Blogs from Belgium, Europe - page 16

I visited this town because P&O provided a bus there from the port of Zeebrugge. Normally the ferry runs daily from Hull but the Pride of Bruges was out of action so Pride of York was going on alternate days. Only 7 people got on the bus with the rest of the foot passengers heading to Bruges on two other buses. The fare was a good deal for a single traveler and even cheaper for two as it included a cabin and the bus. Food onboard is pricey so it is wise to take a picnic for an evening meal. I read up on what to do and decided that with 6 hours at most the Menon Gate and Flanders Museum, In Flanders Fields would be my priorities. As it happened, the bus driver got lost ... read more

Een nieuw jaar, een nieuwe zomer, nieuwe prachtige vooruitzichten... 3 van de 4 windrichtingen, een bezoekje aan Praag buiten beschouwing gelaten, hebben we al aangedaan. Dit jaar tijd voor een verkenning van enkele landen in de oostelijke regionen van Europa. Polen en Slowakije liggen qua route vast, de rest hangt af van tijd, weer enz.... read more

Up at 0600 hrs and caught the bus in to Gent from the camp ground. Previously we'd seen a lot of mole hill but no moles however as we were walking through the park we saw a magpie attacking a small furry creature which turned out to be a mole. Well Gus and I rescued it returned it to the grassy area where it could hide. Sight seeing on Gent is great. Heaps of historic buildings. See photos and short comments.... read more

Just a quiet day for a walk around Ypres. Though Ieper is the official name, the city's French name, Ypres is most commonly used in English. During the First World War, Ypres was the center of Battles of Ypres between German and Allied forces. During the war it was nicknamed "Wipers", as its name was difficult for English-speaking British Imperial forces to pronounce. Ypres is an ancient town, known to have been raided by the Romans in the first century BC. It is first mentioned by name in 1066 and is probably named after the river Ieperlee on the banks of which it was founded. During the Middle Ages, it was a prosperous Flemish city with a population of 40,000 in 1200 AD and renowned for its linen trade with England (mentioned in the Canterbury Tales). ... read more

This day we headed to Ghent. We knew we wanted to take a boat tour around the city, but weren't exactly sure what else we would do. After walking all over Antwerp the day before, our feet weren't exactly ready for another 4 hour walk. As it turned out, the weather was really warm and we were not dressed appropriately. We really hadn't planned on it being so warm so all our shorts were back in England. We took the 40-minute boat tour, which was very nice, and then headed back to the house for a relaxing afternoon there. A little history on Ghent. It started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Leie in the later middle ages and became one of the largest and richest cities of northern Europe. It ... read more