lindaCT1

hi all, just wondering if anyone knows the significance of white bedsheets knotted and hung out windows in Brugge? recently came across this at several buildings on Oude Burg in Brugge. it seemed to be isolated to this area. did an internet search, and there was some business about white bedsheets being hung out at Gent (i think) to prove that after several days, they are turning dingy grey because the air quality is so poor. but these sheets don't seem to be knotted up when they are hung out, like the ones i saw in Brugge.

a very curious sight, if anyone can shed some light.
thanks!

LSky

maybe you came during a frisky season.

LSky

MrSky thought it might be a "Belgium fire drill"

If it were, how long would they get to strip the sheets, knot them, throw the out and scurry down them?

lindaCT1

ha! it was just so odd. i thought of possible explanations.. . i think one of the buildings was a hotel, so i was thinking maybe it signified vacancies??! but there were maybe 7 or 8 in succession, going down the street. ..they dangled to about 7' above street level (a bit above door head). i wish i could post a pic. oh, i just don't know!!

Andrew

I didn't see any bedsheets hung out like that in Bruges or Ghent when I visited in May - at least none that caught my attention, and I took tons of pictures of buildings...

lavandula

You might try posting this on Tripadvisor - the destination expert for Bruges, Sabrina Ide, works in the tourist bureau there and she is sure to know if it's not some random event.

Lavandula

LSky

It's kind of fun to think of what it could be.

kja

Intriguing! If it is to demonstrate the effect of air quality, the knots would (I think) "preserve" the original color to allow comparison, sort of like tie-dying.

lindaCT1

posting on trip advisor now. good idea!
. . . i'll report back if i learn anything. thanks all!

LSky

Good guess kja!

I hope we find out.

lindaCT1

if anyone's interested -- i saved the 2 photos i took of the bedsheets into a photobucket album here:

http://s227.photobucket.com/user/lra...library/Bruges

. . .. not the world's greatest photos, but i think you'll get the idea! hahahahha!

msteacher

Just a wild guess on my part, but I'm wondering if it is some way of showing support for the local football (soccer) team?

LSky

Linda, I posted this in the Lounge to see if anyone had some ideas.

The sports angle sounds plausible.

Thanks for the pics.

Greenhouse

http://www.eapn.eu/en/news-and-publi...ll-over-europe

LSky

Thanks Greenhouse. That solves the mystery, although it was fun to guess

DebitNM

Greenie is so smart!!

amer_can

How did you come up with the site to solve the problem of the sheets? Thanks!!

kja

Has the mystery been solved? The link refers to an event on the 17th of Oct., and it appears to refer to something that happened in the past. It's only the 14th of Oct. where I live, and it was presumably earlier than that when the OP took picsn "recently" ....

PatrickLondon

The Belgian campaign site indicates a demonstration in Brussels yesterday, with people from Bruges invited to a join up for a "solidarity breakfast" before taking the train to Brussels. So maybe some people wanted to join in beforehand?

Alternatively, someone's spouse came home unexpectedly early....

CounterClifton

Scads of escaping Casanovas? (perhaps if it had been Italy)