OOSTENDE

Call it what you like but we know it as Ostend. Unusually for us on our inland adventure we had a trip to the beach. Soraya didn't go she was not impressed with the concept of a big blue wobbly thing. And besides, it's salty! Ostend itself is architecturally challenged, with mediocre high rise apartments lining the seafront. If you want beach huts and a beach that seems to go on forever, it's great. We must say the sand is perfect, so soft.

Margaret considering whether she should take the plunge. The answer's no!

Amongst the apartments and seaside tat there is a remarkable modern art gallery Mu.ZEE. Sorry no photographs allowed. I don't know why. The collection is dominated with cubist works which I like. I fully understand people who don't like it but for me it was good. Unfortunately the gallery could do with a major makeover or perhaps demolition. Interesting to see such a wide collection even if it needed better curation. That aside it is definitely worth a visit. On the sea front they decided to make a splash in red. Huge crushed steel boxes. Many more than in the photograph.

Geoff with the red crushed boxes.

There is a fish market in the harbour area which must sell some of the cheapest fish around. It was limited in choice, very much what had been caught that day. Still, 3kg of very fresh fish for €10 can't be bad. I think these were Dabs.

Flatfish in the fish market.

Judging by the number of very expensive sea going motor and sail yachts moored there is no shortage of money. Perhaps the owners live elsewhere and merely keep their boats in Ostend.

On the beach they were creating complex and huge sand castles for an exhibition to start shortly. They were quite specacular unfortunately hidden behind fencing until the grand opening.

Geoff with 2 of the sand castles.

Our Australian mates turned up as they were moored a few kilometres away, so back to Soraya for a beer to help them down the canal path to their mooring.

Margaret, Christine and Peter. Peter in deep thought.