We returned to the Oudenaarde square interested to see how it looked without a giant fun faire. We also hoped to find a bakery, for something to eat before taking back to the river.
The square looked a lot better, though there was still one faire vehicle in front of city hall. Sure enough, there was a bakery, and as usual I got left in the street while Dodie went in. This was a bit of a bug this time, as a city street sweeper machine was buzzing back and forth in the square, very noisily.
Dodie came out with a selection of buns and cakes, and had the ridiculous suggestion that we wait until along the river to dig into them, rather than sit here at the bakery's tables and chairs. The idea of starving out along the river while looking for an non-existent bench flew like a lead baloon with me. I preferred to sit with the street sweeper noise.
The cake was sort of ok, but on the heavy and oily side. I remembered that Belgian and Dutch baking is not that great. But maybe it is not so bad as the useless "Danish" pastries in Denmark!
While waiting at the bakery, I decided to snap this cute white house near the church.
With one piece of slight oily cake eaten and other stuff in the food bag, we went out to the river. There was another church out there - hard to keep track of them.
We are very much appreciating being in a full on bicycling culture here. Since it was time for school, every kid in the town was out on their bike by the river (except those walking in the square). There were exactly zero kids being delivered anywhere by car, and cars anyway were not that much in evidence.
We now had an easy cruise on the flat and paved Scheldroute by the river, over to Ghent. The route may have been flat and paved, but it was still interesting.
Here is one of many bulk carrier barges that ply the river. They mostly seem to contain sand and gravel, though some had metal shipping containers aboard.
I don't know if signs like the one below are wishful thinking, or maybe you need to be at the right season, but we only ever see but a fraction of the birds shown.
We soon approached Ghent, and here's the thing - we were here last year - but we remembered nothing, not even that we were here. So, I was eagerly looking to see what this place might really be like. It started with a big bridge, a fancy arena, and two glitzy office buildings from 2014, called the Blue Towers.
We paused in trying to scope out the city, as we encountered a group of disabled people being pedaled along on special bikes, no doubt by volunteers. Cycleblazers Keith and Kathleen Classen are two such volunteers, back in Victoria.
Inside the cathedral there is a painting - Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. You have to pay admission to see it. It was painted by the Van Eyck brothers, who got a statue out front for their trouble - shown here. More on that lamb coming up below.
The most famous piece of furniture here is a painted altarpiece , by those Eyck brothers, of the statue outside. It as done in 1432. The painting ended up in Paris after the French revolution (1789), but the Duke of Wellington returned it. But six panels were sold to an art dealer, and they ended up with the king of Prussia. Germany was forced to return them after WWI. during WWII they were hidden in a salt mine in Austria, with other works of art. But Hitler ordered the mine blown up. Some miners somehow saved them, and eventually they returned here. Only thing, now they are selling tickets to visit the painting - 16 euros!
The centerpiece of the panels is known as the adoration of the Sacred Lamb. We found this rather puzzling, as most lambs we have known have been very down to earth. Here it all is:
Here is some pretty evocative sculpture. It also seems to acknowledge that the earth (the blue globe?) is round, which could be something...(This could be a baptismal font - maybe it opens?)
Opposite the cathedral is the Cloth Hall and the Belfry. The Cloth Hall is from 1425, though it was still being added to in 1903. It was there to support the textile industry. The Belfry is one of three medieval towers in Ghent - the other two being Saint Bavo's, and the Saint Nicholas Church (which I think has three towers). The belfry was completed in 1380 (took over 65 years to build).
Saint Nicholas church. I took this for the unusual place the bell is mounted. By the way, we see Dodie still in full rain gear. It was an on and off rainy day.
The next square is called "Little Turkey". The reason is that the square used to have bankruptcy auctions. Little Turkey is a corruption of "ter keie gaan", which means "hit rock bottom".
Little Turkey features the Korn (wheat) market building. There is a grocery (Albert Heijn) downstairs on the left, that Dodie says has really good stuff.
Dodie went in just to the left in this shot, to buy some Belgian chocolates (which were amazing!). I noticed this one of many Belgian waffle shops just beside. My brother had cautioned us abput getting not freshly made waffles, and here for sure they seemed pre-piled up, like Eggos.
The lady seems happy, but the man pumped a ton of catsup, when I had asked for it in a cup. I was forced to eat out all the gooey ones for the fastidious Dodie.
Not yet done with Belgian unhealthy treats, we investigated the "Ghent Noses" which are made from gelatin and a raspberry syrup filling. (The purple ones, anyway).
This man would only sell in 10 and 20€ lots. We found lots of shops with no quantity rules.
With the 83x telephoto of my camera, I spotted even more fries and chocolate in the distance. Not much chance of getting Dodie down there for another round!
Across the river from the castle is found this giant cannon, which is called Dulle Griet, which is loosely translated Mad Meg. Griet refers to a enraged woman, something like a "Karen". This cannon was used in the siege of Oudenaarde in 1452. ghent attacked Oudenaarde and lost, leaving the cannon behind. They got it back about 120 years later.
Bill ShaneyfeltInteresting... Being a retired ammo & explosives safety guy, and having been to Edinburgh Castle where I saw Mons Meg, I just had to dig around and see if there was any association with Mad Meg... kinda long read down to where I found it, but there it was!
Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Bill ShaneyfeltInteresting history. Thus us apparently the largest existing siege cannon left from medieval times. Reply to this comment 1 month ago
Karen PoretPlease.. no Karen’s.. thank you, even though I understand why you wrote my first name. 😬 Reply to this comment 1 month ago
The guy in this statue was not a prince or a king, but just a businessman, from the 14th century. He rose to power, Trumplike, and became something of a dictator. He was killed in this square by a business rival.
From the Friday Market, we made our way to our hotel, the Flandria. Like many places in Belgium and Netherlands, this features narrow and high staircases. We dragged our tired selves and heavy bags up the stairs, to what seemed like a back maid's room or something. No matter, we always apply our "better than a tent" rule, and this one has windows with a nice cross breeze. That contributes a lot to our happiness. We also have lots of food from that Albert Heijn, and I am typing this at a little desk, with room for my coffee cup. What more could you ask? (And don't say "Where is the pool!")
Today's ride: 41 km (25 miles) Total: 1,332 km (827 miles)
Karen PoretThank you for your tour of Ghent! It was overwhelming with tourists in May.. appears you are more fortunate crowds wise. Now.. on to Albert Heijn again.. I never go wrong in that market.. they even carry the bosche ballen! Reply to this comment 1 month ago
