IN ALL MY TRAIPSING AROUND EUROPE I SOMEHOW skipped Belgium. Not to worry, we are here now. Armed with our Rick Steves guide to Brussels, Bruge and Amsterdam, we have set out to explore the “low countries” for a week or so.
Beer and cheese at Orval
Our first stop was the Abbaye Notre-Dame d’Orval near Florenville. Orval is a XIIth Century Trappist monastery specializing in beer and cheese that Connie found in our old copy of 1000 Places to See Before You Die. Wandering around the ancient ruins I began to think I would have been happy as a clam in one of the monasteries — if it weren’t for all that religious nonsense, that is.
Ingenuity on the canal
On our way to Cosy Cottage outside of Brussels we stopped off at the World Heritage hydraulic boat lift on Canal du Centre. Built in the 19th Century and still in operation today, these four amazing “ascenseurs” raise coal barges more than 60 meters on the canal that connects the Scheldt and the Meuse Rivers.
A Cosy welcome
Katty and Philipe welcomed us to their Cosy Cottage with beer, wine and a crackling fire. We are looking forward to a few comfortable days here in Dendermonde
while we explore Belgium.
