Michel

Hi,

last saturday, Ravennna and I linked up to visit
the Xth edition of the Noelanders Trophy.

A nice encounter with many bonsai friends from all
over the planet; A whirlwind visit of Gustavo (M.Duarte)
left me almost no time to congratulate him and his wife
with their little baby daughter.

The exhibit was a stunner as usual, top class bonsai trees,
displayed with every detail for perfection; amongst others
I saw Tony Tickles' famous hawthorn, and a very playful
miniature display of a bonsai garden, complete with iny benches
and a Japanese geisha doll, is what I remember most.

The sales stands where well stacked and packed, this year
especially with lots of Yamadori, being priced as if the mountain was
included; crisis ? ? ? what crisis ? ? ?

Ravenna as well as I myself made several pictures,
but as these just can't compete with the sheer top
professional quality of the ones made by our friend
in bonsai Hans Vleugels (HV66),
it's best to let his photos do the talking.

Enjoy,

__________________
Greetz,
Michel

Ravenna

Hi,

yes that was a very nice exhibition. Michel and his wife were very kind hosts, helping me to get to and from the exhibition and showing me around in in Antwerp.

Walter Pall also has very nice pictures on his website: Walter's Travelogues

Michel

Hi,

. . . and in between we almost succeeded in poisoning You
Yep, great propaganda for Belgian "Burgundian cuisine" ! ! !

But in all, a weekend to fondly remember with a big smile,
and thanks again very much Ravenna, for the Basler Läckerli,
the "Cathedral Lunch" and the great company.

__________________
Greetz,
Michel

Ravenna

Well, Michel, I would have gallantly passed over your "poisoning attempt" but as you mention it... I am not sure whether it was the Belgian-Burgundian cuisine which I didn't tolerate or something else. May be this should rather serve as a warning to the others never to invite me because I am a finicky guest.

Anyway: even though my pics aren't that brilliant I thought I'd adapt the size of some of the photos to show you some of the trees I liked best. Walter Pall also showed a beautiful prunus with rugged bark (where I didn't realize at first that it was his) but the photo is not sharp so you will have to look on his site in order to see it.

My personal favourite was that hawthorn. The winner was a beautiful maple by Udo Fischer. (didn't take a pic of that one by accident though it was very beautiful)

Also some pics of my Antwerp which I visited then on Sunday. I particularly liked the Rubenshuis (the house where Rubens lived and of which parts had to be reconstructed and where furbished with things he had owned.

Attached Images

	Birchs.jpg (40.9 KB, 14 views)
	Hawthorns.jpg (42.0 KB, 21 views)
	Larixs.jpg (43.1 KB, 19 views)
	Rubens.jpg (54.7 KB, 13 views)
	Kathedrals.jpg (44.3 KB, 11 views)