I read recently that many people are moving back towards the cities, not away from them like we once did. The main reason? Convenience. It’s so nice to be able to walk out the front door and down the street 3 minutes and be at the grocery store, or the hairdresser, or the post office, or the bakery, or the ice-cream shop, or the dentist, or the optician, or the thrift store, or THE MALL. Heavens, who wouldn’t want that? 

The owner of the corner grocery store is friendly…

and the produce is always fresh and beautiful

On the other hand, people want the best of both worlds. They want to have all the convenience of living in the city, but the beauty of GREEN, and NATURE ~ trees, gardens, grassy lawns, mountains, rivers, streams, ponds, birds, and QUIET. Ahhhh….who wouldn’t want all that?

The BEST place is one that combines the two, wouldn’t you say? 

You can find such a place here in Angleur, a little hamlet on the south side of the city of Liege. I think I can safely say that this is a neighborhood that’s got everything, along with some extras: a castle with a moat, fountain, hedges and rose gardens, for example ~ nicely maintained by the city so one has nothing to do but enjoy; a sports center where the daring can do Tai Chi or play basketball (I’d probably go for the former) and listen to the sounds of children’s voices at play (recalling the unrestrained joy that life once was and still can be); a forest trail leading here and there, but definitely not into town;  the sound of slow trains passing by, reminders that there are still places to go; and of course, the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees….

Angleur ~ it’s right around the corner. Where are you?