Towards the Fjords - Belgium 2/6

TRAVEL DIARY From France to Holland via Belgium

(continuation of the account from the state of France) Sunday 01.08.93 Departure from the area at 8 in the morning. At 9 we are in Reims, we park the camper on the avenue of the Cathedral. Visit to the cathedral, where we find a coach of Italians. Then on the avenue we buy bread and champagne chocolates and 3 bottles of 75 ml of champagne. Reims is the city of Champagne! Here you find fantastic bottles with truly incredible shades of aromas and taste. Of course there are various tastings and the bottles on sale are 75 ml, so that you can buy different types. We leave the city still with the taste of the fantastic chocolates in our mouth (bouchon - because they are shaped like a cork). We follow the sign for Calais and have lunch at the border with Belgium. At 15 we are already visiting Tournai, in Belgium.

Historic centre around the Grand Place (with the mighty beffroi, the oldest in Belgium, with 4 turrets, 72 m high and housing a carillon of 43 bells!) and the cathedral, a visit to the cathedral treasury, a few rooms with precious pieces and paintings. Outside the historic centre, a dusty and poorly kept city, especially when compared with touristy French cities. Camping stop at Ooidonk, near a lovely green residential area. After dinner we take a walk to visit the castle-villa enclosed by woods and a moat. Belgian power sockets cannot be used by us. (440 Km)

Monday 02.08.93 Departure at 8.30. At 9 we park in the centre of the city of Ghent near the cathedral and visit the beautiful historic centre. Ghent is a city of art and historic traditions but at the same time the second port of Belgium and an industrial city. Very interesting is the historic centre, the Limburg street, a lively city street. The Sint-Baafs cathedral, a magnificent Gothic building, the Lakenhalle market, the Stadhuis (town hall, which we did not visit), the early Gothic Sint-Niklaas church and the beautiful Graslei post office building. The medieval houses of the guilds, the castle of the Counts of Flanders (it is called 's Gravensteen). In short, Ghent deserves a careful visit. We head for the sea. We did not stop at Zeebrugge and in the town of Knokke-Heist we only passed through: a very well-kept holiday area with gardens and parks. At 13 we are in Holland.

A stop after the border to change into guilders and eat lunch along the road. Ferry to Vlissingen; while waiting we eat the famous frittas (the French fries typical of France, Belgium and Holland). Boarding at 15, arrival at Middelburg and a visit to the city, the town hall and the Abdij, the immense construction of 1100, today the seat of the provincial government. Bought tulip and scilla bulbs. At 18.30 Haamstede, arrival at the huge campsite which was probably also by the sea. (200 Km) The account continues with the state of Holland