London to Brussels by Bike

 Today was the end of our tour, so there was no need to get out in any rush.  We took our time and got out around 10. Our first stop was the famous Mr. Piss statue.  I was warned in advance that I would be disappointed, and the warnings were true.   Having said if you’re in Paris you have to visit the Eiffel Tower.  To add insult to injury the plumbing was broken and he wasn’t even pissing. We walked around and found a giant Smurf mural. In the afternoon Sandy went to the Royal Art Museum, I went to the Belgian Military Museum.  Since most of the European ears of the last 200 years have taken place in Belgium there was a lot of material to use.  I saw a WWI tank and a replica of the Red Baron’s airplane.  I’d rate it as one of the best military museums I have ever visited. In the special Russian section there was a tunic that 11 year old prince Alexis.

Like the last two days we woke up to rain.  Had breakfast and by the time we were ready to leave it had clears up so we decided to forge onto Brussels.  The start was a slow uphill that ended (almost) in a two mile downhill.  Partway through the downhill in Brussels was the Heart of Brussels sculpture  There was a half mile hill at the end of the two mile downhill that we decided to walk.  But fortunately the last 1/4 mile was flat so we managed to pedal to our destination.  Covered about 250 miles over about 10 days. Brussels is the largest town we arrived aft since leaving London.   What trip is complete without a relic from a Saint.  This is what is left is St Elizabeth.  I can’t tell you how many pieces of the true cross we saw.  It must have been a big tree. Our boxes arrived from Amazon and we got Sandy’s bike packed up.

 This morning she woke up to cold and rain.  Walking out to breakfast we got wet, we decided that a train wouldn’t be a bad idea.  Got back, packed, and left for the train station.   Along the way we got wetter, but when we go to the train station it stopped raining and looked sunny.  Checking the weather app showed no rain for the next four hours so we decided to make a run for it. We quickly made a route from the train station and pushed off. The ride was pretty uneventful.  The possible exception would be the airplane on top of the house. By 2:30 we reached our destination for the day. Our speed Was about 3x what we did in the UK. The Belfry in Aalst.  Pretty town but much larger than i expected. Wandering around town we found a church alter that was painted by Rubens.  Painted in 1630, stolen by the French and put in the louvre in 1789 and returned in 1813

 Today was rainy and cold so we decided to make a short day of it. Our first stop was St Bavo’s Cahedral.  There was an organ recital going on and I took pictures of the stained glass for Sandy.   We decided against the  28e up charge to see the crypts. We then went on to the Ghent Museum of Industry.  It covered the textile and graphics industries in Belgium.  There were exhibits going back to the 1600s  below is a steam engine from about 1840 At the end of the day we went to Amadeus for all you can eat ribs.  I don’t know what Mozart has to do with ribs but it was a great meal

 Today we took our time getting going.  After breakfast we walked through town.  It’s not everyday that you see someone kayaking in the city. Continues along to the Ghent Art Museum where we saw another Hyeronomous Bosch painting. Left the art museum and walked back into town.   What trip to Ghent would be complete without a trip to where the Treaty of Ghent was signed.  For history buffs, the Treaty of Ghent was what ended the War of 1812 and restored relations between the US and. Britain to our current levels. And what good treaty signing doesn’t deserve an after party.  Fifty meters away was the house of a count who held a reception here

 It rained overnight and this morning so we decided to take a train part way to Ghent and avoid the rain.   Getting the bikes in and off the train was a hassle.  At our destination I knocked my frame and the pump shot off and fell between the train and the tracks.  The conductor made  soon to tell me that the pump was gone forever. The ride along the canal was uneventful and we passed this mural close to Ghent. We arrived in Ghent around 1 and went out for a tour of the city.  Just in the edge of the city centre is a  medieval castle going g back to the time of the crusades. From the top of the castle we got a great view of Ghent