On Our Way to Ghent

 

After a hearty breakfast this morning at our hotel (what did we do/eat last night?), which not only included assorted breads and jams as shown in this photo, but also sliced meats, fruits, vegetables, condiments (to make sandwiches, never my favorite in the mornings), we left Brussels at 8:30 on our favorite Heidebloem bus with driver, Dirk. (Our all-time favorite driver is Renee but we haven't seen him in a long time.)

 

On the way out of the city, we drove around the 1958 World's Fairgrounds in order to see the symbol of the event that year--a giant, silvery iron molecule, the Atomium. Escalators and stairs connect the various "atoms" so you're rewarded from the top sphere with views of the park complex and the Brussels' skyline, some of the best in the city. Or so we hear... We were only allowed off the bus to take some photos. We had a schedule, you know.

The drive to Ghent took about an hour; and when we arrived, Hilbren walked us around the town, weaving our way through a busy market (where we lost one of our couples), down quaint narrow streets, next to and along some little canals. He also swung us into the Cathedral of Saint-Bavo for a quick history lesson (separate post).



One of the biggest cities in Europe during the 14th century, Ghent had a population of around 65,000--massive in an age when most of Europe was rural farmland. North of the Alps, only Paris was larger. Two-thirds of the population was made up of textile workers, making medieval Ghent Europe's first industrial city and a powerhouse made very wealthy by the textile trade. But like its rival Bruges, Ghent's fortunes eventually fell, yet leaving it with a well-preserved historical nucleus. Instead of oozing with charm and cobbles like Bruges, it is now home to Belgium's largest university and is a living, thriving city. Today's population is around 240,000.

This Meat Hall (Groot Vleeshuis) sits in Vegetable Market Square. It has seen better days, but was built entirely without nails, employing ship-builders' expertise. For hygienic reasons, until the 19th century, this was the only place in town allowed to sell meat. Today, we still see locally-cured hams hanging from the rafters next to a restaurant and a shop selling specialty products. (It was also our bathroom stop in Ghent!)

Before meeting for a canal cruise, we were on our own for lunch. After retracing our steps, Sam and I ended up at the little stand recommended by Hilbren. He was already there when we arrived; and eventually, a few more of our group showed up.



For less than 5 euros, we enjoyed a sausage sprinkled with onions and stuffed with cheese; yummy well-made frites (fried the correct way, Hilbren explained--in two different vats of oil); and a soda. Again, following the tradition in this part of the world, Sam enjoyed hers with mayonnaise (versus catsup); I had tartar sauce this time--something different. We sat on a short concrete wall across from the stand, people-watched, and enjoyed our meal.

Now, it was off to a canal cruise, the first and only one on this trip.