The difference between a day trip to Ypres and staying for a few days is enormous. On a day trip you just have time to find the right cemetery, leave a note in the visitor’s book and then head off back to the ferry. When you stay in the town you begin to become aware of the huge number of men involved in the fighting and just how many were killed. Being told 100,000 were killed in a battle is just a number but seeing more than one cemetery where 4,500+ are buried brings home to you just what those numbers mean.
This is the Hooge Crater Cemetery just outside Ypres. In it are buried 5,892 soldiers of all nationalities of which 60% are unknown. This is by no means the biggest cemetery but still has the power to move when you think of all those young lives cut short for what turned out to be no good purpose as it all had to be refought 20 years later.
The people of Belgium haven’t forgotten the men who fought and died so that they can enjoy being Belgians today. Every day at 8pm the buglers from the Ypres Fire Brigade sound Last Post under the Menine gate, something they have done every night since 1927 with the exception of the years 1940 to 1944 when they were occupied by the German Army. However on the night they were liberated by the Free Polish Troops, the bugles were brought out of hiding and Last Post again sounded across Ypres even though fighting was still going on in the outskirts of the town.
My wife and I were privileged to take part in the ceremony on the night there was a visiting multinational military party taking part.
This is the Hooge Crater Cemetery just outside Ypres. In it are buried 5,892 soldiers of all nationalities of which 60% are unknown. This is by no means the biggest cemetery but still has the power to move when you think of all those young lives cut short for what turned out to be no good purpose as it all had to be refought 20 years later.
The people of Belgium haven’t forgotten the men who fought and died so that they can enjoy being Belgians today. Every day at 8pm the buglers from the Ypres Fire Brigade sound Last Post under the Menine gate, something they have done every night since 1927 with the exception of the years 1940 to 1944 when they were occupied by the German Army. However on the night they were liberated by the Free Polish Troops, the bugles were brought out of hiding and Last Post again sounded across Ypres even though fighting was still going on in the outskirts of the town.
My wife and I were privileged to take part in the ceremony on the night there was a visiting multinational military party taking part.
As the bugles rang out the crowd of several hundred were still and even the school parties felt the atmosphere as we all stood for two minutes in silence remembering all the men and women of all nationalities who lost their lives in both wars.
Belgium is a lovely place to visit. The people are very friendly and mostly tri-lingual. The main language around Ypres is Dutch but most people speak French and German as well. Most people have a smattering of English which can lead to some hilarious misunderstandings when all you have got is school boy French, a tiny bit of German and no Dutch at all.
We stayed in a Rural Hotel about 7 miles out of Ypres. It is called De Diligence and is run by a delightful team of young people under the guidance of Delphine the owner. The food was authentic Belgian recipes in huge quantities, very well cooked and presented. The menus are in Dutch and French so the sight of us trying to puzzle them out using school boy French as Delphine has only a smattering of English must have been highly amusing to the other guests. We enjoyed every mouthful of the food but not once did we manage to work out what we had ordered i.e. on the first night we ordered Fondue Bourguignonne. In our ignorance we expected something with melted cheese. What we got was a pan full of smoking hot oil on a spirit lamp and a plate of five different cuts of meat to ‘fry’ at the table. It was absolutely delicious when accompanied by Belgian vegetables (a salad) and chips. If you want more details here is the link.
Our pilgrimage is over and it is time to get back to work. I am supposed to be retired now I am 60 but already the offers of work are rolling in. Come back next week to see what happens on Monday my first full day back.
Belgium is a lovely place to visit. The people are very friendly and mostly tri-lingual. The main language around Ypres is Dutch but most people speak French and German as well. Most people have a smattering of English which can lead to some hilarious misunderstandings when all you have got is school boy French, a tiny bit of German and no Dutch at all.
We stayed in a Rural Hotel about 7 miles out of Ypres. It is called De Diligence and is run by a delightful team of young people under the guidance of Delphine the owner. The food was authentic Belgian recipes in huge quantities, very well cooked and presented. The menus are in Dutch and French so the sight of us trying to puzzle them out using school boy French as Delphine has only a smattering of English must have been highly amusing to the other guests. We enjoyed every mouthful of the food but not once did we manage to work out what we had ordered i.e. on the first night we ordered Fondue Bourguignonne. In our ignorance we expected something with melted cheese. What we got was a pan full of smoking hot oil on a spirit lamp and a plate of five different cuts of meat to ‘fry’ at the table. It was absolutely delicious when accompanied by Belgian vegetables (a salad) and chips. If you want more details here is the link.
Our pilgrimage is over and it is time to get back to work. I am supposed to be retired now I am 60 but already the offers of work are rolling in. Come back next week to see what happens on Monday my first full day back.
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