The Last Leg
I've been known to breakfast in one country and lunch in another, but for the start of the last leg of our Brexit Exit tour I managed to surpass myself. We had breakfast in Germany, lunch in Luxembourg and an evening meal in Belgium.
Leaving Trier (Germany) on a sunny morning, just 35 minutes after setting off, we had arrived at a free park and ride car park on the outskirts of Luxembourg City.
Luxembourg is a tiny state, 998 sq miles in size, surrounded by Germany, France and Belgium. Appropriately for our Brexit Exit tour it is one of the three official capitals of the European Union.
Our park and ride bus (€4 each) whisked us into the centre in no time. The city centre is split into two parts an upper town and lower town. In a round about route we found ourselves headed to the lower town which is at the bottom of a gorge. Mrs B thought the upper/lower town split was just like Bridgnorth - but without a funicular.
The lower town was very quiet - and peaceful and full of charming old buildings. It was eerily quiet. Apart from the occasional tourist it was rather like a ghost town. By the Alzettle river we found a footbridge and were able to cross and start the steep but zig-zag climb up to the upper town. The cliff sides had grapes and fruit and vegetables growing on steep terraces - like mini allotments. We passed under and then over the Pont du château as we climbed towards Luxembourg's old fortress, the Bock, which was full of caves.
After a stiff climb we found ourselves in the upper town, hot and in need of sustenance. This was where everyone was and there were plenty of shops, cafes and people. We passed the Ducal Palace and found a bakery where we ordered two hot paninis to take out - which were eaten in the adjacent square listening to live jazz.
In the centre of the upper town, we came across the House of the European Union, (guaranteed to enrage Brexiteers) that provided information on the EU. Towards the end of a Brexit Exit tour this seemed ironically appropriate.
Working our way past expensive shops (Luxembourg is a very wealthy state, based on banking and administration services) we found our way to the cathedral, before calling time on our explorations and made our way back to the park and ride bus.
Luxembourg had been an enjoyable lunch stop but I had a couple of hours of driving ahead. We crossed the border in Belgium and headed towards our final hotel of the trip in Ghent.
What I didn't know when planning the trip was we had timed our arrival to coincide with the first night of the Ghent Festival, one of the biggest cultural events in Europe. The centre, with canals and medieval guild buildings in typical flemish style had been transformed into a giant performance space. Every square had stages, bars, pop up food stalls, bunting and street performers. All the performances were free.
For our first evening we decided to give the festivities a miss and walked from our hotel towards the centre, looking for a restaurant or place to eat. The first few bars didn't look too inviting but as we got closer to the student area some interesting places started to appear and we settled on a popular and quirky place called Bavet. This specialised in large bowls of spaghetti - or even bigger bowls if you were really hungry - and you chose the sauce and toppings you wanted. It was very tasty and perfect after a day of walking.
The next morning we sorted out a place to park the car and got tram tickets into the centre. The festival had transformed the old canals. Mrs B said she kept seeing pink elephants and I tried to convince her this was an alcoholic hallucination...but in fact they were everywhere - promoting Delirium Tremens, a well known and strong Belgian beer.
As it was still relatively quiet we ambled along the canals and streets. The architecture was typically Flemish but there was a gritty feel to Ghent that I liked.
Between two of the shopping streets a narrow alleyway has been surrendered to graffiti artists. For some reason Mrs B had quite an extreme reaction to seeing all this graffiti. I have learnt at moments like this to keep my distance.
We continued walking, enjoying the atmosphere of the Ghent Festival, the architecture. There was a slight sense of anarchy to the festival and I think this reflects the rebellious history of the city.
As the day warmed up street artists and musicians started to perform. We paused to watch some guys on xylophones, together with a saxophonist.
Then from one artistic space to another. St Bavo's Cathedral is an interesting place. In the nave is a skeleton of a whale. This looks ancient but in fact only dates back to 2015. A fin whale that had died arrived on a cargo ship at Ghent port and the skeleton which was examined by Ghent University has ended up being hung in the cathedral.
The jewel in St Bavo's artistic crown however is the Ghent Altarpiece also called the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, a masterpiece of religious art by the Van Eyck brothers, Jan and Hubert. There's a small admission fee to pay to view the painting (or series of paintings as their are 12 separate panels) but this includes a detailed audio guide that helps understand this complex painting that was created between 1420 and 1440. Photographs are not allowed but there are copies around the cathedral.
Outside a large imposing sculpture commemorates the Van Eyck brothers who look quite magisterial, surrounded by Ghent citizens.
By lunchtime we had worked our way towards the main square and were listening to more live music, having grabbed a sandwich and mini stollen from a nearby supermarket, and in my case a beer from a pop up stall. Our wanderings continued until mid afternoon before we returned to the hotel for a rest. Once refreshed we caught the tram back into town, wandered through a heaving centre and once away from the centre found a restaurant tucked down a side alley. Even this was packed. It seemed as if the whole of Ghent had come out to party.
After food (and more beer) we stood on Graslei, overlooking Korenlei both sides of the canal lined with a backdrop of historic buildings bathed in the warm glow of evening sun, and listened to a lively Latin American group (from France). Walking back over canal bridges we called time on our stay in Ghent. In the morning there would be a short drive to the Eurotunnel for our return shuttle home - but as this wasn't until late afternoon I thought I could squeeze in a slight detour.
Packing up the car on a Sunday morning we were away early and within half an hour had arrived at the detour I'd planned for our return drive home: Bruges. We found ourselves in Bruges on a Sunday morning - before most of the tourists had arrived. I had expected Bruges to be busy and crowded and Ghent to be much quieter - but the reverse was true. Bruges is a very picturesque city - often called the Venice of the North - because of its canals. We had visited 16 years ago and so we knew what to expect. Its a really compact place - ideal for walking and we wandered away from the main square and the Belfry working our way through quiet streets to peaceful canals lined with old Flemish houses.
In total we walked about 7 miles, crisscrossing the old centre, walking alongside canals, wandering through a flea market, pausing for coffee and waffles with chocolate and banana, before ending up at the Beguinage, a peaceful old convent.
And so ended our Brexit Exit tour. Seven countries in 24 days. 2500 miles driven (door to door), 183 miles covered on foot. Borders crossed and recrossed. Similarities in culture to the UK but subtle differences too. Part of the rich tapestry of Europe. We return to a country with politicians seemingly intent on severing our ties with Europe. This seems to me an act of gross national stupidity. We have more in common with our European neighbours than the British media might have us believe and more mutual social, cultural and economic benefits to preserve by remaining connected. We should be striving as a nation to break down barriers not build them.
As with all our travels, the ending of a journey closes a chapter on a range of unique experiences but travel is all about new vistas so as one chapter ends another starts, with the inevitable question. Where next?
Leaving Trier (Germany) on a sunny morning, just 35 minutes after setting off, we had arrived at a free park and ride car park on the outskirts of Luxembourg City.
Luxembourg is a tiny state, 998 sq miles in size, surrounded by Germany, France and Belgium. Appropriately for our Brexit Exit tour it is one of the three official capitals of the European Union.
Our park and ride bus (€4 each) whisked us into the centre in no time. The city centre is split into two parts an upper town and lower town. In a round about route we found ourselves headed to the lower town which is at the bottom of a gorge. Mrs B thought the upper/lower town split was just like Bridgnorth - but without a funicular.
The lower town was very quiet - and peaceful and full of charming old buildings. It was eerily quiet. Apart from the occasional tourist it was rather like a ghost town. By the Alzettle river we found a footbridge and were able to cross and start the steep but zig-zag climb up to the upper town. The cliff sides had grapes and fruit and vegetables growing on steep terraces - like mini allotments. We passed under and then over the Pont du château as we climbed towards Luxembourg's old fortress, the Bock, which was full of caves.
 |
| The Bock with the Pont du Chateau |
 |
| The Ducal Palace |
In the centre of the upper town, we came across the House of the European Union, (guaranteed to enrage Brexiteers) that provided information on the EU. Towards the end of a Brexit Exit tour this seemed ironically appropriate.
Working our way past expensive shops (Luxembourg is a very wealthy state, based on banking and administration services) we found our way to the cathedral, before calling time on our explorations and made our way back to the park and ride bus.
 |
| The entrance to Luxembourg Cathedral |
What I didn't know when planning the trip was we had timed our arrival to coincide with the first night of the Ghent Festival, one of the biggest cultural events in Europe. The centre, with canals and medieval guild buildings in typical flemish style had been transformed into a giant performance space. Every square had stages, bars, pop up food stalls, bunting and street performers. All the performances were free.
For our first evening we decided to give the festivities a miss and walked from our hotel towards the centre, looking for a restaurant or place to eat. The first few bars didn't look too inviting but as we got closer to the student area some interesting places started to appear and we settled on a popular and quirky place called Bavet. This specialised in large bowls of spaghetti - or even bigger bowls if you were really hungry - and you chose the sauce and toppings you wanted. It was very tasty and perfect after a day of walking.
The next morning we sorted out a place to park the car and got tram tickets into the centre. The festival had transformed the old canals. Mrs B said she kept seeing pink elephants and I tried to convince her this was an alcoholic hallucination...but in fact they were everywhere - promoting Delirium Tremens, a well known and strong Belgian beer.
As it was still relatively quiet we ambled along the canals and streets. The architecture was typically Flemish but there was a gritty feel to Ghent that I liked.
Between two of the shopping streets a narrow alleyway has been surrendered to graffiti artists. For some reason Mrs B had quite an extreme reaction to seeing all this graffiti. I have learnt at moments like this to keep my distance.
 |
| Mrs B in combative mood in Werregarenstraat, Ghent. |
 |
| Street scenes, Ghent |
Then from one artistic space to another. St Bavo's Cathedral is an interesting place. In the nave is a skeleton of a whale. This looks ancient but in fact only dates back to 2015. A fin whale that had died arrived on a cargo ship at Ghent port and the skeleton which was examined by Ghent University has ended up being hung in the cathedral.
The jewel in St Bavo's artistic crown however is the Ghent Altarpiece also called the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, a masterpiece of religious art by the Van Eyck brothers, Jan and Hubert. There's a small admission fee to pay to view the painting (or series of paintings as their are 12 separate panels) but this includes a detailed audio guide that helps understand this complex painting that was created between 1420 and 1440. Photographs are not allowed but there are copies around the cathedral.
 |
| A copy of the Ghent Alterpiece |
Outside a large imposing sculpture commemorates the Van Eyck brothers who look quite magisterial, surrounded by Ghent citizens.
By lunchtime we had worked our way towards the main square and were listening to more live music, having grabbed a sandwich and mini stollen from a nearby supermarket, and in my case a beer from a pop up stall. Our wanderings continued until mid afternoon before we returned to the hotel for a rest. Once refreshed we caught the tram back into town, wandered through a heaving centre and once away from the centre found a restaurant tucked down a side alley. Even this was packed. It seemed as if the whole of Ghent had come out to party.
 |
| The Ghent Festival |
Packing up the car on a Sunday morning we were away early and within half an hour had arrived at the detour I'd planned for our return drive home: Bruges. We found ourselves in Bruges on a Sunday morning - before most of the tourists had arrived. I had expected Bruges to be busy and crowded and Ghent to be much quieter - but the reverse was true. Bruges is a very picturesque city - often called the Venice of the North - because of its canals. We had visited 16 years ago and so we knew what to expect. Its a really compact place - ideal for walking and we wandered away from the main square and the Belfry working our way through quiet streets to peaceful canals lined with old Flemish houses.
 |
| Sunday morning in Bruges |
And so ended our Brexit Exit tour. Seven countries in 24 days. 2500 miles driven (door to door), 183 miles covered on foot. Borders crossed and recrossed. Similarities in culture to the UK but subtle differences too. Part of the rich tapestry of Europe. We return to a country with politicians seemingly intent on severing our ties with Europe. This seems to me an act of gross national stupidity. We have more in common with our European neighbours than the British media might have us believe and more mutual social, cultural and economic benefits to preserve by remaining connected. We should be striving as a nation to break down barriers not build them.
As with all our travels, the ending of a journey closes a chapter on a range of unique experiences but travel is all about new vistas so as one chapter ends another starts, with the inevitable question. Where next?
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