The municipality of Olen, Belgium, has been my home for the past week or so. It is quite small compared to its neighboring cities of Antwerp, Mechelen, and Brussels, and except during rush hour, you wouldn’t see a lot of people or cars on the streets.
One of the most interesting things I’ve seen in Olen, though, is the sculpture in front of its town hall. Consisting of three huge copper mugs (which they call De 3 Potten Van Olen), they serve as fountains during the summer season. According to my friend K, in whose home I’d stayed in, there’s a good legend associated with the copper pots.
The three copper mugs of Olen, Belgium (winter 2012).
An emperor called Charles visited Olen a long time ago to hunt. After a tiring day, he went inside a pub to buy beer (there are over 700 beers in Belgium!). The serving woman gave him a mug of beer, but as she was holding it by its ear, the emperor had a hard time getting it from her. “You should give me a mug with two ears next year,” he told the woman, and she promised to do so.
The following year, Charles came back, and true to her word, the woman served him beer in a mug with two ears. Unfortunately, it was heavier, so she held the mugs in both handles and Charles had again some difficulty getting it from her.
“Buy a mug with three ears next time!” he told the woman, and again, she agreed.
A year later, Charles again went back to the pub and asked for beer. The serving woman had, true to her promise, gotten him a three-eared mug. Unfortunately, when she gave it to him, she had the third ear facing her chest, and the emperor couldn’t get hold of it again. He left the pub, but the three mugs used to serve him are said to still exist until today.
The three copper pots one fine spring day (with soap suds, not snow!).
It’s a funny story, but it totally captures the impression I had of Olen when I first arrived—innocent and yet with plenty of hints of its naughty nature. In the next few months when it gets warmer, I hope to discover more of its charms!
21 Comments. Leave new
@ Bram: It’s too bad we didn’t get to meet up! I’ve passed by Geel; another pretty pretty town!
I LOVE this post! I can’t believe you stayed in Olen, Aleah. That’s literally ten minutes from where I grew up and still live (I’m from Geel).
It’s amazing how small the world really is :-).
@ Kathryn: Yeah, they look cute 🙂
@ SLF: The 3-eared mugs is the one in the middle 🙂
@ Monisima: I’ve seen Mannequin Pis, and his “sister” whose sculpture is more hidden from prying eyes. hehe
I loved this story. As a child I lived in Belgium for one year, and this piece, in reflection, makes me realize that Belgium has humor in some of the statues that it has set up. The one I liked then was the Mannequin Pis, the story was about a king whose son was lost. He promised to set up a statue of his child in whatever way the child was doing. Well — the child was taking a leak:)
Will be visiting your blog regularly.
Ears talaga ang tawag or am I missing something?
Which one is the three-eared mug in the photo?
No Belgium-centric post? Awww.
Wow, I love that giant beer mug. I want to go in Belgium. Thank you for sharing this story.
@ Melvin: Yes, I will go to Italy. Wait for my posts!
@ Ace: Yeah not so good huh? Love the beers in Belgium!
Aleah, you’re trying out a new photo processing style I see ha.
Beer in Belgium superb! I tried the “girly” beer there, didn’t find anything girly about the beer though hehe.
aliw naman ang story about the three -eared mug.I’m looking forward to more of your post about europe,sana kasama italy kasi dream destination ko talaga ang italy.
@ Gelo: You will be able to do that if you really want to. That’s our advantage as freelancers!
@ Arline12: I really love Belgium. I’m confident you will also enjoy it when you’re here!
I love traveling because I want to discover different ideas and gain an amazing adventure, Belgium is also a perfect image of those things… Maybe this coming summer vacation I will be there…
ah…funny story…and Aleah, I’m so envious..I wish I could go there someday =(((
@ Mary: I loved Brussels! Too bad it was toooo cold when we went there 🙁
@ Edmaration: Kakatuwa talaga. Ang laking beer mug! Sayang walang fountain when I came.
Iba naman talaga ang gimmick diyan Aleah ah. Kung sa Pinas puro istatwa ng mga bayani diyan naman mugs, weeee. Read the story behind, bit funny :))
What a cool story. I hope you are enjoying Belgium. We were only in Brussels for a day and loved it. We saw one of those stores selling their 700 beers.
@ Mhe-Anne: Looking forward to read your UK posts!
@ James: Ang konti nga ano? 😉
There are only 700 beers in the whole of Belgium? That’s a bit disaapointing.
Wow, nice to see more of your backpacking adventures! yea that’s a bit naughty post haha, and really informative. It inspire me too, to start writing on my UK off the beaten path adventures! Thanks for continuing to travel, write and inspire! Enjoy your trips!