STUCK IN THE MUD

Well, it had to happen some day, I suppose, and today was the day! Having navigated all day we turned right to enter a small canal that goes into the centre of Gent where we were going to stay for a few days before our last two day trip to Diksmuide for winter. It was at a point where two canals cross. All of a sudden the depth gauge was beeping at us, the boat wouldn't steer and we ground to a halt! We had run aground! We revved and revved back and forth trying to shift the boat, with bow thrusters going to try to move the front but nothing! We were quite well out from the side as shown below, so didn't feel we'd cut the corner or gone too close to the bank.

Stuck in the mud.

So, we need help. The canal we were turning off was quite busy with very large commercial barges up to 110metres. I went on the VHF Radio to find out if there was anybody around who could help us but there was no response. There was a lock very close by, so we phoned the lock keeper. He was very helpful and after explaining where we were, he said 'Ah yes, I can see you on the video screen.' He said he'd phone us back when he'd found someone who could help. They have a responsibility to keep the waterways clear and inform you if there are problem areas. After a very short time we saw a large empty commercial stopping near us and backing towards us. It was Napoleon coming to our rescue. They threw us a rope which we looped over one of our bits. (That's what they call the bollards on boats).

Napoleon revving like mad to pull us out.

He motored forwards, revving madly......Soraya didn't move an inch. He then upped the revs, meanwhile he was getting very close to the bridge. Still nothing. More revs!! Eventually we started to move very slowly. After a lot more pulling we were free, thank goodness.

Job done, throw the rope off.

The problem is when you stick in mud, you get sucked on firmly. We couldn't thank Napoleon enough. We phoned up the lock keeper to thank him and pass our message on and he said 'Yes, we watched you on the video, it took a long time to get you off. You were well stuck.' We were!

YES MORE MUSEUMS

We seem to be in museum central at the moment. It's not that we are looking out for them they just seem to be everywhere. In Tournai we felt we could not pass by Musée des arts de la Marionette, the puppet museum. They had lots on offer with over 2500 puppets from all around the world.

Pleased to see Punch and Judy from Britain.

Personally I was fascinated by the building which housed the museum. It was once a very wealthy businessman's 'villa' who had 12 children. The house literally radiated around a circular staircase with amazingly detailed woodwork in a radial pattern from the stairs. Unfortunately the whole place could have done with a cash injection in the maintenance department.

The main staircase.

A very forlorn and old puppet sat in a chair.

Not to be too museumy we also visited in Tournai, Musée des Beaux-Arts. Again I felt the building was more interesting than the contents. Perhaps it's me!! The museum was designed by the celebrated Art Nouveau Belgium architect Victor Horta. As an aside his house is in Brussels and well worth a visit. The building did not disappoint, again could have with a bit of TLC. The exhibits were rather second rate and not enough of them. Looking at old photographs of the museum it used to be rediculously packed with paintings, sculpture and furniture. It seems someone in Brussels thought they would be better displayed in the capital!

The entrance courtyard.

A winged hippo.

The one modern piece was this huge winged and 'flying' hippopotamus in the main atrium. As they say it takes all sorts. Whilst sometimes we go to exhibitions, institutions or events that do not prove to be totally worthwhile it is still worth exploring these as sometimes a real gem is discovered. Such at Le Musée National Des Jeux De Paume in a previous post.

ANOTHER MUSEUM - TAPESTRIES

There are lots of museums. In Tournai recently we found the town to be full of museums, 8 to be precise. Let's try Musée de la Tapisserie et Le TAMAT (Tapisserie, Arts Muraux, Arts du Tissu). As Belgium is historically known for the production of tapestries we thought it may be a good call. We were not disappointed.

Le Jardin Enchanté by Jean Ransy 1982.

This huge contemporary piece was a delight and a riot of colours as tapestries usually are when they start out. Unfortunately given a long time the colours fade as in this 16 century piece below. Fascinating but does not have the visual punch of the modern piece in my view.

Les Armes D'Ardien de Croydon-Melun c16.

Another modern striking piece that caught our eye was Le Jardin de là-Bas (The garden over there). Strange title. It did seem to have 'dark' undertones, you really wondered what the storey of the piece was. It is hard to do these tapestries justice in a blog compared to being in front of them. The size, the colours and the textures are exquisite.

Le Jardin de là-Bas by José Crunelle 1990.

As the museum is also Le TAMAT there are pieces that use tapestry techniques with other more three dimensional properties. This massive piece about 3x2 metres was gorgeous. So simple yet very rich. The photograph below shows only a part of it.

Evolution by Paulette Wynants 1981.

There was a lot to see and take in not to mention the works executed in dried and treated salmon skin!

A LOAD OF BALLS

Le Musée National Des Jeux De Paume is unique. It's a museum for all ball games traditionally played in Belgium. It does however focus on the no longer played game of Balle Pelote, a Wallonie speciality, also played in parts of France. The game used to be a regular event at fêtes, fairs and feast days usually in the Grand Place which most towns have. The balls were made of many materials usually covered in sewn animal skin. They varied enormously in size and weight as illustrated in the cabinet below.

A few of the balls for Balle Pelote.

The game took place on a ground called a ballodrome which was approximately 72 X 19 metres with five players on each team. It's a game of gaining ground hence gaining points. The rules seem very confusing to the uninitiated. Mind you that applies to most games you have never come across. It involves volleying the ball into the midst of the opposition with a gloved hand. One thing we thought was fascinating is that it is the precursor for that well known game of Tennis. In fact tennis gets its strange scoring from Balle Pelote, i.e.15 30 40 game, with no advantage point.

Banner of the 'famous' Ladeuze team.

The museum was literally stuffed with all manner of memorabilia, outfits, balls, racquets, posters, books, trophies, ball construction systems. It even had its own bar, a replica of a small bar in Ath where the players would drink after a game. The bar stocked a specially made beer, well it is Belgium, called Gant d'Or. The label illustrating a golden glove and a Balle Pelote ball. The staff running this free museum based in the attic of the Hôtel de Ville were some of the most enthusiastic staff we have ever come across. Good for them.

Homage à la Balle Pelote.

WHAT IS ATH ON?

Ath, that well known Belgium town! It's pronounced 'At' by the French speaking and 'Ath' by the Flemish speaking. It's still the same town. Upon arrival in the town centre the lock had not been prepared which we thought strange. We hovered then the lock keeper came running to meet us. 'Do you want to be close to le Centre Ville or le Port Plaisance?' 'Le Centre Ville!' Well moor exactly where you are as the Grand Place is around the corner. We said we would stay one or maybe two nights. A week later we reluctantly left. It had so much going on and was so pleasant. The lock keeper and his wife were lovely. So friendly and welcoming. Ask him about anything and the wine came out with great conversations about the universe and everything! Before we left we explored the town. 

Classical architecture in a museum.

You really have to go to Musée des Géants. It would be rude not to. The museum was fine, personally I found the building, a rich merchants house, more impressive. Marble, statues, conservatories, grottos to envy. The Giants are quite common in this region with parades and 'spectacles' in the summer. According to the information at the museum we have Giants in London and Sheffield??

One of the many.

Next to our mooring there was an building that was originally a school/association of art, it is now a space for public use, farmer's market, art exhibition, performance etc. Bimbling in, as we do, we found a stall promoting/selling their own local currency.

Monnaie citoyenne.

Ath is such a friendly easy town, not known by the British, with an unbelievable number of bars/restaurants in the Grand Place and a lovely ambiance. As I said what are they on? I'm not sure but they do seem good and happy.

FISHERMEN AND NAVIGATING

As we pulled into our mooring in Lessines there was a fisherman just where we wanted to moor. As there are very few boats around the fishermen forget that they share the canals and rivers with boats and often fish at the only mooring around as the edges are nice and vertical and easy access to the water. We cruised into our mooring hoping the fisherman would lift his rods which he did. What we didn't realise was that his tray with all his worms, bait, hooks etc. was overhanging the canal and we came in very close to the side to moor up. We caught his tray with our back railings and started to drag not only his tray but his whole seat attachment with him on it!! We then caught his umbrella which was also overhanging the canal. It was like a slow motion comedy show!! All I could do was say 'Je suis desolé, desolé' (I am sorry, sorry). Fortunately we didn't move him very far and he didn't seem bothered at all. After we had moored up, I went back to see him and apologise with a bottle of beer. He didn't want to take it but I insisted.  

The fisherman we moved along. At least he was still smiling!

Cruising through Lessines we saw several people photographing us which is not unusual as Soraya is very photogenic and we often get photographed. What was unusual was the next day I received some photos of Soraya from a friend who's moored in Bruges. They were sent to her from a friend of hers who lives in Lessines and happened to see us. It's a small worid! It's very rare that we actually have photos of Soraya moving along as we are usually both on the boat. This canal, the Dendre, is very narrow with many lifting bridges which you can just see behind Soraya.

Navigating through Lessines.

Leaving Lessines, along the narrow Dender.

HÔPITAL NOTRE-DAME À LA ROSE

We are now in Wallonie which is the French speaking part of Belgium. We moored at a small town called Lessines. The town was very quiet. In fact so quiet that when we went out for a drink at 9pm on Friday evening the bars were all closed! However there was a huge hospital/convent in the centre of town which dates back to 1242. It was run by the Augustinian nuns and provided care for the poor and needy for over 7 centuries, the last nuns leaving in the 1980s. In the Middle Ages illnesses and diseases were conceived to be the consequence of sin and therefore curing the body went hand in hand with purifying the soul! Hence a large, beautiful chapel was incorporated next to the wards. A tour around the hospital was fascinating. It showed medicine from the thirteenth century through the Middle Ages to more modern concepts.

Racks of medicines/chemicals.

Some of the early remedies, concoctions and treatment were quite horrifying. You really wondered if they cured people or if those people got better because they had a decent roof over their heads. I'm sure many didn't survive because of the 'remedies' given to them. 

Surgical Instruments.

There were shelves and shelves of all sorts of instruments. Some looked horrendous. You can't imagine the pain caused by these implements with no anaesthetics. In fact Geoff had to walk away several times as his stomach was churning at the sight of them!

Mask and gown used by doctors to treat plague victims.

The hospital treated many plague victims, although it was rather controversial as to whether the hospital was set up only for the poor and needy people or for plague victims who may not be so poor. However either way the doctors wore scary looking masks and gowns which I'm sure wouldn't have helped a patient's mental state......the grim reaper springs to mind!

Herbs all labelled with their medicinal properties.

In order to meet its needs, the Hospital also had a medicinal herb garden. About 120 species of herbs were growing with all their medicinal properties labelled. Some were ancient herbs that were mixed and used with others. There was a notice saying 'Don't eat any as they have to be administered in very specific proportions'. Did they really know what those safe specific proportions were back in the Middle Ages.......?

CANAL VIEWS

The scenery along the canals is sometimes stunning. Without a doubt our current river/canal the Dender, in Belgium, is beautiful. The fact we are navigating in October helps as we are the 'only' boat on the waterway, amazing.

View along the old Dender.

We are surprised at the number of lifting bridges. We knew this waterway had a lot of locks, we did not know that it had even more lifting bridges. The lock and bridge staff are superb. Always enquiring as to our movements and arranging to be there for us. Sometimes it's quite embarrassing as they prepare a lifting bridge well before we arrive. As they are only just big enough for Soraya to get through you have to approach very carefully hence slowly. All the time the traffic is kept waiting. We drift through, down comes the bridge, the traffic starts again, the canal staff jump into their car and race off to the next one to prepare it for us. It's almost like someone has given an order '..... do not keep Soraya waiting!!' Long may it last. 

A recent sign along the canal.

Moored recently we came across this sign adjacent to a slipway. We've never seen one like it before. I think it's graffiti. Unless it means bare feet only. Or perhaps threesomes only?

Further up the waterway to the Canal Ath-Blaton more great views. Amazing October weather, even the local Belgians are surprised. 

View along the Dender.

KOFFIE

The Belgians know how to set you up for the day. Calling in for an early morning coffee during/after a run (location dictates), or whilst shopping, they do have a great concept. Ask for a small coffee and you end up with a meal for one with an alcoholic beverage thrown in at 10 in the morning.

Koffie.

Coffee, a chocolate, Advocaat, milk, sugar etc. A petite déjeuner in one + an early morning pick you up!

MATTENTAARTEN

What is that? A new food? You know I/we like to wax lyrical about new to us different foods and we hope to introduce new foods to the greater blog readers. Recently along the Dender or Dendre as we should now say as we are in Wallonie which is Fench speaking, and particularly in Geraardsbergen we happened across a food called Mattentaarten. Well you have to try it.

A sign outside a local shop.

In we go. Excuse me what is in this 'pie'? They are everywhere. They seem to be a thin pastry covering over a sort of light frangipane sponge. They are seriously yummy, quite plain but somehow full of flavour.

Window of a local shop.

As an aside I bought one for a friend. I said it was a Mattentaarten, she thought I said a Mutton Tart (pie). No.... not a mutton pie a sweet dessert!

Let's cut this one open.

And for those of you who are taking note we never worked out what the Eetkaffee is. The Flemish language is so difficult!

STOP, STOP, STOP THERE'S A COW IN THE CANAL

Navigating up (south) on the Dender we saw ahead lots of blue flashing lights. We slowed as they seemed abnormally close to the river. An emergency service person ran towards us gesticulating madly stop, stop, stop. We had seen there was something in the river. Binoculars out it was a large Charolais (beef cattle) and a plongeur (emergency services diver). It became evident that a large bull had fallen/got itself into the river and could not get out. 

Bull secured on the inside of a pontoon. Can't be seen but it is there.

Their emergency services managed to persuade the beast to a safer location inside a pontoon awaiting a crane to lift it to normality. All in a days barging!

MY KIND OF PLACE

Yesterday in Aalst we were wandering around or should I use our normal term 'bimbling'? The weather was very autumnal, sunshine and showers. The rains started so into a cafe we go. An espresso, a few emails, a news update and what a good sign. I would have taken part but even as a devout beer drinker 10.30 in the morning is a bit steep for a Triple Karmeliet! Look it up it's a Trapiste beer.

Good sign.

Later along our bimbling route we found a restaurant whose name we found amusing 'Burnt'. Perhaps they are totally honest. Only open in the evening but we did find a great lunch time spot H2i.

Great name.

As they say there is no accounting for taste. The previous evening we were looking for an 'early doors', a Yorkshire expression for an early drink, as opposed to a 'late taste' for a closing time drink. That aside, walking through Aalst we could not help noticing the incongruous juxtaposition of a car and a historic building. Who ever thought of putting those statues on that building!!

Juxtaposition.

MAISON DANDOY

Maison Dandoy is an artisan biscuit company based in Brussels. There is a joint reason for including it on the blog. Firstly we did go there as part of our meandering around Europe. Secondly we are selling our Brittany holiday home, Kerloc'h, after almost 19 years and we have sold it to the owners of Maison Dandoy. A family company that has been baking and selling biscuits from 1829. The couple who are buying Kerloc'h in December are very excited about It and see it as a family home for their extended family. We hope they will enjoy Kerloc'h as much as we have, look after it and take it to new heights!

Maison Dandoy's newest boutique in Galerie du Roi in Brussels.

They commissioned the wall murals and if you look closely the birds are all eating biscuits which are yummy!

Margaret outside the original Maison Dandoy in Rue au Beurre.

A DAY OUT IN BRUSSELS

Being so close to Brussels we thought it would be rude not to have a day out there. Such an easy trip from Dendermonde to Brussels, half an hour on the train for only €6.50 return each. Might just be a bit more expensive in UK. Most of the day was just a bit of bimbling with a few tourists sites thrown in. We came across a great lunch spot De Noordzee in Sint-Katelijnestraat. Razor clams with garlic butter, parsley and chips, what a delight! With mayon(n)aise of course, spelt in the Belgian manner. Scampi and chips were good too, really large freshly fried prawns.

Razor Clams at De Noordzee.

A very well known Brussels speciality is of course waffles. They were never my favourite. That's not to say I don't like them it's just they never hit the spot. However......there seems to be a competition raging in the more touristy areas for the largest, most gross and Chantilly creamed offerings. I think they look disgusting. Poor little humble waffle buried down below. They are however very popular with certain ethnic groups.

A few of the many 'waffles' for sale.

Walking back to the train we passed through the Grand-Place which was arranged as a concert venue for the French festival. They have two each year one for the Flemish speaking and a quite separate one for the French speaking. No division in the population there then! Unfortunately it was not starting until later that evening. But!! a bit of a warm up was about to happen and our favourite French singer Zazie came on for a couple of numbers. We have her music but never seen her before. What a bonus. Unfortunately she was headlining so would not be on until virtually midnight. If you want to try her music find the track 'A Ma Place'.

Zazie in the Grand-Place.