AN AVERAGE DAY IN GENT

We are both really enjoying Gent, bicycle theft aside. The mooring is very central, free and adjacent to two other sets of friends on barges. People sometimes say 'what do you do all day?' What does anyone do all day? We normally start with expresso followed by a run or exercise of some sort. Whilst out running you always come across interesting things. A previous morning whilst running along the cycle track that follows the canal I came across the device as photographed below. It's a bicycle counter. The day's figures were 1610 that morning at 8.00AM and 52260 so far this week, up to Wednesday AM. On Saturday AM it was over 67000 and still rising. This is just one direction into the city centre. It just shows that if you put in the right infrastructure, in this case proper dedicated bike routes they will be used. It's interesting to see that in many places car traffic has been severely curtailed or completely removed in favour of bicycles. Excellent.

Solar powered bicycle counter.

There's always a bit of sculpture around, if you look for it. Sometimes it's monumental and historic other times a bit avantguard. The piece photographed below definitely needs work. I have no idea what it is trying to express in the middle of the canal and I'm into this stuff.

I feel this sculptor needs to try harder.

A good local facility at the end of the moorings is a chip shop, a 'frituur'. The Belgiums are renowned for their chips and this one is no exception. It has a great range of food on offer and it also does have, for us, the inviting name of 'Frituur de Bargie'. Evening meal sorted.

'Frituur be Bargie' close to our mooring.

There is always plenty of socialising. We were invited onto Elodie a barge owned by Australian friends. They had friends who work in Gent over so we were invited for an aperitif, well a few beers. Later on after a riotous evening discussing pretty well everything, the conversation got serious. Which is the best Marmite (British) or Vegimite (Australian)? The conversation did get quite hectic! I could not express a favourite as I don't like either. It seemed to boil down to what you're brought up with. Margaret definitely preferred the Marmite. Well there's a surprise.

Emma and Margaret with their own favourites.