Caravanning – Brugge and Floriade

We started the caravanning segment of our trip with an overnight stop at Hythe and a great catch up with Les and Carole. On the way through we picked up Sue and Martin who wanted to hitch hike through to Freiburg. Our ferry was from Dover to Dunkirk (a first) but it was a very grey day. A fresh slip of the Dover cliffs shows that they start out white – but only just in this weather.

We had booked a site near Brugge to enable a further visit of this lovely city. The site was huge – in the middle of nowhere and our nearest neighbour at least 50 metres away. As August is the high season maybe this is a barometer of the economic climate.

Nephew Geoff joined us for an overnight stop needing a bit of comfort after an overnight train from Prague and a successful climb of Mont Blanc.

Travelling encourages communication with strangers and Geoff was on first name terms with the waiter as soon as the menus arrived.

 “Geoff, what would you like?"

" I would like a beer please Gregory.”

We encouraged Geoff to put on some weight after all this fitness as he has some way to go to catch the rest of us. Mind you the half yards of beer with their wooden supports were not conducive to drinking quickly.

Despite previous visits by all of us, none had been up the Bell Tower (which rather negated the lunch). The bell tunes are held on a large drum.

Half way up the 366 steps most of us required a breather (not by Geoff who was already on his way down by this time). Helen actually died on the way up and despite a desperate search could not fine her pulse.

The view from the top was spectacular but could only be photographed by miniature camera. Anything with a half decent lens was blocked by the European safety standard stainless steel mesh installed at a cost of €10,000 per hole for our protection and never mind the diminution of our enjoyment. (I am part way through a Jeremy Clarkson book and have increasing empathy with his irreverent view of government.)

The mesh did help to form a frame of the restaurant where we had lunch.

The happy survivors of the climb together with Sue who was also pleased to see us.

Near the site were a number of cast iron (Parish) boundary markers which were dated back to 1843. This costly exercise would presumably be founded through contributions demanded by the church of God fearing people. This one at least helped to give perspective to a great sunset.

The reason for our visit to this part of the world was to visit the Netherlands 10 yearly Floriade. This was in 5 large themed parks and included a cable car which helped to give a feel for the size of the attraction.

Shows were also held and waiting for them to start was a good way of resting after a morning’s continuous wandering.

Some of the views were wonderful.

This is part of the Belgian exhibition. It also had a sloping roof to the pavilion which incorporated flowers and grasses together with a path that you could meander up and down.

The World stage seen from the cable car.

And two of the other parks.

Some of the sculptures were imaginative. The dragon (for 50cents) roared and breathed fire but against a bright sky the impact was lost (it needed some darker clouds).

The Olympics were never far away and here you could sit out in deck chairs and watch Federer at Wimbledon. Murray won the Gold medal which would have gone down a treat given the emotion when he lost to Federer in the Final of Wimbledon in June.

One of the gardens was dedicated to Le Tour.

Helen had anticipated Floriade would require two days. On day two we took a more meandering route in and stopped at a little village called Archen. Here we had some lunch and caught up on the rest of the world using the restaurant’s free WIFI.

As we travelled out of the village we realised there was a castle and gardens we could have visited but at least we got to see the water mill.

Back at Floriade some Bonsai caught my attention. It is not surprising our attempts at this hobby have been unsuccessful as we had not appreciated it requires four people (a cameraman for the close up TV, a commentator, the cutter and someone to pick up and throw away each clipping). Still it all helps the employment levels in these tough times.

We were introduced to a new (for us) seed called Quinoa. We were told by a suitably enthusiastic assistant that this seed has all the right combinations of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and the like required to keep you alive for ever. In fact you only need water and Quinoa to live to 100. It was a shame it tasted like cardboard.

Some of the skills on show were noteworthy, such as the avenues lined with espalier.

And a balloon on a wire.

 

Amazing to think that all this work and infrastructure were temporary. Still the removal work in October should also help the employment levels.