Sunday, June 22, 2008

THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO - RECONSTITUTION 2008

Each year in June Waterloo organizes the reconstitution of the battle of Waterloo, which took place on the 18th of June 1815. It always is a big event and tourists from all over the world are coming to watch the battle. The soldiers in their costumes from 1815 perform the battle as real as possible. They are coming from the England, Scotland, Holland, Germany and France. ------------------------------------------------
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As usual they all gather under the Lion who turns his head towards England (the winners) and his backside to France (the losers) -------------------------------------------------
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From the Lion hill you have a nice view over a part of the battle fields
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I was there around 10 am and the first buses arrived. Japanese of course but also Russians and Poles. --------------------------------------------------------
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Soldiers don't come by foot or horse anymore but by bus or car. Sometimes with friends sometimes with the whole family, babies and grandmas included. -------------------------------------------------------
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I suppose this carriage it is for the transport of a celebrity. -------------------------------------------------------
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The café under the Lion is already busy with serving the famous Belgian beer -------------------------------------------------------
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Tourists are taken to the battle fields and famous places in these buses -------------------------------------------------------
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Some French soldiers are waiting for their regiment -------------------------------------------------------
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Some soldiers use the time to visit the souvenir shop, to buy some souvenirs of the battle, before they get "killed" ! -------------------------------------------------------
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or just having a little chat. These were English soldiers -------------------------------------------------------
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This couple posed for the tourists -------------------------------------------------------
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An officer or general with his horse. Behind him you see the "Panorama" which is being renovated. Inside you can see the battle painted in a panorama. -------------------------------------------------------
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Dutchs are getting together -------------------------------------------------------
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and pose with the Japonese tourists -------------------------------------------------------
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They are all happy to see each other again -------------------------------------------------------
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The Dutch soldiers came with their doctor to take care of the wounded. -------------------------------------------------------
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Look what he has at his belt ! An axe for amputations ! -------------------------------------------------------
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I hope he will not have to much to do ! -------------------------------------------------------
French soldiers smiling in my camera -------------------------------------------------------
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and then everybody lined up and went away to join the others on the battle field -------------------------------------------------------
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In my sidebar you will find the reconstitution of 2006 with more details about Waterloo and its battle.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are the best reporter it can be! Chance you have with all those soldats around you! Ha! Ha!
Sounds you have a beautiful weather too! I would like to drink a good fresh beer with the soldats! And The doctor in the middle of them to save lifes ! I imagine all amputations he will practice!!!
All photos are very colored with the costums! Bravo Gattina! Tu es une pro! Passe un bon dimanche!

Anonymous said...

What a really neat event - it looks really interesting. Great shots!

Anonymous said...

Interesting post! Bagpipes were a bit of a squeal!

Anonymous said...

Interesting post! Bagpipes were a bit of a squeal!

Catherine said...

Very interesting. It must be very impressive to assist! I had, a lond time ago, worked with a man whose passion was to wear a costume and to go all over Europe as a Napoleonic soldier during his free time. The costume are so perferct, his wife was wearing a gorgeous dress too. It seemed a funny game !
How this little man (Napoléon) succeeded to make even his defeat so famous!
Thanks for all the pictures, the video, the slide, that's a great work.

Pear tree cottage! said...

O! MY GOSH! Gattina, this is wonderful I cannot wait to show my husband when he gets home tonight.

You see my Husband has traced his huge family (when he started he knew only a hand full) back to St Helena were Napoleon was taken and while some say they have "the rosebud" in their family we now know that he was often entertained by my husbands family and that one young woman in their home in particular was a companion to Nepoleon day and night. He mentions her in his writings. She was taken to London by her mother and some months passed when a relative came to find her and took her back to St Helena and married her (cousins we think)as our history is told. My husband has always loved anything Napoleon related but we never knew this battle was played out like this until I came back to read more of your great blog.

My husband is well into the book "Napoleon and Doctor Verling on St Helena" at the moment, so you see how thrilled he will be to see your post.

I am thrilled!!

I was also pleased about your comments on my post and could not agree more,thank you.

Jo said...

Oh wow, I popped in here from your post today (3 June 2014!) and what an interesting day this is for you and the tourists. I love the soldiers arriving with whole families in cars! Your photography has improved about 500% (like hopefully mine has too) since these years! xxx

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I love writing, traveling and photography. . I am German, i live in Waterloo (15 km from Brussels) / Belgium since many years. Waterloo is a famous place to many tourists, because Napoleon lost his battle here against Wellington and other European countries.

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