contentedsouls

Although the wind was horrendous yesterday, at least it wasn’t raining for once. We’d eaten late because G and Kevin were doing something in Kevin’s motorhome – I think they’ve turned it into a man shed with DVD player and dodgy magazines! I put the radio on to long wave for The Archers at 8 pm and all I got was the cricket! So we made the decision at 9 pm to go out and went at 9.15 pm. Somehow it didn’t seem right to stay in on a Friday night in one of THE most stunning European cities. It makes it easier because we’re on ‘double’ summertime here, so it was still light. I’m so glad we made the effort.

These ‘inner city’ canals are screaming to be explored in the kayak – it’s driving me nuts with frustration, but the strength of the wind is way outside my operating envelope. Maybe the weather will pick up by the time we reach Ghent. The shop windows seemed more interesting at night too!

One for the girls

One for the boys

And one for the children

Then we hit a bar

Despite the fact that G had tucked into a bowl of strawberries (so much tastier than our English ones) with Marcello’s chocolate and hazelnut spread with slag room (Flemish for squirty cream), we got the munchies and had to stop for frites and mayo on the way home – it was well gone 1.00 am.

The wind had dropped a little this morning but it was raining hard again. We called up for the amazing ‘rocking’ bridge to be lifted and were told there was an obstruction and we wouldn’t be going until 12.30 so we had an early lunch and I prepped dinner. The bridge is even more amazing when you go under it.

As we cruised passed the city it quickly became apparent that we hadn’t seen half of it! Might have to finish the job off when we come back for the car. More amazing bridges and mechanisms for opening them but that’s for the next blog although, before I go tonight, I must rescind my previous statement about how boring the navigable canals are – today they got pretty; we left the ubiquitous road with crash barrier one side and cycle track the other and found ourselves on Thames-like waters.