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Our Wimdu flat was right around the corner from Ghent’s famous belfry. How’s that for a central location?
The Wimdu website connects travelers with local home-owners who have rooms to rent. On our recent visit to Ghent, we decided to give their service a try and experience the city like a local.
Trappist Beer in Belgum (photo via wiki)
Trappist beer is probably the most recognized type of Belgian beer. Although it isn’t exclusive, Belgium is home to the majority of Trappist brewers. Made by monks in an abbey, Trappist beer has an element of mystery and nostalgia. But what makes a beer Trappist and what Trappist beers are available?
Schaerbeek Museum of Beer, Brussels, Belgium (photo via wiki)
Belgium is home to more than a thousand different varieties of beer produced by 178 different breweries. Some of them are known around the world, like Stella Artois, while others, such as 3 Schténg, are obscure. With so much variety how does a newcomer know where to begin?
Mobile Internet in Belgium
After two years, we’re revisiting the options for mobile internet in Belgium. Using the internet via mobile devices has become more popular in the past few years and the options have become more varied. We’re taking a look at some current data plans and finding ways to compare them.
It may not always be sunny, but there’s still lots to love about summer in Belgium
Despite the lack of a government and the chilly days of the past week, there’s a lot to love about being in Belgium during the summer. Recent visits from travel blogging friends have reminded me of these things and I thought they were worth sharing. The following is my list of favorite things about Belgium in the summer.
Bunratty Castle
Visiting historical sites is a great way of gaining an appreciation for events and places. In my previous post about the Castles of Shannon Heritage, I wanted to show history doesn’t have to be boring. I’d love to travel back in time, but sadly the time machine hasn’t been invented. However, there is Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, which does more than just present the history, it immerses you in it.
Dark and Foreboding, Knappogue Castle tower looms over the countryside.
Alison and I recently returned from a week-long road-trip of Western Ireland. One of the highlights was visiting the castles and heritage properties of the Shannon region.
While there, we visited no less than seven castles, abbeys, and tower houses. Even so, we barely scratched the surface, as there were hundreds of tower houses built during Norman rule, in the 12th century, and beyond. We decided to concentrate on properties maintained by Shannon Heritage. Each one had something special to engage the visitor and bring Ireland’s ancient history to life.
Studying history in school often requires boring memorization of dates and names. Luckily, I was inspired, early on, by a public school teacher who showed my class slides of his travels in Italy, Greece, and more. His personal descriptions of the places and their history made it more real to us as students.
Twenty-five years later, having had the opportunity to travel, I understand his passion for history. When you visit historical locations in person, the story becomes much more engaging. If done right, such a visit should make you feel like you have stepped back in history. This is exactly what we found at the Shannon Heritage castles.
The in Flander’s Fields Museum, Ypres, Belgium
If the battlefields around Ypres give you a sense for the landscape in which the First World War was fought, the local museums provide the background and realities of the fighting. There are many museums along the front specializing in a particular battle, a type of weapon, or a specific military unit. However, in the Ypres area two museums provide a solid overview of the war and I think they complement each other well. These are the In Flander’s Fields Museum and the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917.
German Trenches at Bayernwald
I’ve been interested in the history of war for 20 years. Although my initial interest was the Second World War, you cannot escape the impact the First World War had on Europe, world politics, and the start of the Second World War. I’ve read many books and watched a lot of films about both wars, but nothing compares to visiting the ‘front’. Alison knows I have more than a passing interest in the wars of the 20th century, so she booked us a trip to visit the battlefields around Ypres for my birthday. This may sound like an odd way to celebrate a birthday, but it was something I really wanted to experience.