Today's photo with the most hits: the soaring clock tower of the town hall, Bruges.

The Eve of Waterloo

Lord Byron

There was a sound of revelry by night,

And Belgium's capital had gathered then

Her beauty and her chivalry, and bright

The lamps shone o'er fair women and brave men.

A thousand hearts beat happily; and when

Music arose with its voluptuous swell,

Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again,

And all went merry as a marriage bell;

But hush! hark! a deep sound strikes like a rising knell.

Did ye not hear it?—No; 'twas but the wind,

Or the car rattling o'er the stony street:

On with the dance! let joy be unconfined;

No sleep till morn, when youth and pleasure meet

To chase the glowing hours with flying feet—

But, hark!—that heavy sound breaks in once more,

As if the clouds its echo would repeat

And nearer, clearer, deadlier than before!

Arm! arm! it is—it is the cannon's opening roar.

Ah! then and there was hurrying to and fro,

And gathering tears, and tremblings of distress,

And cheeks all pale, which but an hour ago

Blush'd at the praise of their own loveliness;

And there were sudden partings, such as press

The life from out young hearts, and choking sighs

Which ne'er might be repeated: who could guess

If ever more should meet those mutual eyes,

Since upon night so sweet such awful morn could rise!

And there was mounting in hot haste: the steed,

The mustering squadron, and the clattering car

Went pouring forward with impetuous speed,

And swiftly forming in the ranks of war;

And the deep thunder, peal on peal afar;

And near, the beat of the alarming drum

Roused up the soldier ere the morning star;

While thronged the citizens with terror dumb,

Or whispering with white lips, "The foe! they come! they come!"

Last noon beheld them full of lusty life,

Last eve in Beauty's circle proudly gay,

The midnight brought the signal sound of strife,

The morn the marshaling in arms,—the day

Battle's magnificently stern array!

The thunder clouds close o'er it, which when rent

The earth is covered thick with other clay,

Which her own clay shall cover, heaped and pent,

Rider and horse—friend, foe—in one red burial blent.

Today’s Flickr photo with the most hits was taken on August 6th, 2013, at the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium. 

The Menin Gate memorial at Ypres was built and opened in 1927. It commemorates the British soldiers whose bodies were never found. On its huge panels are carved 54,896 names of men with no known grave who died in this area between 1914 and August 1917. The designer thought there would be plenty of room for all the names, but there was not: a further 34,984 names of missing soldiers (from August 1917 to the end of the war) are carved on panels at Tyne Cot cemetery not far away. The Menin Gate is an integral part of Ypres, and the Menin Road, along which people and traffic pass daily, runs through it.

Every night of the year, at 20.00, the road is closed while 'The Last Post', the traditional bugle call marking the end of the day for soldiers in action, is played.

Today’s Flickr photo with the most hits: a rather moody shot of the church tower at Langemark, Belgium.

The town was the site of a ferocious battle in the early days of WWI, and again in 1917. The earlier battle was redolent with patriotic myths that were later incorporated in Nazi propaganda (student reservists advancing against British infantry, singing Deutschland Uber Alles, before being cut down by accurate, rapid rifle fire. 

Hitler visited the German War Cemetery there, in June 1940, after the capitulation of France and Belgium, in WWII.

Today’s Flickr photo with the most hits: the Conversion of St Paul, church window, Langemark, Belgium.

Today’s Flickr photo with the most hits - a diorama that shows Genadiers of the Imperial Guard in their pre-battle bivouacs at Waterloo. 

Today's image - a windmill in Bruges, Belgium.

A curious New Year’s Day poll topper: a shop window in Wollestraat, Bruges, Belgium....

Today’s Flickr photo with the most hits - the entrance to the WWI German War Cemetery at Langemark

Stromae - sings of fatherhood and absence...

Papaoutai

Dites-moi d'où il vient Enfin je saurais où je vais Maman dit que lorsqu'on cherche bien On finit toujours par trouver Elle dit qu'il n'est jamais très loin Qu'il part très souvent travailler Maman dit "travailler c'est bien" Bien mieux qu'être mal accompagné Pas vrai ? [Pre-Chorus] Où est ton papa ? Dis-moi où est ton papa ? Sans même devoir lui parler Il sait ce qui ne va pas Ah sacré papa Dis-moi où es-tu caché ? Ça doit, faire au moins mille fois que j'ai Compté mes doigts [Chorus](x2) Où t'es, papa où t'es ? Où t'es, papa où t'es ? Où t'es, papa où t'es ? Où, t'es où, t'es où, papa où t'es ? [Verse 2] Quoi, qu'on y croit ou pas Y aura bien un jour où on y croira plus Un jour ou l'autre on sera tous papa Et d'un jour à l'autre on aura disparu Serons-nous détestables ? Serons-nous admirables ? Des géniteurs ou des génies ? Dites-nous qui donne naissance aux irresponsables ? Ah dites-nous qui, tient Tout le monde sait comment on fait les bébés Mais personne sait comment on fait des papas Monsieur Je-sais-tout en aurait hérité, c'est ça Faut l'sucer d'son pouce ou quoi ? Dites-nous où c'est caché, ça doit Faire au moins mille fois qu'on a, bouffé nos doigts [Chorus] Où t'es, papa où t'es ? Où t'es, papa où t'es ? Où t'es, papa où t'es ? Où, t'es où, t'es où, papa où t'es ? [Pre-Chorus](x2) Où est ton papa ? Dis-moi où est ton papa ? Sans même devoir lui parler Il sait ce qui ne va pas Ah sacré papa Dis-moi où es-tu caché ? Ça doit, faire au moins mille fois que j'ai Compté mes doigts

Tell me where he's from At last I'll know where I'm going Mom says when we look hard We always find what we seek

She says he's never very far That he often goes to work Mom says working is good Much better than keeping bad company Right?

Where is your dad? Tell me where your dad is! Even without having to talk to him He knows what's wrong. Damn it, Dad! Tell me where you're hiding! I must Have counted my fingers At least a thousand times. Hey!

Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you, where are you Dad, where are you?

Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you, where are you Dad, where are you?

Whether we believe it or not There'll be a day we won't believe it anymore One day or another we will all be dads And from one day to the next we'll have walked out the door

Will we be detestable? Will we be admirable? Begetters or go-getters? Tell us who brings Into this world the irresponsible

So tell us who, then Everybody knows How babies are made But nobody knows How dads are made Mr. Know-It-All Gets it from his dad, eh

Do you have to suck it from your thumb or what? Tell us where it's hiding We must Have gnawed on our fingers At least a thousand times

Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you, where are you Dad, where are you?

Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you, where are you Dad, where are you?

Where is your dad? Tell me where your dad is! Even without having to talk to him He knows what's wrong. Damn it, Dad! Tell me where you're hiding! I must Have counted my fingers At least a thousand times. Hey!

Where is your dad? Tell me where your dad is! Even without having to talk to him He knows what's wrong. Damn it, Dad! Tell me where you're hiding! I must Have counted my fingers At least a thousand times. Hey!

here are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you, where are you Dad, where are you?

Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you, where are you Dad, where are you?

Today’s Flickr photo with the most hits is, oddly, one of me atop the Lion Mound @ Waterloo. 

Today’s Flickr Poll Toper - 

a saucy snap from Bruges, where they make chocolate penises, vaginas and various other bits of anatomy...

Here’s an odd poll topper:

An information board showing the dispositions of the French, British, Allied and Prussian troops at the Battle of Waterloo - June 18th, 1815