Flanders Field and Arrival in Brugge Continued

Flanders Field is an area in Belgium where several World War One battles were held. We first visited the American cemetery where over 350 are buried. There we learned about the role of the cemetery superintendent and staff. Their first priority is to the families of those servicemen buried there. 

We then had a local guide from Ypres with us on the bus for five and a half hours. With her we visited British, and UK and German cemeteries where we learned something about those buried.  One solder was 14 when he died. Two were buried together. Every evening at 8 PM in Ypres the community gathers at the huge Peace Arch for a ceremony. Fourth graders near the US cemetery adopt a soldier along with local residents, attend the Memorial Day ceremony and bring flowers to the headstones several important times of year . They also write messages about their experiences. We visited bunkers, first aid stations, and trenches.  In a museum we saw some of the remains of bombs and weapons. 

Our lunch was at a farm/B&B in an area where weapons remains have been located and which we saw in the garage. Our lunch was bread and Brötchen with meats and cheeses, ham salad, fruit, and mustard.  I loved every bite.

We arrived in Bruges with about an hour before 7 pm orientation walk to supper. Our hotel is on a canal. Streets, as in Ghent, are cobblestone.  Our bus driver, Rob, had several tight turns and U turns to make in our very large coach. He did them all expertly. 

The weather was very warm, and our tour group restaurant had no AC. Half of us are up some narrow and steep stairs. Service was VERY slow. The shrimp croquettes had no shrimp, only a fish-tasing paste inside the fried batter, the fish soup called waterzooi. It's an ounce of salmon and a piece of a mild white fish in a thin broth with a few thin pieces of celery and carrot.  It was OK.

Afterwards I went with few tour friends to a pub near our hotel to try the fruit-flavored beer. It closed at 9 PM. We found another near-by pub and I tried what I hoped would be light and and a bit sweet, but it wasn't.  I gave the rest away and returned late. 

Susan

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