Day 35 Day of Rest - Bruges

An early investigation shows that Bruges is littered with Belgian chocolate shops.........................

Day 34 – 20 km walked – Total of 733 km walked – Bruges

The last hour of yesterday's walk was one of two very brief times on this trip when I truly did not enjoy our journey. We had to walk on a narrow but busy road - drivers seemed to have little regard for us and cut it very fine, leaving dangerously little room when passing. Also a very strong wind had come up and we had to walk under some fragile looking trees - and my foot was hurting. When we eventually got to the only hotel in the area, we had to make such an inconvenient detour for, it was not exactly the Ritz.

This morning everything looked different again, with a blue sky and the sun was shining (we have been incredibly lucky with the weather – for the last week it has only rained just after we reached our hotel for the day or at night). We quickly found a very pleasant off road cycling way that would take us back to the Ghent – Bruges canal. In fact today was the most pleasant walk we have completed since we entered Belgium. The canal was lined by mature trees and fields, for a while there was even a proper non tarmacked walk way for us walkers only. *bliss*

On the way we met to lovely Australian ladies who were cycling across the Netherlands and now Belgium. They were going to Maastricht, the same way we have come west, they are going east. So I dug deep in my rucksack and got out the Chinese Menu style cycle maps we had used, explained the secret of how it works and let them have our maps. Hope they come in useful!

We arrived in Bruges in good time and fell in love immediately. We had to cross the 'Grote Markt' on our way to our hotel. It was as impressive as we have seen in so many other Belgian towns.

But here they have equally beautifully restored buildings away from the main square and canals to boot. Tres romantic, Paris and Venice eat your heart out!

Gary has already decided that we are going to do the full tourist programme tomorrow (he might have to take the canal boat trip in those bright orange buckets on his own though). I am looking forward to taking the camera out and getting some arty pictures.

Today's song choice is dedicated to Gary's mother Lily who today was admitted to hospital to receive a blood transfusion. She has been wonderfully supportive and encouraging throughout our walk and we had to promise hand on heart that we were not coming home early because of her. Honest Lily it is for purely selfish reasons that we chose shorter routes. Our feet and aching bones can be quite persuading.

Gary mentioned this Abba song once before but it was not chosen. Lily you ARE a Super Trooper.

Scientific research continues

I have some good news and some bad news.

My research confirms that Chimay trappist beer is truly one of the world's primier beers.

Unfortunately, however, I have unable to determine whether "red label" at 7% or "blue label" at 9% is the best manifestation of this wonderful brew.

Rest assured, I will continue to pursue my investigation with renewed vigour, knowing we have but a few days left in....er....this country....and gawd bless all who sail in her...hic

Day 33 – 23 km walked –total walked of 713 km – Aalter

I ended yesterday's entry with the words “it is now just two relatively short walks to get to Bruges”.I hadn't measured it out myself and probably should have written: Doris tells me it is now just two relatively short walks to Bruges. The key word here, as Doris pointed out when I asked her, is “relatively”.Less than 30Km each she now informs me. As you can see, today was over 20Km and tomorrow's walking into Bruges is at leat 25Km.

Actually, today's walk would have been slightly shorter, had we not had to take a long detour away from our route to get to our hotel. The hotel is, by the way, is pleasantly situated within hearing distance of a busy ring-road and has air conditioning that periodically leaps into action with all the subtlety of a Concorde taking off. It could be an interesting night and I might have to foresake my intended sobriety for some of that special Belgian sleeping potion.

The walk itself was a pleasant one along the banks of the canal that runs from Ghent to Oostende via Bruges. When I say canal, however, the British amongst us have to forget notions of narrow-boats – it is w---i---d----e.

Getting out of Ghent was a trial in itself – it just seemed to go on forever. Somewhat disorientated, we asked a man, who was emerging from his house with his young son, for directions. We were really only asking for a general direction to get us back on track but he insisted on delaying his journey and study his own map, to help us. Having sorted it out in his own mind, he then insisted on driving us to the point on the canal that we were trying to get to.

So instead of going out with his son, this lovely man, packed me, Doris and his son, into his car to drive us to somewhere that we could usefully restart our journey. Not very far away, as it turned out but we were and are very grateful.

Later on, we were passed by and amazing looking vehicle that seemed to be some combination of a low-lying bicycle and a go-kart. It zipped past so quickly, that I didn't get time to snap a picture. Later, however, we came across it's driver, studying a map on a bridge that we were crossing. Not only could I now get a picture but he was a studying a cycling route map that we had previously been told didn't exist for this area.

“Yes, I'm English,” he responded to by standard opening of “excuse me but do you speak English”.

As an aside, most Belgians seem to speak almost flawless English. They usually respond to my question by telling me, modestly, that they speak a little, before conversing faultlessly.

Anyway, “G”, the Englishman, told me that he was testing the vehicle, which I think he said was called a “velomobile”, as he was thinking of buying one. Despite the slightly worn exterior of this particular model, he proceeded to tell me the technical details which seemed impressive, even though most of it went over my head.

“It goes like the clappers,” G informed me and this I well understood.

He then helpfully read out, what I now know as node numbers, from the cycle route map, charting our journey from where we were to our destination. I thanked him for his kindness and he returned to tinkering with his vehicle.

Later, as we walked along the canal, the velemobile passed us at speed - a cheery disembodied hand waved from the cockpit and it disappeared into the distance, going like the clappers.

I never did add a musical choice for yesterday, so for the second time am going to have a single choice for yesterday and today.

I am not supposed to tell you but Doris has had a problem with her foot that has been troubling her at least a couple of weeks. She has some sort of strain that eases with walking in the morning but stiffens up and becomes painful in the afternoon. But day after day, she laces her foot tightly into her boot and carries on as if nothing were wrong. At the end of today, I think it was particularly painful.

I am not supposed to tell you because, I think, she thinks it might make her sound like and attention seeking, drama queen, wimp. Nothing could be further from the truth. She is nothing short of courageous although I know she will not like me saying it - so please keep it just between just you and me.

So the choice for both yesterday and today is dedicated to Doris and Elton John's “I'm still standing.”

Day 32 – 22 km walked –total walked of 690 km – Ghent

Today was cold and windy – the first time that we have experienced those conditions.

Now, Doris had laughed at me for bringing a woolly hat and gloves. But there is nothing laughable about cold ears or hands and it was she who felt the biting wind first and was quick to take advantage of my prescient purchases, hitherto carried for 31 unused days.

But it was not much longer before my ears began to suffer, the wind whistled through my missing tooth, and I needed to get creative with my cap.

This made Doris dissolve into giggles, only surpassed when I remembered that my wind-stopper jacket has a hood for this very purpose. I will admit that it is not my best look but is was very effective and enabled us both to carry on toastily.

Ghent is a sprawling conurbation, so for the only the second time on this journey, we decided to skip the walk the purist walk into the centre and enjoyed the luxury of train transport for a couple of stops.

You may recall that, after Würzburg, I vowed never to walk across a city again. In fact we have done so, wittingly or not, nearly every time, with the journey into Aachen (but not out) and Ghent, as the only exceptions. Over the next few days, our plan is to walk all of the way into both Bruges and Oostende.

As we want to get out of Ghent pretty pronto tomorrow morning, we decided to stay near the station rather than in the, reportedly, lovely town centre. We we really should have visited but will instead pig out on Bruges, having equally enjoyed Dendermonde below.

Nonetheless, we came up trumps culinary-wise, as just around the corner from where we are staying, is only one of eight (so they told us) organically certified vegetarian restaurants in Belgium. The food, which had a strong African influence, was superb, as was the lovely organic Belgium beer – well I had to try it!

Finally, here, just a stone's throw from the station, is a testament to the Belgium people's love of the bicycle.

It is now just two relatively short walks to get to Bruges.

Today's musical choice: need to have a think - will hopefully post later

Day 31 – 19 km walked –total walked of 668 km – Dendermonde

As we have already said, our choice of destinations is now driven by where we can get accommodation rather than what seems to be a sensible walking target.

We booked this evening's accommodation two days ago, at the same time as we booked last night's in Bornem. Incidentally, although last night's hotel was delightful, there was, unfortunately, a market on the square the next day and we woken early by hosiery and cheese which arrived around 5:30 am.

Today's walk was shorter than originally estimated, once we had taken Doris's famous “straight-cuts”, and we arrived in Dendermonde at around 14:00, having previously informed the owners that we would be there around 16:00. Not usually an issue but, on this occasion, it could have been, as we were staying in a bed and breakfast rather than a hotel.

Concerns increased as the tail end of our walk took us through endless industrial landscapes, into a place that turned out to be a lot bigger than we realised. Well researched as ever, we were walking into a City rather than a village and not, it seemed, through the best part of town. But if there is one thing I have learned on this journey, it is not to judge one's circumstances too quickly – or at least to be willing to reappraise and re-frame quickly.

On arrival we were greeted by not one but two charming hosts, in a newly, and beautifully, renovated house that has only been open for business for a few weeks. As we are the only residents this evening, and as the owners do not live in, we have the run of a large townhouse. Not only do we have a large bedroom and enormous bathroom, we have a generous lounge, kitchen and fridge full of beer and wine.

Not only that but on arriving back from dinner, we found a note alongside a bottle of trappist beer that can only be bought at the actual abbey. What a lovely thought. And was it delicious? Hell yes, it was delicious. So a big thank you to Linda and recommendation of our hosts at http://www.domusportus.be/index%20english.html and the wonderful beer at http://www.sintsixtus.be/eng/index2.html or less modestly at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westvleteren_Brewery.

And there were these lovely people who knocked at the front door, looking for accommodation for their wedding party in September. I ended up showing around our current “home”. Dieter talks more than me which is saying something. It turns out that, on a number of occasions, he has completed the “death walk” of 100 Km (to be completed in just one day) that takes place every year, in a round trip, from our previous night's location in Bormen. He told me that it begins with the participants in coffins but I wonder if he got that the wrong way around. Blimey – tough geezers.

If you are reading this, have a great wedding and an enjoyable honeymoon in SA.

And finally, we have, through necessity, being doing some planning ahead and thought we would share our potential itinerary.

• Tuesday 28^th May we will be in Gent

• Thursday 30^th May we will be in Bruges and will take a day off to enjoy the City

• Friday 31^st May we will be in Ostend

• Saturday 1^st of June we should have crossed to Dover and be somewhere beyond

We both think that once we get back to England, we will be pretty motivated to complete the journey rather than linger, so think we will get home on Tuesday 4^th or Wednesday 5^th June but, as ever, we will take it as it comes, and if it is later for whatever reason then so be it.

Is it strange to think that we are close to embarking on our last week. Thank you all for your great support. See you soon.

Today's musical choice is the very soppy "Alone Together" by Carly Simon.

Day 30 – 20 km walked –total walked of 649 km – Bornem

Today we had a choice: walk around 30 Km, or more, on reasonably attractive but indirect cycle ways or walk 20 Km on a cycle way that tracks the main road. Having walked 30 Km yesterday, we opted for the latter. It was physically less taxing than the first option but, in the past, we have found that the predominantly road based walking seems to take more out of us mentally – today was no different. It did, however, have the virtue of getting us to our destination just after 15:00, in plenty of time for a much needed siesta.

Our hotel is small but has a very large and staggeringly busy restaurant. Emboldened by this, I asked for all local options and ended up with a slightly off tasting beer, brewed in this very town, and eel in a thick spinach sauce. The latter was good but will not be racing to the top of my all time list. As for the beer, I do wonder if it was not quite right or, perhaps, I have finally met a beer I didn't like very much – quite a shocker, especially in Belgium!

I have tried to sample local beers wherever possible but have to report to my beer drinking friends – they know who they are – that Chimay still stands head and shoulders above anything else I have tried so far. No shame to the others of course, as Chimay is an extraordinarily good beer though surprisingly not widely available over the last couple of days.

This leads me to say that I hope I have not given a negative impression of Belgium. The people are as friendly as can be, they care about food, brew great beer and have some lovely towns. It is simply that they are into bicycling rather than walking. Unfortunately, this has been a problem for us because it means having to walk along cycle ways. Not an ordeal but what seems a gentle detour on a bike often turns out to be a long way on foot and, therefore, not ideal for us.

Belgians seem to be fanatical about cycling: often cycling in large groups, with no age boundaries, in lurid, decal clad outfits at terrifying speeds, on very straight paths. There are others who cycle more sedately but their outfits are rarely less sedate than high camp Abba. If you thought cyclists in London are brave – to wear what they do – then you aint seen nothing.

Doris didn't suggest a musical choice for yesterday, so I will suggest one in honour of straightness, for both yesterday AND today. The cycle ways, canals and roadways may not always go where one wants but they go straight from A to B. A very tenuous excuse to pick Bob Seger and “Still the same”

And finally an appeal to anyone who has stayed in the lovely City of Bruges. We currently intend to spend a rest day there and would be grateful for any hotel recommenations.