Manneken Pis is Brussels most beloved little guy and Belgium’s biggest tourist attraction. Just like the Eiffel Tower is to Paris & the Statue of Liberty is to New York City, Manneken Pis is to Brussels its most precious possession. It is the symbol of 🇧🇪Belgium.1/
#BelgianHumour Image
When a capital city chooses such a symbol to display to the rest of the world, they must either have a strange cultural heritage or a great sense of humour,or both.For Brussels citizens and all previous generations who have lived in Brussels, Manneken Pis is a symbol of Zwanze.2/ Image
Zwanze is a word in Brusseleir (the dialect of Brussels) that expresses not only humour but also a way of life. It is the art of telling funny stories, that are not entirely true, slightly exaggerated, where one makes fun of themselves and its audience at the same time.3/
Manneken Pis or "Petit Julien" means little boy in Brusseleir. The first Manneken Pis statue was built in 1388. It was made out of stone and used to be a drinking fountain. The version displayed to the public today is from 1619 and was built by Jérôme Duquesnoy. 4/
It all started in the 18th century when on one drunken night some French soldiers stole the statue of Manneken Pis as a prank. King Louis XV, who was governing over Brussels at the time, got really upset and ordered the statue to be returned.  5/
To teach his soldiers a lesson, he dressed up Manneken Pis in a golden outfit & knighted him “Order of St Louis”. From then on, French soldiers had to salute the statue every time they passed by it.This is exactly what’s cool about being a king, you can do whatever you want. 6/
From drunken soldiers to drunken students, it is still of tradition today for Manneken Pis to get kidnapped during Saint-V (Saint-Vehaegen) every year, a celebration day of student folklore and beer fest. Manneke Pis also gets a special outfit some times now. 7/
Maybe to honour the trend once started by King Louis XV, the City of Brussels still dresses Manneken Pis in cute costumes a couple of times a month. The city even employs a tailor whose sole job is to create costumes for that little man.8/
Talking about Belgian humour... Belgium sure knew how to respond to Manneken Pis's increasing popularity in all seriousness. Sister Jeanneke Pis, located next to the infamous beer bar Delirium was made in 1985 & erected in 1987. 9/ ImageImage
The dog Zinneke Pis, who is forever lifting his leg onto a Brussels street pole is another part of Bxls humour.Zinneke Pis was installed on the corner of Rue des Chartreux & Rue du Vieux Marché aux grains in 1998.This is the ultimate Belgian humour. 10/ ImageImage
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More from @nomadic_sanjee

Jun 2
Congratulations @Jamz5251. You have made it clear by this time that you have a specific political opinion & agenda. Great power comes with great responsibility. I hope that you will reflect how you can steer #SriLanka away from a nationalist agenda spiced with toxic racism. 1/
Integrity will be remembered in history more than the temporary Adrenaline kick you can obtain from a sense of power. I have often reflected on the success of the Nazi propaganda newspaper Der Stürmer. How will the @Dailymirror_SL be remembered in history? 2/ ImageImageImage
These are cartoons designed by master artists along with powerful writing that solidified & expanded support of a despot regime that contributed to the genocide of not only the Jewish people but also of free thinkers, leftists, trade unionists...
jewishvirtuallibrary.org/caricatures-fr… 3/
Read 6 tweets
Jun 1
It's been 42 years since they burnt down the #JaffnaLibrary.I decided to write a thread to acknowledge these #CrimesAgainstHumanity.As a Sri Lankan from the South,as a Bibliophile & as someone who strongly believes in justice, accountability & human dignity,I ask for discourse.1/
Every year as we commemorate this now passing 42 years, why is justice delayed? Surely there must be witnesses. 👇🏾
2/
A powerful article from 2014 & required reading for all on the burning of the #Jaffna library.
3/
Read 15 tweets
May 30
Dear @rickygervais,Don't break my 💔.
We are a #LandLikeNoOther.Come experience the splendour of our political wisdom,abundance of guidance,our religious tolerance,our democracy,all enshrined & ordained in our living, breathing,225 sages in the #WonderofAsia #visitsrilanka2023 1/ Image
Here's the epic moment when @rickygervais gave a moment of "Joie de Vivre" to #LandLikeNoOther my #SriLanka.
You shoot me down in flames
You make me laugh a lot
You put me down a lot
But I`m giving you my 💔.
Art work @RandyChrizP
2/
Here's a breath of fresh air to #SriLanka the #LandlikeNoOther: our very own @NewsCurrySL. Have a look at the content. Plenty of hope to keep sanity amidst the madness.
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Read 5 tweets
May 25
Dear @Davud_Akh,
Today you tweeted about a tourist taking a selfie at Nine Arch Bridge wearing a fish net bikini. You asked locals to call the police if someone is shirtless.Some of us responded.A few hours later I noted that you deleted your tweet. Here's a glimpse of it. 1/ ImageImageImage
After deleting your tweet, you tweeted the following. I replied with the following message. Then I discovered that you had blocked me. Now this is interesting. I gave you a different view & you seem to be intolerant of dissident views. That's a pity.
2/ ImageImage
What is fascinating here is that you say "It seems like everyone is so modern and open minded" & "I will not fight your battles". Are these values offensive to you?I looked you up because I was curious about your background. The internet says you are Azerbaijani from Prague. 3/ Image
Read 17 tweets
Feb 20
@welikalaa I am surprised that you refer to recycling clothes as "trying to make #SriLanka a hippie commune" while living in the West. Aren't you familiar with "thrift stores", "charity shops" and Green philosophy like of @GretaThunberg promoting a less consumerist culture. 1/
@welikalaa @GretaThunberg I live in Belgium & it's completely normal here to share baby clothes & pass on hand me downs. Children grow so quickly. Our kids clothes have been handed down by older cousins sometimes fifth or sixth hand.Our ones have gone further down.Students in now buy in thrift stores. 2/
@welikalaa @GretaThunberg JVP's unsavoury past is another matter. Is it really necessary to mix that & sling mud by calling the promotion of recycling clothes a hippie commune? Disappointed by your comments.Bankrupt #SriLanka should be conscious of recycling clothes as much as the West for the climate.3/
Read 7 tweets
Feb 4
Translation: "In battles with Portuguese, Dutch & English there were Sinhalese who betrayed the Sinhalese.They are the ones who are reborn & are raising black flags now." By Anushka Perera
#racism #Hypocrisy #stupidity
1/
Grateful to Ms Perera for posting. It summarises topics for reflection for #SriLanka. First,she refers to #Sinhalese as the only ones who have a claim on #IndependenceDay.If she would have studied history she would know that Tamils,Muslims,Malays etc were part of this struggle.2/
Her comment already disregards the minorities of #SriLanka. It is such a shame as she lives in London in a multicultural society & speaks of #SriLanka as a mono ethnic society in 2023. After all, Sri Lankans have survived a civil war & Easter attacks to not be divided by race.3/
Read 10 tweets

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