Our first weeks in Belgium

Well I’m so glad I took all those French lessons, now I need to learn a little Flemish!

Jo left us in Wambrechies in the rain, heading down to sunny, hot Province. We headed north to the cold and more rain, along the Canal de la Deule. We had planned to stop the night at Kortrijk, which has an old town centre according to the Michelin guide. There was 2 moorings in town, but one was full and the other under a low bridge so we soldiered on until we were stopped before the lock at Waregem. They were doing night works on the lock, so it closed early. Luckily there was a mooring just before the lock where we stayed the night. Although the scenery was rather industrial, Kathy and Alan found the town in the morning, but more importantly fresh bread and croissants.

Through the lock and a little way on we turned right at Deinze onto the River Leie. It was almost as though we were back on the Thames, a meandering river, skirted with palatial masons. And joy, the sun came out!

The lifting bridge at the entrance to the Leie from the Grensleie

Along the Leie

Occasionally and I’m must emphasis the ‘occasionally’ I’m allowed to drive!

Our mooring in Ghent and oh I forgot to mention a new courtesy flag.

We secured a great mooring in Ghent, close to the town centre and well worth the 4 nights we spent there.

Ghent, breathtakingly beautiful medieval city with a modern artist twist.

Is that my new bike?

From Ghent it was onto Brugge, and again in the rain. I am despairing about this summer weather in Europe. Maybe we are better off braving the winter in Melbourne! Well, that was until I heard about the 7 degree day😮

We moored in the haven where we have booked our winter mooring (Coupure) and I am very happy with our choice. It is close to the city centre with good facilities near by, a bakery, post office, butcher and laundromat (with dryers!). The supermarket is a bit of a disappointment but not a catastrophe.

Kathy and Alan left us in Bruges for Sicily and although we debated pulling up stumps and motoring to Ypes, we decided to stay in Brugge and wait for our next visitor to join us. Instead we took day trips to Ostend and Ypes on the train.