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Published: September 21st 2007
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Got up around 7:15 this morning and made lunches. Jonathan took today off so we could do a family trip before he left for the states tomorrow. We caught the 9:33 train to Ottignies and changed for the train to Villers la Ville. About twelve minutes later we were dropped on the side of the tracks, no ticket counter or anything, and I was glad I wrote down when the return trains were. The guidebook was a little obscure about the location but claimed that the ruins of this 12th century abbey were the most spectacular sight in Brabant-Wallon. Of course you can’t always trust guidebooks and there have been plenty of times when I have been disappointed, so I was prepared for the worst. Additionally, because this places was just a side note in our book I wasn’t sure how spectacular it would be. The directions were to leave the train “station” and follow the cobblestone road to a T junction and turn right. We did it and walked about a mile (passing by a great patisserie on the way where we picked up snacks) and there it was. It truly was spectacular. The weather helped I think; we have
been enjoying the most beautiful autumn the past few days. It was sunny and bright and the enormity of the ruins was highlighted in all its splendor.
One bummer of the day was that Jonathan discovered that his camera battery was dead. He was pretty crushed full well knowing that if/when we return we will likely not have another day as beautiful as this. Abigail has adopted the little pocket Canon as her own recently and while she is trigger happy she is developing her own eye. Both Abigail and Emma shot some great pictures and once in a while let mom and dad try too.
We paid ten euros to go inside where we could wander just about anywhere. The stone walls were covered in ivy, some of which was changing from green to a brilliant red. There was a map in English as well as explanations throughout explaining what each of the sites was. The abbey was founded in 1147 by some monks and an abbot. The community flourished and by the 13th century it had attracted several hundred followers. It thrived until the late 1700’s when French revolutionaries plundered the monastery; four years later it
was sold off to individuals and in the 1850s the railroad went through.
The girls were equally impressed by the “ruined”. We had fun perching in window wells, balancing on walls and looking at the different stonework depicting the changes in construction throughout the ages. At one point with the sun high in the sky we found a beautiful sunny spot to look for four leaf clovers and we tossed around the Frisbee we carry with us on most every trip. Emma is getting quite good and Eliza is hysterical in her full body toss. We returned to Leuven by 3pm in time for naps and for Jonathan to pack up for his return to the states. We had to leave enough time for him to get to the grocery store and stock up on chocolates to bring home.
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