Surprised

Yesterday I spent most of the day on a very agreeable family event in the village of my birth, Okegem.

At noon, we had a very nice lunch the old "De Kroon" in Ste Maria Lombeek. That meant crossing the river Dender from East Flanders into Flemish Brabant.

I have been utterly surprised by the huge number of Flemish flags floating on private houses. Of course these people are on the firing line and experience the manifest and continuing ill will of French speaking newcomers to integrate into the local communities.

Seeing this has deepened my conviction that, even if our prime minister pulls a white rabbit out of his hat tomorrrow - a hypothesis that almost no one considers seriously - this country can no longer be saved. The bridges have been blown up, the boats have been burnt.