Arenberg Park
Reiner Van Hove
“I would describe the Arenberg Park as heaven on earth, a perfect picture, a place enjoyed by all.” Bachaspatimayum Debkumari does not shy away from using superlatives to describe her favourite place in Leuven.
We understood her choice perfectly when we discovered where she is from: “I grew up in Manipur, a small province in north-east India. It is one of the top biodiversity hotspots in the world, with incredibly rich, unblemished flora and fauna. For example, you can find an enormous variety of orchids in the tropical forests. It is important to me to feel connected to Mother Nature regularly and that is something I can do at Arenberg Park.”
However, the castle in the park is also part of the attraction: “I first came to Leuven as a research student in January 2005. When I saw the Castle of Arenberg, I was immediately transported back to my childhood. As a child, I read many European fairy tales about witches and princesses and when I saw the castle it was as though I was looking at a picture from one of my old storybooks.”
Now, in 2009, the fairy tale has become a reality: Debkumari’s office at the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering is located in the enchanting setting of Arenberg Park. “I returned to Leuven to do a PhD in September 2007. I research the swarming behaviour of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common bacterium which can cause disease in animals and humans. Sometimes my experiments don’t go as I had hoped, which can make my job quite stressful. On those occasions, it is wonderful to be able to go for a walk or a bike ride through the park. I love cycling, which is something you can hardly ever do in India.”
“Of course the park is at its most pleasant in the summer, but I enjoy being there in any weather, as long as it is not raining too hard. Sometimes I take a book and read it while lying on the grass, or I arrange to meet friends there to eat and relax. My favourite place in the park is at a little bridge close to the castle, where you can hear the babbling of the river and also admire the graceful movements of the swans.”
Tell us about your favourite aspect – professor, place, culinary specialty… – of Leuven (max. 400 words). The best entry will be published in the next issue and its author will win a beautiful etching of a university location. E-mail your ‘favourite’ to campusinsight@kuleuven.be
