Brussels | Un Bello Aperitivo

You know those pictures, where they print the original picture next to a doctored one and you must count the number of ways the doctored picture has been changed? (Please say yes.)

Yes? Great. Then let’s play a little game, with a twist.

What’s the same between these four photos?

Exhibit 1a

Exhibit 1b.

Exhibit 1c.

Exhibit 1d.

If you said, “iamsterdam,” then you’ve probably been told you’re “Captain Obvious” multiple times.

Let’s try one more before the answer.

What’s the same between these three photos (this one’s slightly easier)?

Exhibit 2a.

Exhibit 2b.

Exhibit 2c.

Did you catch it?

Take a look at the answers:

Answer 1

Answer 2

The pictures in both Amsterdam and Brussels were taken in the timespan of 20 minutes, yet the same people are in the picture. Granted, both art pieces are rather touristy, but I just wanted a picture with out any obstructions (or photobombs, depending on how you look at it, haha).

Let’s delve a bit deeper into the stories behind the pictures:

Amsterdam, 11:32 am

“Hey, there are the ‘iamsterdam’ letters! Let’s take a quick picture while no one’s there.” I looked around. Peace and quiet. Perfect. We scuttled over to the sculpture, and just as I was casually posing near the “i,” I heard a low rumble. As the rumbling grew louder and changed into the eager excitement of tourists, I squinted in the sun and saw a massive crowd heading towards the sign, like a tsunami wave. I tried to wave on my friend to take the picture, but the wave was just too powerful, quickly overtaking the sculpture.

I jumped away from the sculpture just in time, as the masses were crawling over every imaginable part of it. “Oh well, I’ll just try to get a picture of the whole word,” I said dejectedly. So I waited. And waited. And waited. Just when I thought someone was done taking a picture, they would run back to the camera, check it to make sure they looked good, and run back to do the whole photoshoot over again. Like the moles in Whack-a-Mole game, people were popping in and out of the holes of the letters.

So I gave up and embraced the random strangers in my photographs. Readers, meet Mr. Backpack and Sunglasses (let’s call him “Randy”), found in exhibits 1a and 1d. Favorite activities include sunbathing and sitting cross-legged on large art-sculptures. Not to be missed is Miss Timid (let’s go with “Sandy,” for congruity purposes), found in exhibits 1b and 1c. Favorite activities include, well, actually, she just tries to blend in.

Brussels, 12:10 pm

“Woah, cool, letters just like in Amsterdam!” I was secretly pleased because “welcome” contains a “c” (the first letter in “Claire”), making the perfect photo opportunity (is that hypocritical?). This time I was determined to get a clean photo, i.e. no random people. I stood back, camera at the ready, waiting to snap a picture just as the last person was out of view. Unfortunately, my earnest efforts were thwarted by the even more earnest efforts of Miss Red Backpack, whose mission it was to deeply document each letter.

But the good of all of this?

She wasn’t interested in the letter “c” for long:

Has something similar ever happened to you?

Brussels – 1:33 pm, February 2011, undisclosed city location*

City Planner 1: “Boys, we need some kind of catchy program for Brussels next season. I’m pretty sure when people think of Brussels, only the sprouts come to mind.”

City Planner 2: “Yeah, true. I mean, I don’t even like Brussels sprouts, so I can totally see how people would turn up their noses.”

City Planner 1: “Maybe we should promote the gourmet side of Brussels…you know, all those fancy restaurants we have.”

City Planner 3: “Hmmm…yeah, totally man. I could see this going somewhere. We’ll get the restaurants to organize special menus and stuff.”

City Planner 2: “We should do some cool cultural events, too.”

City Planner 1: “Yeah. Francois, why don’t you get on that and report back tomorrow.”

City Planner 2: “Okay, boss. Tomorrow, same place, same time?”

City Planner 1: “Great, now go get busy.”

City Planner 3: “Peace out, guys.”

*****

Brussels – The next day, same time, same place

City Planner 1: “So, Francois, what did you come up with?”

City Planner 2: “Thrilling idea. May I direct your attention to this photo?”

(source)

City Planner 1: “This appears to be a large, painted bovine. I see exactly how this fits in with Brussels! Not.”

City Planner 2: “Oh, but just take a look a few more pictures, sir.”

(source)

City Planner 1: “Francois, these are simply atrocious. A cow wearing heart boxers? A green two-headed cow? A personified cow wearing sunglasses, a Tommy Bahama shirt, and a rucksack? Please tell me your grand plan for all of this.”

City Planner 3: “Yeah man, these are a little weird.”

City Planner 2: “The concept was born in Zurich with lion statues, but took off in Chicago with cows. It was such a hit with locals and tourists alike that other cities adopted it.”

City Planner 3: “So there were like, random cow statues all over the place? Weird, man.”

City Planner 2: “Well, sort of. Local artists painted the cows, which was a boost for the local economy. I was thinking we could do the same thing.”

City Planner 1: “Cows have absolutely nothing to do with Brussels.”

City Planner 2: “Right. I was thinking we could do…food.”

City Planner 1: “Food?”

City Planner 2 : “Yeah. Statues of food.”

City Planner 3: “Hey man, I kind of like that. Food, yeah…yeah.”

City Planner 2: “Right. So, what do you say to fries, mussels, and chocolate?”

City Planner 3: “And don’t forget the Brussels sprouts.”

City Planner 2: “We can spread them throughout the city as a scavenger hunt!”

City Planner 1: “Francois, you’re a good man. I knew you were on to something. Agreed! Now get to work.”

*****

Brussels – One year later, fruits of his labor realized