Belgium Road Ways - TRAVEL - HISTORY. Two on the Loose

Ieper, Ypres, Poet David Jones

2012-03-03T19:17:00.001-05:00

David Jones is not as well known as many other poets of the WWI era, see http://worldwar1worldwar2.blogspot.com/#!/2007/11/war-poets-poetry-from-trenches-wwi.html.
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Meet him here. He wrote of Ypres. Find his biography at http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/david-jones.
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My uncle (now long deceased, but I remember) who fought at Ypres used to call it "Wipers." That reference is part of David Jones' work: He wrote, in notes to Part III of his long poem, In Parenthesis: "It was held by some that 'Wipers" was only proper in the mouth of a man out before the end of 1915, by others that the user must have served at the First Battle of Ypres in 1914.
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In Parenthesis: Read a review at http://www.arduity.com/poets/jones/inparenthesis.html; and Part VII at http://net.lib.byu.edu/english/WWI/poets/InParenthesis.html. Discussion, and excerpts from Part II: http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/20century/topic_2/crossing.htm

Ypres, or Ieper (WWI) - Menen Gate and WWI Salient; Flanders Field

2007-12-09T14:16:00.001-05:00

Menen Gate, Ieper (Ypres), Belgium. With rainbow.

Ieper (Ypres) was the site of prolonged battles in WWI. It is near the French border. Arras is not far. See a film about the trench warfare and the area at ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev3oDFtA3Es&feature=fvw/

The town, bombed out, has been reconstructed and this Gate is the site of daily taps-memorials-services for whatever group has scheduled itself for that time. There are readings of names, and a small service, color guards. Note the rainbow. The Gate heads toward the next town, Menen, and groups gather from all different countries here.

We caught the rainbow. No need for advance reservations to spend the night. There are plenty of B&B's, and if the first ones are full, ask if they could refer you. They will probably even call ahead for you, and give you a map.

Wars get personal.

Meet a veteran, my uncle in this 1950's or so photo, who fought at Ypres with the Canadian Army. He used to say that he and his companions called the place "Wipers." He was gassed, but recovered without injury. He did not talk much about the war. He did say that in a convoy of trucks, the one immediately behind his was blown up, no survivors.

Veteran, Canadian Army, WWI, Ypres (Ieper) Belgium. Salute the work.

The white square by his glasses must be part of the windowsill?

I have heard the town pronounced as "Eeps" - the French - and "Eeper." German or Dutch? Watch your map, and you will probably find the spelling "Ieper" now.

For a photo gallery, see www.freefoto.com/browse.jsp?id=03-07-0.

The town is in West Flanders, and a war overview is at www.webmatters.net/cwgc/menin_gate. At the beginning of the battle (there were several long ones), people would go out in their carriages and watch.

For all sites, go to the home page first, and only use the rest of the address as is helpful.

People to remember:

Col. John McCrae

John McCrae wrote the famous poem, In Flanders Field, and was Canadian. Read the poem again, and about how and when it was written in 1915, at an Arlington Cemetery site -- www.arlingtoncemetery.net/flanders. His biography is at www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=history/firstwar/mccrae. See and hear it at ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky2WKqmrnnI; or ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpgSQiPqfgE&feature=related

Do not miss the exhibits at the war museum. Panoramas, scenes, reenactments, lights, sound.

And the poem.

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow (1)
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."

Ypres, or Ieper (WWI) - "In Flanders' Field;" and Arras, France: Finding War Dead

2007-12-05T09:00:00.003-05:00

Finding War Dead
Lieutenant Colonel Maurice Edwin McConaghey

World War I. This "The Great War", "The War To End All Wars"

World War I is remote for many, visions of endless mud and treacherous trench warfare, agony for horses still ridden against the bullets. It is current for us with an interest in history, and specific participants. See map at http://mapsofworld.com/world-maps/world-war-i-map/. Many if not most war records from the First World War were destroyed in the bombing of London in World War II, particularly the wounded. Death records are available more reliably.

Finding people. We were looking for a relative who had served in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, Maurice Edwin McConaghy, and who fell near Ypres, now Ieper, during WWI. He is buried near Arras, France, see http://franceroadways.blogspot.com/2011/09/arras-battle-of-arras-logs-wwi-2nd.html

Finding World War I records: How to do that

1. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website at http://www.cwgc.org/ . This works if the spelling input is the same as the record. If the soldier or officer changed the spelling of a surname without other relatives recording that, go deeper. We did not find Maurice McConaghy through the War Graves.

2. We then went to the Documents Office at Ieper itself. This is a records library. The clerk went on the computer, found nothing (as we had found nothing) but thought to check the military logs and narratives written about events.

He found the old cloth bound book, The History of the Royal Scots Fusiliers (1678-1918) by John Buchan, with a preface by H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, Colonel-In-Chief, published by Thomas Nelson and Sons. The clerk photocopied pages that related to the 2d Division, with Maurice Edwin McConaghey, Lt. Col. That is the one. "Maurice McConaghey." But with an "e" in the McConaghey.

Also described -where and how he was first wounded, and then, near Arras, fell.

3. The Burial.

Burials are in pocket cemeteries, not big memorial parks. In this area, they buried many soldiers where they fell in WWI, so there are literally hundreds of vest-pocket size cemeteries all around France and Belgium. Ours was among the 500 pocket cemesteries near Arras, France - so of course we went there. We finally found it. Immaculate caretaking.

Grave, Lt. Col. Maurice McConaghey, Arras, France, WWI

Gravestone. Lt. Col. Maurice McConaghey with the "e." Killed in 1917. Hello, salute, and yes, we do remember. He had also served in South Africa. We even found the record of the hospital ship online that brought Maurice McConaghey back from South Africa, wounded. See Boer Wars, Studying Wars

The Canadian officer who wrote the famous WWI poem, "In Flanders Field," John McRae, and who died in 1915, had also served in South Africa. For the poem, see http://www.greatwar.co.uk/poems/inflanders.

We left a pebble on the top of the headstone.

Flanders Field: Battlefields, World War I. Ieper

2007-09-19T11:53:00.002-04:00

Ypres (Ieper) Belgium, relief map, salient, WWI

A "salient" juts into enemy territory, making it particularly vulnerable - see the large poking area on the map here. Nearly surrounded. See ://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ypres_Salient. See also //dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/avenue/pd49/places/ieper/salient.

Here is the relief map of the Salient, the front formed by the British, Canadian, French and Belgian forces, at Ypres, or Ieper, Belgium. It is spelled Ieper on modern maps. Photos and history; and later post here. Photos of the Salient - ttp://www.worldwar1.com/pharc002.htm

Years of warfare in one place. There were three battles at Ypres - resulting in the town's total destruction. First in 1914, defending against the German push to the sea. Second in 1915, where trenches and gas were used. The area is flat, making trenches imperative. Third in 1917, known as the battle of Passchendaele. In 1918, the Germans were finally pushed back by an offensive at that time.

Newspaper yesterday: young people are not learning the history of the world wars, for lack of school hours and setting other priorities. Teach your own. Find Flanders at www.ww1battlefields.co.uk/flanders.

Antwerp: Best Docks Restaurant and Hosts -The "Pan-Earth, All Cuisines"

2007-09-14T09:28:00.002-04:00

Bonaparte Dock, Antwerp, Belgium. Pan Earth All Cuisines Host

Art! Food! Conversation! Fufu if you want it! Any culinary tradition, you get it. Feel right at home.

Antwerp, Belgium. Pan Earth All Cuisines Art and Host

A must. The Pan-Earth All Cuisines restaurant. Down by the docks (Bonaparte dok). It is set up to serve the world's merchant marine, read about the world-wide maritime (tanker, and other commercial freight?) fleets and the countries at //www.immigration-usa.com/world_fleet. Here are the water transportation occupational information: www.bls.gov/oco/ocos247. No job security, one voyage at a time, several months each, 4-12 hour shifts. Long time away from family, no healthcare? About 1/2 unionized? See site.

The chef and owner of this fine jewel of a restaurant says he wants to give a taste of home, a little warmth, to the sailors and merchant seamen. The food is not just for the merchant mariners, though. We recommend it to everyone.

The Seamen's Institute is nearby. Here is the work of the Institute in New York, but it appears to be virtually world-wide in offering services and training to seafarers, including those settling in an area. See www.seamenschurch.org/444.asp. Search also for the Institute in Newport, RI and Philadelphia. Wikipedia has it starting in Hong Kong. See //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seamen's_Institute.

I was sure I wrote down his name, but I can't find it. He said he can prepare any cuisine worldwide, as requested, from anywhere. Dan ordered steak and mango, and I had African (Congo chicken).

Docks, Antwerp, Belgium. Pan Earth All Cuisines Restaurant, Diners and Hostess. Bonapartedok.

Should have ordered fufu or asked for pounded yam but was too slow to think of it. Rice received and excellent. He said to order the piccadillo next time. Everybody got in the pictures.

He is a fine chef, and the portrait was done by an admiring patron when he opened this restaurant. Go there. Enjoy.

But, remember that the port area has lots of other recreational offerings going on, so expect what you see. People earning a living. We stopped in one place first, then chose to move on. Not that it was not friendly - the people were. But they didn't serve dinner. Fine.

Antwerp: The Water View Floatel. Diamond Princess Flotel.

2007-09-13T20:00:00.002-04:00

Where to spend the night, when the cute, smaller places near the old town are full: Try a floatel. A fine vintage one is the Diamond Princess, Bonapartedok, Antwerp. A flotel.

Fair use thumbnail from www.channels.nl/20585-el.html/

We stayed in a cabin on a converted Norwegian cruise liner now permanently moored in the docks area, called Bonaparte dok (after Napoleon - looking up what he did here). See the docks area at www.ontoeurope.com/features/2005/mar05/antwerp. This may be becoming a museum dock. The ship is the Diamond Princess and it dates from the 1950's. See it at //travel.webshots.com/album/46573935PPAdXt. Breakfast restaurant included. Excellent choice. See www.hotels-belgium.com/antwerp/diamondprincess.

Plan to spend more time in Antwerp than in Brussels. Commercial, like Brussels, and cosmopolitan, but also more walkable, and with active navigation and big castles. Much destroyed in WWII, but also much reconstructed. See Antwerp overview at www.trabel.com/antwerp; and its history at www.trabel.com/antwerp-history. Trabel means travel, if you do a search on that.

Antwerp: Art - Rubens; Medieval Architecture - the Butcher's Hall

2007-09-13T19:51:00.001-04:00

Rubens at Antwerp, Belgium1.

Antwerp art: Peter Paul Rubens, painting, see www.trabel.com/antwerp-rubenshuis. I believe this one was from Antwerp. He of the robust ladies. Do an images search on Rubens. Diets, begone. Far more healthy to balance enjoyment of life's calories, against fashion.

Butcher's Hall, Medieval. Antwerp, Belgium

2. Medieval structures. These . can be huge - and not just the castles. Here is the new Butcher's Hall from 1515 - built then to enlarge the old Butcher's Hall, from the 1200's, both for the Guilds. Each end of the building has a different facade? I do not believe there are two separate halls, just different angles of the one building? See www.aviewoncities.com/antwerp/vleeshuis. The striping effect of the stone plus the size - Antwerp's glory century.

Antwerp Legends: Brabo and the Flung Hand; Langewapper at Steen

2007-09-13T14:12:00.001-04:00

Town Hall, Antwerp, Belgium

1. Antwerp's Stories: Brabo. Here is Town Hall, in the main square or Grote Markt. Look at the left - the statue on one foot like a baseball pitcher. That represents Brabo and the Legend of the Hand.

The fellow is a Roman soldier, Brabo, who saved the day. He chopped off the hand of the giant of those times who was exacting a high priced toll from all comers. The soldier chopped off and flung the hand in the river - and the town adopted the hand as its symbol after that. See Brabo statue write-up at www.visitbelgium.com/antwerp.

Langewapper, Steen Castle, Antwerp, Belgium. Clerically abbreviated. Lange Wapper to be imagined.

2. Now meet the Lange Wapper, or Langewapper, the statue in front of Steen Castle - steen meaning stone. The Steen is all that remains of an old citadel, see www.1911encyclopedia.org/Antwerp,_Belgium. What are those people... oh, for heaven's sake! Gone!

One explanation is that Antwerp's 16th Century Jesuits, see site on Jesuits at www.newadvent.org/cathen/14081a., objected to the attention given to this gentleman's attributes and ordered the lop. Leaving fertility seekers at a loss. Tut. See www.trabel.com/antwerp/antwerp-steen. The statue is so prominent that anyone would ask. FN1

Many other tourist websites give no whiff of this anatomical background of the statue, pointing only to the quality of the shapeshifter, including from giant to small, or trickster as at www.pantheon.org/articles/l/lange_wapper. See more stories at www.belgium.be/eportal/application?languageParameter=en&pageid=contentPage&docId=25539
Others offer both angles: here is a site supporting the endowment element, as well as the demon or shapeshifter: www.holidaycityflash.com/zOut%20of%20the%20Ordinary/strange_statues1.

See stories about Langewapper at FN 2.
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FN 1
Etymology. Wikipedia wants to know the origin of the word "twerp." See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twerp.

Perhaps Antwerp's clerical cultural bleeping here, as to the hapless partless Langewapper, triggered the pejorative "twerps" as to the censors. For other brilliant speculations about twerps, see www.thefreedictionary.com/twerp; and more on derivations at www.etymonline.com/index.php?l=t&p=24. Following the thought here, perhaps Antwerp's Exuberance Restoration Committee could hold a referendum to reverse the dismemberment after these 400-500 years. Members only. The Mannequin Pis survives in Brussels, after all. See www.sobi.org/photos/places/Brussels/pis/index. Age discrimination; overzealous culture reframing, leading to dull. See ec.europa.eu/employment_social/publications/2003/cev403001_en.pdf.

FN 2
Here is one of the Langewapper stories: it supports the trickster theory, not the accoutrement. It is in Dutch. See legendesantwerpen.homestead.com/Langewapper. See translation, below, from babelfish.altavista.com/tr.. To get your own translation, copy and past it to any other translation service on the net.
...............................................................................................
This is the fair use translation Babelfish result:

"On a beautiful spring evening were the children still lets play on the stone square, then a visible rich lord came there aanwandelen. He had a large pocket which put full snoep,* all sweet heerlijkheden* which you could consider also but. He distributed them with generous hand to the children, but at the same time walked away he continuously more of the stone square, of keel. He started how longer how more rapidly to run and it was crazy thereby that he distributed more and more snoep. The screaming children continued keep track of him. Eventually were themselves they without them at, already a complete end on the Boomsesteenweg* and suddenly that generous Mr had disappeared, as solved in air. They could hear only spotlach* still its and then knew them that them flies long had followed."

*
aanwendelen: not found yet
snoep: nibble. See www1.worldlingo.com/en/products_services/worldlingo_translator.
heerlijkheden: not found yet
Boomsesteenweg: not found yet
spotlach: not found yet
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Other Langewapper info - do your own translation of this - is it a story or a comment? I have not done this translation. //stadsspelen.blogspot.com/2006/05/stadsspel-antwerpen-in-de-voetsporen.

Antwerp, Diamonds, and Jewish history: Brussels, Antwerp, Other in Belgium

2007-09-12T20:00:00.000-04:00

The diamond district is modern, and people look very intent.

Jewish history in Belgium. The diamond cutters in Antwerp at the outset of WWII were 80% Jewish, leaving the industry decimated and the professionals fleeing to "Cuba, England, Palestine, and the USA." See History of Gem Cutting at www.khulsey.com/jewelry/history_gem_cutting_antwerp. They took about 90% of the diamonds with them, to keep them from the Germans.

Short history of the diamond trade. Antwerp was a center since the 1500's, then it deflected to Amsterdam when the Spanish took over Antwerp, then it recouped. See www.khulsey.com/jewelry/history_gem_cutting_antwerp. Antwerp was incorporated into the Netherlands in 1815, after the Napoleonic wars. Germans occupied the city during WWI, until 1918.

Any serious visit to Europe, and visiting the sites so meaningful to WWI and WWII, means close contact with Jewish history - Jewish quarters in the towns, many now assimilated into general residence areas for different people, others preserved, some vacant; and the graveyards dating back so far, and with the stones of remembrance on the headstones, frost-heaved ground, old, old trees. For "Belgian Jewish Heritage," see the Belgian Tourist Office site at www.visitbelgium.com/jewish.

In any town, if you do not see it right away, ask for the old Jewish quarter. There is a list of the major museums and synagogues. For non-Jews, there is so much history laid out at the Jewish history sites that it is a good place to start for any overview.
More blogs about Belgium Road Ways.

Belgium - Brussels in the middle of partition discussions. Snails.

2007-09-12T15:37:00.002-04:00

Escargots cart, Brussels, Belgium

Have some escargots - snails - from a street vendor in the main square in Brussels. Brussels is an anomaly - located in a Flemish area, but with French speakers. The escargots come in big paper cups with lots of broth and a little plastic fork.

Belgium in the news. Hartford Courant 9/12/07 at A8. About like seeking like. In Belgium, as with other countries gravitating into different corners (the Czech Republic 15 years ago separated from Slovakia; Yugoslavia separated into components Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia), here comes Belgium.

Its language-culture divides into Flanders with the Flemish speakers in the Northern section, bordering with the Netherlands and some of France; and Wallonia with the French-speakers in the Southern section, bordering with a great deal of France, some of Luxembourg, some of Germany and a little of The Netherlands. Brussels, the capital, is in Flanders but is French-speaking.

Belgium is considering options. At least, it is on some tables. Maybe more areas of self-rule will result. The North is more prosperous than the South - some interest in moving health issues, transportation and the justice system out of Brussels and more into each section. Brussels is a thorny issue. Everybody wants snails.

Brussels - Michael Jackson and a great concert venue

2007-09-12T14:38:00.001-04:00

Michael Jackson stage set, Brusssels, Belgium. Main square. Concert pending.

A concert with Michael Jackson was pending - lots of construction and scaffolding going up in the square. The relationship has not been all friendly. Michael Jackson was held to have plagiarized a song, written by Belgian twins, in a court case and ruling by a Belgian Court, 9/11/07. See//ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/070911/entertainment/entertainment_belgium.

Orientation sites, Languages, Cultures

2007-09-10T12:41:00.002-04:00

Getting to know Belgium: This describes the languages: ://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/belgium-country-profile.html

Dutch, and local variant known as Flemish, is spoken in the north; some 60%
German in some eastern areas,
French in the south. //europa.eu/youth/travelling_europe/index_be_en.
Walloon - a variant of French, spoken by Celtic originating people, Protestants, see ://www.answers.com/topic/walloons
Luxembourgish - some 1%

Walloons were exiled because of their beliefs in the 17th Century, and settled at New Netherlands - now New York, Manhattan, and other places. See http://www.answers.com/topic/walloons

Brussels Chocolate Factory

2007-07-09T10:37:00.001-04:00

Chocolatier, Chocolate Factory, Brussels, Belgium

That is the chocolate factory-museum in Brussels, just off the main square. Splendid samples, see the process start to finish. Musee du Cacao et du Chocolat. See and smell how it is made, get the walk-around tour, and taste. Belgium has been known for its chocolate since 1912 - see //www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=brussels@35&cur_section=fea&feature=30005

Bonbons at risk - the waxy ersagz chocolate without the high proportion of real cocoa butter and not substitutes, vs. the real thing. See New York Times 6/25/07, commentary by Mort Rosenblum. "While discerning chocoholics will for over whatever it takes, those who can't pay will never know chocolate."

Personal note. Agree. Once represented a Spanish client who rewarded the entire office with the most fabulous European chocolate I have ever tasted. Here is the history of chocolate. //www.chocolatelovers.com/history. For all of us, it was swoons.

Some time, before you die, go and pay the most you cannot afford for the best real European chocolate you can find, and you may be inclined to boycott the US supermarket style manufacturers' lesser ingredients. Some things are worth it. It is a matter of principle: profit vs. the common good, the common good being that taste.

While in Europe, take advantage of every opportunity to go through a real chocolate factory and eat this "elixir of the gods" before it is beyond us.

Bastogne - Battle of the Bulge 1944-1945; Ardennes

2006-12-24T10:16:00.002-05:00

Bastogne. World War II. Victory in Europe Day. VE Day. May 8 each year.

Mark that on your calendar if you are abroad at that time. It is an important date in Europe, where the experience of war is direct and devastating. Go even in the middle of the remembrance. For one or two, there is always a place to stay.

American Soldiers' Memorial, Bastogne, Belgium
Belgium is the area of the Battle of the Bulge. See //www.awon.org/bastogne/. At Bastogne, there were still veterans' groups there, several days after May 8. People come and stay, still.

The museum there has large exhibit and experiential areas, see the awon.org site for photos of it, and maps, and military strategy. Dan got lost in it - with the strobe lights, and sound booming, and exhibits opening onto exhibits with life-size figures and stage sets. That is part of the experience - where to go for safety. I was not far behind, but do watch out.

See also these sites for photos, and then an account of the military activity at Bastogne://www.army.mil/CMH/reference/bulge/images; and www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/wwii/Bastogne/bast-fm. Go to the home page first, and only use the later address section to see you are at the place we reference.

These events are becoming remote - This was not my generation's war. Think of famous people you do know - General Patton, General McAuliffe with his response of "Nuts" when told to surrender by the German officer.

Textbooks can never lay out World War II to our children. Take them there. Anchor the history. Here is the memorial to the allies from their sacrifices in World War II.

There is continuing gratitude, even homage, to the Americans who fought here in WWII, and the principles they fought for in that era; and sadness and disbelief about the present.
,
American Soldiers' Memorial, Bastogne, Belgium; view from the top

There is a fine view from the top of the memorial.

Precaution again: If you have small children at the museum, watch them closely, because it is realistic, strobe-lit, maze-like, and loud, to recreate some elements of battle itself. Easy to get involved and a child may wander. Dan was old enough to simply stay put until I came. A younger child may just keep going.

There is basically one way through, however, so if the adult keeps going, the child will probably reappear.

Only recently a war museum like these opened up in this country - the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, opened 12/2006. See www.libertymemorialmuseum.org/.

Don't miss the American memorial, a star shape, and go to the top, for the people they helped.

Waterloo - Napoleon vs The Duke of Wellington. The Lion of Waterloo Is ....

2006-12-19T10:10:00.002-05:00

The Lion of Waterloo
At the Summit
The Duke of Wellington Prevailed

Waterloo, Memorial to Wellington, the Victor over Napoleon

June 18, 1815. Waterloo. Waterloo. This is an easy drive from a side-trip in Luxembourg. See//www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/waterloo. More at www.britishbattles.com/waterloo/waterloo-june-1815.

For all the hype, the battle was a pivot-point in history, the Anglo-Allies including the Prussians and their defeat of Napoleon. Good spot for children, with educational displays, movies, walks, panoramas. Also loud. Much cannon, shouting.

There are museums , panoramas and easily-walked areas. Here is a site that focuses on Napoleon specifically: //www.napoleonguide.com/battle_waterloo. See maps, biographical events.

What is behind any victory?

Weather. With a muddy field, Napoleon had to hold back until noon for something big. Communications. Do you risk a horse and a man with a message, over hostile terrain, and what if the message does not get through. Timing for an assault. If "Ney" had pressed sooner, the superior numbers of Napoleon's forces could have prevailed. But Ney could not really do that, so the opportunity passed. Superior judgment calls on the part of Wellington, combined with this or that, and Napoleon just 100 days off his prior banishment -- he did what he could with his 1) rabble and 2) superior artillery.

All is not merit to any victory. Some look for destiny, but on the field, there is more than merit. An invisible hand? Whose. Don't wait for it.

For the best overview we have found, about tactics, luck, judgment calls about and who was available for leadership, see ://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/empire_seapower/battle_waterloo_01.shtml

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2006-12-18T16:52:00.002-05:00

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Luxembourg - Side Trip. General Patton's Grave, Castle, Home

2006-12-17T14:35:00.002-05:00

Luxembourg is an easy drive from the Bastogne. Get up early and see most of what you need in a full day; spend the night somewhere in Luxembourg City, see the cliff caves and sights the next morning, and back toward Waterloo.

Luxembourg is tidy and well organized. It is also a place of castle after castle, and the grave site of General Patton.

Follow General Patton there, to his burial place at Hamm Military Cemetery at Luxembourg City, and see the castles along the way. See Luxembourg Road Ways. From there, we came back to Belgium and to Waterloo.

Castle, Luxembourg

General Patton, Grave, Hamm Military Cemetery, Luxembourg

Tidy home, Luxembourg

Bruges -Once a Major Port

2006-12-15T14:43:00.001-05:00

Bruges, Belgium. Canals.

Bruges: Medieval, canals, once had a harbor. See the photos at /www.trabel.com/brugge/bruges-canals.htm.

Park at an outlying area, then take the little train to town, and walk it.

Bruges, Belgium. Town Hall

Bruges, Belgium. Bridge, canal.

Here is a picture gallery, in a curriculum oriented site: www.schoolshistory.org.uk/images/brugge/index.htm.
Museums - a day in itself. See //www.virtualbruges.com/museums/default. Do a search for Bruges and Hans Memling for this 15th Century painter, a focal point of many art history courses.

At lunch, try the river eel with herbs. Prepare eel yourself, here is a big website with lots of choices - fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=eel. Be prepared to park at a far distance, and then take a little train to town, built just for that.

For an overview of Belgium, and mention of the river eel with herb sauce, see the Expatriate Guide at www.expat-online.com/moving/Belgium/culture/foodandrink. The Expatriate Guides (for people living outside their home countries) are useful as a start in any country.

More on Belgian food: We also found fries served with mayo. Not bad at all. And snails served as street food.

Itinerary After The Fact

2006-12-02T14:04:00.000-05:00

Belgium was part of a three-country two-week drive, beginning in The Netherlands, and extending into Luxembourg.

We entered Belgium after leaving the Maastricht area, the Netherlands, and went directly to the Bastogne area in time for WWII memorials; then into Luxembourg. From Luxembourg to Namur, Waterloo, Brussels, Ghent, Kortrijk, and Ypres (where a Canadian great-uncle fought in WWI, and a more distant cousin, in the Royal Scottish Fusiliers, died). From Ypres into France, Arras, to find the cousin (we did); to Bruges, and Antwerp.