Advertisement
Published: June 28th 2011
Edit Blog Post
With 0% chance of rain, clear blue skies and high 80's for temperatures, it just had to be a biking day in Antwerp! We headed out along the ring road on a wonderful bike route through parks and under and over the highways. The sound of all the traffic could be heard but we were far above the highway in a park like setting shaded with wonderful greenery. The smell of honeysuckle is strong in the air, the flowers and flowering bushes are in full bloom and everything is such a deep green!
We rode through the neighborhood of Hoboken, the local children's story says that the name "Hoboken" is derived from a little boy who accidentally dropped his sandwich in the Schelde river, which flows near Hoboken. In the local dialect of Dutch, a "boken" is a sandwich and "ho" is a way of shouting "stop", so he must have shouted "Ho, boken!!!". A notable event in Hoboken is the annual 5K beer server race. The tradition started, according to legend, in 1777. The race is held annually on the first Sunday of November.
Then we were on to Hemiksen, a small village of only 10,000 people along
the Schelde river. When our bike route took us to the end of a pier, I was a bit concerned, then we learned that there was a ferry that would take us across the river - was a nice way to travel in the middle of a very hot (90F) biking day!
We found a grocery store, bought rations (cold cuts, hard rolls, fruit and water) and then stopped in a park for lunch. This is the best way to travel!
Now we were on the west shore of the Schelde River and biked into the town of Bazel, a very small village of about 5,000 people. Bazel has one of the oldest suspension bridges in Belgium, built in 1824.
We started to head north that would get us back across the Schelde River and home again. Biking in 90F temperatures was taking its toll on me, Jean seemed more used to the bright sun and high temperatures!
Kruibeke gave us a run for our money - I got us off the track. Must have been the heat stroke that made me follow 43 rather than 42 - but we went into town and found a
street fair. We biked back to the outskirts of Kruibeke and there was the sign for 42 that we should have followed. But we would have missed our "mini-slushy" :-)
Once we got back across the river we biked back through the neighborhood of Hoboken. I was very glad to find a "Lotto" store home and bought 1.5 L of water - I think I drank most of it and finally started to feel quasi normal after pouring some over my head at Jean's suggestion!
Then under the bridge, over the overpass, through the hole in the wall and home again for as cool of a shower as the water would stay! (It heats up fast!) Having showered, we headed out to the Market Square and found a wonderful restaurant to have a leisurely meal. Jean tried the "Beef in Belgium Beer over Frits (frys)", I tried the chicken and mushroom over pastry and a salad. Both were excellent. And the cold Maes beer cooled us down!
We people watched and were amazed that it appears that few tables are turned over the course of the night - most having a party seated and they stay
A neighborhood street
Love all the brick houses, wrought iron fences and beautifully manicured yards! for the evening, starting with drinks, then dinner, then coffee, dessert, then more wine then cold drinks!
Today we biked almost 45 miles, the heat made it feel twice that far!
Tomorrow is our last day in Antwerp, tomorrow night we pack up to take the train up to Amsterdam for the night before flying home on Thursday.
I am hoping it is cooler tomorrow!!
Kathleen and Jean Biking in Belgium 2011
Advertisement
Tot: 0.117s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 8; qc: 52; dbt: 0.0755s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb