Travel and Places: Belgium

[This section is in the earliest stages of development: 22 July 2006]

I have visited Belgium many times, usually as a destination, although sometimes as a place to pass through. Most frequently I have travelled by railway train to either Dover or Folkestone (Kent, UK), and then by boat to Ostend (Belgium). The ferry that used to be a single-hulled boat is now a catamaran - Seacat. I doubt that it is possible to think of ferries between Britain and Belgium and not feel compassion for the victims and their relatives of the Herald of Free Enterprise which sank close to Zeebruge harbour. Once, in 1978, I hitchhiked the journey aboard a lorry. Several times I have driven to the Channel Tunnel, and upon arrival in Calais (France) driven north to Bruges. Once, I flew to and from Brussels.

Bruges/Brugge

Of all cities in continental Europe, I have probably visited the Flemish city of Bruges the most. I first went there as long ago as 1971, and have continued to visit frequently. Canal-boat rides, horse-drawn carriage rides and lace shops seemingly on every corner of the city centre point to Bruges being a major tourist destination. In the summer huge numbers of English-speaking tourists arrive each day, being only 15 minutes by railway train from Ostend. As a result, people in Bruges appear to be more willing to speak English than French (French and Flemish being Belgium's two official languages). Out of season, the tourists are just as numerous, but more local, Flemish-speakers. This means that hotel accommodation gets booked up, and for any holiday weekend, a long time in advance. It is rarely wise to arrive in Bruges without already having arranged accommodation.

Bruges is a place to wander round and imbibe the ambience. The Begijnhof is a peaceful place to visit, and the main market square is impressively the opposite. A steep climb to the top of the bell-tower offers a panoramic roof- and tree-scape. I carried my daughter, Jemima, up to the top, which was hard work. Carrying her down again was terrifying. The streets are atumble with seventeenth century brickwork and masonry. Although the tree-lined canals hardly match those of Venice or Amsterdam, the extensive waterways make the town feel more feminine than either. During my earliest visits to Bruges, it was almost impossible to approach the canals in the summer because the water smelt so foul. I assume that the canals were poorly drained. More recently, however, the canals have not smelt foul, and a canal-boat trip is a lovely way to see some parts of the city. The two British cities that I would say Bruges most closely resembles are Oxford and Cambridge, although the resemblance is not close.

Flanders is also the home to innumerable beers. British beer-drinkers who believe the landscape of British beer to be superior to all others simply have not visited Flanders. I seem to recall that it was Flemish brewers who taught British brewers to brew what we now call beer (although I shall check this fact). Drinking a bottle or two of Brugse Trippel in Bruges is as apposite as drinking a pint of hand-pulled Guinness in Dublin.

A canal boat trip is a peaceful and attractive way to see parts of Bruges that other forms of transport cannot reach.

The market square is full of colour, bustle and tourists.

Bruges is attractive by day and night. The view from the top of the belfry shows a medieval street layout of the city.

The bridge in this photograph crosses a canal over to the main gateway into the Begijnhof. Inside is a large leafy, peaceful courtyard.

 

Ghent/Gand

Half-way between Bruges and Brussels, 35 minutes by railway train, is the inland Flemish-speaking port of Ghent. I know Ghent a little. It is a larger city than Bruges, with fewer canals, and more of less interest. On the other hand, the medieval centre of Ghent is attractive and impressive, has recently been extensively renovated, and is well worth a visit. There is a castle, St Baaf's Cathedral, several big squares, an innovative modern decorative arts museum, seventeenth and eighteenth century canal-side port architecture (compare with Newcastle-upon-Tyne (UK) quayside), canal-boat rides, horse-drawn carriage rides and trams.

Brussels/Bruxelles

I have visited Brussels twice, but found little of great interest. The Grand Place is okay (although Bruges does it better), and appears on all the tourist brochure photographs, as does the Mannequin Pis, an emblematic statue of a cherub-like male-infant urinating into mid-air. The chocolates are reputed to be nice (but not vegan).

  p.g.h@btinternet.com

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