Good Times, Good Food and Good Friends!

When I was in Brussels this past January, I had the pleasure of meeting Stijn's roommate, Stijn (yes, they have the same name) and his girlfriend Birgit.

Birgit thought that I would really enjoy a Belgian home cooked meal and asked Stijn if we would like to have dinner together tonight (Oct 28). GREAT! So plans are made and Birgit prepares a great Salmon quiche.

Now all of this might not sound very special or interesting to you, but for me it was a very special evening. It seems that Stijn and Birgit had planned this to be a celebration of my birthday and presented me with some gifts.

You must understand that these gifts are very special to me because they are from the town of Ieper. I fell in love with Ieper when Stijn had taken me there this past January. But what really made the gifts special is that Birgit is from Ieper! Plus she did her homework and added a special thoughtfulness to my gifts. In my special package was a magnet of Ieper knowing that I love to collect magnets and that I didn't get one when I was there. Also knowing that I love special items of the region, she included a little bottle of Jenever, a poppy liqueur. But the item that touched me the most was the Belgian chocolate bar with a scripture that was written by Major John McCrae in 1915 called "Flanders' Fields", which I think deserves to be shared with everyone who reads this blog.

"Flanders' Fields"

In Flanders' fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The Larks, still bravely singing, fly scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead.

Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders' fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe;

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch, be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders' fields.

You see, Ieper was in the middle of the front line between the German and Allied Armies and was destroyed in WWI (The Great War). It is now one of the most beautiful little villages in West Flanders. But this village has not forgotten it's past and the "Menen Gate" is where the names of 54,896 soldiers are engraved, who lost their lives during this horrible war and have no known grave.

To be able to share good times with good friends is a special evening I will never forget!

Europe In 30 Days - A Sunday Drive through the Countryside

Today we had planned to go to Brugge, but after being a part of the "First" day of the after Christmas sales yesterday in Antwerpen, Stijn knows that Brugge would offer some more of the same. So we decided that we would save Brugge for another day.

Stijn has suggested that we drive out to the area where he grew up, Moorsele. I think this is a wonderful idea and it gives me an opportunity to see a part of Belgium that probably most visitors never have the chance to experience. And besides, it is good and cold today so it's the perfect day to sight see from the car!

We head about 70 miles out of Brussels to the more northwestern part of the Flanders Region. The countryside is absolutely beautiful with its farm land and rolling hills. We drive through so many quaint villages and I am pointing out to Stijn every cute little brick house that we pass.

But more interesting and certainly more surreal is discovering all of the WWI cemeteries that can't seem to help but remind you of what happened in this region during the "Great War". Now you must understand that this is all "News" to me. I had no idea that in this area of Belgium so many battles were fought during this War.


We stop at the Sanctuary Wood Cemetery, one of the many cemeteries in this region and take a walk in silence through the numerous white headstones and pay our respects.

Knowing that I like to cycle, Stijn wants to show me Mt Kemmelberg. This is part of the 200 mile route that the Gent-Wevelgem race covers each year. Looking at the cobblestone over the steepest part of this route at about a 20% grade and trying to imagine riding down this was quite impressive, but at the bottom of this summit once again I am reminded of the battles that were fought here when I see a monument that is dedicated to the French soldiers who fought in the Great War.

Well it's time for a little snack break so we stop in the village of Kemmel and settle in at Het Labyrinth and order a platter of cheeses and pate, and I want another Irish coffee to warm me up. This is the cutest place with wooden floors and high ceilings. I spent the entire time admiring all of the antique collectibles that were displayed and that covered every inch of the walls. At every table there were antique game boards that you could play while enjoying your meal. After a bit the waitress came by with a basket she was carrying and had us pick out one of those little puzzles that have two pieces interlocked and you have to figure out how to get them apart. So of course we had to try and master that immediately.

We are now ready for a little more exploring and Stijn knows just the place to take me to top off my day. We drive a very short distance and we are in Ieper . Okay people, I now know where I want to live in Belgium!!! Ieper (or Ypers) is a beautiful medieval city with amazing architecture, cobbled streets and a magnificent Grote Markt (square) that is dominated by The Lakenhalle (cloth market). The Grote Markt is lined with restaurants, bakeries, waffle vendors, souvenir shops and most importantly, chocolatiers. How does one choose which little chocolatier shop to go into....the one with the "huge" chocolate covered cherries with stems still attached displayed in the window, that's how!

But the past history of this storybook town begins to take over as soon as we come upon the Menen Gate. This is a huge memorial arch at the entrance of Ieper and is dedicated to the 54,896 soldiers who were missing in action after the battle of Ieper in WWI. Stijn and I stood in amazement while reading the names of the soldiers under the roof and on the walls. Every day at 8:00pm the "The Last Post" is played as a tribute to the fallen soldiers.

It is so hard to imagine after seeing such beautiful scenery, an area so peaceful and quiet, with its canals and bell towers, its windmills and grazing cows, that no other area in the country of Belgium is as drenched in blood as this one. This area called Westhoek was the most horrible battleground of World War I were tens of thousands of young men from England, Germany, France, Canada and Australia met their deaths.

Our day has come to an end and as we head back to Brussels I reflect on all that I saw and learned today. I can't help but think this day sure gives new meaning to the phrase "Taking a Sunday Drive".

If you would like to see more pictures of our day please go to Wheres Debbie and click on the album "Belgium Countryside"