And Finally - Zeebrugge, Belgium and the Medieval Town of Ghent

The skyline of Ghent, Belgium

The dust has begun to settle now that we have been home for a few weeks so it is time to try and wrap up the blog on these two wonderful back-to-back cruises.  Our final port was Zeebrugge, Belgium, the springboard to a lovely and historic area of the country.  We had heard a lot about the beauty of Bruges, Belgium and were looking forward to visiting it; however the excursion we had originally chosen, a panoramic tour called Bordering Bruges, didn’t apparently generate enough interest so the excursion was canceled.

I had purposely not done a tour in Brest, France so that I would have one day to try and get myself organized with packing and could enjoy the last two days on our cruise.  So I really wanted to do an excursion in Zeebrugge.   So we pulled out the shore excursion booklet and looked it over, opting for an excursion called Panoramic Ghent and Canal Cruise.  Chuck had been so busy dashing off to shore excursions in the very port-intensive last few days that when he looked at the ticket again, his reaction was, “What? We’re not going to Bruges?”  I could tell he was really disappointed so I offered to cancel my excursion (which I couldn’t have done alone) and let him do one to Bruges instead of Ghent.  But he decided that I’d missed too many ports to give up one more that I would be able to do. 

This being the last day on the ship, we would have much preferred that it be a morning excursion, but it was scheduled to depart after lunch and get back just before dinner, breaking the day up.  We headed down to the buses early, having received our excursion stickers in advance (since I had handicap priority on this cruise).  We got an excellent seat right in the front of the bus because for a change there was enough legroom for me to sit there.   Chuck later moved back to a seat by himself because the bus wasn’t full. 

The ride to Ghent took about an hour, and we enjoyed the beautiful Flemish scenery and the running commentary given by our enthusiastic guide.  I didn’t remember much about Ghent other than the fact that I knew that the Treaty of Ghent had been signed there.  At that point I didn’t even remember which war this treaty ended!  Now I know that it was the agreement reached to end the War of 1812. 

It is believed that the name of Ghent comes from a Celtic word meaning confluence as the Lys and the Scheldt rivers meet there.  There is evidence of settlements there dating back to the Stone and Iron Ages.  In the Middle Ages, Ghent became so important that it was the second-largest city in all of Europe; only Paris was larger.  The lands along the rivers were well suited for raising sheep, so wool and cloth-making became very important industries.  The making of cloth was so successful that they even imported wool from Scotland to allow them to increase production.  The political and social importance eventually shifted from Ghent and Bruges to Antwerp and Brussels. 

Arriving in Ghent, we walked the short distance to the canal boat.  It was a challenge getting into the open-air boat because there were no railings, just one shaky pole to hang onto.  Fortunately, those of us with mobility issues got assistance from the skipper and a fellow passenger who stationed himself where he could help.   Once we had all settled, we set off toward the center of the city.  With no windows and no roof, everyone had an excellent view of everything we passed.  Adding to the scenery was the clear blue sky dotted with clouds.  We drifted along, passing a couple lovely tearooms situated along the bank of the river, as well as many medieval buildings, as we approached the oldest part of town.  Many were old guildhalls as Ghent was so important in the wool and cloth trade.  Everywhere we looked we saw the proverbial “Kodak moment”.  

With the gorgeous weather and being a Friday afternoon, it looked like the entire countryside had come into the center of Ghent to enjoy the picture-perfect blue skies and warm weather.  As we sailed through the heart of the city, we passed boat after boat of people, some of which contained tourists as we were, while others held young people who were practicing rowing.   Continuing past the city center, we approached the beautiful medieval castle and then headed down a small canal with low-draped willows, in some cases, causing us to duck under the branches. 

We were given an hour of free time in the center of the city and were encouraged to find places where we could purchase Belgian chocolates (I might have indulged had we not been flying out the following day) or Belgian lace (which I decided I didn’t need, despite its lovely intricate work).  Instead I indulged in a Belgian waffle, taking the tour guide’s suggestion of just having cinnamon and sugar rather than trying to walk around carrying a waffle topped with strawberries and cream.  I found a place to sit while Chuck wandered the streets, and I got a kick out of watching small children playing and listening to the conversations of nearby college students.  It once again brought back wonderful memories of my semester in Grenoble.  Thinking back on that experience, I could imagine how those students felt, and I lamented the fact that I can’t get around like I did some 40+ years ago! 

Parked along one bank of the river right near some of the many open-air cafes we spotted a long beer wagon loaded with barrels.  Harnessed to the wagon was a pair of huge horses (perhaps Clydesdales, though I don’t know horse breeds).  There just wasn’t enough time to take it all in! 

As we climbed back into the boat, we overheard a man comment, “Last year we did an excursion to Bruges.  After having been to Ghent, I think I have to say that I like Ghent better than Bruges!”  That made both of us feel better because we were thoroughly enchanted by the gorgeous beauty of the city! 

As we headed back to Zeebrugge, the guide commented that the weather can make or break the excursion.  He said that if it’s raining, they put up a plastic roof and plastic windows, but the plastic doesn’t do a very good job of keeping the rain out.  This was my fourth “water” excursion, and the other three days were very overcast, and in a couple of cases, rainy.  What a relief that this was the day that the weather cooperated!  We couldn’t imagine trying to visit such a magnificent city in the rain! 

The only thing that “dimmed” the day was the realization that we had a long night ahead of us:  we had seven suitcases to seal up for shipment home via DHL and two to take with us to the airport (along with our carry-ons).  Not only did we have a long night, but we knew it would be a long day on Saturday, up early for breakfast and then back to the room to get a few more things done before leaving the ship one last time and heading to the airport in Amsterdam.   When we got up at 6:15 that morning, we knew we would be going to bed at our “home” time zone.  6:15 AM in Amsterdam is 11:15 PM in Chicago.   The last several days on the ship were a whirlwind of packing, exchanging addresses and email addresses, saying good-byes, and trying to make sure we brought home all of our belongings. 

As we arrived back in New Lenox, Chuck commented that we had managed to get through all ten weeks without incident.  That is always a relief, but this year it was particularly significant:  I had left home in mid-March having been released from physical therapy the day before, having severely broken my sacrum in January.  So the fact that we got home without incident is a tremendous relief!  I have said several times that it was a great way to continue my recovery!  I didn’t have to cook (not that I cook that much anyway), nor did I have to serve my food, do the dishes, do laundry, clean house, go grocery shopping, or fight the ice and snow that had plagued us during the long winter of 2013-2014.  I didn’t see as much as I would have liked, but I did see a lot, and I had the opportunity to relax and continue to recover. (I still have some months of recovery to get through, but I have greatly improved!!!)  Others waited on me, and I am so grateful for all the assistance I received from the wonderful staff of the Prinsendam, not to mention our tablemate Alice and especially Chuck! 

BT