We spent an amazing week exploring Belgium and the Netherlands. The best parts was due to spending time visiting some great friends and family, but of course the lowlands held a lot of charm as well. The last time I visited Belgium I spent my time in Brussels and the fairytale location of Bruges. This time we did a blitz through Knokke-Heist and while we were looking at the fabulous houses there, think “Cribs – Belgian Edition” we said goodbye to summer watching the last night of an international fireworks competition on the beach with some old (and new) German friends.
We stopped the next day to spend the day in the magical town of Ghent, which is now my favourite Belgian city. Canals weave through the city sloshing under stone bridges, past castles & towers, into the medieval market square whose cobblestone streets are now covered in cafe umbrellas with vendors selling cheap beef stew and fries, mussels, and of course beer. However as our walking tour paused for a brief rain storm, you could imagine what it was like…before it fell under the corrupting influence of waffles. This was a square of vegetables and vengeance, where daily commerce commenced and punishment was completed all under the steady rulership of the Count of Ghent, who ruled with a few provisos. Commerce before all, and a horrific death to counterfeiters. You see, Ghent were a wealthy merchant economy with textiles and wools in the 1300’s, maybe the second largest city in Europe, before it was invaded by the French.
We also briefly visited Antwerp on our way to Holland, but honestly, aside from the chocolates, it did not have the same charm or magic as Ghent did. Ghent felt a little like walking into Narnia, partially because of it’s huge pedestrian only central core, (something I kinda wished my city did) while Antwerp felt like it yeah it had an old town…yeah it has a central train station, but nothing really convinced me that it was worth hanging around in. Where were it’s secret hiding spots, unfortunately, they remained hidden to me. Goodbye Belgium – Next stop is Holland.
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