Rambling with Kirk 2017: Road to Ypres

kirk13 · **on:** March 20, 2017, 06:59:45 PM

Chronologically,this is out of order,as there's a ramble from January that needs to be written up.

Anyway,I recently done a bus tour of the battlefields of the Somme,and the Ypres Salient. There's a helluva a lot of photos,so it'll be broken up into three threads. This one will be the happy cheerful one. There'll be one one thread each dedicated to the two battlefields.

I can't say it was an uplifting trip. Reading about the raw statistics is one thing,but to stand in the cemeteries,to look across the battlefields is a humbling,and moving experience.

Having said that,I can't speak highly enough of Belgium and her people. A beautiful country,beautifully taken care of. And yes,the beer is pretty good too!

Enough blather,on with the trip!

kirk13 · **Reply #1 on:** March 20, 2017, 07:02:45 PM

The trip started at Victoria Station in London,as so many trips have. The initial leg to Bexleyheath,where we'd join the coach took forever. On top of the usual London congestion,Her Maj,The Queen was dedicating the memorial to the fallen of the Iraq and Afgan conflicts,so,yes,lots of road closures $:-\$

This wasn't my first Channal crossing,but was my first as an adult,and more importantly,my first in daylight! As you can see,the weather was absolutely brilliant! Sailing out of Dover harbour,sipping a pint of Bass,absolutely magic!

kirk13 · **Reply #2 on:** March 20, 2017, 07:28:13 PM

The three hour wait to get on the ferry wasn't that much fun though. What it meant was the sun was setting as we reached Calais,and by the time we were on the coach and heading to Menen,it was already dark.

Day two was the trip around the Ypres Salient,which we'll look at later.

Zed · **Reply #3 on:** March 20, 2017, 07:34:46 PM

Great pics Kirky

kirk13 · **Reply #4 on:** March 20, 2017, 07:35:08 PM

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ypres

The Menin Gate. More about this later...

Mote,cannal or river? To be honest,I don't know. I'd really like to know more about the history of Ypres prior to the Great War.

A travelling fair was in town,set up in the square by the Cloth Hall. I was tempted to have a go on the shooting range,but having already had a beer,I thought the better of it

Knives,in a shop window?! I like Belgium!

Don Pablo · **Reply #5 on:** March 20, 2017, 08:27:50 PM

You had to go to the SAK shop.

kirk13 · **Reply #6 on:** March 20, 2017, 08:34:14 PM

Quote from: Zed on March 20, 2017, 07:34:46 PM

Great pics Kirky

Cheers Paul,lots more to come!

kirk13 · **Reply #7 on:** March 20, 2017, 08:35:27 PM

Quote from: Pablo O'Brien on March 20, 2017, 08:27:50 PM

You had to go to the SAK shop.

Oh,come on! Like I could have walked past

kirk13 · **Reply #8 on:** March 20, 2017, 08:36:48 PM

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Péronne,_Somme

Peronne is on the banks of the Somme. Such a beautiful town,in fact the who,e of the Somme area was beautiful,and I wish I'd had time to explore. As good as the Museum was,I'd actually tried leaving early with Case to have a look around. And then got distracted by another member of the tour,and got talking about the Genesis of tank warfare

Zed · **Reply #9 on:** March 20, 2017, 08:44:25 PM

Oohhh I spot lm's as well in that shop window

more great pics mate,how's the beer, when I lived in Belgium I went out every evening for a few pints

lovely beer,

kirk13 · **Reply #10 on:** March 20, 2017, 08:50:19 PM

Quote from: Zed on March 20, 2017, 08:44:25 PM

Oohhh I spot lm's as well in that shop window more great pics mate,how's the beer, when I lived in Belgium I went out every evening for a few pints lovely beer,

Aw mate,even the Stella tasted magic! And I'd rather not drink than have Stella here in the UK!

Zed · **Reply #11 on:** March 20, 2017, 08:53:39 PM

Quote from: kirk13 on March 20, 2017, 08:50:19 PM

Quote from: Zed on March 20, 2017, 08:44:25 PM
Oohhh I spot lm's as well in that shop window more great pics mate,how's the beer, when I lived in Belgium I went out every evening for a few pints lovely beer,

Aw mate,even the Stella tasted magic! And I'd rather not drink than have Stella here in the UK!

I drank so many different beers there, funny as I'm a Guinness drinker

but there beer is something special for sure

kirk13 · **Reply #12 on:** March 20, 2017, 08:55:32 PM

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Martin%27s_Cathedral,_Ypres

Cathedrals always raise a sense of ambivalence in me. I can't help be admire the vision of the architects,and stand back in awe of the skills of the craftsmen who created it,but be horrified at the money spent on a vain building,rather than being spent on the poor and hungry. For all that,St Martins does convey a sense of peace and sanctuary. If you follow the link to the Daily Fail below,you can see how St Martins looked a century ago.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2282108/World-War-One-wasteland-Haunting-rare-images-apocalyptic-destruction-Western-Front.html

kirk13 · **Reply #13 on:** March 20, 2017, 09:53:05 PM

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ypres_Cloth_Hall

Like St Martins,the Cloth Hall was rebuilt from ruins. I'd love to tell you what the inside was like,but,sadly,I didn't have time! For lots of reasons,Ypres is on my list of places to visit again.

Just a side street. I'm still blown away by just how neat and tidy Ypres was!