Click here for today's photos.
Today was a mixed bag. I left Brugge and headed back to the battlefields of Flanders, determined to see what I had missed earlier. The weather cooperated, only spitting a little. I saw the Canadian memorial at Passchendael, the biggest of the Commonwealth Cemetaries at Tyne Cot, the German cemetary at Langemark, the Canadian memorial at St. Juliaan (where gas was first used in WWI), Essex Farm (where John McRae worked and wrote "In Flander's Fields"), back to Ieper for lunch and to shoot some more of the town without it raining, including the Menin Gate memorial, and finally down to Laon, where I found there was no room at the Inn (Etap, that is) and had to book into next door at the slightly more upmarket Ibis.
Heading into the old town to find dinner, I was fortunate to find the Gothic church that I came to Laon to see, still open. It is wonderful, and the medieval town that surrounds it is also fascinating. This was well worth the trip getting here.
Click here for today's photos.Today I spent the whole day in Brugge. The photos reflect walking and a boat trip through the canals.
Click here for today's photos.
I started the day at the Vimy memorial -- well, actually I spent much of the day here as I came back to the memorial to see it in different light conditions. This is absolutely the most memorable of the World War I memorials. The great stone columns and the statues that adorn them seem just right. The Canadian student who gave the tour of the trenches and tunnels that are also maintained at the site was knowledgeable and engaging. This was also a highlight of the trip so far.
After Vimy it was off to see the Flanders Fields Museum in the town center of Ieper (Ypres) -- best to use the Flemish if one doesn't want to offend the locals; French seems not particularly acceptable in the Flemish provinces of Belgium. One wonders how long Belgium will remain a united country. It was remarkable how many Flemish flags were flown and how few national banners.
The museum is excellent and a good introduction to the war in the Flanders region. I was heading off to look at local sites when the heavens opened and I changed my mind, rather than wade through the famous mud of Flanders. Instead I headed straight to Brugge (Brughes), where at least the roads and sidewalks would be solid. It was a wise move and the weather cleared.
Brugge must be one of Europe's most beautiful cities. Somehow Medieval Brugge survived to the present day. It was an economic backwater when the industrial revolution transformed Europe and remained so until the tourist boom of the post WWII years. Now it lives off its history. Whether exploring by boat along its many canals, or by foot, there are architectural gems everywhere -- from the Belfry in the Market Square to the Michelangelo statue in the Church of Our Lady, to the baroque interior of St. Walbuga's church.
An added bonus was staying in the Etap hotel at the train station. While it was hellish to locate, it was well worth it. 50 Euros a night was a steal as the hotel is brand new, beautifully appointed in a modern style, and within walking distance of the center of town. The only drawback was the lack of free Internet.
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