As you already know, I left part of my heart in Liege and so when I saw in the news that there had been a huge explosion downtown, I had to know more.
The last time we were in Liege was in 1988. The landscape had already become unfamiliar and that was only 9 years since I had left, so I was very grateful for the helicopter video that showed the whole area from up high.
I saw the Perron, still standing, to me a sign of the resiliency of the Liegeois spirit that had just been dealt a blow. The Hotel de Ville was not as lucky in that most of its windows were broken by the blast, and it stands a good 100m from where the explosion occurred.
Same thing with the Palace of the Bishop Princes that stands even further away.
Throngs of people were being held back by policemen so as to keep them from crossing into the destroyed area. Business owners waiting right outside the line for word on their stores. They said it felt like the buildings moved and maybe they did...
But these are buildings... windows can be replaced, buildings, even the very old ones can be fixed and if not can be replaced with newer ones.
There were people trapped in the rubble. There might still be some but they are not hearing any more noise. They found 2 bodies and have not uncovered anyone else since they pulled the 12 y old girl from the rubble.
Although this explosion is not as catastrophic on the whole as the Haitian earthquake of 2 weeks ago, it still should serve as a reminder to us that catastrophes can strike anywhere and at any time.
They say this explosion was due to a gas leak. The days to come should tell us more.
Why does this affect me so much?
Liege is the one place in the world where I felt at peace. From the time I was 12, Liege was the focus of my life: I went to school there, I took the bus there, I window-shopped there, some days I hurried on foot from one bus stop to school because my bus pass did not include all buses. I crave the smell of Autumn in Liege, when the October Fair brought the sweet perfumes of baking waffles and crackling chestnuts. I miss the sounds of the Music Academy on my way to my bus stop home. I miss the buzzing of thousand of people come to La Batte to find a special treasure... I miss the lights of fireworks over the Meuse river. I miss the peniches, long flat boats, slowly traveling on the river and canals. I miss the bridges... I miss the museums, the gardens, the Grand Bazar... I miss the past... The Liege I miss is no more but Liege does live, ever changing, and will continue for centuries to come...
There is no city in the world I like more... no city I miss more...
Liege is my heart and will be forever.
Hoping the displaced survivors everywhere will find peace and return to their lives without too much difficulty.
