August 29, 2022
To Geel
The day started with a long-awaited reunion with Eddy and Ria, who had driven down from Geel to share a morning coffee. It was wonderful to see them after so many years, instantly recognized as they haven’t changed a bit in the last four years. We fell into an easy conversation but didn’t linger as Eddy and I were traveling to Geel by bike – my own guided tour through Belgium legend and history.
Our first stop was the town of hill-top town Sherpenheuvel (Sharp Hill) and the Basilica Notre-Dame de Scherpenheuvel. The Basilica is located where, according to legend, there was once a large oak tree in the shape of a cross. A statue of Mary was affixed to the tree, drawing travelers to Scherpenheuvel to see the wondrous tree and statue. One day, a passing shepherd tried to steal the statue but his efforts were foiled when, on removing the statue, he was suddenly frozen in place, unable to move. There he remained, until his master came by and replaced the statue of Mary back on the tree – suddenly the shepherd was free to move. Since that time, folks with various afflictions have journeyed to Scherpenheuvel seeking their own miraculous cure, a pilgrimage that continues today.
Before leaving Scherpenheuvel, Eddy stopped to buy some noppen, a small round gingerbread anise pastry only available near the Basilica. Then we made a brief pass by the birthplace of Ernest Claes, a popular Flemish writer and author of the young adult novel De Witte – one of Eddy’s favorites.
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Averbode Abbey was founded in 1134 and for much of the 20th century a major publisher of children’s books. Our route to the abbey took us down a wonderful dreef (a tree-lined road) known locally as Lick Dreef due to the popular ice cream truck at the end of the lane. Uncharacteristically, I passed on by the ice cream truck, having just stopped for a pastry break on our way through the dreef.
The next two stops were a look at a couple of Belgium’s royal castles. The Castle de Merode Westerlo is still occupied by members of the Royal Merode family and though it is a private residence the family hosts a number of community cultural events, including historical productions. In the nearby town of Westerlo is the Castle of Jeanne de Merode, built in 1909 as the residence of Jeanne Merode after her falling out with the royal relatives occupying the Castle de Merode. Located less than a kilometer from her former family home, the “new castle” was Jeanne’s part-time residence and was temporarily occupied by Nazis during WWII. After Jeanne’s death, the Black Sisters-Augustinesses inherited the castle and established a home for elderly priests but, unable to keep up with the high costs of maintenance, they sold the castle to the town of Westerlo. It serves as the town hall – a very fancy town hall, I might add.
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Our last stop before Geel was Tongerlo Abbey. Founded in 1128, the abbey today supports itself by agricultural activities but is probably best known for its Leonardo da Vinci Museum that houses a 16th-century copy of Da Vinci’s Last Supper. Thought to have been painted by Da Vinci’s student, Andrea di Bartoli Solari, it is considered by many to be the best replica of the original painting. The museum was closed today, so we headed out the gate and made our way across the Albert Canal to Geel.
It had been a wonderful ride, and what it lacked in jaw-dropping scenery was more than compensated by rich stories and outstanding company. Back at home, Ria greeted us with a delicious meal of smoked salmon, asparagus and her special chocolate mousse. The noppen would have to wait another day. Lucky for me, there were more days to come.
Today's ride: 36 miles (58 km)
Total: 2,473 miles (3,980 km)
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