Image courtesy MSNBC
Today, my focus was firmly directed southeast, towards Belgium. At 11 am local time, the 22 children and 6 adults, killed in Tuesday's bus crash in Switzerland, were remembered in a nationwide one-minute silence.I found it incredibly moving to see the white coffins lined up in an airport hanger at Melsbroek airforce base near Brussels - realising that its occupants had set forth for a skiing holiday less than a fortnight previous. All programs on Belgian radio and television, in all languages, was altered to suit the mood of national mourning. It is rare for Belgians to feel Belgian, rather than Flemish or Walloon. But today was one such day.
Here in Stornoway, we are back to sunshine and showers. We were deprived of the northern lights last night; I went to Mossend to have a look, but was instead treated to a hailshower on the way back. Eoropie Tearoom did get a display.
