Folkestone

Arrived in Dover at 12.00am! First off the ferry and headed straight for Marine Terrace in Dover - parked and into bed within minutes! A d a good night sleep as well.

Arriving in the UK by ferry

Took an early morning walk along the Dover beach front and was away shortly after nine.

Dover esplanade 

Folkestone was our first call - needing to sort out our SIMM card and recharge it - actually it was easier to get a new SIMM. Took a walk along the Folkestone cliff tops. 

Folkestone 

A Victorian invention - the water-gravity shuttle car

Checked out the area before moving driving to Hythe - where a Venetian festival was happening - and then onto the seaside village of Littlestone-on -Sea. A beautiful day with the coast of France being visible right along this southern coast.

Littlestone on Sea

Spent the afternoon and the evening here enjoying the day and the wonderful panorama on offer from the walkway.

Calais

Last day in Europe. Departed after farewell g our French neighbours. Made our way to Calais to stock up on supplies at The Cite supermarket.

At overnight in Belgium.

Later move on to the esplanade along the boardwalk in Calais. A beautiful day and the French and the tourists were out in force until very late in the afternoon. 

At Calais beach front.

Relaxed and had our meal enjoying the beautiful sunshine before heading to the wharf for our crossing to Dover.

Waiting for the ferry!

Ghent

Tomorrow night we catch the ferry  from Calais back to the UK.  So with a little time up our sleeves we thought that a day in Ghent would be worthwhile ... and yes it was!

We left early, by our standards, for Ghent, stopping off at a service station to end the saga of the Dresden gas crisis! We had left the refilling of the cylinder until we were out of Germany - it was thought that the German LPG gas system might have been different from the rest of Europe. The refilling went ahead without a hitch - no leakage at the end of the filling! Phew!!!!! But out of the saga no accolades for Gas-It, the supplier of the cylinder - after two emails inquiring what might have happened  - NO REPLY! And, Belgium gas is only €0.56 a litre!

Our first impression of Ghent was that is very forgiving - after driving into vehicle restricted zones and slowing traffic through some  careful decision making as to where to park!  Parked centrally with good access to the old  town.  

Ghent 

Ghent is often thought of as the poor relation to Brugge. Where Brugge missed much of the industrialisation of the 19th century  Brugge didn't  getting the dark coatings on all its medieval buildings. This has started to be rectified and Ghent's  old buildings are coming back to life as there were five hundred years ago. 

Some of the famous Guild-Houses on the Graslei in Ghent

Ghent was once one of the most important cities of Europe. It was larger than London with only Paris being larger.  Given that it received very little harm during the wars a wonderful legacy has been left to the world.

We visited most of the historic sites during the day but the highlight perhaps was the guild-houses on the Graslei - this is where the merchant ships would dock and unload their merchandise. The Cooremetershuys (guild house of the grain weighers), the guild house on the free sailors and the Het Spijker  ( a granary) are all impressive reminders of the city's economic growth.

There is something inspiring wandering the streets of a town with such history. Ghent is a town worth visiting.

Moved onto Veurne by the canal for our overnight - along with about 20 other motorhome - but not gypsies!

Ghent Town Hall

Antwerp

Rain greeted us again this morning! The drive to Antwerp was through very heavy rain but as we entered the city it began to clear. 

Replenishing the essentials!

We were able to get a parking spot close to the MAS ( Museum of the River). Our first visit was to the MAS - an interesting innovative building in the old docks area just north of the old town.

MAS ( Museum of the River) Antwerp

A series of escalators take you to the very top of the building which then gives you a wonderful panorama of the city and one of the busiest ports in Europe.

Antwerp from the MAS

Antwerp is about 2000 years old! But it's glory days happened in the 16th and 17th centuries. Some of the fine buildings  around the market square are some of the finest guild-houses in Europe. The tallest of these is the House of the Crossbowmen, with a gold statue of St George slaying the dragon! 

 The guild-houses in the market square Antwerp.

The Brabo Fountain, in the centre of the market square, is a traditional landmark for the city - this depicts a Roman soldier slaying the terror of the city's fleet.

Another view!

The ornately gable Stadhuis (City Hall), built in the 16th century, reflects the wealth and prosperity of the city. It still looks the same today as it did in the 16th century. 

The ornately gable Stadhuis (City Hall)

We took a tour of the Stadhuis - all in Flemish - an interesting look at the opulence of the merchants of the time.

 Interior of the Stadhuis

This weekend Antwerp was holding its Bolleksfeest! This extended from the river through streets leading to the Market Square and the. Through to other squares in the city. It was huge. People everywhere! We thought we would sneak into Antwerp on a quite Sunday and have a look around, and then ease out at the end of the day - not to be. The town was crowded and alive! A great afternoon.

Antwerp

We moved onto Bazel for our overnight.

Germany - Holland - Belgium

 Last day in Germany today. What a great adventure - from the west to the south and then the east - we have sampled a great diversity and yet a single nation. What a great country with great people. We have had nothing but friendly people across the whole country - except for the bus driver in Ulm - and if you are reading this bus driver, perhaps you could do a little course in customer relations! 

We took an early morning walk into Straelen - another town along this border region displaying a sense of its closeness to the Dutch influence in architecture.  

Straelen, Germany

Later this morning we continued down the German - Dutch border through Wankum(!) on to Wachtendonk. This quaint town also reflects the close proximity to the Dutch style with some house dating back to the 17th century. These influences just indicate how modern political boundaries are of a recent phenomenon.

Wachtendonk, Germany

On further to Kallenkirchen for lunch and to shop before heading through Holland to our over night in Belgium at Neerpelt. This stellplatz is located on a large canal - with about fifty other motorhomes.

Neerpelt, Belgium

German-Dutch Border

Weather looking up again today - a very sunny and warm morning as we made tracks south along the German-Dutch border.

Crossing the Rhine at Emmerich

We crossed the Rhine at Emmerich before traveling through some serious agricultural countryside. No just the cropping variety but serious hothouses, hundreds of acres of pot-plants being developed and other market garden produce. This went on for kilometres!

Large market gardens for nurseries

Stopped for coffees at Kavelaer  and to have a look at he town - but we got a little more than we had anticipated. For where we parked - near the centre of the town- we noticed a number of other motorhomes and caravans and so thought this MUST be a good place to park and a town worth seeing. 

No sooner had we parked when we heard and saw a commotion a couple of hundred metres further along the parking area - people rushing etc. I wandered along a little way to see what the fuss was about when a young  fellow turn to me and said something in an Irish accent. Immediately the penny dropped - we were in the middle of a large number of 'Travellers'! I immediately got the picture - and the message that I was not one of them - where is the welcoming of a fellow traveler!

 Soon the young girls started to emerge from the caravans and motorhomes dressed to the nines in all the fluro gear and made up to the nth degree. We were at a 'travellers' meet! The further we looked around the more vans we saw - all along the other side of the railway line too! Hundreds!

 Kavelaer

A little research seems to indicate that Kevelaer is a centre where the gypsies do a pilgrimage to on a regular basis.

Yes we did finish our coffee but we didn't want to leave the van to look at the town - so we moved on to Straelen for the afternoon  and evening.

Straelen

Emmerich am Rhine

A short drive westward brought us to the border town of Emmerich -- a  German town a few kilometres from Holland.

The Rhine at Emmerich

Rain greeted our early stay in the town but once this ceased we were able to wander the town and the promenade along the Rhine. 

A virtual new town given that 95% was destroyed due to the bombing during WWII. It seems a popular town with tourist and for Dutch people to shop at the supermarkets!

Promenade at Emmerich

It is always fascinating watching the Rhine traffic - over 150000 vessels pass this point on the river each year. A large bridge spans the Rhine here connecting the Germany and Holland.

The Rhine at Emmerich

Stayed here overnight.