A few weeks ago, me and my old web buddy Swift, got some tickets to the "Star Wars Exhibition" in Tour and Taxis in Brussels. This expo, featuring sets and costumes from the Star Wars movies was heralded as " The Ultimate Star Wars Experience !" (whatever that may be), So me and "Tha SwiftMeister" decided to go for it. The train ride to Brussels offered us some extra sightseeing as we got pretty close to the crash site where an African Boeing had broken up on the runway of the Airport in Zaventem. Its pretty cool when you see the pictures on Flickr.  At the expo I thought that we would have the place to ourselves, this being the last day of the exhibition and all that, but the place was packed and because the T&T complex is mostly underground .. it was hot as hell.  Armed with my digital Camera I was just WAITING for the next Star Wars nerd to appear at the exhibition dressed like Jar Jar binks or something. Swift briefly recalls the wonderful videoclip of Triumph at the Star Wars première a few years ago , a viral video that had me shedding tears with laughter. But no dressed up geek in sight. What was funny was the AGE Of the average visitor. Fans of the "original" Star wars movie, had brought their children who were fans of the "new" Star Wars movies. A kinda Cross-generational thing that should set the scene for some cool father-daughter bonding.

The expo was cool, Filmsets, costumes, stuff like that, all ordered chronologically. (Beginning with episode one). I'm not a fan of "the new Star Wars movies" so I was just waiting to meet Jar Jar Binks and kick him in the Balls, but unfortunately he was hiding. The costumes of Princess Armidalla where impressive to say the least, and the fact they where mounted on a big wooden box pointed out the fact that Nathalie Portman is not only CUTE , she is also very tiny. 

But the kicker for me were the expo items from the "old" Star Wars movies. Boba Fetts costume, ( Ruined forever by the fact that you find out who is actually inside in "attack of the clones") was still very impressive to look at. And of course : Darth Vaders original costume. Magnificent and horribly simple (watch for the details as you see the clumsy buttons and control items) and.. A full size model of a Speeder Bike (The Return of the Jedi.) That one piece was, for me, the greatest thing of the whole expo. When no one was looking i put my hand down on the cold metal of the Speeder Bikes Nosefin .. and for me ..All those childhood times, pretending to be Han Solo, playing with Star Wars toys, Watching the movies over and over again.. At that one moment it became very real.. As i got  a chance to physically touch a piece of childhood nostalgia. 

Of course there where some more costumed clones, and people making a mockery of themselves swinging laserswords in front of a green screen.. and there was lots and lots of overpriced merchandise .. but for me ? Nothing could beat the Speederbike thing. All in all ? great time (as always with Mr Swift) and .. the force was with us. Enjoy the pictures 

Credits : Pictures by Knightwise and Swift. Swifts website can be found at www.maisonswift.be (in dutch)