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Published: June 26th 2017
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Geo: 51.2946, 3.19979
Status report:
Up 0645 CET perky: Yet again an LSD dream filled night but this time attributable to the lobster and shrimp in garlic butter/(with frites - ordered to the horror of the chef) washed down with Belgian Beer. The latter explaining the slight dull ache in my left sinus.
A low mist hangs over the polders visible outside out bedroom window and in the distance you can just make out a very large container ship at Zeebrugge about 11k distant.
The sun is just up and a few cattle stumble into a standing position in the field adjacent. In the immediate view there are similar little farmhouses each with flemish tiled roofs each with chicken or two and a neat kitchen garden. Oh this is the life!
Out hostess Lora built the farmstead from a ruin in 2006 with her husband who sadly died in a construction accident 2 years ago. She has a young daughter Eva who must be abut 5. A sad tale but she is young and determined and also wields farm yard equipment like a greek goddess! I think I might offer to stay and help bring in the harvest. She needs a strong man experienced with chickens
to help around the farm............
TODAY IS CYCLE DAY. Our last training session was in Poperinge two years ago so we are fully ready for the 43k "Bruggeoverlander Fisten Route No 24".
Bad news: The bikes cannot be delivered on time! So we need to make the two stop train ride from Lissewege Station to Zeebrugge and collect the biles from "JUMP" Cycles ourselves. Lissewege Station is about as busy as a Hornby Train set in a power cut. Fresh from our
travels by train from Epsom to The Crimea we arrive 20 minutes early only to be greeted by tumbleweed and a waste bin that probably only needs emptying every 2 years! The timetable only has 3 stations listed Bruges - Lisswege (us) and Zeebrugge.
Zeebrugge is a container port (famous with us for the horrific ferry disaster in 1986). Jump cycles turns out to be a small hut on the seafront with a load of kids gocarts parked outside. Eventually we say cheerio to the chirpy owner and wobble off down the "wrong cycle" track much to the annoyance of a local who hurls abuse.....my suspicions and theories about inherent inbreeding problems in these parts are well justified.
We cycle
along a 3km road full of juggernauts en route to the port. Within 5 minutes of pedalling my chain coms off ....B!*GGER! Plasma at hand we turn off and join a beautiful canal which took us the 11k back to base. Already there are "twinges" from the saddle department.
FACT OF THE DAY: Belgian Banks: Open 1030:12:30 3 days a week. "Gerslotten (closed) most other time and DO NOT do foreign exchange in small villages. BELGIAN BAKERIES - closed frpm 1215 to 1315: useful as well.
CYCLE UPDATE: Cycling in Belgium is fantastic. Dedicated cycle lanes - no silly lycra clad middle aged men flicking "V" signs at traffic lights and jumping red lights. All very civilised and FLAT! OHHHHHHH MY BOT??OM - it feels like its been hit by the space shuttle on re-entry!!!
A great day and yes we did our 43k!.....
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