Apr 2, 2018 - Exploring south into the Hautes Fagnes Natural Park

Weather was a bit mixed. Typical Bank Holiday weather! We decided we would do one of our drive and explore days. We headed south passing through the small village of Clermont with its small narrow cobbled streets. Moving on we drove through lovely rolling countryside. We then drove into Hautes Fagnes Natural Park area with its wooded hills, rolling pasture land and open heathlands. We stopped at the Lac de la Gilieppe a large reservoir and enjoyed a walk across the dam with its enormous Lion and along the lakeside. Moving along we then...

Mar 31, 2018 - Heading to the Belgium/German border

Today we headed east and a little south to a campground near the Belgium/German/Netherland border at a place called Remersdaal, Belgium. The main part of the journey was good but the road we took to the campground was a little narrow and the surface needed repair. We discovered that the road in the instructions of the campground was much better but we thought we would take a shortcut! The entrance to the campground was OK but the place he wanted to put us had quite a slope and to cut a long story short we could not get level without one or...

Mar 29, 2018 - Back on the road again heading out on our summer trip

After 18 months we are a little out of practice. Heather's Mum is now stable and has settled into the care home well so we are heading out for the summer. Our strategy (notice not Plan) is to explore some new areas in Germany and then head into Austria. We may even get a bit further and explore maybe Slovenia or Croatia but we will wait and see. We crossed on Monday 26 March onto the continent stopping at our first campground in Nieuwpoort, Belgium which we have used many times. It rained for two days but allowed us time to research...

Oct 1, 2017 - Where Poppies Grow

Welcome. The carnage continued. Flanders, Belgium: "For seventeen days and seventeen nights none of us have had our clothes off, nor our boots even, except occasionally. In all that time while I was awake, gunfire and rifle fire never ceased for sixty seconds.... And behind it all was the constant background of the sights of the dead, the wounded, the maimed, and a terrible anxiety lest the line should give way." —  John McCrae, Ypres, 1915 McCrae later wrote In Flanders Fields after losing a close friend at Ypres. My favorite lines are...

Oct 1, 2017 - Ghent and Bruges

Saturday September 30 – Ghent day trip I trekked up to the train station—easy when you know where you’re going! I had to buy my ticket—tried the machine first, but it wouldn’t use my card, so I stood in line to buy from the agent. I got spoiled in the Netherlands with my Tripkey card. All I had to do was scan it to check in and out, and the correct fare was charged to my credit card. Also I had the Museumkaart. For 60 Euros I got entry to most of the museums in the country. Those two things made travel very easy! It rained hard last night...

Sep 29, 2017 - On to Brussels

Thursday September 28 – Delft and on to Brussels Today is Market Day in Delft. I hauled my main bag down on the way to breakfast. Did I mention there is chocolate for breakfast? This hotel has meusli with chocolate shavings, mini-eclairs, chocolate croissants, and little boxes of both milk and dark chocolate sprinkles for your toast. Fortunately they also had scrambled eggs and crisp bacon, and a really good fresh fruit mixture. There was evidence of some early morning rain, but it had stopped by the time I headed out. The stalls filled the...

Sep 11, 2017 - Belgium - the land where no one smiles but the beer is strong

We are on the road again and absolutely loving the first week back in our VW camper van. First stop has been the UK for a week of catching up with friends and family, drinking local beer, eating puddings with custard and putting up our umbrellas at least 3 times a day. We hiked and explored the “Green and pleasant land” of the English countryside on a sunny day, visited friends in Wales and Liverpool and then headed to the Chunnel. We have always driven through the low countries, without barely pausing on most of our expeditions, so this...

Jul 2, 2017 - Walking for heritage

Just the bedding trim and no a/c was fine for last night. Just one sleep to go now before the best part of the trip: home. Some computer time and a shower before the very light pastries (3) from Elisabeth for brekkie along with one java. Nespresso Machine III was won by the machine as somehow the little container did not fall into place. NM IV was won by me. Off at 0705 for a pretty direct route toward the Stoclet Palace, the site itself actually off limits so just a chance to appreciate the architecture from beyond the gates. It was cool...

Jul 1, 2017 - Coal country and back to the capital

The a/c unit decided by 0330 to rattle away. Not sure even the bonus airline points for staying here are that worthwhile as I start the day a bit tired. Double checked the two critical walks before/after brekkie re to the Bois du Luc museum and from Brussels Central train station to The Dominican. I think I've got routes down pat. We shall see! The easiest thing about this morning's walk in the rain or drizzle is it duplicates what should have been yesterday's walk to Canal du Centre lock #2. I just keep going, make one deft chance of...

Jun 30, 2017 - Some time in Tournai and a canal walk

Maybe I was tired and maybe it was no snoring in the room but slept better, up at 0530 to get going. Ablutions and computer time filled the hour until 0630 brekkie. What a great idea for early risers. Having two WHS in its environs, La Louviere is not too savvy re tourism. I would have expected better signage and more maps distributed to hotels. As I saw later, the town has a sleepy edge. The brekkie fare was fine. Tried some Belgian waffles with a bit of New York maple syrup as part of the many samplings. Took a cab after 0730, noting...

Jun 29, 2017 - FREEDOM

LL's snoring has gotten worse as the trip progressed. Would have been great psychologically even to have an early hotel packet java but no such luck. LL finally readied, as usual way early. I continued working on yesterday's blog, engagin in some minor chit chat about the group. He gave me his contract details which of course excluded email. He asked about mine. I said 'trust me'. I'll probably write him once, making it clear the comfort level of this trip is not something I need, yet alone want. Additionally, he should know the idea of...

Jun 28, 2017 - Trip's end in Antwerp

The morning was routine to start, largely packed by the time of 0700 brekkie. Made the mistake of sitting near the sisters since the Sergeant Major came along and sat with the girls, then BB and finally MAD; great. As soon as the Sergeant Major sat down, the air was sucked out of all conversation; with the arrival of BB, the food disappeared! Off at 0830 for the Brugge-Central train station. Chatted on the platform with Stan about WHS's. It was just one train today for the final group haul, from 0926 to 1054.There was one bit of hilarity....