London to Brussels by Bike

 Today we wandered around town and looked at shops.  What trip to Belgium doesn’t include a Smurf statue We visited the city hall and saw the porters. Finally at night we went through the city square  We were dumpster diving for a cardboard box for our return packing. 

 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

 The entire day was spent wandering around Brugges. On the way in we passes a lake that reflected the church tower. You can’t visit Brugges without visiting the belfry.  We climbed to the top where the bells are.  For anyone who cares, the belfry windows are covers over the windows s  it can’t jump out. After the Belfry we went to the  Groeningemuseum to see Flemish art from 1400 until the present.  I was looking forward to seeing the Bosch triptic.  Considering that it was painted 500 years ago it was amazing to see in the present. The museum ended with contemporary art.  I don’t meant to sound like an art snob, but if I can do it, it’s not art.  I leave you to consider the example below.

We decided that we wanted to spend as much time in Brugges as possible. So instead of taking the day to pedal 25 miles we would hop a train.  For 24 Euros we converted a day of riding to a day in Brugges If you’ve ever seen the movie In Brugges. The central plaza and tower takes an important role. The canals also appear in the movie We stopped at the Tin-Tin store and got our picture taken  

 During the night a fire alarm woke us up.  At breakfast we learned that one of the guests was vaping in his room and set off the fire detractor.  He was obliged to opoligize to the cafeteria at breakfast. I got up early so as to take sunrise pictures in the cemetery.  They didn’t turn out as well as I would have liked, but we’ll see how they photoshop. We pushed off around 9 and pedaled down the Messines Ridge.  We stopped at one of the locations of the Christmas Truce and there was a monument from FIDA. In Casines France we stopped off in the center of town and saw their modern church, but couldn’t get in We arrived in Kortrijk Belgium around 4 and went for a walk and went into the Cathedral.  Inside the organist was practicing so we had an entire organ recital to ourselves

 A short ride today  Ended up at the Peace Village (hostel) in Mesine.   Took lots of pictures but swapped out the SD card so I only get to upload two photos today While touring the  CWGC we either put up Canadian flags or put stones on markers.  It’s not much but it shows that someone is still there. The hostel is right next to a cemetery so I tried to get sunset pictures.  Tomorrow will be sunrise

 Burges France is an old walled town, much of the architecture going back to the 1750s City Museum We left France early this morning and crossed into Belgium. After a week of hills and bad traffic it was nice to get back to flat roads and sparse traffic. As with our previous trips, visiting the old churches and grave yards.  The photo below is an angel on top of a child’s grave. And what church visit would be complete without a relic

 We got up early this morning and loaded the bikes.  A quick breakfast at Marks and Sparks then on to the ferry terminal.  We cleared French customs in Dover and waited in slot 150 to be let onto the ship.  Loading all of the vehicles on the ferry, bicycles are either first or last. Ninty minutes later we landed in Calais.  The port authority was really organized, we got a security escort out of the port . Calais was bigger than I expected.  The city hall has a Rhodan sculpture in front dedicated to the seige of 1346 We passed the Calais opera house 

Today was a visiting day.  We wandered around Dover Castle, originally built in the 1100.  Some portions date back to the Roman invasion of 400AD The Castle was furnished as it would have been in the 1100s Throughout the day I could hear piston aero engines and finally caught sight of a spitfire flying one the English Channel.  At $6000 for a 50 minute flight I won’t be doing it soon