Read this blog: The one where we remember the fallen of WWI Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th October 2023 The following morning, we left Brugge and drove towards Ypres and the Sanctuary Wood Museum and the nearby Hill 62 where the memorial bears the inscription Here in Sanctary Wood and on the Hooghe-St. Elooi, the British fought for the defence of Ypres. This is a very sparse description for such a huge military undertaking and the considerable and tragic loss of life. The place was named Sanctuary Wood because of the extreme quietness there. However it was also the site of extreme conflict. From 2nd to 6th June 1916 the German army mounted a ferocious and determined attack. A week later on 13th June 1916, the British unleashed a counter-attack which, according the leaflet we were given, ‘annihilated the German gain’. There is an extensive display of munitions, equipment and uniforms from WWI and trench periscopes have been adapted to show photographs almost as though you are looking back in time. Having been forced to keep our distance from people during lockdown, the instruments of hand to hand combat seemed particularly shocking. However, by far the most striking exhibit has […]
Belgium
Read this blog: The one where we discovered hidden beer Monday 9th October 2023 Having seen our last live match of the Rugby World Cup we drove from Lille to the beautiful city of Brugge to stay one night at the aire close to the train station where we have stayed several times before. It is just a short walk from here to the historic centre and some of our favourite bars and cafés. Before leaving Lille early to avoid paying any parking charges, Robert had promised Matilda breakfast at That’s Toast [see Dish of the day] so this was our first port of call. Once refreshed we strolled around, reacquainting ourselves with this beautiful city. Unsurprisingly, the route Robert chose took us past ‘t Brugs Beertje so that we could confirm the opening time of 16:00 for this legendary bar which serves around 300 Belgian beers. We then walked to Markt, the central square which is dominated by the 83 m high medieval Belfort or belfry. We passed the Biermuseum and as, despite being relatively regular visitors, neither of us had ever been inside we thought we would have a look round. In a city where the bars and […]
Monday 29th November to Thursday 2nd December 2021 We had originally planned to avoid any travel restrictions by going to Bath for the Christmas markets, but when restrictions lifted in the autumn our regular travelling companions, Liz and Martin, wanted to go further afield and we planned a trip to Brugge for three days, travelling back via Brussels and spending one night in the capital. However, as the date of our trip approached, Omicron cases were on the rise and countries were starting to impose more rigorous travel restrictions. Belgium implemented PCR tests and self isolation for those staying in the country for over 48 hours. We were therefore forced to revise our plans, reducing our time in Brugge by a day and travelling back via Lille in France instead of Brussels so that we were compliant. Liz and Martin were excited about taking their first trip on the Eurostar. Once in Brugge, we deposited our luggage then set out to get our bearings again and see the city as the sun went down and the light started to fade. The Markt, or old market square, is dominated by the 83 metre high Belfry and surrounded by old guild houses […]
From the UK by Ferry – Sunday 3rd February 2019 Although Eurostar trains now run direct to Amsterdam regular readers will have realised that, whenever possible, Robert likes to maximise the number of different forms of transport he can use on any one journey. Therefore, endorsed by our fellow travellers, instead of a direct train from St Pancras International we are travelling by overnight ferry from Harwich. We were informed a few days before departure via email that part of our train route to Harwich has been replaced by a bus service. So our outward journey now includes a car, a train and a tube to get us to our rendezvous with Belinda and John at one of our favourite old London haunts – the Hamilton Hall. This elegant pub is named after Lord Claud Hamilton who was chairman of the Great Eastern Railway Company from 1893 to 1923. The Company originally built Liverpool Street Station and the pub is in the former ballroom of the Great Eastern Hotel. It retains some of the original painted decorative plasterwork detail on the walls and ceiling. For Robert and Matilda it was also on their commuter route home to East Ham in […]
Berlin – Thursday 13th December 2018 After an early, though slightly delayed flight to Berlin, we checked in to an appropriately cat-themed hotel, with cat flaps painted on the outside of the room doors and cats eyes on the key cards. From here it was a short walk to see the site of Check Point Charlie and Trabiworld… …the remaining section of the Wall on Niederkirchnerstraße… …the Sony Center… …the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe… …the site of Hitler’s bunker… …the Brandenberg Gate and the Reichstag… …to finish in the Gendarmen Christmas Market… … for beer and snacks. Berlin – Friday 14th December 2018 After a late breakfast, Jaime wanted to make progress on one of her university assignments so returned to the warmth of the hotel to work whilst the rest of Travelling Herd went to the Jewish Museum which included a special exhibition entitled Welcome to Jerusalem. From there we went to the Topology of Terror Museum which focuses on the institutions of the police and the SS in the Third Reich and the crimes they committed throughout Europe. German museums do not shy away from the atrocities of the second world war and whilst this […]
Monday, 29th October 2018 Robert enjoyed testing Alan’s levelling system to empty the tanks before we left Brugge to reduce the weight and maximise fuel economy. We had planned to go to a beer warehouse in Poperinge which Robert has visited several times before but we found it was closed on Mondays so a google search came up with Drunken Vandewoude, Brouwerijstraat 5, 8600 Diksmuide. A family run concern who were very welcoming, allowing Ralf to wander round the warehouse which offered a wide range of very tempting options. Even Alan didn’t seem capacious enough and the journey home was punctuated by the rattling of bottles. Walked today: 5.0 miles Driving distance today: 109.64 miles Total Tour Distance: 1,190 miles
Sunday, 28th October 2018 Our journey to Brugge was marked by a number of events. The first of these was a very stressful moment when we thought we might run out of fuel but thankfully managed to fill up by diverting off the main road. Secondly, having previously been directed down some very rural lanes which were not necessarily suitable for a motor home the size of Alan, we chose to ignore our sat nav directions. This accounts for the large loop north on today’s route. We then had to wait for the drawbridge to lower. Brugge is one of our favourite cities and it is always a pleasure to return. Is it the architecture, the canals, the Tin Tin merchandise, the beer, the bars or a combination of everything? This time, we were however, very mindful that Ralf had been scared by the horses hooves on the cobbles and is not really a “townie”. We did however feel he should be introduced to “Bar Bertie” as this is a favourite hostelry and a bit of a tradition for us when we visit this city. Whenever we visit with John and Belinda Robinson, although there are so many fabulous places […]
Saturday, 27th October 2018 In the fifteenth century, apparently Duke John II wanted to thank the people of Lier for their support during his struggle against the people of Mechelen. They were allowed to choose their own reward and he offered them two options. The people of Lier were tasked with choosing between a university or a cattle market. The duke coined the phrase ”the sheep heads”: so you know which option the good citizens chose. We did, however, feel it was an apt destination for the Travelling Herd. We had inadvertently stumbled upon another UNESCO World Heritage Site – the Beguinage at Lier. We learnt that a beguinage is an architectural complex created to house beguines – lay religious women who lived in a community without taking vows or retiring from the world. The residents were often widows or unmarried women who supported themselves by crafts such as lace-making or embroidery. The Lier beguinage was established in 1258 and now comprises 11 alleys and 162 houses. Walking through the alleys does seem like stepping back in time and the style and topology of these buildings are reminiscent of alms houses found in England. The town itself is also charming […]
Wednesday, 17th October 2018 As you pull out of the campsite in Bastogne you are faced with Ardennes Boissons – a drive-in off-license with plenty of parking for a vehicle the size of Alan. How could we drive past? The selection of bottled beer was extensive and we wanted to buy some bottles of “Airborne” in honour of the American troops and the struggle to retain Bastogne and the Ardennes. Ralf reluctantly, but successfully, completed his first museum visit at the Bastogne War Museum today. This involved him staying in the motorhome alone for the two and a half hours it took us to go round. He was waiting in the driver’s seat for us to return and although all was quiet when we exited the museum, he became quite vocal as we approached the vehicle but thankfully nothing untoward seemed to have happened in our absence. The museum itself is well laid out and very informative and certainly creates a sense of what it must have been like for civilians and the military alike on all sides to have been involved in the Battle of the Bulge in the depths of a harsh winter with limited food. In any crisis […]
Monday, 15th October 2018 – Tuesday, 16th October 2018 Richard and Mandie Königs recommended Bastogne as a place of character and historical interest and so when we left Maastricht we agreed we would return to Belgium, to visit a town which is now synonymous with the Battle of the Bulge – the last offensive by the German army in WWII which prompted the heroic defence of the town by American soldiers. The terrain of the Ardennes was supposedly impassable and the Allies believed the Germans would not attack through these hills and forests. While the area was not heavily guarded the German’s quietly assembled 50 divisions and attacked the Allies on December 15, 1944 besieging several American divisions in the town. As soon as you arrive in Bastogne you can see the military significance of the town and the obvious local pride in the outcome of the Battle of the Bulge. There are tanks by the roadside as well as a Sherman tank in the main square and the local beer has names such as Airborne and Nuts [in honour of the American response to the German request on December 22 for them to surrender]. A bar in the main square is also […]
Thursday, 11th October 2018 Having carefully selected a campsite, based largely on Matilda’s requirement for a pool in which she could swim for exercise, we set off from Brugge heading towards Bladel at 10:00. We were due to arrive at 12:50: this was a longer journey than Robert usually plans to undertake but in the interests of a healthier lifestyle he was prepared to extend his driving time. Unfortunately Matilda had been so focused on the pool that she failed to notice the site was effectively closed. We could have stayed but as all the facilities – pool, restaurants and shops – were out of action for the winter we decided to move on to another site. We arrived at campsite number two, also with a pool, approximately 30 minutes later to be told they were open but dogs were not allowed. It is just as well that Ralf always protests loudly to be let out whenever we stop otherwise we might not have taken him into reception and found out this crucial piece of information. Consequently, Robert looked up the relevant symbol in the key for future reference before he identified a third option which had a pool AND allowed dogs. […]
Wednesday, 10th October 2018 We are slowly learning the tricks of motorhoming abroad. And we believe there may be many. Robert chose to buy a British motorhome version of a vehicle designed and built in Italy, which has the leisure/habitation door on the left/pavement side in the UK. Most continental models have this door on the right. The accepted convention on any site is to park so that each motorhome is on the same edge of the plot and therefore has private space to set up tables and chairs which is not overlooked. But as we are bucking the trend with our UK model we will need to consider carefully in future whether we drive on or reverse on to make sure we maximise the private space for all involved. Yesterday our side/leisure door faced our neighbour’s. They had a very docile dog who seemed to have been trained not to stray off their piece of astroturf laid out to mark out their territory. However, Ralf sensed that this dog spent some time, sat on the edge of this staring at our [closed] door and was not quite so chilled about this. It seems dogs are even more territorial than motorhomers. […]
Tuesday, 9th October 2018 Our first European adventure in Alan began with a crossing under the English Channel on Le Shuttle. The Channel Tunnel is the longest undersea tunnel in the world – the section which is actually under the sea is 38km long – and it reaches 250 feet below sea level at its lowest point. Fears that this depth and the potential changes in air pressure might play havoc with Ralf’s highly-tuned canine senses were entirely unfounded and the crossing passed uneventfully. None of the border controls seemed at all interested in Ralf’s passport but presumably there will be more stringent checks when we want to take him back into England. From Calais we drove north along the cost, past Dunkirk to Westende in Belgium. So, although strictly speaking Ralf has been to France, he took his first steps on foreign soil in Belgium. We had planned to stay in a camp site which had various facilities, including a swimming pool and bar but the sat nav took us to its poorer [and probably cheaper] relation, the aire next door. We had already paid, aided by two very helpful Belgian motorhomers who recommended a pitch, before we realised our error. […]
So, today we are on a quick trip to Brussels in Belgium. Just two days away with old friends: John and Belinda Robinson. Following a bus ride into Bromley, and a Thameslink train from Bromley South direct to Kings Cross St Pancras, we took the 10:58 Eurostar to Brussels. Day One was planned as a bit of a pub crawl around the iconic traditional pubs of Brussels sampling Belgian beers. Day two will involve a bit more culture, because Matilda says so. After arriving at Brussels Gare du Midi, at 14:05, our first stop is our hotel to drop off our bags. We were staying at the ibis Hotel Brussels Centre Gare to Midi. <span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”></span><span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”></span> Cantillon Brewery and Brussels Museum of the Gueuze Click here for their website. We may, as a nation, have evolved a habit of complaining about the influence of Brussels bureaucracy but excessive health and safety regulations do not seem to have reached the Cantillon Brewery on Rue Gheude where visitors are trusted to behave themselves on a self-guided tour. After a brief explanation of the brewing […]