Belgium

I spent my first night in Belgium in Antwerp. Scandalously, I did not sight see in Antwerp (or buy a diamond). My main goal in northern Belgium was to visit the town of Baarle-Nassau/Baarle-Hertog. Baarle-Hertog is a Belgium enclave within the southern part of the Netherlands. The Belgium bits are not continuous, but are scattered around the town in sections. The result is that, as you walk down the main street, you cross the border of Belgium and the Netherlands several times. Border markers on the main street-

The Dutch part of town is called Baarle-Nassau. A map helps to make a little more sense of what I am talking about-

There are border markers in some parts of town. Otherwise, the most obvious sign that you have crossed the border is that the number plates on the cars change. The locals have taken advantage of the situation. For example, there are several shops selling fireworks in the Belgium parts of town- the sale of fireworks is more strictly controlled in the Netherlands. And in the Dutch parts of town there are several brothels, for corresponding reasons. Me in front of the house with two buildings numbers (because the border passes through the front door!)-

I spent two nights in Bruges. Bruges is another place that had a golden era followed by hundreds of years of relative poverty, in Bruges's case because the canal leading to the the city silted up. So the city was preserved and is now home to many many Australian backpackers. Bruges is lovely-

The city of Ypres is about an hour's drive from Bruges (nowhere is very far from anywhere else in Belgium) and is another war themed destination, this time in relation to World War 1. Ypres was on the western front throughout the war and was completely destroyed. The battle of Passchendaele was fought nearby. I visited the very good In Flanders Fields museum, which has exhibits relating to the various battles for Ypres and the horrors of the war generally. Ypres was rebuilt after the war. The older buildings are exact replicas of the pre-war buildings. I visited the nearby "Yorkshire trench", which was excavated about 10 years ago. The trench system has been partly recreated. It is in the middle of an industrial estate-

On Saturday I took the ferry from Calais to Dover. I had a fantastic six weeks in continental Europe.