetings are intended to set the overall political direction that the EU will take over the next several months, and to settle the most contentious issues, which could not be agreed to by more junior ministerial councils.  It has been getting a lot of use recently!

This is the European Council meeting room. It has been the venue for rather dramatic sessions dealing with the Euro crisis involving David Cameron, the United Kingdom Prime Minister, Angela Merkle, the Chancellor of Germany, and former French President Nicholas Sarkozy. 

 (note the glass translation booths) 

We were surpirsed when we exited the Commission building to find that the international press was

waiting for us!!

(At least it's fun to pretend we are celebrities)

                                                 
                                                We send all our love and best greetings!

Au revoir from Bruxelles!

David and Darelyn