Belgium (Oostende, Bruges, De Haan)

In my last blog entry I described how we travelled from the UK to the Flemish coast in Belgium, via ferry, bus and tram. Our destination was Oostende, a city which is, essentially, a beach resort, but also has a large sea port. We were hoping for sunny weather so we could make use of the vast swathes of beach that Oosende has to offer, but unfortunately it was cold and gray, and thus didn't make it quite that far.

Oostende doesn't have many architectural gems, in fact most of the buildings are quite ordinary looking. However, despite the almost dull looking surroundings, it is a pleasant place to visit. We stayed in the Hotel du Parc - very basic, but adequate. It's location is convenient, being right in the centre of town, and in walking distance to the beach, marina and train station. There is also a casino close by, however we decided to avoid that and spend our money on more worthwhile things, like food and drink! Actually we ended up savouring quite a few different types of Belgian beer. We also found a good local pizza restaurant (ok, not Belgian, but tasty and inexpensive). You'll know you've found it if the English menu you're given has "hairdressers" as a pizza topping - we found it actually refers to capers. There you go.

The next day we went to Brugge (Bruges), somewhere we had wanted to visit for quite a while, being known as a "little Venice". Originally we thought of staying in Bruges, but found accommodation quite expensive. Alternatively Oostende is cheaper, and only a 20 minute train ride away. Bruges was cold, overcast, and overrun with tourists like ourselves, but we weren't disappointed with it. We explored its winding streets, looking in the various shops (some amazing chocolate displays), admiring the traditional architecture, and strolled by the canals. The town is quite compact and easily walkable on foot. It is also possible to take a horse and carriage ride through the town, or alternatively a boat tour on the canals. I did partly feel that Bruges catered a bit too much for tourists, losing some of its local charm in the process, however it is a very picturesque place and definitely well worth a visit.

The weather didn't improve the following day, but we decided we'd do some more sightseeing nevertheless. We decided to take the tram, or the Kusttram, north along the coast, all the way to Knokke, stopping at any town that took our fancy. The Kusttram day card is only 5 euros and allows unlimited travel for the day, along the entire route. The only town that really caught our eye was De Haan, the others didn't seem to look too interesting. We did get off at Knokke, walked around a bit, and went to a nice pub across the road from the train station. Apparently, according to Lonely Planet, Knokke is a beach resort for the elite, although it certainly didn't look that way to us (although we didn't explore it much either).

De Haan, on the other hand, is a pretty beach resort that hasn't been spoilt by high rise development. The colourful, quaint buildings near the beachfront give the place a magical quality. We walked along the quiet beachfront, enjoying our surroundings, realising that it would be a good place to escape to in the summer if we were ever to return. It is possible to get a direct ferry (only with a car, no foot passengers) from Ramsgate in the UK to Oostende, and from there drive along the coast to De Haan or take the tram, as we did.

Overall, we enjoyed our time in Belgium, although the weather could have been better. The Flemish coast is definitely worth visiting for a relaxing break, but ideally in the summer months, so that the vast, sandy beaches can be enjoyed to their fullest!