Two of the three towers of Ghent

The central tower of the Saint Nicholas' Church (which we saw yesterday) defines with the belfry of Ghent and the Saint Bavo Cathedral, the famous medieval skyline of the city center. They call them the three towers of Ghent.

Saint Bavo Cathdral is noted for the Ghent Altarpiece, known as: "The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb" by Hubert and Jan van Eyck. This work is considered Van Eyck's masterpiece and one of the most important works of the early Northern Renaissance.

Saint Nicholas' Church, Ghent

The Saint Nicholas' Church (Sint-Niklaaskerk) is one of the oldest and most prominent landmarks in Ghent. Begun in the early 1200s as a replacement for an earlier Romanesque church, construction continued through the rest of the century. Built in the old trade center of Ghent next to the bustling Korenmarkt (Corn Market), St. Nicholas' Church was popular with the guilds whose members carried out their business nearby. The guilds had their own chapels which were added to the sides of the church in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Old Post Office, Ghent

This is the Old Post Office we saw from the Graslei yesterday ... now I am on the Koornmarkt (Corn Market) ... the hart of Ghent

Graslei, Ghent

From Antwerp I took the train to Ghent ...
I love Ghent, I have been here before, about 14 months ago! I am back on the Graslei now where this picture was taken ...

The Graslei is one of the most scenic places in Ghent's old city centre. The tower right behind me is from the former postal office.

Town Hall, Antwerp

The most remarkable building of the 'Grote Markt' (town square) of Antwerp is the Town Hall. It is one of the oldest and most beautiful Renaissance buildings in the Low Countries.

It's in this building that the mayor of Anwerp has his office and it's used for official receptions.

Unfortunatly when I was there he didn't have the time for an offical reception ...

Peter Paul Rubens

The Cathedral of Our Lady contains a number of significant works by the 17th century Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens, who has his statue here on the Groenplaats in front of the Cathedral.
Rubens (1577-1640) was a proponent of an exuberant Baroque style that emphasized movement, color, and sensuality.
In the cathedral I was most impressed by his Descent of the Cross.

Onze-Lieve-Vrouwkathedraal, Antwerp

Yesterday ... we saw the second largest building of Antwerp. A few blocks further we have the largest one: the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwkathedraal (the Cathedral of Our Lady).

The building of the cathedral was started in 1351 and, although the first stage of construction was ended in 1521, it has never been completed. Its one finished spire is 123 meters high and in fact it's the highest church tower in the Benelux.

The architects of this Gothic cathedral were Jan and Pieter Appelmans.

The first skyscraper on the European continent ...

The Boerentoren (English: Farmers' tower) is the second tallest building of Antwerp. It measures 97 meters and was the first skyscraper of the European continent, remaining the highest until the 1950s. The construction was completed in 1931. The building is in Art-deco style and was designed by Jan Van Hoenacker.

The official name of the tower is now the KBC tower as the current main tenant is the KBC, a large bank in Flanders. 

Leysstraat, Antwerp

In front of an extraordinary cornerhouse in the Leysstraat ...

Antwerp Zoo

Originally just outside the city walls, now an oasis of peace in the heart of Antwerp, next to the Central  Station you can find one of the oldest and most famous zoos in the world.

Antwerp zoo is still strong after 165 years! More than 5.000 animals are in here ... I entered the gate and was one of them today.

The Railway Cathedral, Antwerp

Yesterday I took the train from Spa to Antwerp. So I am back in Flanders now ...

Here you see me in front of Central Station in Antwerp - the Railway Cathedral - that welcomes visitors who arrive by train in Antwerp.

It's a very impressive building ... it was built between 1895 and 2005. The entrance hall looks like a Taj Mahal built out of love for the industrial blessings of a new era.

Fagne de Malchamps, Spa

Jacques Brel famously described his native Belgium as 'le plat pays qui est le mien' (the flat country which is mine). Clearly he didn't spend enough time in the Ardennes. 

The Ardennes are a popular spot for walkin.

 ... so that's what I did today. I went out walking in 'la Fagne de Malchamps' just outside Spa. The landscape of this high moorland is quite spectacular and exceptional. Although it was a foggy day ... it reminds me of Africa. 

Gamblin' Woody Rat

Tonight I went out gamblin' in the Casino of Spa.
This casino was built in 1763 and is the oldest in the world!
Well in fact ... I lost a lot of money tonight, but I got a lot of wisdom instead.
Made me thinkin' of Woody Guthrie who sang:

Life is a great big Gamblin' Wheel; It's roll on
If you hope to beat the Game
Better see you praisin' in God's name
Wheel of Life will spin and spin and spin again and roll on ....

Spa is a spa town

The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy, spa towns or spa resorts offering such treatment, or the medication or equipment for such treatment. And you know why this is called spa? It's all because of this little Belgian town Spa.

Though other sources of healing hot mineral springs have become famous throughout the world, it is the town of Spa which has become eponymous with any place having a natural water source that is believed to possess special health-giving properties, as a spa. The Belgian town Spa has been frequented as a watering-place since as early as the 14th century. 

Spa is also a famous brand of mineral water ...

On the picture you see me in front of one of the bath houses in Spa.

Spa

Yesterday, I arrived in Spa ... 

Spa is only 267 km from Nieuwpoort, but in this little country it's quite a long distance and in a sense it's another country too.

In Nieuwpoort, people speak Dutch ... in Spa they speak French. 
Nieuwpoort is in the Flemish part of Belgium ... Spa is in Wallonia.
There are a lot of tensions between Flanders and Wallonia on the institutional level, but if a Fleming meets a Walloon, most of the time they get along very well.

If you want to try to understand the state of Belgium, you can start here, but I bet you'll never get it. 

Belgium is surrealistic country, not to say hyperrealistic, in fact quite artificial ... but I like it. 

And I love Spa.

Searching for Utopia, Nieuwpoort

Here I am in front of a sculpture Searching For Utopia. It was put here by Jan Fabre - he has everything, he's an artist - as part of the Beaufort 2003 event, and it's never gone away.

And it was there I met my new friend ... Mr. Monkey.

So long, Mr. Monkey ... it has been good to know you.

Nieuwpoort

Today it is exactly 90 years ago that the Great War - still very visible and remembered in this region - ended (on 11.11.1918).

I am in Nieuwpoort ... This little town played a crucial part in the outcome of the war. 

It was in Nieuwpoort, during the First Battle of Ypres also known as the Battle of the Yser, in World War I, that Karel Cogge opened the sluice gates on the mouth of the river Yser twice to flood the lower lying land, thus halting the German advance.

A real hero this Karel Cogge ...

The Belgian Coast

Today I finally reached the Belgian coast ... It took me a few days to cover the distance between Ypres and the coast (30 km). I am but a small rat and it takes time to travel on my own. Luckily there were some good souls who gived me a lift and helped my on me way …

And now I am on one of these smooth sandy beaches that run for nearly 67 km between De Panne and Knokke, with a width of up to half a kilometer at low tide. In several resorts, you can find massive sand dunes and nature preserves--while in others, you can visit casinos, spend hours in fashionable shops, explore museums and aquariums, fish, ride horseback, windsurf, learn the sport of ‘sand yachting’, or take the kids to amusement parks and other family attractions.

I like it here … funny that I never have been here before!

Blowin' Down the Road

Blowin' Down the Road

I'm blowin' down this old dusty road,
I'm a-blowin' down this old dusty road,
I'm a-blowin' down this old dusty road, Lord, Lord,
An' I ain't a-gonna be treated this a-way.

I'm a-goin' where the water taste like wine,
I'm a-goin' where the water taste like wine,
I'm a-goin' where the water taste like wine, Lord,
An' I ain't a-gonna be treated this way.

I'm a-goin' where the dust storms never blow,
I'm a-goin' where them dust storms never blow,
I'm a-goin' where them dust storms never blow, blow, blow,
An' I ain't a-gonna be treated this way.

I'm a-lookin' for a job at honest pay,
I'm a-lookin' for a job at honest pay,
I'm a-lookin' for a job at honest pay, Lord, Lord,
An' I ain't a-gonna be treated this way.

It takes a ten-dollar shoe to fit my feet,
It takes a ten-dollar shoe to fit my feet,
It takes a ten-dollar shoe to fit my feet, Lord, Lord,
An' I ain't a-gonna be treated this way.
Your a-two-dollar shoe hurts my feet,

Your two-dollar shoe hurts my feet,
Yes, your two-dollar shoe hurts my feet, Lord, Lord,
An' I ain't a-gonna be treated this way.
I'm a-goin' down this old dusty road,

I'm blowin' down this old dusty road,
I'm a-blowin' down this old dusty road, Lord, Lord,
An' I ain't a-gonna be treated this way.

Change can happen ...

Today finally, I met Froggie ... on my way from Ypres to Furnes, somewhere near Westvleteren. 

And yes ... we celebrated the election of the 44th president of the United States. 

And yes ... we took a few Westvleteren beers, the world's best beer!

And after some more beers we started to sing our national anthem Froggie went a-courtin'

"Without my uncle Rat's consent, Uh-huh

"Without my uncle Rat's consent, Uh-huh

"Without my uncle Rat's consent, Uh-huh

I wouldn't marry the president, Uh-huh

Uncle Rat laughed and he shook his fat sides, Uh-huh

Uncle Rat laughed and he shook his fat sides, Uh-huh

Uncle Rat laughed and he shook his fat sides,

To think his niece would be Obama's bride Uh-huh

What a wonderfull day ... thank you Barack Obama! 

We believe in your ability to bring about real change in Washington and in the world. 

But also remember  the wise words of the poet: " ... even the president of the United States must have to stand naked." 

No Froggie ... don't fantasize !!!

Bellewaerde Park

Bellewaerde Park has a wide variety of attractions. I tried them all.

Here you see me in front of the Screaming Eagle. Takes you high up in the sky and all suddenly you have your feet back onto the ground. A real thrill !!!

The Boomerang ... gives me the heebie-jeebies

The River Splash, a real refreshment.

Let's have fun

After being remembered to all these atrocities of the Great War, I really needed some rest … Luckily there is Bellewaerde Park close to Ypers. 

Bellewaerde is an exciting amusement park …  I bought a ticket for the weekend … the last weekend of the season! The park closes next Monday !!!
So let’s have fun …