Blogs from West Flanders, Belgium, Europe - page 3

Today we were heading into Belgium to spend the afternoon and evening with a couple of friends, Valerie and Isabelle that were on our African overland trip last year. Both girls live in different parts of Belgium but it was easiest if we camped near Ostend for quick access to the Dunkirk ferry in the morning and Isabelle and her partner Joe said it was easy enough for them to come visit from where they lived. We decided to take the scenic route past The Hague and take the bridges over the islands and arrive for about lunchtime. The weather started out OK but by the time we reached the first island near Ouddorp it was cold, grey and windy, it was like a Melbourne winter! The North Sea looked bleak as did the coastline which ... read more

Sadly, today marks our last day in Bruges. Despite the frequent showers and chilly temperatures during our 10-day-stay, both of us enjoyed the ambience, people, sights, sounds and the food in this charming city of gabled houses, canals and cobblestone streets. It's easy to understand why this city has become such a popular destination for tourists, and we would love to return in warmer weather, when the gardens and foliage are in full bloom. Of course, our fabulous rental apartment contributed to the pleasant stay. It was immaculate, well-equipped, and centrally located. A grocery store across the street was a big plus, and the owner's waffle and gelato shop downstairs had to be the icing on the cake! Our original plan was to spend the day packing for our move to Tours, in the Loire Valley ... read more

Our days in Bruges are now dwindling, since we move on to the Loire Valley region of France in just a few days' time. The overcast skies, chilly temperatures, and frequent showers have so far dissuaded us from taking a canal cruise, an activity that is almost mandatory when visiting the city that has been dubbed the "Venice of the North". The forecast for this Easter Sunday did not look very promising, but we held out hope for a break in the gloomy weather, and by mid-afternoon a few glorious rays of sunshine greeted us while waiting in line for the cruise boat. Although the sun's appearance turned out to be short-lived, at least the skies were dry during our 1/2-hour cruise. After spending the morning puttering around the apartment, we decided to have lunch at ... read more

It was not long after our arrival in Bruges that we became aware of the horse-drawn carriages transporting gawking tourists through the historic sections of the city. The rhythmic "clip-clop" of the horses hooves striking the cobblestone streets is a constant, and unmistakeable, background noise to which we soon became accustomed. So this morning, despite our initial reluctance to spend 50 euros ($65) for a "buggy" ride, we decided to give it a try. The carriage rides start and end at the Markt Square, after a 30-minute circuit that winds its way south from the square, past many of the historic landmarks, before reaching the Begijnhof. Here passengers (and the poor horse) get a short break before making the return journey to the Markt. The weather this morning was mostly sunny, although a bit chilly (mid-40s)--hardly ... read more

Yesterday we were going to Bettembourg but Tim had a dream or something during the night and the place changed to the Valley of the Seven Castles. We’d have a look at a couple and come back on another day. The day was overcast as usual but I felt warmer than I had for days. We travelled along narrow tree lined country lanes and happened upon a village that started with an R, had a CH in it and O may have been the second letter. If I can gain a bit more detail, or buy a vowel or a consonant, I’ll let you know. This village was like a ghost town and we only saw about 10 people while we were there, including the 4 customers and the owner of the bar that we had ... read more