Belgium
A light dusting of snow greets us on 2 January as we get up relatively early to head to Belgium, first to Brugge. We are told that the locals were naturally delighted when their city was to be the location for the film “In Brugge”, but when it was released officials reacted much as the Kazakhstanis did with Borat to be portrayed as so dull. Notwithstanding their displeasure, you can still buy a map which sets out scene locations; and what a city it is. Beautiful old architecture, cobbled streets, canals, and a thriving Christmas market, still running in the New Year. In particular, the local basilica is stunning, small by comparison to the huge churches which have been constructed over the centuries in this part of the world, with beautifully painted panels and ornate fittings.
On to Ieper, to show Kaelene some of the WWI historical sites I experienced in 2007. The difference is that this is January. “I’m going to tell my wife I’ve met some mad kiwis,” the tour guide we have hired cheerily greets us with. Not only is it freezing cold, but fog sets in cutting visibility to not more than a few metres in places which is a pity as it means that some of the battlefield perspectives can’t be gained. At our first stop the fog is indispersed with light, swirling, snowflakes while we listen to the guide’s rendition of local history. Still, we get to see the remains of a field hospital, Tyne Cot and Essex Farm cemeteries, the location of the first gas attacks, some trenches and a museum. The previous night we watched the last post ceremony at the Menin Gate.
Thank god for Belgian hot chocolate.
Back home, after 6 hours of train journeys, we prepare to head to Amsterdam and then Berlin over the next few days.
A light dusting of snow greets us on 2 January as we get up relatively early to head to Belgium, first to Brugge. We are told that the locals were naturally delighted when their city was to be the location for the film “In Brugge”, but when it was released officials reacted much as the Kazakhstanis did with Borat to be portrayed as so dull. Notwithstanding their displeasure, you can still buy a map which sets out scene locations; and what a city it is. Beautiful old architecture, cobbled streets, canals, and a thriving Christmas market, still running in the New Year. In particular, the local basilica is stunning, small by comparison to the huge churches which have been constructed over the centuries in this part of the world, with beautifully painted panels and ornate fittings.
On to Ieper, to show Kaelene some of the WWI historical sites I experienced in 2007. The difference is that this is January. “I’m going to tell my wife I’ve met some mad kiwis,” the tour guide we have hired cheerily greets us with. Not only is it freezing cold, but fog sets in cutting visibility to not more than a few metres in places which is a pity as it means that some of the battlefield perspectives can’t be gained. At our first stop the fog is indispersed with light, swirling, snowflakes while we listen to the guide’s rendition of local history. Still, we get to see the remains of a field hospital, Tyne Cot and Essex Farm cemeteries, the location of the first gas attacks, some trenches and a museum. The previous night we watched the last post ceremony at the Menin Gate.
Thank god for Belgian hot chocolate.
Back home, after 6 hours of train journeys, we prepare to head to Amsterdam and then Berlin over the next few days.
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