Fortuitously one has found the opportunity to spend a couple of months bimbling around Europe. Intending to visit friends and family but also to absorb some of the rich culture which I have come to value more since my South American jaunt.
I journeyed from Brighton to Ghent, Belgium on Sunday the 29th of April by driving to Dover, onto a P&O ferry which, after three and a half hours, eventually got me to Calais. I then proceeded to the city of Ghent for a proposed evening meal with a rather lovely Belge by the name of Vicky, which I had the good fortune of spending some weeks with in the jungles of Bolivia. After arriving in the city I spent a good hour turning in ever decreasing circles, pestering an ever increasing number of dwellers (none of which had actually heard of the street in which Vicky resides, even when I was literally around the corner). Eventually, two and a half hours late, I was greeted by a smiley Vicky who had baked cake, I had struck gold.
Ghent is a beautiful little city with an incredible ancient centre, abound with great intricate churches, austere castles, sweet old houses and peaceful canals. Inhabited mainly by students, it has a relaxed, easygoing, forward thinking, socially and environmentally responsible, fun vibe about the place. In short, I liked it.
Vicky kindly offered that I stay a while, so over the next few days we bought chips and plants, met friends, went to the swimming lake, the cinema and the nature reserve and the whole experience was rounded off by a delicious typical meal of Veggie burgers and mash with mustard sauce hand cooked by my gracious host. Then on to uncle Hugo's.
They have a real English paradise here with a little peppering of mainland practicality thrown in. I’ve mainly been helping Hugo doing carpentry style missions however I’ve also had the pleasure of horse riding, dog grooming, society dining, more cinema and digging out tree stumps. Cousin Lotte is on good form, well into life at the stables, boys, working at the dog salon, shopping and girlfriends.
A few days ago I also had the good fortune to visit another friend from South America, Wim, who lives just outside Brussles in a village called Dworp (warning one may be chastised for not rolling the ‘r’). He and his enchanting family entertained me for a couple of days. Wim warned me early on that there was to be no interfering with his sister, apparently it had been a problem with his friends previously. We went cycling through some delightfully lush, rolling countryside, then we were kindly rescued by Wim’s brother after an unfortunate puncture incident. I was introduced to the pleasantries of Belgian pubs along with their fabled beers with alcohol contents verging on the ridiculous. We visited the Atomium, probably the most poignant structure in the world, we decided. Discussed the shocking lack of recognition that Belgium receives for it’s accomplishments, including the appalling so called French Fries situation, and I hate to spell this out but Fries are actually Belgian! Probably chips too. Incredible.
We went out to dinner at a very nice world food restaurant where I enjoyed four cheese tortellini with lemon sauce. It goes without saying that all activities were interspersed with outrageous flirting with Wim’s sister.
Needless to say things are going swimmingly so far. And what with a Baptist party to come this weekend, the future is bright.
Belgium
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