In the late Middle Ages, the Burgundian period, Ghent had 60,000 inhabitants. Amsterdam had barely a thousand at the time.  The Gravensteen in Ghent already existed, because it was built in the twelfth century.   Thanks to the Scheldt and the Leie, fish could be eaten regularly.  This gave rise to the dish Ghent waterzooi ('zooi' < zieden = to cook).  Later, when the waterways became polluted, the fish died.   Chicken took its place.   But don't talk about soup when you talk about waterzooi;  it is waterzooi !

At the Sint-Veerleplein, opposite the entrance to the Gravensteen, you will see De Waterzooi Lodge.  It is a Bed & Breakfast behind a stepped gable, in which old and new are very cleverly combined.   It is not that big inside. You can tell from the low banister that people in the past were really not as big as they are now.

On the ground floor there is a cremerie.  There may have been a studio there in the past.   Of a cobbler ?    A tailor ?  

A narrow corridor next to it leads to the staircase.  You live on the first floor, sleep on the second. 

There, in the Waterzooi Lodge, on Saturday 1 September 2018, I had arranged to meet travelling model Eva Evian.   She is from Latvia, speaks fluent English and she's a very pretty figure.   Eva had travelled by train and tram, so I offered her a bottle of water : Evian.   She accepted with a smile.

Against the dull book wallpaper, Eva's body stands out like a fully ripe apple in a well-meant storage box.

I placed the table with crossed legs on its side.  I've extended the legs in Photoshop.  This gives the impression of a ruin.  Don't let that scare you : this B&B is anything but a ruin.

The virtual demolition of the interior is necessary to give the entire shoot a new look.

Poetic intermezzo.

In the Sistine Chapel of Vatican City you can admire 'The Creation of Adam' (1511) by Michelangelo.  I try to find a female counterpart here. Because 'God is a woman' (Ariana Grande).

She looked scared for a moment as I reached out my thumb and forefinger to adjust the cord that had fallen under her left breast. Under no circumstances do I touch a model.  Here my correction does produce a better photo.

Stairwell filled with little Eva's.

The burning tea light in the lantern caused pain in Eva's right hand.  She mentioned it in passing, long after I had taken the appropriate photos.  How professional is that ?

The house 'De Waterzooi Lodge' is not very big.  That makes it difficult to set up flashes and tripods.  Fortunately, daylight helped a bit here.

A large flatscreen took up the space of the fireplace.  I found that boring.   That's why I had Eva's back reflected in the entire fireplace. An alter ego in the mantelpiece.

The late afternoon sun casts long shadows through the windows. The staircase would be very dark if it weren't for an oval opening high up in the living room. This allows light to enter the staircase through the living room. I stuck my camera through this opening. Thanks to live view I was able to take focused photos, including a Harry Potter scene here, but without wands and there... without clothes.