Market Square
As we are always looking for a fun and
interesting way to spend our free time in a fairly affordable manner I like to
look around online for cheap flights, trains, etc. Last weekend we were fortunate enough to find
some reasonably priced flights to Brussels.
So we packed up our stuff and headed out for what turned out to be a
wonderful experience!
Streets of Brussels
We left on Saturday morning from Valladolid on a
bus to Madrid – at 4 am – to make it to the airport for 730. Our flight was at 850 so we were in Brussels
by 11. Once we reached the airport we saw
hundreds of refugees/migrants and they looked happy which was nice to see. There was a huge refugee camp set up in
Brussels but just a couple days before we arrived it was taken down and there
is only a small area of camp left. I am
not certain what happened to all the people living there.
Brussels
La Cyclist
Our hotel was right downtown which was incredibly
convenient for transportation and sightseeing adventures. We went there right away dropped off our bags
and headed out to explore the gorgeous city of Brussels. The major historic center of the city where
all the touristy stuff is located is not too big so we were able to basically
see everything in a day; although we are excellent walkers and do not mind
walking from one side of town to the other multiple times to see what we want
to see.
Cathedral of St Michael and St Gudula
Parc de Bruxelles
Parc de Bruxelles
Brussels is like no other city I have seen
before. The architecture is mind blowing
and the city is so ornate and clean! The
city was occupied by the Germans during WW1 and WW2 but was spared from any
major damage so the buildings in the historic center are the originals, which
is not the case for some other areas of Belgium. Brussels is the capital city and home to the
EU and NATO. The official languages are
Dutch and French but English is spoken everywhere so we never had any issue
communicating with anyone. I am sure
when you venture out into other areas of Belgium you might have a harder time
but in the center you will be fine.
Royal Palace of Brussels
Parc de Bruxelles
The Historic center is impressive. I basically started crying when we first
walked into the Market Square. I can
honestly say in all the travelling we have done in Europe this square is the
most beautiful I have seen. We kept
finding ourselves back there just marveling at the buildings. This is where The Grand Place is located –
which is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Market Square - Grand Place
Market Square
Market Square
I was slightly worried about finding food to eat on this trip as it was my first trip as a vegan and I already know how challenging it can be travelling as a vegetarian. However I was pleasantly surprised with the variety and ease of finding everything I wanted. Our hotel had an amazing breakfast spread with tons of veggies, fruits, beans and anything else a non-vegan could want, the restaurants in the city had lots of options and then of course the grocery shops had many snacks I could pick up– except hummus I never found that. The best part was first getting off the train from the airport and walking outside to find a vegan booth set up! They were full of information and many delicious treats so I might have eaten chocolate cake for breakfast the first day.
Street wanderers in the evening
Now as far as Belgian Cuisine goes I could not eat much. Like I said finding vegan food was easy but actual Belgian food is certainly not vegan! Even the fries were not Vegetarian friendly! Belgium is famous for its Waffles, French Fries (frites), Beer and Chocolate. I could only indulge in beer and a fraction of the dark chocolate. The fries are all cooked in Ox or Horse fat which is what gives them their unique flavour – or so I am told – so Vegheads beware Belgian fries are not for you! The beer however was quite tasty and to make it more fun I had mine served in a horn shaped glass.
Belgian Beers
Ross and I really wanted to see some WW1 sites
which are all located outside of the city and basically impossible to get to
unless you have a car - that is unless you take a guided bus tour. I realize that by taking this tour Ross and I
have now skipped middle age and entered our elderly years but it was worth
it.
We took a tour with the Brussels City Tours
company. They have a variety of tours
you can choose from but we went with the Flanders Fields option. This was a 13 hour tour which took us from
Brussels to many monuments, cemeteries, the front lines and the town of Ypres. I cannot imagine a better way to spend a day
learning about the war and seeing the sites that are so important to our
history. It also made us very proud to
be there as Canadians since Canada is very much revered and respected in those
parts because of our involvement in the war.
John McCrae memorial at Essex Farm Cemetery
The Canadian Monument
I have never done a tour like this before so I
really did not know what to expect. There
were around 40 people on the bus in total with Ross and I being the youngest –
this is not something I am used to anymore. Our tour guide was fabulous. He was funny and personable and knew everything
you could want to know about the war, the sites, the politics etc. I feel like
I learned a great deal more about this war than I previously knew.
Memorabilia at the Trench of Death
The Front Lines - The Trench of Death
We saw one of the only German Cemeteries (there
used to be 130, now only 3), Tyne Cot Cemetery, The Trench of Death, The
Canadian Monument, Hill 60, the monument to John McCrea where he actually wrote
the poem In Flanders Fields, and Ypres where Flanders Fields museum is located
as well as The Menin Arch on which there are names of 54,000 soldiers who were never found. We were lucky enough to get to see the
ceremony held at the arch way for the lost soldiers that night.
Vladslo Cemetery ... One of three remaining German Cemeteries
The Last Post Ceremony
The ceremony is called The Last Post and it takes
place every night under The Menin Arch arch at 8 pm.
This ceremony has happened every single night since the war ended in
1918 minus the 4 years of WW2. They shut
down the road and people from town as well as visitors crowd around to have a
minute of silence, hear the buglers, lay wreaths and hear the reading of the
Exhortation, taken from Laurence Binyon's poem “For the Fallen”. It was very moving and I feel so grateful to
have been in attendance.
It is difficult to describe the emotions I felt
during the tour. There was sadness and
anger as well as feelings of pride. I
saw and read things that I cannot imagine having to experience in my life. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to
have been born in a time or place where we did not have to experience war
should consider ourselves lucky. We are
privileged to live our lives without fear for our lives or the lives of those
around us. I think far too often we take
our good fortune for granted and do not realize the horror that those who were
not so lucky have had to deal with.
Quotes on the walls at Tyne Cot Cemetery
As someone who has family members who were not so
fortunate I have always tried to think about what they went through and how
maybe the silly things I get upset about really do not matter. My Papa always says that we do not know what
it really means to suffer and I try to hear his words whenever I am feeling
sorry for myself. His words help put my
life in perspective.
My Papa and I April 2014. He is the greatest man I know.
I think this tour is something I will always
remember and I will always be happy that I experienced such a trip. If you ever find yourself in Belgium take a
day to explore the war memorials.
The next morning we woke and had a few hours to
enjoy a bit more of the city before heading to the airport. I had delicious tomato soup and crusty bread
while Ross enjoyed a veggie filled Quiche.
The flight back to Madrid was very turbulent which of course makes me
very nervous and uncomfortable but luckily Ross holds my hand and talks me
through it. He is a good man putting up
with all my idiosyncrasies.
Ross enjoying Starbucks because we can!
Coolest fountain ever
Belgian Church
Belgium is a wonderful country. I look forward to wherever our next adventure
may lead us!
Some more photos from our WW1 Tour
Vladslo Cemetery
Because the Cemeteries have been combined from 130 to 3 all of the headstones have approximately 20 names on them.
The statue of The Weeping Parents
The Trench Of Death
Reinactments of what life as a solider was like
Such a beautiful place for such horrors to take place
However this is the reality for those who spent 4 years in the trenches
Walking through the trenches
A reenactment soldier showing us his post
The Canadian Monument
Simple and peaceful
Flanders Fields Museum
Propaganda
Remains
Life for the horses...Not just humans lost their lives
Thoughts on Passchendaele
The faces of gas attacks
11-11-11
Thoughts from the soldiers on the war
Ross next to a bomb
John McCrae Memorial at Essex Farms Cemetery
Essex Farms Cemetery
Tyne Cot Cemetery
The burial grounds for 11,954 soldiers of The Great War. Of these graves 70% of the soldiers are unknown. On the wall at the back of the cemetery are the names of 34,927 soldiers who have no known grave and died from August 1917 to the end of the war. This is only a selection of names as there are several sites on which they are inscribed.
Hill 60
An old bunker
Where used to stand a hill now sits a crater lake. Here 800 soldiers died in the attack on the hill.
Menin Gate - The Last Post
Here there are 54,000 names of soldiers who were never found.
If you are interested in learning more about The Great War I recommend these sites.
